Merge pull request #179 from akloeckner/fix/HA-doc

Improve HOMEASSISTANT.md

doc/HOMEASSISTANT.md

@@ -2,25 +2,33 @@
 
 This document describes how to use the Signal Messenger REST API together with Home Assistant.
 
-prerequisites:
+This document covers the following topics:
+* [Installation](#installation)
+* [Set up a phone number](#set-up-a-phone-number)
+* [Sending messages to Signal Messenger groups](#sending-messages-to-signal-messenger-groups)
 
-* docker + docker-compose
+See also the [documentation of the Home Assistant integration](https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/signal_messenger/).
 
--or-
+## Installation
 
-* ability to install Home Assistant add-ons
+### Prerequisites:
 
-* a phone number to send signal notifications
+* infrastructure to run this container on:
+  * alternative 1: Docker (+ Docker Compose for ease of configuration)
+  * alternative 2: ability to install Home Assistant add-ons
+* a phone number to send signal notifications from
 
-## Set up the docker container
+### Alternative 1: Set up the Docker container
 
 * Create a `docker-compose.yml` file with the following contents:
 
-```sh
+```yaml
 version: "3"
 services:
   signal-cli-rest-api:
     image: bbernhard/signal-cli-rest-api:latest
+    environment:
+      - MODE=json-rpc #supported modes: json-rpc, native, normal. json-prc is recommended for speed
     ports:
       - "8080:8080" # map docker port 8080 to host port 8080.
     volumes:
@@ -29,74 +37,143 @@ services:
 
 * start the docker container with `docker-compose up`
 
-## Or Install Home Assistant Add-on
+### Alternative 2: Install Home Assistant Add-on
 
-Add this repository to your Home Assistant Add-on Store reposity list:
+Add this repository to your Home Assistant Add-on Store repository list:
 
 [https://github.com/haberda/hassio_addons](https://github.com/haberda/hassio_addons)
 
 Then install and start the add-on.
 
-## Register phone number
+## Set up a phone number
+You will need to set up the phone number(s) to send notifications from using `REST` request. (You can set up multiple numbers.) In order to do so, make sure, you have `curl` installed on your system. You can then issue the commands shown below from the command line. We use the example server `127.0.0.1` on port `8080`. If you have set up a different server, you will have to change this in the commands.
+
+For trouble shooting of common problems during setup, see below.
+
+### Alternatives
+
+* You can use a new phone number. This is recommended, as it enables full feature support. Land-line numbers are supported.
+* You can link `signal-cli-rest-api` as a secondary device to an existing account on your mobile phone.
+
+### Alternative 1: Register a new phone number
+1. In order to send signal messages to other users, you first need to register your phone number. This can be done via REST requests with:
+
+   **Note**: If you want to register a land-line number, set the `use_voice` parameter to `true`. Signal will then call you on your number and speak the token to you instead of sending an SMS.
+
+   ```sh
+   curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" --data '{"use_voice": false}' 'http://<ip>:<port>/v1/register/<number>'
+   ```
+
+   **Example**: The following command registers the number `+431212131491291` to the Signal network.
+
+   ```sh
+   curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" --data '{"use_voice": false}' 'http://127.0.0.1:8080/v1/register/+431212131491291'
+   ```
+
+2. After you've sent the registration request, you will receive a token via SMS (or it will be spoken to you) for verfication.
+
+3. In order to complete the registration process, you need to send the verification token back via the following REST request:
 
-In order to send signal messages to other users, you first need to register your phone number. This can be done via REST requests with:
+   ```sh
+   curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" 'http://<ip>:<port>/v1/register/<number>/verify/<verification code>'
+   ```
 
-`curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" 'http://<ip>:<port>/v1/register/<number>'`
+   **Example**: The following will send a verification code for the previous example number.
 
-e.g:
+   ```sh
+   curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" 'http://127.0.0.1:8080/v1/register/+431212131491291/verify/123-456'
+   ```
 
-This registers the number `+431212131491291` to the Signal network.
+### Alternative 2: Use your existing mobile phone number
+It is recommended to use a fresh number. Some things might not work as expected, if you only link the REST API to an existing number. For example, if you send a notification to a group including yourself, you will not be notified. This is, because the notification is sent by yourself. Therefore, consider registering your land-line number for connecting your home to Signal.
 
-`curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" 'http://127.0.0.1:8080/v1/register/+431212131491291'`
+1. To link the REST API as a new device to an existing account on your mobile phone, send the following command:
 
-After you've sent the registration request, you will receive a token via SMS for verfication. In order to complete the registration process you need to send the verification token back via the following REST request:
+   ```sh
+   curl -X GET -H "Content-Type: application/json" 'http://127.0.0.1:8080/v1/qrcodelink?device_name=<device name>'
+   ```
 
-`curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" 'http://<ip>:<port>/v1/register/<number>/verify/<verification code>'`
+   **Example**:
 
-e.g:
+   ```sh
+   curl -X GET -H "Content-Type: application/json" 'http://127.0.0.1:8080/v1/qrcodelink?device_name=HomeAssistant'
+   ```
 
-`curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" 'http://127.0.0.1:8080/v1/register/+431212131491291/verify/123-456'`
+2. This provides a QR-Code image. In case of an error a JSON object will be returned.
 
-If you are trying to verify a number that has PIN assigned to it you will get an error message saying: "Verification failed! This number is locked with a pin". You can provide the PIN using "--data '{"pin": "your registration lock pin"}'" to the curl verification call:
+   Due to security reason of Signal, the provided QR-Code will change with each request.
+
+3. Scan the QR-Code with your main Signal app.
 
-`curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" --data '{"pin": "your registration lock pin"}' 'http://127.0.0.1:8080/v1/register/+431212131491291/verify/123-456'`
+4. The REST API will be linked to your main account. You can use it then to send message on your own personal behalf.
 
+### Trouble shooting: Number is locked with a PIN
+If you are trying to verify a number that has a PIN assigned to it, you will get an error message saying: "Verification failed! This number is locked with a pin". You can provide the PIN using "--data '{"pin": "your registration lock pin"}'" to the `curl` verification call:
 
-When you try to register a number, if you receive a response like `{"error":"Captcha required for verification (null)\n"}` then Signal is requiring a captcha. To register the number you must do the following (in Mozilla Firefox):
+```sh
+curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" --data '{"pin": "your registration lock pin"}' 'http://127.0.0.1:8080/v1/register/+431212131491291/verify/123-456'
+```
+
+### Trouble shooting: A captcha is required
+If, in step 1 above, you receive a response like `{"error":"Captcha required for verification (null)\n"}` then Signal is requiring a captcha. To register the number you must do the following (in Mozilla Firefox):
 1. Go to  [https://signalcaptchas.org/registration/generate.html](https://signalcaptchas.org/registration/generate.html)
 2. Open the developer console
 3. Answer the captcha
 3. On the developer console, find the line that looks like this: `Prevented navigation to “signalcaptcha://{captcha value}” due to an unknown protocol.` Copy the captcha value
 4. Use it to make the registration call like this:
 
-`curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"captcha":"captcha value"}' 'http://127.0.0.1:8080/v1/register/<number>`
+```sh
+curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"captcha":"captcha value", "use_voice": false}' 'http://127.0.0.1:8080/v1/register/<number>'
+```
 
 ## Sending messages to Signal Messenger groups
 
 The `signal-cli-rest-api` docker container is also capable of sending messages to a Signal Messenger group.
 
-Requirements:
+For trouble shooting of common problems during setup, see below.
+
+### Requirements
 
 * Home Assistant Version >= 0.110
-* signal-cli-rest-api build-nr >= 2
+* `signal-cli-rest-api` build-nr >= 2
   The build number can be checked with: `curl -X GET -H "Content-Type: application/json" 'http://127.0.0.1:8080/v1/about'`
 * your phone number needs to be properly registered (see the "Register phone number" section above on how to do that)
 
-A new Signal Messenger group can be created with the following REST API request:
+### Create a new group
+
+1. A new Signal Messenger group can be created with the following REST API request:
+
+   ```sh
+   curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"name": "<name of the group>", "members": ["<member1>", "<member2>"]}' 'http://127.0.0.1:8080/v1/groups/<number>'
+   ```
+
+   **Example**: The following creates a new Signal Messenger group called `my group` with the members `+4354546464654` and `+4912812812121`.
+
+   ```sh
+   curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"name": "my group", "members": ["+4354546464654", "+4912812812121"]}' 'http://127.0.0.1:8080/v1/groups/+431212131491291'
+   ```
+
+2. Next, use the following endpoint to obtain the `group_id`:
 
-```curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"name": "<name of the group>", "members": ["<member1>", "<member2>"]}' 'http://127.0.0.1:8080/v1/groups/<number>'```
+   ```sh
+   curl -X GET -H "Content-Type: application/json" 'http://127.0.0.1:8080/v1/groups/<number>'
+   ```
 
-e.g:
+3. The `group_id` then needs to be added to the Signal Messenger's `recipients` list in the `configuration.yaml`. (see [here](https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/signal_messenger/) for details)
 
-This creates a new Signal Messenger group called `my group` with the members `+4354546464654` and `+4912812812121`.
+### Trouble shooting: If you receive an empty group list
 
-```curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" -d '{"name": "my group", "members": ["+4354546464654", "+4912812812121"]}' 'http://127.0.0.1:8080/v1/groups/+431212131491291'```
+In order for groups to show up in the `groups` list, try the following steps:
 
-Next, use the following endpoint to obtain the group id:
+* Use the JSON-RPC mode. This might already solve your issue.
+* You might need to first `receive` data from the Signal servers. (See https://github.com/AsamK/signal-cli/issues/82.)
 
-```curl -X GET -H "Content-Type: application/json" 'http://127.0.0.1:8080/v1/groups/<number>'```
+  To do so, use the following REST request:
+
+  ```sh
+  curl -X GET -H "Content-Type: application/json" 'http://127.0.0.1:8080/v1/receive/<number>'
+  ```
 
-The group id then needs to be added to the Signal Messenger's `recipients` list in the `configuration.yaml`. (see [here](https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/signal_messenger/) for details)
 
 ## API details