If you ever want to control your Linux computer from your Android phone and no other app seems to work fine (requires WiFi, is too expensive, has a lot of ads, or just simply doesn't work), then Blink might be the right app for you!
This repository contains the server-side code. Also see the Android repo if you're interested in building or tweaking the app yourself.
Now supports python3
Either get the app on the PlayStore or build it yourself from scratch.
The blink-server needs bluez and its python bindings and xdotool in order to function. These can be installed in the following way:
# Install the required system and python packages
sudo apt install bluez python-bluez xdotool bluetooth libbluetooth-dev
sudo python3 -m pip install pybluez
# You may need to run this too, if you get a discovery warning
sudo hciconfig hci0 piscan
# Modify bluetooth startup command, by adding compatibility mode
sudo vim /etc/systemd/system/dbus-org.bluez.service
# ADD -C for the ExecStart for example:
ExecStart=/usr/lib/bluetooth/bluetoothd -C
# Save and exit
# Reload systcl
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
# Restart the service
sudo service bluetooth restart
# Once you have done this you should be able to start the server by running
sudo ./bluetooth_server.pysudo yum install bluez pybluezyaourt python-pybluez xdotool
# or if you use yay instead of yaourt:
yay -S python-pybluez xdotoolIf you run Arch, you will probably encounter the compat mode problem. See the FAQ mentioning compat mode.
We advise you to install the server in /usr/local/src/blink/ and to make symlinks in /usr/local/bin/ in order to be able to run it easily:
sudo mkdir -m=777 /usr/local/src/blink-server
git clone https://github.com/drpain/blink-server.git /usr/local/src/blink-server
sudo ln -s /usr/local/src/blink-server/bluetooth_server.py /usr/local/bin/blink-serverThen to start the server, all you need to do is run the server with the following command from your terminal. As long as the server runs, you will be able to send commands to it.
sudo blink_serverThe hardest part of this is getting the server installed and running. If you struggle to get the bluetooth to work, check these FAQ:
From this very useful guide:
There are plenty of guides in the internet on how to get bluetooth working, but the only method that worked consistently for me is the following: Disable bluetooth pnat support as there seems to be a bug which stops proper operation with pnat enabled. Full details can be found here: https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=690749
A workaround is to add the following to /etc/bluetooth/main.conf:
DisablePlugins = pnat
bluetooth.btcommon.BluetoothError: (2, 'No such file or directory')This is a known issue on Ubuntu 15.04 and up, where we'll have to run the bluetooth daemon in compat mode. Thanks @jachym for providing a link with the solution:
# Open the config file in your favorite editor
sudo vim /etc/systemd/system/dbus-org.bluez.service
# Find the line with the `ExecStart` and replace it with
ExecStart=/usr/lib/bluetooth/bluetoothd --compat
# Restart the bluetooth daemon (Debian-based)
sudo sdptool add SP
sudo service bluetooth restart
# Restart the bluetooth daemon (Arch-based)
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
sudo systemctl restart bluetoothYou should be able to check the status to confirm that it now uses to /usr/lib/bluetooth/bluetoothd -C by running this command:
# Debian-based
sudo service bluetooth status
# Arch-based
sudo systemctl status bluetoothModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'commands'Try running sudo python "$(which blink-server)" instead of sudo blink-server to make sure the right version is used.
bluetooth.btcommon.BluetoothError: (13, 'Permission denied')You probably tried running blink-server without sudo. This is denied, since the process needs root permissions in order to communicate with the bluetooth socket.
Try running sudo blink-server