Skype Call: the fastest way to make a Skype call on Mac OS X

[guiguan]

New version available at http://www.guiguan.net/redirections/Alfred-Forum-Uni-Call

 

Skype Call v3.0 (27/04/13)
The fastest way to make a Skype call on Mac OS X

When you would like to make a Skype call, simply type:

call TARGET 

where TARGET could be:

• a Skype username (the icon of online users will be shown as green)
• a phone number
• combination of contact details stored in your Apple Contacts: first/last names or corresponding phonetic names, nicknames, organisations

or alternatively, you can make Skype call using Alfred's Contacts feature.
 
If the Skype hasn't been opened yet, this workflow will open it and ensure it is online before starting the phone call. When making a phone call, this workflow won't change your Skype online status, and no annoying confirmation dialog box will be popped up.
 
The alternative url scheme skype:{query}?call approach is not able make a phone call when Skype hasn't been opened in some system environment, and it will also cause the annoying confirmation dialog to be popped up every time when you try to make a phone call.
 
This workflow supports Alleyoop auto-updater, and it has been tested on Skype 6.3.0.602 and Alfred 2.0.3 (187).
 
For details and how to download and install, please visit my project page on github: http://guiguan.github.com/Uni-Call/
 
NOTE: Skype Call will search information in Apple Contacts app (the one normally synced with your iCloud), but not in the built-in contacts of Skype app. Therefore, you need to store Skype usernames/phone numbers in your Apple Contacts app in order to carry out the fuzzy search, as illustrated in following screenshots:

Edited May 5, 2013 by guiguan

[greghoch]

This is great! The only thing that is not working for me is that I can't call skype contacts when I type 'call ...' They just don't show up. I only get phone numbers from my address book.

[guiguan]

This is great! The only thing that is not working for me is that I can't call skype contacts when I type 'call ...' They just don't show up. I only get phone numbers from my address book.

Hi LeChuck. Did you store the Skype username in the IM Skype field of that person's contact card in your Apple Contacts/icloud? My design is to search contact in Apple Contacts app, but not in the built-in contacts of your Skype app.

[tschoof]

Oh wow, so much nicer than the version before, thanks!

[guiguan]

Oh wow, so much nicer than the version before, thanks!

 

LOL, cheers

[carygee]

Looks great but unfortunately, when I click on the download link for V 3.0 all I get are screens full of strange characters. Am using Alfred's latest Version 2 as well. Suggestions?

[guiguan]

Looks great but unfortunately, when I click on the download link for V 3.0 all I get are screens full of strange characters. Am using Alfred's latest Version 2 as well. Suggestions?

 

I think it's your browser problem. Try to right click the download link and select "Download Linked File" in Safari?

[greghoch]

I guess that explains it. My Contact app doesn't include any information about the skype name... Thanks!

[parekh]

Wow, thank you so much! I had some problems with your old workflow, but this one is flawless!

[tschoof]

Would it be hard to do sth similar for FaceTime?

[guiguan]

Would it be hard to do sth similar for FaceTime?

The contact filter I wrote for Skype Call can be easily adopted for other actions. Also, I believe that we can use the url scheme "facetime://" to initiate a FaceTime call. So it should be easy. Would you mind to verify the URL scheme first? I only got time in the weekend.

An another idea I thought about is to make a phone call similar to Skype Call, but through Android mobile. Are you interested in this too? If so, I can further upgrade Skype Call to Uni Call (unicorn)

[tschoof]

The contact filter I wrote for Skype Call can be easily adopted for other actions. Also, I believe that we can use the url scheme "facetime://" to initiate a FaceTime call. So it should be easy. Would you mind to verify the URL scheme first? I only got time in the weekend.

An another idea I thought about is to make a phone call similar to Skype Call, but through Android mobile. Are you interested in this too? If so, I can further upgrade Skype Call to Uni Call (unicorn)

Oh wow that would be great!

 

Regarding the URL schemes: That seems right,  found this, and tried it with a friends' AppleID and it worked.

 

I don't use Android, so I have no usecase for that, but if it's easy to implement... an all-in-one call workflow would be pretty nifty!

[guiguan]

Oh wow that would be great!  Regarding the URL schemes: That seems right,  found this, and tried it with a friends' AppleID and it worked. I don't use Android, so I have no usecase for that, but if it's easy to implement... an all-in-one call workflow would be pretty nifty!

Cheers, bro. I will look into it in the coming weekend.

[tschoof]

Cheers, bro. I will look into it in the coming weekend.

That's very nice, thanks a million

[naga098]

this is great, thank you so much for creating this.

[edalzell]

any way to have a key combo to grab the currently selected text?

 

I  am in sales and call a lot of numbers I get from websites, so I'd like to be able to select the number, then hit a key combo and have skype dial it.

 

Thanks

[tschoof]

any way to have a key combo to grab the currently selected text?

 

I  am in sales and call a lot of numbers I get from websites, so I'd like to be able to select the number, then hit a key combo and have skype dial it.

 

Thanks

Imo you can easily do that yourself - add a hotkey to the workflow, set "selection in OS X" as the argument and connect that with the script filter in Alfred.

 

[edalzell]

Imo you can easily do that yourself - add a hotkey to the workflow, set "selection in OS X" as the argument and connect that with the script filter in Alfred.

Ya, I figured that out just after I posted it. Turns out I don't need all that complexity. My own workflow is stupid simple:

 

on alfred_script(q)
tell application "Skype"
	send command "CALL " & q script name "Call Skype"
end tell
end alfred_script

[guiguan]

Oh wow that would be great!

 

Regarding the URL schemes: That seems right,  found this, and tried it with a friends' AppleID and it worked.

 

I don't use Android, so I have no usecase for that, but if it's easy to implement... an all-in-one call workflow would be pretty nifty!

 

 

Cheers, bro. I will look into it in the coming weekend.

 

Dear, tschoof. As promised, I present you the Uni Call (Skype Call v4.0). Now, in addition to make Skype call, you can also make FaceTime and bluetooth phone call. Hope you enjoy it! 

[guiguan]

Ya, I figured that out just after I posted it. Turns out I don't need all that complexity. My own workflow is stupid simple:

 

on alfred_script(q)
tell application "Skype"
	send command "CALL " & q script name "Call Skype"
end tell
end alfred_script

 

You may want my script to open Skype for you if it is not opened yet. Anyway, check out the new version Uni Call topic section of Alfred forum.

[tschoof]

Dear, tschoof. As promised, I present you the Uni Call (Skype Call v4.0). Now, in addition to make Skype call, you can also make FaceTime and bluetooth phone call. Hope you enjoy it! 

Haha, you're the best, thank you so much!

[parekh]

Hey, I keep getting this notification every time: http://imgur.com/Zf0teby.png

 

Even if I press allow, I keep getting it.

Edited May 10, 2013 by parekh

[guiguan]

Hey, I keep getting this notification every time: http://imgur.com/Zf0teby.png

 

Even if I press allow, I keep getting it.

 

try to remove the AppleScript entry in Manage API clients, and restart your Skype

 

 

Have you got the newest version of the workflow? http://guiguan.github.io/Uni-Call/

[parekh]

try to remove the AppleScript entry in Manage API clients, and restart your Skype

 

 

Have you got the newest version of the workflow? http://guiguan.github.io/Uni-Call/

 

 

Hey, thanks for your quick response! It didn't work at first, but then I repeated the process a few times and now the notification seems to have gone away.

 

About your new workflow - I saw it, but I didn't download it because I don't use Amego or FaceTime (I only use Skype). Should I get your new workflow anyway?

Edited May 10, 2013 by parekh

[guiguan]

Hey, thanks for your quick response! It didn't work at first, but then I repeated the process a few times and now the notification seems to have gone away.

 

About your new workflow - I saw it, but I didn't download it because I don't use Amego or FaceTime (I only use Skype). Should I get your new workflow anyway?

 

You should. The new versions are normally better.

 

Also, you could use

calls SKYPE_TARGET
call -s SKYPE_TARGET

to limit the function to just Skype. Or, even, you could customise the call script filter with something like "./bin/Uni\ Call -s {query}", then you can use "call SKYPE_TARGET" as before