Create and send PIN programmatically
 

I'm wondering if anybody here has ever created a prog that can create & send PIN messages, as I can't seem to find any information on doing this.

Anybody?

re: Create and send PIN programmatically
 

As it doesn't look like anybody here has done this, I've requested more info from RIM... I'll post whatever they send.

Thanks... Please let us know if they respond!

I messaged rim and this is what they told me:

"It is not currently possible to send a PIN message programmatically using the BlackBerry API set, nor do I think this feature is going to be added to version 4.0 of the BlackBerry API set.

I would recommend to send your suggestions to where they will be collected and considered for future releases."

this really sucks I have a real need to send pin messages.

That's too bad;

There's a workaround: Write your own PIN messaging client, and use it as your own API. You will need the involvement of the BES server side, to relay the PIN's to the other BlackBerries. If it's possible to send PIN messages from a server to a BlackBerry?

Or maybe take advantage of METAmessage if it suits your needs:
http://www.blackberry.com/developers..._07_2004.shtml

Unfortunately the concept is to avoid using the BES completely... What we need is a way to communicate with all of our Remote System managers when exchange / BES fails and SMS is not an option.

The best possible thing I could think of is having a device hooked up to a PC which can act as a functional BB, allowing us to send mass PIN messages all at once (right now there doesn't seem to be a way to create a group of PIN addresses without using a workaround) ... but such a device doesn't exist (yet).

I took a look at metamessage... My org. would never go for that for various reasons.

Anybody know if the new firmware (3.8 / 4+) allows for PIN groups to be created?

Oh well, I guess I'll keep working on the problem...

OS4.0 (at least the build I have) doesn't allow PIN groups :( the only work around is to send a message addressed to multiple pins, safe the draft, and use that draft to send to that "group" if you will. True pin groups, nope :(

That's unfortunate... I had really hoped they would add this feature (especially since you can send to multiple PIN addresses at once).

I'm aware of the save-draft workaround, but we have found that in practice this is a pain (as my manager put it to me: "There's gott'a be a better way of doing this... find it").

I've sent RIM yet another email asking if either the PIN group feature or the PIN API's are planned in the version 4 release... either way I'd be happy.

Oh and before I forget: Gothalyptic can I get 4.0 from you ;) (just kidding ofcourse), but I'd be interested in knowing exactly what one has to do to get a hold of it.

Cingular actually has a device like what you're talking about. Don't ask me what model it is or anything, because it's some custom dohickey they use around here on Capitol Hill to notify blackberry users of potential threats.

It doesn't use PIN, but it uses their xpress messaging service, which allows you to send to and receive it instantly (without going through RIM or the traditional SMS gateways).

Maybe a gander towards that direction might help you? Or give new ideas on what you want to accomplish.

Thanks for the info bfrye, I have used a similar system using SMS (my personal cellphone hooks to the PC to broadcast SMS messages currently), but as you can imagine this isn't secure (plain text transmissions) and goes well over the 25 SMS's I can send free a month.

The method you're talking about sounds interesting, I did a quick bit of snooping and it looks like it may work. I will have to speak with our Service Providers and see what they think (I haven't seen anything like this offered in Canada yet... but then I might have overlooked something).

RIM has posted a way to send PIN's programmatically... but be aware that you can't test it in the emulator and it uses secure APIs so you need a license to compile and run it on the BB.

Example can be found here:

http://www.blackberry.com/knowledgec...ogrammatically

Hmmm... it seems no forum system likes to actually let you link to that.. so copy & paste the following into your addressbar (make sure the entire URL shows up):

www.blackberry.com/knowledgecenterpublic/livelink.exe/How_To_-_Send_a_PIN_message_programmatically.html?func=doc .Fetch&nodeId=817115&docTitle=How+To+%2D+Send+a+PI N+message+programmatically