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Alexa! Turn On <variable_name> in 15 minutes

larryllix

By larryllix
in Product Requests

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larryllix Advanced

larryllix

Posted
Posted

This would be awesome to support programs for otherwise unsupported devices and other programming purposes.

 

There is already support for thermostat direct temperature setting but a new pulldown of variables would be required.

 

A program using the variable value for a timer loop would be one usage.

 

"Alexa. Turn on XXXX in 15 minutes"

 

Sets the state variable $XXXX to 15.

Program triggers on $XXXX value change with a variable time loop

 

If

...$XXXX > 0

 

Then

...Repeat while $XXXX > 0

......Wait 1 minute

......$XXXX -= 1

...Repeat 1 times

......Set lights On

 

The variable could be named similar to a device to make vocals easier to remember.

 

I am sure many more uses will be found for this simple feature.

 

-Proportional positioning for blinds?

 

 

Thanks!!!

Michel Kohanim Wise Elder

Michel Kohanim

Posted
Posted

Hi larryllix,

 

I like it very much. This said, I very much doubt Alexa's vernacular supports these types of interactions: turn on x in n minutes. This said, I will ask Benoit!

 

With kind regards,

Michel

larryllix Advanced

larryllix

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hi larryllix,I like it very much. This said, I very much doubt Alexa's vernacular supports these types of interactions: turn on x in n minutes. This said, I will ask Benoit!With kind regards,Michel

Thanks. I wasn't sure how much control you had over the venacular.

 

Things are already in place for.

...Alexa Turn On XXXX to 15 percent.

but the "percent" would ruin any vocal grammar.

 

However...

I just tried, and with success.

...Alexa. Turn on Desk Light to 50.

I can eliminate the "percent", but not the "to".

 

With variables added as an end device, we could then already use.

...Alexa. Turn on XXXX to 50.

eliminating the "percent" but the resolution may be limited to 1% and the variable have to be scaled up to user needed range.

 

With this I assume that On/Off would be interpreted as 100/0 also.

 

...Alexa. Turn on Light On Timer to 15

fairly vocally vague.

 

Wait until I request decimals and exponents. LOL

 

merci Michel!

bmercier Advanced

bmercier

Posted
Posted

As Michel guessed it, it's unfortunately not possible with a smart home skill.

 

However, you could setup a program, and give it a spoken name like "fireplace in fifteen minutes". 

The then statement would turn on after 15 minutes, and the else statement would turn it off in 15 minutes.

 

But of course, the delays are then hardcoded.

 

Thanks,

 

Benoit

larryllix Advanced

larryllix

Posted
  • Author
Posted

As Michel guessed it, it's unfortunately not possible with a smart home skill.

 

However, you could setup a program, and give it a spoken name like "fireplace in fifteen minutes".

The then statement would turn on after 15 minutes, and the else statement would turn it off in 15 minutes.

 

But of course, the delays are then hardcoded.

 

Thanks,

 

Benoit

Merci

 

Could variables (state in particular) be included in the ISY vocal lists, the same as devices and programs?

These variables could be doubly used as program triggers and and analogue values for many ISY functions.

The other post and pre-vocals would be nice to change also but not completely necessary.

bmercier Advanced

bmercier

Posted
Posted

Thanks larryllix.

 

Benoit, I think what larryllix is suggesting is to consider variables as lights with values. Is that possible?

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

The problem is with the vernacular. Turn on XXXX in YY minutes is not supported.

 

We could however use the "Turn on XXX to YY" to set a state var to the value YY. We don't have to say "percent" at the end.

 

Not sure if we could use "Turn off XXX to YY" though. I tried it, I see the vernacular is accepted, but I'm not sure if YY is passed at the API level.

 

Benoit.

bmercier Advanced

bmercier

Posted
Posted

Merci

 

Could variables (state in particular) be included in the ISY vocal lists, the same as devices and programs?

These variables could be doubly used as program triggers and and analogue values for many ISY functions.

The other post and pre-vocals would be nice to change also but not completely necessary.

 

Technically, yes. 

 

Then it becomes a matter of development priorities.

 

Benoit.

MWareman Advanced

MWareman

Posted
Posted

Seems the Google Home IFTTT channel has the ability to parse out a name, a value or a name and a value from phrases. IFTTT can then substitute these parsed values into its API call. This is very cool! Something Alexa cannot do at the moment. I may just be ditching my Alexa....

larryllix Advanced

larryllix

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Seems the Google Home IFTTT channel has the ability to parse out a name, a value or a name and a value from phrases. IFTTT can then substitute these parsed values into its API call. This is very cool! Something Alexa cannot do at the moment. I may just be ditching my Alexa....

It does seem like Alexa is increasing it's vocabulary and knowledge base. They are still way behind google, who started this nonsense years ago but after asking about my closest city, a dozen times, actually can identify it for weather now.

 

Five years ago I had never heard of amazon. Three years ago, amazon was just an online book sales company, competing with Columbia records, and scratching at tails of ebay. Google owns us with a database that holds most of our lives including what restuarant I entered last week and when I came out and who was with me.

Amazon is only nervous and peeking in the window.

 

My belief is still, google was contracted to do the software and give amazon a year head start before launching the competition that will eventually blow amazon out of the water, with just plain huge experience and database.

 

I also believe the mad attempt for amazon to head off the google take over, was the cheap Dots they are probably losing money on. Next, watch out for the paid services coming from amazon for Alexa ink cartridges, after all the printers have been practically given away so cheaply.

stusviews Advanced

stusviews

Posted
Posted

Five years ago I had never heard of amazon. Three years ago, amazon was just an online book sales company, competing with Columbia records, and scratching at tails of ebay.

 

Where have you been? Amazon began on-line in 1994. By the turn of the century, they were already way beyond only books.

larryllix Advanced

larryllix

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Where have you been? Amazon began on-line in 1994. By the turn of the century, they were already way beyond only books.

I've been in Canada where they are still perceived as an online bookstore.

 

Where have you been? Do you not see large Google signs lit up in every city or do you just see amazon signs on buildings? I have never seen one.

 

It's 10 o'clock, does amazon know where your children are? Google does.

stusviews Advanced

stusviews

Posted
Posted

I've been in Canada where they are still perceived as an online bookstore.

 

Where have you been? Do you not see large Google signs lit up in every city or do you just see amazon signs on buildings? I have never seen one.

 

It's 10 o'clock, does amazon know where your children are? Google does.

 

No, but I haven't been in every city. Yes, I know where most of my children are B)

paulbates Advanced

paulbates

Posted
Posted

I got to spend some time at their Smart Home Exhibit at AWS Reinvent. They are truly driving down the middle and focusing on industry & big things first....  As much as they promoted open integration, they didn't entertain much discussion from me or others that wanted more than a demo. But when the Honeywell rep showed up, the exhibitor's focus went on him.

 

There has been slow and steady progress on Echo... let's hope they keep it up, and respond to competitive challenges from google like this.

stusviews Advanced

stusviews

Posted
Posted

Gary Funk (Joke removed at the request of one user)

 

You had a joke? Just kidding B)

MWareman Advanced

MWareman

Posted
Posted

Hi Benoit,

 

Thank you.

 

Hi MWareman, we are awaiting for Google APIs being available to others.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

Michel, Here you go!

 

https://techcrunch.com/2016/12/08/google-starts-opening-up-its-assistant-on-google-home-to-third-party-developers/

 

Love now over here: https://api.ai/blog/2016/12/08/build-conversation-actions-for-the-google-assistant/

 

Google's documentation on creating bots using api.ai: https://developers.google.com/actions/develop/apiai/tutorials/getting-started

TheFallenAngel Experienced

TheFallenAngel

Posted
Posted

I've been in Canada where they are still perceived as an online bookstore.

 

Where have you been? Do you not see large Google signs lit up in every city or do you just see amazon signs on buildings? I have never seen one.

 

It's 10 o'clock, does amazon know where your children are? Google does.

LOL No Larry only you in Canada perceive Amazon as an online book store :)

 

Sent from my SM-G935W8 using Tapatalk

larryllix Advanced

larryllix

Posted
  • Author
Posted

The problem is with the vernacular. Turn on XXXX in YY minutes is not supported.

 

We could however use the "Turn on XXX to YY" to set a state var to the value YY. We don't have to say "percent" at the end.

 

Not sure if we could use "Turn off XXX to YY" though. I tried it, I see the vernacular is accepted, but I'm not sure if YY is passed at the API level.

 

Benoit.

 

Hi Benoit,

 

Thank you.

 

Hi MWareman, we are awaiting for Google APIs being available to others.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

 

Back on topic...

 

I just found another great possibility for this Alexa variable setting feature

 

  • Alexa. Turn on TV Channel 238

 

where 'TV Channel' is the vocal substituted for a variable name in ISY

'238' would be the analogue value stuffed into the variable (above)

 

ISY would then do an AV control NR or other pathway to set the TV channel to 238.

 

  • Alexa. Turn on Radio to 967

 

where 'Radio' is the vocal substituted for a variable in ISY

'967' would be the analogue value stuffed into the variable (above)

 

ISY would then use a NR to turn on the radio to frequency 96.7MHz.

 

  • Alexa. Turn Off Radio

 

Similar to above but 'Off' would be the value 0 stored into the variable 'Radio'

ISY would then respond with an off NR, as required to do the job.

bmercier Advanced

bmercier

Posted
Posted

Back on topic...

 

I just found another great possibility for this Alexa variable setting feature

 

  • Alexa. Turn on TV Channel 238

 

where 'TV Channel' is the vocal substituted for a variable name in ISY

'238' would be the analogue value stuffed into the variable (above)

 

ISY would then do an AV control NR or other pathway to set the TV channel to 238.

 

  • Alexa. Turn on Radio to 967

 

where 'Radio' is the vocal substituted for a variable in ISY

'967' would be the analogue value stuffed into the variable (above)

 

ISY would then use a NR to turn on the radio to frequency 96.7MHz.

 

  • Alexa. Turn Off Radio

 

Similar to above but 'Off' would be the value 0 stored into the variable 'Radio'

ISY would then respond with an off NR, as required to do the job.

 

State Variable support is coming.

 

Stay tuned

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