Installing Scripting Layer for Android, Android SDK and Python Quickly on Ubuntu plus sending yourself an SMS

If you have Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder like me or don't want to read 40 pages for something that should take 5 minutes to install this blog is for you. If you want to read 40 pages about stuff you really don't care about (apple press) just to install python on Android here's the link

Else lets go, If you're rocken linux get the sdk

#If need be read my first post on getting java 32bit or the 64bit version with ia32-lib installed

#Using the barcode scanner install SL4A and Python for Android Both programs need to be installed.

#Installing the SDK
$ tar zxvf android-sdk_r15-linux.tgz
$ android-sdk-linux/tools/android #execute the installer


#Select Tools, Android 4.0.3 and Extra, you should have around 14 packages in the bottom right hand corner to install.


#Once installed on the phone click on Settings -> Developer options



# Under Developer options Select USB debugging and Stay awake


#Back in Ubuntu in your home directory "cd" into ~/android-sdks/platform-tools directory and add the following script to a file called adbserver.sh, don't forget to chmod ug+x adbserver.sh

#adbserver.sh server script to start python server on android
./adb shell am start -a com.googlecode.android_scripting.action.LAUNCH_SERVER \

-n com.googlecode.android_scripting/.activity.ScriptingLayerServiceLauncher \

--ei com.googlecode.android_scripting.extra.USE_SERVICE_PORT 45001

port=`./adb logcat -d | grep "Bound to" | tail -n 1 | grep '127.0.0.1' | sed -e 's/.*://g'`

./adb forward tcp:9999 tcp:$port
export AP_PORT=9999
echo "server started on port:$port"

(for some reason the USE_SERVICE_PORT option doesn't work, however the script takes care of this)


#On the phone from the top window drop down you can see the server running. It's in dark grey and extremely hard to see.


#If you click on the server listing, it will bring you to the following screen showing the server port on 42409



#We need to move android.py from the phone to python2.6 ubuntu's python2.6 dist-packages directory. Make sure python2.6 is installed.
$ ./adb pull /sdcard/com.googlecode.pythonforandroid/extras/python/android.py .
$ sudo cp android.py /usr/local/lib/python2.6/dist-packages/

#Add the following to hellosms.py and run it using python2.6
import android
droid = android.Android()
droid.smsSend("9999999999", "testing") #replace 9999999999 with your number

$ python2.6 hellosms.py

#You should get a text from yourself to yourself and you're done! I hope this helps.