Signal-android: Feature request: dual SIM active SIM indication while typing SMS

[equaeghe]

I have:

• [x] searched open and closed issues for duplicates
• [x] read https://github.com/WhisperSystems/Signal-Android/wiki/Submitting-useful-bug-reports

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Bug description

While typing an SMS on a dual SIM phone, it is not visible which SIM card is active. It would be very useful if this were visible.

Steps to reproduce

• use a dual SIM phone with both SIMs active
• use Signal as SMS app
• use Signal to send SMS to non-Signal contact

Actual result:

• the active SIM card is visible as ‘filler text’ text in the text box when no text is in the text box (this is good)
• once something is in the text box, the active card is not visible anymore (this is inconvenient when one didn't pay attention, or when continuing a concept, or on roaming state change when crossing a border)
• to check (by choosing) the active SIM, it is necessary to long-press the send button

Expected result:

• the active SIM card is visible as ‘filler text’ text in the text box when no text is in the text box
• once something is in the text box, the active SIM card color is used to color the send button and a small ‘1’ or ‘2’ (or ‘3’,… for multi-SIM-devices) is put above the arrow (at the horizontal location of the unlocked padlock) in the SMS send button icon

I assume that the SIM number, name, and color are all available through the API; obviously the SIM name is something Signal already uses. But if, for example the SIM color is not easily accessible, using the number as suggested above would already be great. So, my suggestion is just an idea from which you can create the variation that you think is best or most convenient.

P.S.: Signal also provides quick-reply functionality for directly replying to a message; also there some part of my suggestion may be useful, although it is reasonable to restrict active SIM card change to the main interface.

Device info

Device: Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini Duos (GT-i9192)
Android version: 7.1.2 (LineageOS)
Signal version: 4.8.1

[spychodelics]

Another thing i would like to mention, if you use 2 numbers with the same carrier there is no way to see which one of the sims is the actual one you are sending with. It shouldnt be labeld with carriername, i would suggest using the Sim Slot as Name.

[issueseverywhere]

Agree with @equaeghe and @spychodelics, adding SIM slot number and color to the "send" button would make it easier to know what is in use for the message you are writing (signal, slot 1, slot 2), because you can't see the carrier name or sim slot number as soon as you start writing your message text in the present version (4.12.3).

[thenktor]

Had the same issue: I've sent SMS from wrong SIM card because it cannot be seen which one is active after typing. Furthermore my mobile phone (Xiaomi A1, Android One 8.0) allows to set a standard SIM for SMS, but Signal does not care about this setting. Also the Xiaomi allows to set colors for the SIM cards, which I'd expect to see somewhere at the send button. The Android Messages app does it the right way.

[automated-signal]

GitHub Issue Cleanup:
See #7598 for more information.

[2-4601]

This feature request is being discussed and tracked here.