How to Filter/Extract Code from SMS (Android)

Question

So i'm working on a WhatsApp like verification system where user inputs the code received via sms and code is sent back to the server..yada yada ..all that basic stuff.

My dilemma is that i have received and read the sms correctly. How do i filter the body so that that it passes the number (not phone number but verification code) to the editText automatically. I'm trying to avoid users having to enter the verification code manually. Lemme show some code below.

public void processReceive(Context context, Intent intent){

    Bundle bundle = intent.getExtras();
    if(bundle == null){
        return;
    }

    Object[] objectArray = (Object[])bundle.get("pdus");

    for(int i = 0; i < objectArray.length; i++){
        SmsMessage smsMsg = SmsMessage.createFromPdu((byte[])objectArray[i]);
        String smsBody = smsMsg.getMessageBody();

        Toast.makeText(context, smsBody, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
    }

}

//In the code above, my broadcastReceiver receives the sms and i can display the body in a toast. The sms goes something like this: "Your verification code: 12345".

How do i get just the code from the sms and send its value to and editText programmatically like WhatsApp does.

number = (EditText) findViewById(R.id.number);

Thank you. You input is greatly appreciated

If you have the message contents, just get a substring of the last 5 characters. — byxor, Aug 29 '16 at 10:21
My worry is that overtime the sms format might change so will the position of the verification code. — Mueyiwa Moses Ikomi, Aug 29 '16 at 10:22
You could always scan the string for 5 consecutive numeric digits. That way you're covered if the verification code ever moves. However that doesn't cover you if the length of the code changes. — byxor, Aug 29 '16 at 10:29
Thanks guys for all the answers and they were really great too. I chose @MedAmine.Rihane 's solution because it the simplest and quickest to work with. I'll revisit other answers as my project expands. Thank you — Mueyiwa Moses Ikomi, Aug 29 '16 at 10:46

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 29 '16 at 10:24

1

Try this it may be help to you

public static String GENERAL_OTP_TEMPLATE = "Your verification code: (.*).";

SmsMessage[] message = new SmsMessage[objectArray.length];
for (int i = 0; i < objectArray.length; i++) {
    message[i] = SmsMessage.createFromPdu((byte[]) objectArray[i]);

}
Pattern generalOtpPattern = Pattern.compile(GENERAL_OTP_TEMPLATE);
Matcher generalOtpMatcher = generalOtpPattern.matcher(message[0].getMessageBody().toString());

if (generalOtpMatcher.find()) {
       String otp = generalOtpMatcher.group(1);
       number.setText(otp);
}

answered Aug 29 '16 at 10:24

Abhishek Patel

4,280
1
24
38

find pattern for SMS and according to that find code – Abhishek Patel Aug 29 '16 at 10:59
Thanks seen, this is a much better answer cos it doesn't crash the app if its not the expected sms like @Med's does... – Mueyiwa Moses Ikomi Aug 29 '16 at 11:02
wc @MueyiwaMosesIkomi,this is the standard way to fetch OTP from SMS – Abhishek Patel Aug 29 '16 at 11:06
I noticed one thing tho @Abhishek Patel, when the app is the background and the sms comes, it doesn't copy all the code correctly. each time it misses the last digit. How i can defend against that. Can't tell if its just the emulator or it will do that on a live device. – Mueyiwa Moses Ikomi Aug 29 '16 at 11:12
make store code in `preference` and use `localbroadcast` for display – Abhishek Patel Aug 29 '16 at 11:16
now this a taking a new dimension for me. How do i do that please...can share my code with you... – Mueyiwa Moses Ikomi Aug 29 '16 at 11:17
Let us [continue this discussion in chat](http://chat.stackoverflow.com/rooms/122092/discussion-between-abhishek-patel-and-mueyiwa-moses-ikomi). – Abhishek Patel Aug 29 '16 at 11:18

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 29 '16 at 10:24

1

You can just use Split function to get your last 5 numbers :

String[] splited = body.split(":");
String mylastnum= splited[1];
number.settext(mylastnum);

hope it help !

answered Aug 29 '16 at 10:24

MedAmine.Rihane

1,193
10
17

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 29 '16 at 10:34

register Broad cast Receiver in android manifest using below mention code.

<!-- SMS Receiver -->
<receiver android:name=".receiver.SmsReceiver">
    <intent-filter android:priority="99999">
        <action android:name="android.provider.Telephony.SMS_RECEIVED"/>
    </intent-filter>
</receiver>

Create Broad Cast Receiver using below mention code.

@Override public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {

final Bundle bundle = intent.getExtras();
try {
    if (bundle != null) {
        Object[] pdusObj = (Object[]) bundle.get("pdus");
        for (Object aPdusObj : pdusObj) {
            SmsMessage currentMessage = SmsMessage.createFromPdu((byte[]) aPdusObj);
            String senderAddress = currentMessage.getDisplayOriginatingAddress();
            String message = currentMessage.getDisplayMessageBody();

            Log.e(TAG, "Received SMS: " + message + ", Sender: " + senderAddress);

            // if the SMS is not from our gateway, ignore the message
            if (!senderAddress.toLowerCase().contains(Config.SMS_ORIGIN.toLowerCase())) {
                Log.e(TAG, "SMS is not for our app!");
                return;
            }

            // verification code from sms
            String verificationCode = getVerificationCode(message);

            Log.e(TAG, "OTP received: " + verificationCode);

            Intent hhtpIntent = new Intent(context, HttpService.class);
            hhtpIntent.putExtra("otp", verificationCode);
            context.startService(hhtpIntent);
        }
    }
} catch (Exception e) {
    Log.e(TAG, "Exception: " + e.getMessage());
}

}

Parse Verification Code that come through SMS.

private String getVerificationCode(String message) { String code = null; int index = message.indexOf(Config.OTP_DELIMITER);
```
if (index != -1) {
    int start = index + 2;
    int length = 6;
    code = message.substring(start, start + length);
    return code;
}

return code;
```
}

How to Filter/Extract Code from SMS (Android)

3 Answers3