SMSs are not imported in chronological order

[jayb-g]

This was issue 802 of Simple Messages

Please refer to it for further details and discussions.

Checklist

• I can reproduce the bug with the latest version.
• I made sure that there are no existing issues - open or closed - to which I could contribute my information to.
• I have read the FAQ and my problem isn't listed.
• I have taken the time to fill in all the required details. I understand that the bug report will be dismissed otherwise.
• This issue contains only one bug.
• I have read and understood the contribution guidelines.

Describe the bug
When running it the first time after installation(and after making it default SMS app), it automatically starts loading the messages but all the messages show the same timestamp of when it was imported(and not that of when the message was sent or received). Although when opened, it shows correct time.

So messages order in my stock SMS app and in Simple SMS are completely different.

I also tried to manually export messages from the default SMS app so that I can import it in simple SMS but that also fails since probably the format(keys) don't match. Can you refer to some app that exports SMS in a compatible format?
I tried using SMS Import Export

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior:
Detailed steps and behaviour explained in the original issue.

Expected behavior
All messages should have been imported in correct chronological order. Doesn't happen all the time. Maybe an external tool/script would help convert the exported SMSs to a compatible format importable by Fossify Messages.

Screenshots
If applicable, add screenshots to help explain your problem.

Device info (please complete the following information):

• Model: [Pixel 7]
• OS: [Android 14]
• App version [1.0.0]

Additional context
Issue explained in detail in the original issue on simple messages. Also, issue 783 and issue 499 may be related to this issue.

Issue 499 from simple messages:
I have exported SMS messages from Signal and then switched to Simple SMS Messenger. However, I have random order in the thread list, due to sorting by exported time, not sent/received time.

What's interesting: stock (AOSP, outdated) messages app shows everything correctly, in correct order, with correct date/time.

Tried reexporting, clearing app cache and data (to trigger app's database initialization) and unfortunately nothing helped.

[Aga-C]

This was issue 802 of Simple Messages
Please refer to it for further details and discussions.

Simple SMS Messenger repository can be deleted any time, so please copy these details here.

[jayb-g]

@Aga-C done.

It happens again and again. I have tried wiping all the messages and deleting cache for simple SMS app and then reimport messages to default app then again installing the simple SMS app but result is same.

Upon wiping and reimporting to default app, it shows correct order and timestamps. So when simple SMS imports messages from default SMS app, it should load in correct order with all timestamps but that doesn't happen.

So what I want to try is export SMSs to json first, then make it compatible with the schema supported by simple SMS app and then try importing from

[jayb-g]

Anyone can point out to the schema used by simple SMS import/export?

So it would be easier to create something that can be used by the community (temporarily until issue is looked into and fixed by devs,)which exports/converts exported jsons to the schema supported and importable by simple SMS.

[Aga-C]

Anyone can point out to the schema used by simple SMS import/export?

Here are Kotlin files with classes used during export to JSON:

• https://github.com/FossifyOrg/Messages/blob/master/app/src/main/kotlin/org/fossify/messages/models/ExportedMessage.kt
• https://github.com/FossifyOrg/Messages/blob/master/app/src/main/kotlin/org/fossify/messages/models/MmsBackup.kt
• https://github.com/FossifyOrg/Messages/blob/master/app/src/main/kotlin/org/fossify/messages/models/SmsBackup.kt

They are serialized with Gson, so schema is the same as these types.

[jayb-g]

@Aga-C Thanks, I'll try to use this for a conversion script meanwhile its fixed in the app.

[ikanakova]

Note for those switching from SMT: Export and Import between Simply Messages and Fossify Messages works without this issue.

[chesio]

Note for those switching from SMT: Export and Import between Simply Messages and Fossify Messages works without this issue.

If you don't switch to another phone as well, then there's no need to run export and import. Just install Fossify Messages, set it as default SMS app and remove Simply SMS Messagenger. All messages will be available in Fossify Messages as they are stored in phone SMS storage anyway.

[sudwhiwdh]

Unfortunately, the last version of Simple SMS Messenger only produced binary files for me when exporting my messages for an operating system migration.
That's why I used https://f-droid.org/packages/com.github.tmo1.sms_ie/ and now have the data as a .zip file.
Due to this issue, I have just ended up back with the standard SMS messaging app from Android, because the error does not occur there when re-importing.
I would be very happy if I could use Fossify Messages in the future.
How can this issue be solved technically?

[jayb-g]

@Aga-C Thanks, I'll try to use this for a conversion script meanwhile its fixed in the app.

@sudwhiwdh this is the only temporary solution until its fixed by devs. A script that converts the exported SMSs(by SMS Import Export) to a json format compatible with Fossify Messages Import.

[sudwhiwdh]

Support for another import format would be a small additional concern for me.

My main concern for this issue is a different one. Namely, that when I import messages through Fossify Messages and have selected this app as the new default application for messages, the messages should be sorted by date and time received/sent and not by import time.

So far, I assume that the messages land in the system memory after an import, for example via SMS import / export.
The standard Messages app can correctly read this information, whereas Fossify Messages cannot yet do this.

And this is what my question refers to. What does it take to make this possible in Fossify Messages as well?