[crazigee]

Based on a recent article (in CNET I believe) I downloaded Textra as an alternative to the default messaging app in my Galaxy S7. I was looking for something that had huge customization options and Textra seemed to fit the bill.

After downloading it and using it for a while I was amazed. I absolutely love the app but I've discovered a few issues with its integration with Hub+. I'm wondering if anyone else is using Textra and can confirm if it's just me or if everyone is having these issues.

1. New messages appear in Hub when they are received on my phone, however, they are already marked as "read" in Hub despite showing as "unread" in the Textra inbox. The message appears at the top of the list (if it is the newest) but the icon is gray instead of yellow and the text isn�t bold.
   
2. If I manually mark a text message as "unread" in Hub it remains showing as �unread� even after I do open and read that text message.
   
3. If I try to delete a text message from BlackBerry Hub it remains in my Textra inbox, however if I delete it directly from Textra it will also delete from Hub.

If anyone else can confirm if these issues are happening to you and if you've found a fix I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks!

[jaydee5799]

i wish i could help you. I use Textra on my G4 and it kicks arse. But i don't use any hub emulators so sorry. Hope someone can help you with the issues because Textra is a fantastic app!

[crazigee]

i wish i could help you. I use Textra on my G4 and it kicks arse. But i don't use any hub emulators so sorry. Hope someone can help you with the issues because Textra is a fantastic app!

Textra does seem to be a fantastic and offers all of the customization I'm looking. I just wish this integation with BlackBerry Hub could be solved.

Textra support got back to me and they say it's caused by BlackBerry not them.

On "native" Blackberry they have an SDK that developers can use to integrate with the HUB, however currently, Blackberry have not done that for Android. So at the moment it's IMPOSSIBLE for third party apps to integrate with the BB HUB.

Other apps seem to integrate without any problem, despite the lack of this SDK, so I'm wondering why Textra doesn't. I'd be interested to know if anyone has Textra working properly with Hub.

Does anyone have Textra showing as its own separate account within Hub or just under the default "Text Messages" account?

Thanks

[ray689]

I think other apps integrate because it's not actually a BlackBerry issue but a textra issue. See below response from BlackBerry employee c_bryant from 3 months ago.

"I've seen that when I used Textra previously. All the messages seemed to come in as read I believe, and that's why the count would never be more than zero. When the team looked last time it looked like Textra wasn't setting the state properly in the SMS database."

[crazigee]

I think other apps integrate because it's not actually a BlackBerry issue but a textra issue. See below response from BlackBerry employee c_bryant from 3 months ago.

"I've seen that when I used Textra previously. All the messages seemed to come in as read I believe, and that's why the count would never be more than zero. When the team looked last time it looked like Textra wasn't setting the state properly in the SMS database."

Actually Textra support has looked into it many times and would have fixed it if it were on their end. They are very responsive to support requests. What makes more sense is that BlackBerry want to retain control over what apps are added to the Hub and therefore haven't released the SDK that Textra made reference to.

Judging from Bla1ze's response in another thread some apps seem to work better than others but it is definitely a BlackBerry issue.

You can't. Only BB can add apps to the Hub and while some seem to tap into it outside of BlackBerry's built in offerings like Textra, WeChat has never been one of them.

BlackBerry need to release that SDK to developers so that 3rd party apps can integrate properly.

[meattray]

Based on a recent article (in CNET I believe) I downloaded Textra as an alternative to the default messaging app in my Galaxy S7. I was looking for something that had huge customization options and Textra seemed to fit the bill.

After downloading it and using it for a while I was amazed. I absolutely love the app but I've discovered a few issues with its integration with Hub+. I'm wondering if anyone else is using Textra and can confirm if it's just me or if everyone is having these issues.

1. New messages appear in Hub when they are received on my phone, however, they are already marked as "read" in Hub despite showing as "unread" in the Textra inbox. The message appears at the top of the list (if it is the newest) but the icon is gray instead of yellow and the text isn�t bold.
   
2. If I manually mark a text message as "unread" in Hub it remains showing as �unread� even after I do open and read that text message.
   
3. If I try to delete a text message from BlackBerry Hub it remains in my Textra inbox, however if I delete it directly from Textra it will also delete from Hub.

If anyone else can confirm if these issues are happening to you and if you've found a fix I'd really appreciate it.

Thanks!

Yes it doesn't appear bold but does show at the top.

If you mark it unread it stays bold in the hub despite clicking on it.

Yes it only deletes from hub and not from textra.

So I have the same issues.

Posted via CB10

[crazigee]

So I have the same issues.

Great. Thanks for the confirmation.

Does Textra show up as a separate account in your Hub or just under the default "Text Messages" account?

[meattray]

It just shows up under text messages.

Posted via CB10

[mryan55]

I don't have any solutions to offer here, but I can confirm that all of this behavior is normal when using Textra in tandem with the BlackBerry Hub. I noticed this stuff since the Priv launched.

[mea18]

I too have the same issues. It really sucks because I enjoy using Textra.

On a side not, does anyone also get significant battery drain from the two together ( Hub and Textra)?

[crazigee]

I too have the same issues. It really sucks because I enjoy using Textra.

On a side not, does anyone also get significant battery drain from the two together ( Hub and Textra)?

I'm not experiencing any battery drain on my end.

And you're right it is too bad that these issues exist between Hub and other programs.

BlackBerry should really release an SDK so that third party app can integrate with Hub properly. I've communicated with Textra and they would definitely be willing to correct the issue if they had that SDK.

Until BlackBerry do that I won't even consider subscribing to the paid version.

[meattray]

No battery drain here.

Posted via CB10

[c_bryant34]

Hi - This actually doesn't need an SDK - the text message information and integration in Hub comes straight from the SMS database in the Android OS (fueled by all the standard Android APIs - not BlackBerry Hub specific APIs). When we read from that database it seems the text messages, when using textra, are always marked as read - hence...Hub shows them as read.

If you've got contact details for one of their developers I'd love to have a chat with them on it. Seems a great alternative, and overall great app. I used it myself for a while.

[crazigee]

Hi - This actually doesn't need an SDK - the text message information and integration in Hub comes straight from the SMS database in the Android OS (fueled by all the standard Android APIs - not BlackBerry Hub specific APIs). When we read from that database it seems the text messages, when using textra, are always marked as read - hence...Hub shows them as read.

If you've got contact details for one of their developers I'd love to have a chat with them on it. Seems a great alternative, and overall great app. I used it myself for a while.

Thanks for your information. That's good to know.

I'll send you a PM.

[gizmo21]

Yaata also has a good hub integration (jumping back to hub...) and developer is very responsive here on this forum
E.g.: /blackberry-priv-f440/yaata-sms-priv-1058931-post12320814/

[crazigee]

Yaata also has a good hub integration (jumping back to hub...) and developer is very responsive here on this forum
E.g.: https://forums.crackberry.com/showthread.php?p=12320814

It does seem like a good app, but it doesn't offer the customization that Textra does.

[chevpower394]

Yaata is great, but still hoping BlackBerry makes the hub an optional sms client itself

[smertz]

Yaata is great, but still hoping BlackBerry makes the hub an optional sms client itself

I have been wondering why HUB is not a default SMS client. It actually frustrates the hell out of me. I don't want to leave the HUB for text messages. Does anyone know if this is something BlackBerry can do?

[chevpower394]

I have been wondering why HUB is not a default SMS client. It actually frustrates the hell out of me. I don't want to leave the HUB for text messages. Does anyone know if this is something BlackBerry can do?

Anyone can make a sms client. Hopefully they are doing it and doing it right. Android 7.1 adds some notification replies so hopefully that's all they're waiting for. And make it customizable enough to be competitive

[smertz]

Anyone can make a sms client. Hopefully they are doing it and doing it right. Android 7.1 adds some notification replies so hopefully that's all they're waiting for. And make it customizable enough to be competitive

Had a twitter exchange with Michael Clewley re this. He said it isn't something they are looking at doing. I think it's a huge mistake but there you have it. Disappointing.

[crazigee]

I can now confirm that most of the issues with Textra and Hub+ have been solved.

The messages show as unread in Hub, with the yellow icon. Once read they will show as read and the icon changes to gray.

Definitely worth purchasing.

[Emaderton3]

Did the other poster talk to them?

Posted via CB10

[crazigee]

Did the other poster talk to them?

Posted via CB10

What other poster? I talked to them.

[Emaderton3]

What other poster? I talked to them.

I thought c_bryantmay have talked to them.

Nice that it is fixed.

Posted via CB10

[aha]

Is this the app you guys are talking about?