One of the easiest ways to communicate between different devices using Tasker is AutoRemote. Thanks to this AutoApps plugin you can send a toast or a notification to another device. The plugin is also available as a Google Chrome extension and EventGhost plugin. This means that you can incorporate not only Android but also PC and Linux devices and use them in your projects. Notifications sent to other devices using AutoRemote can contain commands or information you wish to pass between the devices. It is a must-have the plugin for all Tasker users that have more than one device or wish to use their phone or a tablet with a computer.
AutoRemote Setup
Each device will be identified by a unique URL assigned by the AutoRemote. This is how your devices communicate, so make sure you keep the link safe. While it is possible to restore the link after a total wipe, it is a good idea to keep this handy. After installing the plugin, open the app and allow all the permissions requested. You have to log in with your Google account as the information is being sent by utilising your drive account. When a device is registered you have to share the device information with other devices by sending the registration command from the group menu of the application. After this, all devices can be backed up and this can be restored later if needed.
AutoRemote allows you to send messages (toasts) to your devices to trigger profiles, and issue notifications (status bar notifications) containing files, URLs, and allowing user interactions.
AutoRemote Integration
Chrome
The extension is available here. It allows your Chrome browser to receive notifications and toasts from other devices. Open the extension and add other devices by typing your unique URL. Then you can press the register button to send new device information to already entered URLs. Both toasts and notifications are displayed for few seconds on your PC screen when received (even if the Chrome is closed) and allow for basic interactions (clicking links etc).
AutoRemote options allow you to customise some settings and even redirect all messages to EventGhost. You can even integrate the AutoRemote with Cortana on Windows 10. Selecting Cortana checkbox allows you to send the questions asked to Cortana via AutoRemote to a device of your choice.
EventGhost
This software allows you to automate and create macros for your PC. You can download it here, Don’t be put off but bare looking interface. This can be a very powerful program with a lot of other integrations. You will need to add the AutoRemote plugin to make it work and register the devices you own in the EventGhost as well. You can see the instructions here. Once set-up, you can open programs, close computers and control music with simple commands from your mobile device.
Linux
AutoRemote works also with Linux devices, however, the setup is little more complicated. You will be able to send an SSH command to the terminal and receive a response from the system. To set up please follow this page. Bear in mind that I had some issues following this until I have used a fix from a forum. Please check the Raspberry Pi and Autoremote tutorial for detailed instructions. This is a correct way to set it up for any Linux machine.
AutoRemote Conditions
While both state and even behaviour are available through the profile tab, AutoRemote acts as an event condition – and state is kept for mostly compatibility reasons.
AutoRemote
You can set up a filter that will respond to a message received through the AutoRemote. RegEx can be used to set up more strict filtering rules.
%MESSAGE = %PAR1+%PAR2+%PAR3=:=%COMMAND
AutoRemote notification is formatted as illustrated above. Local %message variable contains each word from the notification, %par is a local variable that creates an array from words place left of =:= (if used) symbol. Local variable %command contains all words contained on the right side of =:= symbol.
A message: ‘Today is Monday=:=Time’ would look:
%message:Today is Monday Time
%par1:Today
%par2:is
%par3:Monday
%command:Time
Communication
This condition refers to type of the communication received by your device:
Notification – pretty self-explanatory
Registration – when a device is trying to register
Multiple Registrations – as above x many
Open Url – a link is received by the device
AutoRemote Actions
Bluetooth
This action starts the Bluetooth service needed to send the AutoRemote messages via Bluetooth. Additional settings allow you to set the notification in your status bar when the setting is activated.
Devices
This action can manage other devices on your AutoRemote devices. You can remotely enable WI-FI and Bluetooth services. Register your device and retrieve information about other devices.
Groups
With this action, you can manage members of the groups. It is possible to join and remove devices from custom groups that allow you to send an AutoRemote message more than one device at the time.
Logs
You can update or delete the log that is created each time a notification is being sent between the devices. This action allows you to do so.
Message
The messages that you can send between devices will be displayed as toast on the recipient’s end. The message can have files attached to it, be protected by password and have a specific time to live (TTL in sec). The message can be sent to a group or a single device. This messages can be used to trigger Tasker AutoRemote condition profiles.
Notification
This notification will be displayed as a message in the status bar. These are more robust, as you can configure every aspect of the regular notification like title, text, URL etc. You can also send files and decide how the message would behave when interacting with it. Another useful feature is actions that can be executed when notification is received or interacted with. These can be used to provide the instant feedback or activate additional Tasker profiles on the receiving device.
Query
This action allows you to get the information about the device that it is triggered on. The information is available via local variable and consists of the name of the device, URL, key, information about services.
Settings
An action with additional settings responsible for the EvenGhost integration. These will allow you to bypass the IP when contacting the EG – or disable/enable the fallback to chrome.
WiFi
This action starts the WI-FI service needed to send the AutoRemote messages via WI-FI. Additional settings allow you to set the notification in your status bar when the setting is activated.
AutoRemote can be downloaded here.