Puzzled about SMS triggers

[hendis]

Are SMS triggers dependent on the protocol over which they are sent?

To explain, I've been browsing the Forums, trying to understand why my SMS triggers do not fire reliably. Does it matter if the text message is sent over a wifi connection or over the cell phone network?

 

[RSF]

Yes, see e.g. this post ... Google's "RCS" protocol (activated when "chat features" are enabled in the Google Messages app) prevents MacroDroid SMS triggers from seeing text messages sent within that scheme. To your question of wifi vs. cell-phone network, RCS does seem to emphasize data paths vs. carrier/phone paths (though I'm not knowledgeable about the details). Other SMS/MMS variations may have similar limitations.

You may want to switch your trigger from an SMS trigger, to a Notification Received trigger (configured to look at notifications from your messaging app). Those work regardless of text protocol, naturally.

 

[hendis]

Switching my triggers from SMS Received to Notification Received sounds like a good idea. However, one of my goals is to have a sound played when a contact sends a text, vs. having no sound when a non-contact sends a text. (If I don't know you, anything you send me is spam.) I can select contact/non-contact status in MD, but not in my messaging app.

(PS to anyone - know of (or use) a good SMS app that can limit notifications to contact-only?)

 

[Snurre]

(PS to anyone - know of (or use) a good SMS app that can limit notifications to contact-only?)

You should be able to disable all notifications in your app settings and then use MD to show notifications from contacts only

 

[Jacob L]

Tick monitor inbox on the SMS trigger

 

[RSF]

one of my goals is to have a sound played when a contact sends a text, vs. having no sound when a non-contact sends a text. (If I don't know you, anything you send me is spam.) I can select contact/non-contact status in MD, but not in my messaging app.

Ah, makes sense. I have a MD macro for calls using a contact-only trigger, for that same reason. For SMS, I rely on the Messages app Spam Blocking feature, plus a MD macro based on notifications that looks for spam patterns (which of course evolve over time, requiring a bit of ongoing maintenance).
You could try:

• @Jacob L 's suggestion to enable the "Monitor inbox" option
• Disabling RCS mode in the Messages app, if indeed that's currently enabled and the source of the problem: Settings > Chat > Enable Chat Features

know of (or use) a good SMS app that can limit notifications to contact-only?

Truecaller and Call Control might be options; both have high ratings and lots of downloads. I've not used them though.