NetServices.app - control all your services

[DaveiPhone]

Along this same line of thinking:

The main reason that I still use iToggle instead of NetServices, is that I can decide for myself what services to support. For example, right now I have a switch in iToggle for Autosnap. As I understand it, the only way that could happen with the current architecture for NetServices is for Greg to add support internally.

Now, NetServices certainly has some great advantages, particularly for the end user who doesn't want to mess with binary calculations and manually editing plists. In addition, NetServices already has the ability to run easily modified shell scripts. However, with a small change in architecture (OK, maybe not quite "small"!), it would be possible to have the best of both worlds. The key aspect would be to move the supported services into its own plist and not just the visibility and name as it appears to be now. Ideally, it would also allow the end user to specify a flag to determine the toggle state as well.

It seems to me that this would have the added advantage of not having to poll for every service to determine its state (unused services would not be polled). Also, the burden of adding less mainstream services would be on the end users instead of Greg.

Thoughts?

[[email protected]]

Can we get Airplane mode on one of these?

[hartsteins]

iphoneluv,

I'd love to talk with you about NetServices & MaxBattery. Please drop me a line at [email protected]

Thanks

Greg

As I understand it, the only way that could happen with the current architecture for NetServices is for Greg to add support internally.

True, but I've tried to add as many as I can think of - autosnap is a great addition. I don't want NetServices to become just another app launcher though.

Now, NetServices certainly has some great advantages, particularly for the end user who doesn't want to mess with binary calculations and manually editing plists......The key aspect would be to move the supported services into its own plist and not just the visibility and name as it appears to be now.

I'm afraid I don't agree. While I appreciate the ability for the end-user to add services in an external plist, as a developer it opens up a world of tech support that is far more extensive than I can manage. I have found that many users start changing parameters without understanding them first. In fact, in an effort to keep user manipulation of application plists to a minimum, the next release of NetServices will have a GUI to adjust parameters like name & visibility directly from the app. I realize that there are users that understand how to adjust the program files to maximize the app for themselves, but most do not.

Ideally, it would also allow the end user to specify a flag to determine the toggle state as well. It seems to me that this would have the added advantage of not having to poll for every service to determine its state (unused services would not be polled).

Sorry Dave, I don't agree with you on this one either. If users can set their own toggle state it can easily result in a situation where a service is not in the state they think it is. I think it is essential that the switch state is based on true service state and not a plist entry. When NetServices opens it does a two stage poll. It first simply looks for specific install flags to tell NetServices which services are installed, then it polls for active state. Not installed - never polled.

I really appreciate the input and effort to help make NetServices a better product.

Thanks,

Greg

[DaveiPhone]

Thanks Greg,

I see your points about my ideas allowing a bit TOO much freedom.
Hopefully iToggle will continue to develop along those lines, so we'll have a choice. I agree that most users really just want plug-and-play.

Are you saying that you don't poll the state of a service if visibility is turned off? If so, that's great, because I think that would improve launch time significantly.

I think you're making a great product here, and really appreciate the time & effort you put into it. Thanks.

[iphoneluv]

Thanks Greg for your reply. I will send you an email shortly.

[DucSloerie]

Please be more specific - what problem with AFP are you having?
Did you install from the CopyCoders source? Try un-installing AFP and re-installing AFTER NetServices

I have tried un-installing AFP and NetServices... Installed NetServices and then AFP (Bonjour) from your CopyCoders source.

Still have the same issue that AFP (Bonjour) stays active and toggling state doesn't work... just back to inactive when I launch NetServices...

[edit]
Just tried again with AFP (without Bonjour) and have the same behaviour. Installs fine, and is active in the iPhone, but in NetServices it's inactive. When I slide to activate and exit NetServices and come back it's inactive again...

[monica_69]

openssh won't show up on my list of services in netservices. i had to install "services" again in order to toggle openssh on again. weird ? any ideas ?

[HotStuff2]

Shows up fine for me.

[java.com]

This app is really great and works

But the SOCKS server icon did not show up at the start
After I manually edit the plist, it can show up and can start the srelay service.

However it cannot be stopped, even if I created a ProgramFiles/LaunchFiles/socks.sh, the srelay process cannot be killed

for X in `ps acx | grep -i 'srelay' | awk {'print $1'}`; do
kill $X

Is there a way to invoke a script to kill the SOCKS process ?

Thanks

[hartsteins]

Thanks Greg,
Are you saying that you don't poll the state of a service if visibility is turned off? If so, that's great, because I think that would improve launch time significantly.

Services are NOT polled if visibility is turned off. IP address takes longest to load so you can speed start time by hiding it. GUI with label changing & visibility coming soon.

openssh won't show up on my list of services in netservices. i had to install "services" again in order to toggle openssh on again. weird ? any ideas ?

monica - Both NetServices and Services use the same process to activate openSSH so it's odd it would work in one and not the other. It's possible that SSH's visibility is set to OFF in NetServices' settings.plist (whoops).

SSH into your iPhone and type (all one line):
/Applications/NetServices.app/ProgramFiles/bin/plutil -s Visibility-SSH -v YES /Applications/NetServices.app/ProgramFiles/plists/settings.plist

Restart NetServices and SSH should appear.

Just tried again with AFP (without Bonjour) and have the same behaviour. Installs fine, and is active in the iPhone, but in NetServices it's inactive. When I slide to activate and exit NetServices and come back it's inactive again...

DucSloerie - I sent you a PM with some permissions info. I think that is likely the problem. Please let me know.

The SOCKS server icon did not show up at the start. After I manually edit the plist, it can show up and can start the srelay service.

It is possible that the visibility of Socks has been mis-set to NO (whoops).

SSH into your iPhone and type (all one line):
/Applications/NetServices.app/ProgramFiles/bin/plutil -s Visibility-Socks -v YES /Applications/NetServices.app/ProgramFiles/plists/settings.plist

Restart NetServices and Socks Proxy should appear.

However socks cannot be stopped....Is there a way to invoke a script to kill the SOCKS process ?

You're right. The Socks process is a persistent one. I've been looking at this since you posted. I'm not sure why srelay won't kill. If you look at the list of processes it's listed under a different user than the rest which may explain it. If you install the app "SysInfo" you can kill the process successfully. I'll try and figure out what they're doing and get back to you.

Greg

[punkassjim]

Quick update on that MobileScrobbler thing I mentioned a while back. Looks like the developer updated it to include tons more functionality, so it makes much more sense to use it as a standalone app. Check it out, it's pretty awesome!
http://dev.c99.org/MobileScrobbler/

[Zero3K]

I think that it should support the loading/unloading of WWWOFFLE (its available in moyashi's installer repository).

[DaveiPhone]

Services are NOT polled if visibility is turned off. IP address takes longest to load so you can speed start time by hiding it. GUI with label changing & visibility coming soon.

That's good news. I'll have to try the latest incarnation. You've really made some fantastic improvements since my last go. If you could add Autosnap I wouldn't need iToggle any more. I realize you've got a lot going on as it is, but if you have the time & inclination, it would be much appreciated.

[hartsteins]

the srelay process cannot be killed

for X in `ps acx | grep -i 'srelay' | awk {'print $1'}`; do
kill

Is there a way to invoke a script to kill the SOCKS process ?

java - try this:

for X in `ps acx | grep -i 'srelay' | awk {'print $1'}`; do
kill -9 $X
done

the -9 seems to keep it down. I'll change this in the next update.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Which new services do you need?

The following services will be available in the next update of NetServices:

Airplane Mode
iSpit
AutoSnap


If you have others - please submit them now.

- VPN will not yet be included
- as WWWoffle is noted "Do Not Install" on installer.app it that will not be included yet either.

[HotStuff2]

I came up with a good feature request/idea today: when connected via WiFi, how about having the place where the IP address is displayed be clickable, so that you can either

a.) choose to go to the WiFi setup to pick a different network
or
b.) make it release/renew the IP

maybe a dialog box could pop up with those two options, and the user could select it?

[hartsteins]

I came up with a good feature request/idea today: when connected via WiFi, how about having the place where the IP address is displayed be clickable, so that you can either

a.) choose to go to the WiFi setup to pick a different network
or
b.) make it release/renew the IP

maybe a dialog box could pop up with those two options, and the user could select it?

This is a tough request. There's no real way to jump into the Apple preferences.app to the WiFi page so it would involve making a page that senses networks...etc. This is beyond my coding but if anyone can do it, I'll be happy to add it. Rather than have it tied to the IP field, there would likely be a settings page where you could make these changes.

Thanks for the ideas - keep 'em coming!

Greg

[HotStuff2]

Hmmm.... I see your point about getting to the preferences.app WiFi page, but what about the release/renew IP? That should be a fairly easy script, right? (Well, I guess "fairly easy" is a relative term )

[Scroller]

It's very good stuff! Thanks a lot!!!

[DucSloerie]

DucSloerie - I sent you a PM with some permissions info. I think that is likely the problem. Please let me know.

As Greg stated it was indeed a permissions problem...

Also the Exit button now works like it should...

[HotStuff2]

I went out on a limb, took the initiative, and created the following thread/poll:

NetServices: Name change?

Problem is, even though I created the poll, I don't know what to vote for! Maybe I should have made it multiple choice...