bthandler/README.md

# bthandler
A simple interactive tool to:
- connect to already paired devices
- disconnect bluetooth devices
- pair new ones
- unpair already paired devices
- turn bluetooth on/off
- blacklist paired devices to not be listed in connection selection
- trust devices

all via dmenu. Should be easily extendable by editing the `actions` string.

<img src="/../assets/cropped.png" alt="cropped preview" width="100%">

# Installation
Edit the Makefile to reflect your preffered installation destination. Then, simply

```bash
make install
```

**Note:** If you don't change the Makefile `sudo` is not required and might break the blacklist and hardcoded pair list.

Afterwards, invoking `bt` will start the menu.

# Clear blacklist/pairlist

Since `bluetoothctl paired-devices` seems to be hugely unreliable in listing paired devices, bthandler has a seperate list for all devices paired through bthandler.
There is also a blacklist available to not display certain devices, which might be useful for autoconnection Bluetooth mice for example.

To clear these files, simply run
```bash
make clear
```
and these files will be reset to their inital, empty state.

**Note:** If for some reason `bluetoothctl paired-devices` works for you dont worry, bthandler lists all devices returned from `bluetoothctl` and it's own paired devices list. (Duplicates are not displayed.)

# Uninstall

To uninstall you might follow that it's a simple
```bash
make uninstall
```
If you have troubles with an uninstall, _additionally_ run `which bt | xargs rm`.

# Troubleshooting

## If bt takes long to show a menu
consider turning off `AUTOSCAN`. If there are many devices around you autoscanning will add them all to your `bluetoothctl devices` list. Every device on that list get's checked whether it's connected at startup.

This should only be an issue if `bluetoothctl scan off` is unreliable for you though.


# TODO

- [x] start scanning for new devices immediately at execution to save time when pairing new devices
- [x] auto-trust newly paired devices/trust device via dmenu (changeable via the AUTOTRUST variable in the beginning of bt, menu display adjusts accordingly)
- [x] blacklist devices via dmenu (action is hidden, but typing `blacklist` as your choice will reveal the menu)
- [x] update bthandler internal paired devices list if something new shows up via `bluetoothctl paired-devices` not already listed in the paired devices file
- [x] only show disconnect option if devices are already connected
- [x] only list connected devices to disconnect from, not all paired devices
- [x] only list not trusted devices in trust menu
- [x] selecting already connected device disconnects it
- [ ] create alias for devices via dmenu