# How to receive and show text/ASCII with BLE

**URL:** <https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-to-receive-and-show-text-ascii-with-ble/404694>\
**Category:** Questions about Thunkable X\
**Created:** [January 13, 2020, 9:35am UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-to-receive-and-show-text-ascii-with-ble/404694 "2020-01-13T09:35:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![slidethc](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/slidethc/32/55603_2.png) [@slidethc](https://community.thunkable.com/u/slidethc)\
**Post date:** [January 13, 2020, 9:35am UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-to-receive-and-show-text-ascii-with-ble/404694/1 "2020-01-13T09:35:07Z")

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Hi guys, I’m having trouble getting ASCII characters.  
Essentially the app should receive and display ASCII characters when the letter “s” is transmitted.  
With MITApp I had no problems, but having to do the same application for Iphone I find myself in difficulty.  
Thanks to anyone who will help me!

Edit: I’m starting to think it’s a ThunkableX reception blocking issue.  
With a BLE terminal sending “S” I receive the information, the same thing done with ThunkableX does not lead to anything.  
Can some staff member please answer me so I understand whether to waste time or not with this platform?

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**Author:** ![slidethc](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/slidethc/32/55603_2.png) [@slidethc](https://community.thunkable.com/u/slidethc)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 10:39am UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-to-receive-and-show-text-ascii-with-ble/404694/2 "2020-01-14T10:39:25Z")

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UP for visibility

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**Author:** ![actech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@actech](https://community.thunkable.com/u/actech)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 11:00am UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-to-receive-and-show-text-ascii-with-ble/404694/3 "2020-01-14T11:00:52Z")

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Hi,

Try sending a number to start with. If the number is passed in Thukable X, then you are all good. If Thunkable X doesn’t even pass numbers, that’s bad enough.

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**Author:** ![slidethc](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/slidethc/32/55603_2.png) [@slidethc](https://community.thunkable.com/u/slidethc)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 12:09pm UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-to-receive-and-show-text-ascii-with-ble/404694/4 "2020-01-14T12:09:26Z")

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Hi actech, thank you for your answer.  
These are the instructions

 ![Immagine](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/thunkable/original/3X/a/0/a03ac3e8c582c70fc7b43aff503edd921eb33a6f.png)

I tried in every way but it doesn’t complete the command (it doesn’t vibrate).

 ![asdasd](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/thunkable/original/3X/d/5/d5266ae4b563c8f750373274bd749d4bb30eb0a8.png)  
In this block If I put a text or a number instead of “data”, it shows it correctly but I don’t need it.  
The application only needs to switch on, off and request the status from an alarm control panel.  
It performs the first 2 functions, the third does not.  
I add by saying that I made the same app for Android with MitAppInventor and it works perfectly.

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**Author:** ![actech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@actech](https://community.thunkable.com/u/actech)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 1:53pm UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-to-receive-and-show-text-ascii-with-ble/404694/5 "2020-01-14T13:53:48Z")

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If I understand you correctly, then only the vibration signal block does not work in your blocks, and the data is perfectly transmitted? In this case, there is a problem with the vibroblock and you need to change the topic title.

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**Author:** ![slidethc](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/slidethc/32/55603_2.png) [@slidethc](https://community.thunkable.com/u/slidethc)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 2:17pm UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-to-receive-and-show-text-ascii-with-ble/404694/6 "2020-01-14T14:17:17Z")

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No, I do not receive the vibration feedback but it does not even correctly read the ASCII characters sent to me by the device with which it is associated.  
I don’t care about the vibration, even if I remove it from the block it does not read / receive the data correctly.  
How would you build it?

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**Author:** ![domhnallohanlon](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/domhnallohanlon/32/29554_2.png) [@domhnallohanlon](https://community.thunkable.com/u/domhnallohanlon)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 5:00pm UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-to-receive-and-show-text-ascii-with-ble/404694/7 "2020-01-14T17:00:15Z")

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> [@slidethc](#):
>
> In this block If I put a text or a number instead of “data”,

How did you manage to remove these outputs? It _shouldn’t_ be possible to have empty sockets here.

 ![ble_received](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/thunkable/original/3X/3/f/3f9c468804c25c47bb7851bd12b518c682928093.png)

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**Author:** ![slidethc](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/slidethc/32/55603_2.png) [@slidethc](https://community.thunkable.com/u/slidethc)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 6:55pm UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-to-receive-and-show-text-ascii-with-ble/404694/8 "2020-01-14T18:55:48Z")

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I pressed the delete button and it got up.  
Even with the “error” and “data” blocks present I do not read / receive data.  
I only get one question mark in a rhombus.

I’m lost ☹

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**Author:** ![actech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@actech](https://community.thunkable.com/u/actech)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 7:05pm UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-to-receive-and-show-text-ascii-with-ble/404694/9 "2020-01-14T19:05:23Z")

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OK, can you **send the number 1** and say what you get?

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**Author:** ![slidethc](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/slidethc/32/55603_2.png) [@slidethc](https://community.thunkable.com/u/slidethc)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 7:22pm UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-to-receive-and-show-text-ascii-with-ble/404694/10 "2020-01-14T19:22:53Z")

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Send number 1 from my app to the alarm?

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**Author:** ![domhnallohanlon](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/domhnallohanlon/32/29554_2.png) [@domhnallohanlon](https://community.thunkable.com/u/domhnallohanlon)\
**Post date:** [January 14, 2020, 9:24pm UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-to-receive-and-show-text-ascii-with-ble/404694/11 "2020-01-14T21:24:27Z")

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> [@slidethc](#):
>
> I pressed the delete button

Sure, but where is the data coming from then if you’ve deleted the output blocks?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![actech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@actech](https://community.thunkable.com/u/actech)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 8:44am UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-to-receive-and-show-text-ascii-with-ble/404694/12 "2020-01-15T08:44:11Z")

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Send 1 from BLE device to Thunkable X app

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![slidethc](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/slidethc/32/55603_2.png) [@slidethc](https://community.thunkable.com/u/slidethc)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 8:44am UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-to-receive-and-show-text-ascii-with-ble/404694/13 "2020-01-15T08:44:36Z")

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Thank you Domhnall for your answers.

Here some data:

1. The “data” block is removed simply by selecting it and pressing “Del”.
2. Its presence or not does not change the “answer” that I get from the application, in any case I receive a question mark inside a rhombus.
3. Here are the slightest differences between the blocks written with your platform and with MitAppInventor.

 ![sda](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/uploads/thunkable/original/3X/b/a/ba9cf1510e89339e9ad6d8c2ef6e7f5fd100cc58.png)

1. I think the “receive” block doesn’t work, I’m not the only one to say it and I would like you to be honest as both my client and I can waste time.  
If your platform has these problems to encourage you to buy the PRO version, it’s ok for me but the important thing is to admit that my problem is not on the programmer side.

How would you have built it? I think it is well written on a logical level.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![slidethc](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/slidethc/32/55603_2.png) [@slidethc](https://community.thunkable.com/u/slidethc)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 9:07am UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-to-receive-and-show-text-ascii-with-ble/404694/14 "2020-01-15T09:07:43Z")

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I tried to get “1” sent but the situation doesn’t change, I keep getting the question mark in the rhombus as an answer.  
If I use any bluetooth terminal I get the data I need.

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**Author:** ![actech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@actech](https://community.thunkable.com/u/actech)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 9:10am UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-to-receive-and-show-text-ascii-with-ble/404694/15 "2020-01-15T09:10:22Z")

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Now I understand. This is a problem. I don’t have a solution for this situation.

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**Author:** ![slidethc](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/slidethc/32/55603_2.png) [@slidethc](https://community.thunkable.com/u/slidethc)\
**Post date:** [January 15, 2020, 9:15am UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-to-receive-and-show-text-ascii-with-ble/404694/16 "2020-01-15T09:15:17Z")

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Thanks for helping me as long as you could, I really appreciate it!

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**Author:** ![Michael\_Rogulla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@Michael\_Rogulla](https://community.thunkable.com/u/Michael_Rogulla)\
**Post date:** [February 11, 2020, 1:06pm UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-to-receive-and-show-text-ascii-with-ble/404694/17 "2020-02-11T13:06:23Z")

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Hi all,

comparing with Thunkable (classic) there is a significant difference:

- Receiving data from a BLE-device should be an event (a block with “golden” color, not purple).

That way it could be possible to write the following blocks, for example to receive data from a BLE device without waiting for it:

- when Button1.click: do “BluetoothBLE call Transmit” etc. (to Thunkable: do not forget to implement the serviceUUID)
- when BlueToothBLE receive: do “from Label1 set Text to receivedData” etc.

I think I will create an issue on github.

Greetings, Michael

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**Author:** ![istvan54](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/8baadc/32.png) [@istvan54](https://community.thunkable.com/u/istvan54)\
**Post date:** [February 15, 2020, 4:52pm UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-to-receive-and-show-text-ascii-with-ble/404694/18 "2020-02-15T16:52:43Z")

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I strongly agree to your statement. I fact, I have the same problem and I always get an error form the receive function when I notify form ESP32 (‘Operation was rejected’). The receive function should be definitely an event, anyway. I approached Thunkable because I need e wid a way to implement a BLE dialogue in a timely manner. I found the platform very clever, nonetheless it lacks exactly the feature I need. Hope to get it solved soon.  
Regards  
Stefano

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![slidethc](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/community.thunkable.com/slidethc/32/55603_2.png) [@slidethc](https://community.thunkable.com/u/slidethc)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2020, 3:31pm UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-to-receive-and-show-text-ascii-with-ble/404694/19 "2020-03-20T15:31:55Z")

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They don’t care about this problem, I suggest you to go with MIT App inventor, it’s more complete.

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**Author:** ![gaston\_fabbietti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a9a28c/32.png) [@gaston\_fabbietti](https://community.thunkable.com/u/gaston_fabbietti)\
**Post date:** [March 21, 2020, 11:13pm UTC](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-to-receive-and-show-text-ascii-with-ble/404694/20 "2020-03-21T23:13:00Z")

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Hello, i solved the problem.  
My english isn’t so good, sorry, i am from Argentina.  
The thing is that you are using a Characteristic on de BLE that isn’t READ. Most of the BLE modules have a Characteristic that NOTIFY when the register change.  
I use a ESP32 with Arduino  
Fist, i was having the error “operation was rejected” because I created a Characteristic as NOTIFY  
I make it work when i defined the Characteristic as READ.  
i hope it helps you because i lost several hours with this.

[Next page](https://community.thunkable.com/t/how-to-receive-and-show-text-ascii-with-ble/404694.md?page=2)
