Home » Documentation » Running in Linux using Wine

Running in Linux using Wine

SMS Enabler can be run in Linux using WINE compatibility layer. Follow the below instructions to install, configure and run it in Linux.

1. Installing Wine
2. Creating a 32-bit Wine prefix
3. Installing and running SMS Enabler
4. Configuring connection to a modem/dongle in SMS Enabler
5. Using SMS-to-Database under Wine

1. Installing Wine

Install Wine on your Linux system (if you haven't already).
Instructions on how to install Wine on Ubuntu-based Linux distros (Ubuntu, Mint, etc).
Instructions on how to install Wine on Debian-based Linux distros (Debian, Slax, etc).

For Linux distributions not based on either Debian or Ubuntu, search the instructions online on how to install Wine, but make sure the Wine package that you install supports 32-bit architecture.

2. Creating a 32-bit Wine prefix

SMS Enabler is a 32-bit application. Therefore you need to create a 32-bit wineprefix after you have installed Wine.

A wineprefix is a directory that contains Wine configuration files and installed Windows programs. It contains your virtual C drive (a directory named "drive_c").

During the creation of the wineprefix, you will be offered by Wine to automatically download and install the Wine Mono package. SMS Enabler does not require Mono so you can click "Cancel" to save your time and disk space.

To create a 32-bit wineprefix, type in a terminal:

WINEARCH=win32 WINEPREFIX=~/.wine32 winecfg

The winecfg application window will open. Just click "OK" to close it.

~/.wine32 is your new 32-bit wineprefix.

3. Installing and running SMS Enabler

3.1 Installing

Download SMS Enabler's installer.

In a terminal, change directory to where you have downloaded the installer, then run the installer with this command:

WINEPREFIX=~/.wine32 wine start smsenabler_install.msi

Don't change the default installation path.

3.2 Running

During the first run of SMS Enabler, you will be offered by Wine to automatically install the Wine Gecko package which is required by SMS Enabler. Click "Install" to accept it.

Assuming you have not changed the default installation path, run SMS Enabler using these 2 commands in a terminal:

cd ~/.wine32/drive_c/"Program Files/SMSENABLER.com/SMS Enabler"

WINEPREFIX=~/.wine32 wine smsenabler.exe

4. Configuring connection to a modem/dongle in SMS Enabler

First, make sure you are in the dialout user group (unless you are root). This allows you to access serial ports. To see what groups you are in use the command:

groups

If you are not in the dialout group add yourself to it with this command:

sudo usermod -a -G dialout your_username

Then, find the Unix device (listed in the /dev directory) that represents the serial port used by your modem in Linux.

For USB modems, it usually looks like: /dev/ttyUSB0 or /dev/ttyUSB1 etc.

For modems connected via a hardware COM port: /dev/ttyS0 or /dev/ttyS1 etc.

In the Setting Dialog box in SMS Enabler, in the Connection tab, in the Connect Using box, enter the path to that device. For example: /dev/ttyUSB0

Note: this document does not describe how to install a modem/dongle in Linux and how to find its corresponding Unix device. You will have to find that information yourself.

5. Using SMS-to-Database under Wine

To use the SMS-to-Database feature under Wine you need first to install MDAC (Microsoft Data Access Components). You do that using the winetricks script.

Close SMS Enabler (if it's running) and all other Wine processes (Windows applications running under Wine).

Download the winetricks script (note: save it without any file extension) at https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Winetricks/winetricks/master/src/winetricks

In a terminal, change directory to where you have downloaded winetricks, then make the winetricks script executable with this command:

chmod +x winetricks

Install MDAC using winetricks. To do that, type in the terminal:

WINEPREFIX=~/.wine32 ./winetricks mdac28

After having installed MDAC, you need to instal a Windows ODBC driver for your database (see below).

Installing an ODBC driver for MySQL

Download a 32-bit version of MySQL ODBC driver. Also, download Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable (x86) which is required by the MySQL ODBC driver.

In a terminal, change directory to where you have just downloaded the files, then install the Redistributable with this command:

WINEPREFIX=~/.wine32 wine VC_redist.x86.exe

Install the MySQL ODBC driver with this command:

WINEPREFIX=~/.wine32 wine start mysql-connector-odbc-8.0.33-win32.msi

Then follow the instructions on how to use SMS Enabler with MySQL database.

Installing an ODBC driver for PostgreSQL

Download a 32-bit version of PostgreSQL ODBC driver (psqlODBC). Unzip the downloaded file. In a terminal, change directory to where you have the unzipped files. Install the driver with this command:

WINEPREFIX=~/.wine32 wine start psqlodbc_x86.msi

Then follow the instructions on how to use SMS Enabler with PostgreSQL database.