Cidney: Filters

In Cidney, a filter is a set of rules and conditions that a call must match in order to generate a notification for the user. By default, Cidney runs with no filters active, meaning that all calls generate notifications and play a ringtone. Filters allow you select which calls interrupt you based on some simple criteria. For example, you may wish to have a filter that only allows calls from friends and families to interrup you during your off-time and one that only allows coworkers to interrup you while you are working. Another filter may allow you to silently ignore calls from numbers that you don't recognize (such as junk calls).

Filters don't interfere with the normal functioning of your phone - missed calls will still go to voicemail and your regular phone will continue ring (if you left the ringer on) as normal. Filters just control how you are interrupted within the confines of your desktop interface.

Creating filters

1. To create a filter, select Filters... from the Cidney status icon. The following window will appear:

   

   Click the button with the plus icon to create a new filter.

2. Add and remove rows as necessary to create the filter that you want. This interface works just like other smart list interfaces in the Mac environment (Finder, iTunes, Mail, etc.). If you want a filter that notifies you when friends and family are calling, the following rule may work (if you have tagged your friends and family in the Call Log interface):

   

   You can click on the new filter's name to give it a new name.

3. Once your filter is complete, close the Filters window. To activate the filter, select Active Filter item under the Cidney status icon. In the submenu that appears, a list of your filters will appear:

   

   Click the one to make it active. To turn off filters, click the No Filter item.

Quick tip: filtering unknown callers

Calls originating from numbers that are not contained within your Address Book are automatically tagged "unknown". If you would like to filter out calls from callers not in your Address Book, simply create a filter with the rule "Tags" is "unknown".

Next steps

Once you are comfortable using filters, please see the next section on AppleScript.