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randyth

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  1. randyth
    I recently imported all the Network Resources from my ISY994i to my ISY on Polisy to test things out. The Polisy successfully calls local APIs for devices such as Shelly Relays, but not external secure (https) APIs such as api.notifymyecho.com. I get a Request Failed error. Is this a known issue with ISY on Polisy or am I missing something? Here is an example of a Network Resource that fails:
  2. randyth
    Oh, I didn't consider this complication yet. I have a ton of scenes/programs/devices exposed to Alexa. This project is clearly going to be an adventure no matter how I attack it.
  3. randyth
    Brave man. Just ripped the band aid off, didn't you? Because I have a backup serial PLM running the Polisy/ISY in parallel with my original ISY994i/IR, I'm planning on slowly transitioning one "system" at a time (basic lighting/scenes first, then maybe HVAC stuff, and so forth). I'll delete each device from my original setup, link it to the Polisy, then manually rebuild the related programs and variables. I figure this will force me to refactor my logic as I go, optimizing things for flexibility and/or efficiency. Now that I've typed out this grand plan, it all sounds quite insane. Hmmm, maybe I need to rethink this... Perhaps band-aid ripping is the way to go!
  4. randyth
    That is an excellent point. But, what if your purchased node server stops functioning three years later due the manufacturer changing their firmware and/or API? Technically, one might argue that your purchased product still functions as well as it did on day one; it is the device that stopped working as it used to, due to no fault of the node server developer. So, is a developer with no formal ties to the device manufacturer (and therefore no direct income from the sale of the devices) obligated to fix your one-and-done purchase of their node server so it continues to function at its "purchased capabilities?"
  5. randyth
    I agree with the way you differentiate when you prefer one pricing model over the other. It makes good sense and, like anyone, I prefer the simplicity and (usually) lower long-term costs of paying only once. That said, even authorized APIs change/break and a ~$5 annual "insurance payment" to encourage timely fixes is not unpalatable to me.
  6. randyth
    I actually think subscriptions (if reasonably priced) are OK because they keep the author interested in keeping their software functioning. As for the current list of PG3 node servers, please ensure HarmonyHub and WirelessTag are ported over! -Randy
  7. randyth
    I believe it is real. Here is the link to UDI's own website about it: https://www.universal-devices.com/important-security-notice/
  8. randyth
    While I agree that you should stick with "real" smart devices (i.e., ones natively supported by your ISY and/or one of its polyglot node servers), Amazon has a pretty good sale on its smart plugs right now. Order through your Alexa device (“Alexa, order an Amazon Smart Plug“) and you can get the first one for just $4.99. Here's a link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MZEEFNX -Randy
  9. randyth
    More reports of Announcement weirdness:
  10. randyth
    Small world! Well, sadly, I do not have Jeff's number. Let us know if it goes away on its own or if you had to do something like change the announcement text.
  11. randyth
    I just got an email from one of my Virtual Buttons skill users who is encountering this very problem, so you are not alone. It's weird, but I have to believe it will likely get fixed by Amazon soon. -Randy
  12. randyth
    That will happen whenever you try to send more than five notifications inside a five minute period. This is a limitation enforced by Amazon. Check out the FAQ for more information:
  13. randyth
    In case you missed UDI's recent "ISY Can Now Talk To You!" email, check this out: -Randy
  14. randyth
    I found these two links with a quick "alexa push notifications bluetooth" Google search: http://theappslab.com/2017/12/08/alexa-push-notifications-via-reminders/ https://community.smartthings.com/t/push-notifications-to-pc-amazon-echo/88566 I'm sure you can find many more push notification hacks with this or a similar search phrase. Unfortunately, I haven't bothered to try any push notification hacks so I can't recommend one over the other. -Randy
  15. randyth
    As you discovered, the way Alexa notifications work is that you hear a chime sound and the Echo's light ring illuminates to let you know you have pending notifications. (You can read about Amazon's Alexa notification system here.) I believe Amazon designed notifications this way so you are alerted to them even if you are out of the room when they arrive, much like the light on an answering machine lights up to let you know you have messages pending. Notify Me uses Amazon's official notification system. And, of course, it is up to Amazon to change the way their notification system works. Amazon is always updating and improving Alexa, so it is possible they will add something in the Alexa app's Settings menu that allows you to make notifications speak aloud as soon as they arrive. I don't know if they have plans to do this, but I certainly hope they do. There are unofficial hacks you can use to make Alexa speak without prompting. They usually involve pairing a dedicated tablet or phone to your Echo and then running some custom code on it and/or another device that is part of your local network. -Randy
  16. randyth
    I assume this question is about the Alexa Responder tool or the official ISY Optimized for Smart Home V3 skill, not the Notify Me skill. If so, you might want to ask it in another thread. This Notify Me Beta Test thread should probably be closed (since Notify Me is no longer in Beta) and/or moved here. Cheers, -Randy
  17. randyth
    The Firmware and UI are both Insteon_UD994 v.5.0.13 (2018-07-06-18:02:27)
  18. randyth
    Just got around to installing the new Z-Wave board. It didn't go flawlessly, but everything appears back to normal now. For reference, I have nine Z-Wave devices: three switched outlets, a multilevel sensor, a thermostat, a repeater, and three Schlage Connect locks. This is in addition to a bunch of Insteon devices. The first attempt at Z-Wave | Tools | Restore resulted in an "Ignored unsupported unsolicited Z-Wave message" dialog box followed immediately by a "The Z-Wave dongle has not been restored. The data could not be written to the Z-Wave dongle" dialog box. Next, I simply tried Z-Wave | Tools | Restore again, this time with apparent success. However, the ISY was not able to access most (all?) of my Z-Wave devices. So, I tried a Z-Wave | Tools | Heal Z-Wave Network, but that did not help. Finally, I simply closed and re-opened the Admin Console, did another Z-Wave | Tools | Restore, and then did a Z-Wave | Tools | Synchronize | All. That did the trick! All my Z-Wave devices appear to be responding normally. Because everything seems to be working, I have not tried the Z-Wave | Tools | Heal Z-Wave Network option because, well, if it ain't broke don't fix it. I was a bit paranoid about my having to exclude/include my locks after all this since I've had trouble with them in the past, but they appear to have survived the ordeal unscathed so an exclude/include was not necessary. I was a bit sad to see the board did not accept my handy old antenna, but I'll get over it. -Randy
  19. randyth
    ...a couple more things you might look into.... If you received a "Body lacks required accessCode field" error, it's likely because the JSON in the body is malformed. As for generating a new access code, you can do this by disabling and re-enabling the skill, as you probably know. However, you still need to launch the skill after doing this ("Alexa, open Notify Me") to trigger the email. Launching the skill is what triggers the access code email. -Randy
  20. randyth
    Hi Dave, Could you message me with the email address you used to register your Alexa device? With that I should be able to hunt down any problems. Thanks, -Randy
  21. randyth
    Ugh! Must be because it links to Amazon's US site. You should be able to review the skill in the Alexa app (click on Skills, search for Notify Me, click on it and then scroll down to Reviews). In any case, I'm very glad you like it! -Randy
  22. randyth
    It is expected in that it is how Amazon implemented their notification system. This behavior could easily change in the future, of course, if Amazon decides it's better to let music continue after playing a notification. For what it's worth, I've discovered you can say, "Alexa, resume" to get the music going again. -Randy
  23. randyth
    Whoa, wait, what?! Is this the email Amazon SPAMs (er, sends) out every week? You better not be pulling my leg. In any case, I would greatly appreciate it if the people who find this skill useful help out my efforts by giving it a positive review here on Amazon's website. (Yes, a shameless plug -- sorry.) It took a good amount of talking to convince Amazon to let this thing loose since, well, it's not exactly the "mass market" type of thing they are used to approving. Good reviews help convince them I'm not just a crazy nerd trying the abuse my access to their notification system. Well, I might be, but I'm a harmless crazy nerd. -Randy
  24. randyth
    Glad I could help.
  25. randyth
    Did you launch the skill yet (that's what triggers the email). And, if so, what did it say? To launch the skill, just say, "Alexa, launch Notify Me." -Randy
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