Call w/Skype (like QS)

[adman635]

I was just about to go gripe on the other boards about how I couldn't interact with Skype via the services bar like I used to be able to in QS (I'm a 100% LB convert from QS, it's vastly superior in performance, style, and reliability - plus i love how it looks with Leopard - awesome out of the box. I'll stop).

Anyway, by using this search template:
x-launchbar:perform-service?name=Skype/Call&string=*

And naming it "Call" - I simply invoke the call search string and it calls that number via Skype. Amazing useful.

Hope this helps others as well.

[Dennis]

I hadn't considered using the Skype->Call option from the Services menu via LaunchBar - pretty cool. Instead, I've been using a variation of the AppleScript provided in the LaunchBar help (search for "Dialing Phone Numbers" in LaunchBar Help window), which allows you to dial phone numbers from Address Book with Skype by simply hitting return (note that you must also turn on that preference).

Also, if you find yourself using Skype a lot, I wrote a collection of AppleScripts to control Skype from LaunchBar, allowing you to mute calls, put calls on hold, and hang up calls without bringing Skype to the front.

You can download my scripts here:

http://homepage.mac.com/dennisrande/FileSharing41.html

-Dennis

[adman635]

Nice, I'll look into those scripts.

I love using Skype via the built-in scripts and Address Book. But there's always times when I'm online and need to just call a number on a website (No Skype plug-ins for Firefox for Mac like on XP unfortunately). For this the built-in functionality isn't useful at all.

Just grabbed your scripts though, will play with them. I especially like the idea of hanging up calls w/o that window. I hate having to find it to click that little red button.

[Dennis]

But there's always times when I'm online and need to just call a number on a website (No Skype plug-ins for Firefox for Mac like on XP unfortunately). For this the built-in functionality isn't useful at all.

So, do you select a phone number in some other app (e.g. Firefox or Text Edit) and then invoke the Skype Call service from LaunchBar and it dials successfully?

When I invoke the Call service from LaunchBar on my system, it doesn't dial the selected number. Instead, I get an input field where I have to paste the phone number. And I can do the same thing with the "Dial with Skype" AppleScript from LaunchBar Help. Just bring up the script on the bar and hit the spacebar.

I thought I used to be able to send a selected phone number to LaunchBar with Instant Send and then pass it to the "Dial with Skype", but now whenever I do an Instant Send on a phone number with dashes in it (e.g. 123-456-7890), it gets interpreted as a mathematic equation and gets sent to the calculator.

Just grabbed your scripts though, will play with them. I especially like the idea of hanging up calls w/o that window. I hate having to find it to click that little red button.

He he, yeah, that's exactly why I wrote it. Hope it works well for you.

-Dennis

[markn]

Hi Dennis -

GREAT scripts - very helpful.

What I really need is one more script that will answer an incoming call without having to bring Skype to the front. I'm not skilled enough at the Skype API to do this myself - could you contact me offline and I'd like to see about making an arrangement with you to create this.

THanks,

Mark
mark@gmdgroup.com

[Dennis]

At markn's request, I've added two new scripts to my LaunchBar-Skype Scripts: Answer Skype Call and Decline Skype Call. The complete collection now includes:

1. Answer Skype Call
2. Decline Skype Call
3. Hang Up Skype Call
4. Hold Skype Call
5. Resume Skype Call
6. Skype Mute Off
7. Skype Mute On
8. Toggle Skype Mute

You can download the LaunchBar-Skype Scripts collection (along with a variety of other scripts) at:

http://homepage.mac.com/dennisrande/FileSharing41.html

I hope you find them useful. And, as always, please let me know if you run into problems or have any suggestions.

-Dennis

[sjk]

How much does it cost to call landlines from Skype?

That's probably best answered by checking rates directly on Skype's web site, where you can also find other support if necessary.

[ape]

I'd love to be able to download these scripts, but the URL given above seems to not exist any longer. Are the scripts available from anywhere else?

Thanks.