UBports Robot Logo UBports Forum
    • Categories
    • Recent
    • Tags
    • Popular
    • Users
    • Groups
    • Search
    • Register
    • Login

    How I'm now using Signal on UT

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General
    45 Posts 13 Posters 3.1k Views 6 Watching
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
      Reply
      • Reply as topic
      Log in to reply
      This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
      • MoemM Offline
        Moem
        last edited by

        Unfortunately, there is currently no native, working Signal client for UT and this is unlikely to change soon. But if that's a problem that impacts you, read on! I found a solution that works well for me and maybe it will work for you, too.

        My solution consists of several parts:

        • Signal for Android, running in Waydroid. You can download it from their webpage or from F-Droid or Aurora Store.
        • Signal Desktop running on several computers, and linked to the first Signal, which is the primary device. All others are secondary devices. You can have only one primary.
        • Cinny, running on UT, using a Matrix bridge to connect to Signal. This is very new to me and yet it was easy.

        I followed these instructions given by Danfro:

        For everyone here who is looking for an alternative to use Signal on Ubuntu Touch.
        There is a matrix signal bridge hosted here: https://tchncs.de/matrix.
        This can be used with Cinny or any other Matrix client. Instructions are given on the website there.
        Because Cinny in OpenStore is quite outdated, feel free to use my updated version from the CI here: https://github.com/Danfro/cinny-click-packaging/actions.
        Note: Some things do still not work. Image download is fine, but right now no other file types. I am working on it...

        • Open Cinny (or another matrix client)
        • create a new room
        • invite the bridge bot @signalbot:tchncs.de
        • open your primary signal device and head for settings, linked devices
        • add new device
        • got to chat with bridge bot and type "login" as message
        • scan the qr code with your primary device, it should now link them
          Done.

        I had an extra step because my primary is running in Waydroid and it's a pain generating and scanning a QR code on one and the same device, plus it refused to work. So I installed the latest Cinny on a spare phone and used that to link Cinny to Signal. It worked fine.

        I hope this is useful to anyone else!

        Is currently using an Op5t
        Also owns an Op1, a BQ E4.5 and an Xperia X, as well as a BQ tablet and a Pinetab2. Please, someone... make it stop.

        messayistoM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 9
        • messayistoM Offline
          messayisto @Moem
          last edited by messayisto

          @Moem thanks, I did the same yesterday and I am so glad to have signal back on my device this way. And you're so much better and faster than me in documenting it for other users - thanks for that, too.
          By the way: I had to restart my device once for showing up Cinny in the setting list for notifications.

          MoemM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
          • MoemM Offline
            Moem @messayisto
            last edited by

            @messayisto said in How I'm now using Signal on UT:

            I had to restart my device once for showing up Cinny in the setting list for notifications.

            True! Good addition. Thanks for that, and for your kind words.

            Is currently using an Op5t
            Also owns an Op1, a BQ E4.5 and an Xperia X, as well as a BQ tablet and a Pinetab2. Please, someone... make it stop.

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • RobipoR Offline
              Robipo
              last edited by

              @Moem said in How I'm now using Signal on UT:

              Because Cinny in OpenStore is quite outdated, feel free to use my updated version from the CI here: https://github.com/Danfro/cinny-click-packaging/actions.

              Noob question: how do I actually install the github version? I searched the archive and the best I could find is this: https://forums.ubports.com/topic/6335/how-do-i-install-click-clickable-packages-outside-of-the-openstore/5

              Thanks

              MoemM danfroD 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
              • MoemM Offline
                Moem @Robipo
                last edited by Moem

                @Robipo Good question! I don't know how to get it from that link either, I got it directly from Danfro. I can't attach it here, it's too large.
                The filename is cinny.nitanmarcel_4.4.0_arm64.click
                Once you get it, though:

                • doubletap the file to open it
                • when asked what to open it with, choose OpenStore.

                Is currently using an Op5t
                Also owns an Op1, a BQ E4.5 and an Xperia X, as well as a BQ tablet and a Pinetab2. Please, someone... make it stop.

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                • danfroD Offline
                  danfro @Robipo
                  last edited by

                  @Robipo When I wrote this post, I didn't know, that Github only provides downloadable files for users that are actually logged in to Github.

                  So currently you can either log into Github (if you have an account) and download it from there, or use the latest .click I provided in our Telegram QA group.

                  I will release Cinny soon in OpenStore (I got the "go ahead" from the old maintainer today.), but a couple of steps need to be done until that is achieved.

                  RobipoR 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 5
                  • RobipoR Offline
                    Robipo @danfro
                    last edited by

                    @danfro It work fine with the click file in Telegram. I had downloaded the files from Github, but maybe I did something wrong creating the click file. Whatever. It works. Thanks

                    danfroD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                    • danfroD Offline
                      danfro @Robipo
                      last edited by

                      @Robipo Glad to hear you got it working. Hopefully soon that wouldn't be needed anymore (except for pre-release testing).

                      MoemM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • MoemM Offline
                        Moem @danfro
                        last edited by

                        @danfro You have at least two testers now! 😁

                        Is currently using an Op5t
                        Also owns an Op1, a BQ E4.5 and an Xperia X, as well as a BQ tablet and a Pinetab2. Please, someone... make it stop.

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • SanderS Offline
                          Sander
                          last edited by

                          Thank you @moem for documenting this and @danfro for maintaining the Cinny app! I've found bridging to Matrix very useful for WhatsApp. Personally, I use Beeper as a homeserver for this. It's an iOS and Android app that lets you connect multiple chat services and protocols in one place. Beeper uses Matrix underneath, so you can also log in to Beeper with Cinny once your account is set up. Here's how I got it working:

                          • Create a Beeper account on iOS or Android. I set mine up using the app installed on WayDroid. If you see a popup with a recovery code during setup, be sure to save it for later.
                          • Link WhatsApp (or Signal, or any other supported chat service - I haven't tested them all) to Beeper through the Beeper app.
                          • Install Cinny on Ubuntu Touch and set the homeserver address to beeper.com.
                          • Get a password for Beeper:
                            • This is necessary because Beeper's official app only uses email codes for login and doesn't require a password.
                            • In Cinny, enter your Beeper username and click on Forget Password?.
                            • Follow the instructions in the email to generate a password for your account.
                          • Verify Cinny as a Matrix client. A red shield will appear in the left sidebar. Click it, choose Verify Manually, and enter the recovery key you saved when setting up your Beeper account.
                          • That's it! Your bridged chat services should now appear in Cinny's sidebar.
                          danfroD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 4
                          • danfroD Offline
                            danfro @Sander
                            last edited by arubislander

                            @Sander Thanks a lot your detailed walkthrough.

                            I actually wanted to recommend to everyone using matrix (new users expected here 😉) to set it up in a second device. Why?

                            Chats in matrix are mostly encrypted. Those chats are only visible on verified so called sessions. A session is any other matrix client logged in with the same username and homeserver.

                            As described by you, one can use a key to verify. But I found that more difficult than with a second device by comparing a few emojis.

                            A second device can be any matrix client that supports verification. This can be Cinny or Element on desktop or another phone. But it can also be a web client e.g. cinny web. Just use a different device in case your phone breaks or get lost.

                            Regarding Cinny, I am struggling with the terrible last mile fixing some last downloads. I am almost there for releasing. But I guess it will take a few more days...

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                            • MoemM Offline
                              Moem
                              last edited by

                              Today, my desktop Signal told me to sign into my mobile Signal in order to keep the account active. Briefly running original Signal for Android in Waydroid was enough to make it happy again.
                              This may be a monthly thing. Not horrible, but good to be aware of, as I don't think Cinny passes that message on.

                              Is currently using an Op5t
                              Also owns an Op1, a BQ E4.5 and an Xperia X, as well as a BQ tablet and a Pinetab2. Please, someone... make it stop.

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • RedXXIIIR Offline
                                RedXXIII
                                last edited by

                                Hello, I installed Cinny UT (from Danfro) via the openstore, but notifications do not work. Maybe it's because the old Cinny was already installed? I do receive notifications from the old Cinny. Will removing the old Cinny allow the new one to show notifications? Or should I remove both versions and then install only the new one?

                                Fairphone 3+ / BQ Aquaris M10 FHD / BQ Aquaris E5

                                danfroD AppLeeA 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • danfroD Offline
                                  danfro @RedXXIII
                                  last edited by

                                  @RedXXIII This must be some system bug, but after installing Cinny-UT, you need to restart your device once. This triggers Cinny being available in system settings under notifications. They should then work without you doing anything.

                                  RedXXIIIR 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • AppLeeA Offline
                                    AppLee @RedXXIII
                                    last edited by

                                    Hi @RedXXIII

                                    I think I had something similar.
                                    I removed the old Cinny and I now have the notifications from Cinny UT by Danfro.

                                    So should be fine in my experience.

                                    RedXXIIIR 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • W Offline
                                      wally
                                      last edited by

                                      Big thank yous @Moem for showing your work on this and @danfro for getting an up to date Cinny app for us all. Really, really appreciated!

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 3
                                      • danfroD Offline
                                        danfro
                                        last edited by

                                        Anyone else here using the tchncs signal bridge and having problems recently? It stopped working for me.

                                        From reading in their support chat I learned, that might be due to some "federation issues" with tchncs and matrix.org. Whatever that means.

                                        MoemM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • MoemM Offline
                                          Moem @danfro
                                          last edited by

                                          @danfro said in How I'm now using Signal on UT:

                                          It stopped working for me.

                                          And for me.

                                          Is currently using an Op5t
                                          Also owns an Op1, a BQ E4.5 and an Xperia X, as well as a BQ tablet and a Pinetab2. Please, someone... make it stop.

                                          messayistoM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • messayistoM Offline
                                            messayisto @Moem
                                            last edited by

                                            @Moem so for me...😿

                                            messayistoM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                            • messayistoM Offline
                                              messayisto @messayisto
                                              last edited by

                                              @messayisto its working again since this morning... hum...@danfro can you share the link you reffered to about the sign
                                              al bridge?

                                              MoemM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                              • First post
                                                Last post