How to Add and control Skype via the Ubuntu Messaging Menu

By , Published April 20, 2011

A day or two back we ran a nifty how-to feature on controlling Skype from your instant messaging application in Ubuntu 11.04.

This approach integrated your Skype contacts into your Empathy or Pidgin buddy list, but also told you how to ‘hide’ the lurid green icon from the system tray.

Whilst many of you found this a neat tip a number of you weren’t so keen to give up easy access to Skype itself and sought something a little less final – such as adding Skype to the Ubuntu Messaging Menu.

Selection_003One reader, Bennett, preferred this solution too. He had a look around at current solutions but found many of them buggy or lacking integration. So after cloning some code by Andreas Happe, who no longer had an interest in maintaining his code,  he bettered it, added some new functions and sent in his resulting guide to us to share with OMG! Ubuntu! readers.

He says:

“Currently all this program does is put Skype into the messaging menu (mono icon included). But, just that I find to be a big improvement because for the most part it now works exactly like any other messenger.

In writing [it] I learned that a part of the problem why I found other solutions to be so buggy was that the Skype API is terrible on a 64-bit system and constantly crashes (this is a known bug according to the Skype4Py mailing list). The program I wrote handles the API crashes without the user noticing.

Since i threw this together last night I used the Python Recipe to build the .deb.

It’s easy to build a deb like this, but causes errors on install. The errors/warnings can be safely ignored.”

How to add Skype to the Ubuntu Messaging Menu

0. Install Skype @ skype.com/intl/en-us/get-skype/on-your-computer/linux/

1. Download and install the .deb package* @ ubuntuone.com/p/nl1/

2. Run the commands below in a Terminal to place a shortcut to Skype in the Messaging even when its not running (just like ‘Chat’ or ‘Broadcast’:

  • mkdir -p ~/.config/indicators/messages/applications/ && cp /usr/share/skype-wrapper/skype ~/.config/indicators/messages/applications/skype

Should you wish to later remove Skype from the menu use the following command CAREFULLY:

  • rm ~/.config/indicators/messages/applications/skype

3. Remove Skype from the systray whitelist by entering the following command into a Terminal or Alt-F2 dialog: -

  • gsettings set com.canonical.Unity.Panel systray-whitelist "['JavaEmbeddedFrame', 'Mumble', 'Wine', 'hp-systray']"

4. Log out/Log in

5. Click the Messaging Menu icon, Click Skype.

You will be promoted to ‘allow’ permission for the menu entry to work as intended.

Skype API Authorisation Request_002

Click yes and you’re done: you can now close/minimize the Contact list and restore it using the messaging menu.

This is a work in progress, but since it has some utility and it’s fresh in eveyone’s mind, I thought I’d get this out. I definitely plan on making the envelope go blue when messages appear and using osd-notify for everything else. It would be great if you could post this!

A hearty thanks to Bennett

*.deb packages “found” online should always be installed with caution

Related posts:

  1. Thunderbird Messaging Menu integration ready for testing
  2. Remove unused entries from the Ubuntu Messaging Menu
  3. How to add more apps to the Ubuntu Messaging Menu
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  • http://www.facebook.com/simeonoff Simeon Simeonoff

    I don’t know about the rest of you guys, but my processor goes nuts when running this script!

    • Bennett Kanuka

      I had this for a little while too. Its really hard to figure out what going on with skype when every time I try to do anything with it, it just spits out errors. I’ll fix it up right after my exams this week, get a PPA going etc. I’ll try to remember to tell you when i have a better version out.

      • http://www.facebook.com/simeonoff Simeon Simeonoff

        Thank you so much!

      • http://www.facebook.com/andreas.happe Andreas Happe

        Hi Bennett,
        have you made progress with the plugin? Since my forced switch to MacOS I wasn’t able to do much further work on the plugin (wasn’t so much “lack of interest” but lack of linux use) so I’d really like to either refer people to your plugin’s page or give you control over the original repository. Just sent me a mail (andreashappe at snikt.net).

        Should have happened a long time ago, but I’ve just found out about this article by accident, sorry.

        cheers, Andreas (Happe)

  • http://www.facebook.com/simeonoff Simeon Simeonoff

    I don’t know about the rest of you guys, but my processor goes nuts when running this script!

  • http://twitter.com/teotoo Daniel

    Epic! Finally!

  • Anonymous

    Why doesn’t someone just write a better client using SkypeKit….

    • Matt Sturgeon

      Isn’t SkypeKit for propitiatory projects only?

      It’s designed for hardware manufacturers who want to include Skype on their device…

      It would be great if someone did start a GPL’ed Skype client, but I don’t see Skype licensing a copy of SkypeKit for that purpose… :-(

      • http://twitter.com/me4oslav Georgi Karavasilev

        I don’t beleive starting a GPL cleint for Skype is possible, at least not until Skype open their protocols and stuff.
        Granted a GPL third-party UI can be written, but it will still use Skype not GPL protocols and stuff.
        Anyway I quitted Skype two weeks ago and couldn’t be happier :)

        • Matt Sturgeon

          Oh, ofcourse the protocols would have to stay propitiatory. :-(

          Maybe someone could write a closed-source Skype back-end with an open API for UI, etc – so that open-source front-ends could be developed on top of the closed-source back-end… ~dreams~

          And I’d love to leave Skype for another (more free/open) SIP VoIP client, but the problem is no one uses them – and there not exactly easy to uses (and therefore its hard to convince others to use them).

          • http://twitter.com/me4oslav Georgi Karavasilev

            I swapped Skype for Google Talk and said to my friends – “If you want to find me you can use either Google Talk or Twitter.” I know it was a bit too radical, but it did the job :P

          • http://blastfromthepast.se/ Tommy Brunn

            Sadly I don’t think my boss or my coworkers would appreciate me doing that. :(

          • http://nosheep.org.ua Алексей Раю

            You’re a man!

          • Eduardo Fabricio

            I love google talk too, however  unfortunatelly,  it doesnt has a conference chat in group..  I need it to my work  = P.

        • http://www.facebook.com/MeanEYE ミヤトヴ ムラデン

          I believe long time ago Skype told ppl they are preparing OSS version of the client. Ofc they never lived up to it. They are always just talking and never doing.

      • http://profiles.google.com/duncan.lock Duncan Lock

        The Skype protocols have already been reverse engineered:

        http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1496288

        and the code made available:

        http://cryptolib.com/ciphers/skype/

        So, if someone wanted, they could create an empathy/pidgin backend, or an opensource Skype client replacement. All it needs is some coders who know what they’re doing to want to make it. Sadly, that hasn’t happened yet, as far as I know.

        • http://twitter.com/zc456 Squeaks

          That would be really nice.

        • Bennett Kanuka

          Thank you! I wasn’t able to find the actual code, but it looks like there might be some legal issues using this…

        • http://nosheep.org.ua Алексей Раю

          God speed.

    • http://nosheep.org.ua Алексей Раю

      No its useless. Skype is so spread it can’t be beaten easily just by writing “some” GPL client.

  • http://profiles.google.com/tuplad Vlad Polianskii

    Corrections:

    mkdir -p ~/.config/indicators/messages/applications/ && cp /usr/share/skype-wrapper/skype ~/.config/indicators/messages/applications/skype

    gsettings set com.canonical.Unity.Panel systray-whitelist “['JavaEmbeddedFrame', 'Mumble', 'Wine', 'hp-systray']”

    Btw, what if you don’t have Unity, how do you remove it from the old panel ?

  • http://profiles.google.com/arthos4g Santiago P

    I want to remove skype from the top panel.. but I don’t have Unity.. o.O what should I do then?… ¬¬

    • Bennett Kanuka

      remove the whole system tray and move to indicators!

    • https://launchpad.net/~mpt mpt

      The messaging menu works almost exactly the same way in the Classic session. If you don’t have it, right-click on an empty part of the panel, choose “Add to Panel”, then add “Indicator Applet Complete”.

  • Anonymous

    :O they uninstall empathy! :S

  • Anonymous

    syntax error near unexpected token `;&’

    As I haven’t used these commands before, can someone please tell me what the hell is going on?

    • http://twitter.com/ClickOpen ClickOpen

      Change && to just && and also " to ” (double quote)

  • Anonymous

    syntax error near unexpected token `;&’

    As I haven’t used these commands before, can someone please tell me what the hell is going on?

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_RAVTVAWXQY5JTTAEI2AF4THWWU saad i

    experienced a lot of problems with this….

  • http://www.facebook.com/alessandro.belloni Alessandro Belloni

    not working for me…

  • http://profiles.google.com/oytun.peksel Bilen Oytun Peksel

    there is a syntax type error try these commands without quotes “”
    —-
    “mkdir -p ~/.config/indicators/messages/applications/”
    “cp /usr/share/skype-wrapper/skype ~/.config/indicators/messages/applications/skype”

  • http://twitter.com/josian_220 José Antonio

    I never seen any post related to the single instance in skype, it’s quite easy to do it, like that you can press in the skype icon in the unity launcher and it wont start another instance of skype, with single instance and this tweak skype will look entirely native with the whole system :)

    • Bennett Kanuka

      If you only launch Skype from the messaging menu, it should stay with the same instance. Do you have a better tweak?

      • http://twitter.com/josian_220 José Antonio

        working on it

      • http://twitter.com/josian_220 José Antonio

        Ok I ‘m almost done with the skype integration, for now if I put the skype icon (with blue color) in the messaging indicator I’m able to integrate it perfectly in unity (you can also launch skype from the unity launcher that will do fine), I’m currently trying to keep that mono icon (the white one as you see up) in the messaging indicator and also be able to launch skype from the unity launcher (the icon should have colors in the launcher) right now if I start skype from the messaging indicator a white icon will appear in the launcher (if you click in the skype icon in the launcher after starting skype from indicator the white icon will reappear in the launcher, this is “workable” but just not perfect :P)

        Hope this message isn’t confusing (if it is you could blame my English, I’m not a native English speaker).

        • Bennett Kanuka

          I completely understand.

          Are you working with my code? If so – I’m sorry I didn’t comment it more!

          Are you working on a 64 or 32 bit machine?

          • http://twitter.com/josian_220 José Antonio

            Well now that you mention it do you know a way to specify in a desktop entry a specific icon for the launcher and a specific icon for the messaging applet? Like that I could implement that awesome white icon for skype in the messaging menu and have a colored one in the launcher :D

        • Bennett Kanuka

          I completely understand.

          Are you working with my code? If so – I’m sorry I didn’t comment it more!

          Are you working on a 64 or 32 bit machine?

  • http://mastropino.deviantart.com/ MastroPino

    At first install I can’t minimize skype in the indicator menu, but I solved with this:

    chmod +x ~/.config/indicators/messages/applications/skype

    hope this help ;)

    • Bennett Kanuka

      it was supposed to do that for you!! :p

      • http://mastropino.deviantart.com/ MastroPino

        Supposed but not written in the article above ;)

      • http://mastropino.deviantart.com/ MastroPino

        Supposed but not written in the article above ;)

  • http://mastropino.deviantart.com/ MastroPino

    At first install I can’t minimize skype in the indicator menu, but I solved with this:

    chmod +x ~/.config/indicators/messages/applications/skype

    hope this help ;)

  • http://twitter.com/mickstep Michael Stephenson

    The description of how you came about promoting this deb is probably less sophisticated than the example exploit I proposed in the example article in the email you never replied to. I wonder if you even checked the deb for the example exploit I proposed.

    • Bennett Kanuka

      Hey cool. I was just having fun and trying to get skype to actually integrate a little more! I’m busy this week, but I’d really like to take a look at your code – it’s probably better than mine.

      • http://twitter.com/mickstep Michael Stephenson

        I am questioning the scrutiny if any debs are put through before being promoted here, not your intentions.

  • https://launchpad.net/~suphice suphice

    I like it. This is be best option for skype I beleive. If it got a little more developped so that the msgs would work with the envelope it would the all we need.

    • Bennett Kanuka

      trust me, I KNOW! i’ll get there lol

  • http://twitter.com/jnorambuena_ javier norambuena

    nice one

  • http://twitter.com/jnorambuena_ javier norambuena

    nice one

  • Bennett Kanuka

    I’m a little torn with this because while I’d LIKE to keep working on this, I can’t really go on without making it 32 bit only. Skype (even on a 64 bit machine) is 32 bit only, and its really difficult to get everything working together nicely when your machine in 64bit and Skype is 32bit.

    So to keep developing, I’m going to have to move my computer from 64bit to 32bit and get over my nerd-morals against creating a program that will only work on one type of machine.

    Would a fixed up program like this (with blue-envelope, and native notifications) be of value even if it was 32 bit only?

  • http://profiles.google.com/jonathan.almeida942 Jonathan Almeida

    Did anyone else get the error: Package is of bad quality?

    • Przemysław S

      Yup.

  • Anonymous

    It’s going to be a really awesome thing :)

  • Gavin Coles

    Well I now the Skype icon in the Messaging Menu, two things however:

    1. When I click on the Skype icon nothing happens
    2. I have lost the entries in the Messaging Menu for Evolution

    Ideas anyone?

    It would be great to dump the two Skype (icons) instances I have running in the System Tray.

  • Anonymous

    Not really workig… icons just duplicate and never open skype after I close it. Also Ubuntu says the package is bad quality, I guess because of file permissions.

    Still thumbs up! hope this integration comes far.

  • http://www.facebook.com/pranav.karanjkar Pranav Karanjkar

    is it possible to do this in ubuntu 10.10? Or is unity panel a must to add skype in messaging menu?

    • http://twitter.com/leomeloxp Leonardo Nascimento

      I would like to know that as well. I’m not on Natty yet (can’t download it yet) but I use Skype a good bit, so it would be very useful for me as well.

      If anyone can answer, thanks =]

  • http://profiles.google.com/dimidrol1068 Dmytro Tkachivskyi

    what if i deleted an envelope and now i’m having just a blinking buble of empathy instead? would this manual integrate a mono-skype-logo among others on my panel and make it look native?

  • http://www.facebook.com/cespinal17 Carlos Alberto Espinal

    I will just wait for an easier way to achieve this.

  • http://profiles.google.com/l3lakkat Andy Ch

    cp: cannot stat `/usr/share/skype-wrapper/skype’: No such file or directory

    so many mistakes in this code and I did not have this folder at all what to do?

  • Craig Barnes

    Giving people commands like this that don’t work and then failing to fix them even weeks later isn’t doing the community any favours.

  • http://jeremyfrankly.com Jeremy Frank

    What’s important for me is I’d like the indicator to show when Skype is offline. Currently, the “running” indicator is always on, even after quitting skype full AND running ‘sudo killall skype’

  • http://profiles.google.com/mennuciano André Luiz Silva

    Hello All,

    How can I undo this configuration? Because I can’t minimize my skype anymore,

    Best Regards,
    André Luiz

  • http://blog.sk8er.name Sk8er

    Can i use it in ubuntu 10.04?

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_J4GFAGGLJAJIZZEC3PM2ZM33MU Don Barron

     I installed this successfully on my two Ubuntu laptops. When I tried to install it on my wife’s, I get this error and I can’t get past it. 

    “cp: cannot create regular file `/home/maria/.config/indicators/messages/applications/skype’: Permission denied”

    I have issued sudo and entered the correct user password, but I’m stuck.

    anyone?

  • http://twitter.com/Kibiego Kevin Kibiego

    not working for me! it doens’t work with the message notifier. having the same problem running with empathy/pidgin

  • Pingback: Add Skype to The Ubuntu Messaging Menu | LORDSITHTECH Comtips&Technic, Network tips, Linux

  • Engels Peralta

    Does this works on ubuntu 10.10 64bit?

 
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