Saying "open" rather than "on"

[Sachelis]

I'm using the ISY Portal with Alexa and an Insteon I/O Linc to open/close my outdoor shades (aka blinds or drapes). I can say, "Alexa, turn on (or off) the shades". Is there a way to issue these commands by saying, "Alexa, open (or close) the shades"?

 

Thanks!

[stusviews]

Open and close is supposed to work, but it just doesn't. I can usually use it with my garage doors (program), open does not work with scenes (i.e, lighting), but close does. I've never gotten those terms to work with my Somfy shades, so I use on to close the shades and off to open them.

[Toddimus]

I have the same question/issue with my Velux skylights, which are driven by a pair of Insteon I/O modules.  To open them, I have a program that makes one I/O turn "ON" and the other "OFF" (and the opposite polarities for closing).  

 

It just so happens that this is the way the Velux "home automation bridge" works.  It actually has been a good thing to combat the dreaded Insteon "ALL ON" bug.  When that happens, both I/O modules go high (i.e. ON), and that would actually stop any movement that's currently in progress, though I've never had an ALL ON event while the skylights were in transit.

 

I've just gotten used to saying "Alexa, turn the skylights on (or off)".  It's weird and non-intuitive for anyone other than me.  It would be very cool if it were to be fixed so I could use the words "open" and "close", but in the mean time, I'll keep using "ON" and "OFF".

[bmercier]

I have the same question/issue with my Velux skylights, which are driven by a pair of Insteon I/O modules.  To open them, I have a program that makes one I/O turn "ON" and the other "OFF" (and the opposite polarities for closing).  

 

It just so happens that this is the way the Velux "home automation bridge" works.  It actually has been a good thing to combat the dreaded Insteon "ALL ON" bug.  When that happens, both I/O modules go high (i.e. ON), and that would actually stop any movement that's currently in progress, though I've never had an ALL ON event while the skylights were in transit.

 

I've just gotten used to saying "Alexa, turn the skylights on (or off)".  It's weird and non-intuitive for anyone other than me.  It would be very cool if it were to be fixed so I could use the words "open" and "close", but in the mean time, I'll keep using "ON" and "OFF".

 

Instead of tying spokens directly to your I/O modules, you could use a program in between.

 

Create one program:

On the then clause: Turn on the first I/O Module.

On the else clause: Turn on the second I/O Module.

 

Add this program to the spoken list.

 

This will allow to turn on and turn off your skylight more naturally.

 

Benoit

[bmercier]

I'm using the ISY Portal with Alexa and an Insteon I/O Linc to open/close my outdoor shades (aka blinds or drapes). I can say, "Alexa, turn on (or off) the shades". Is there a way to issue these commands by saying, "Alexa, open (or close) the shades"?

 

Thanks!

 

I would try IFTTT instead.

 

This would allow you to say:

Alexa, trigger open shade

Alexa, trigger close shade

 

This is one extra word, but a but more natural than turn on/turn off

 

Benoit

[stusviews]

I find "turn on" to place the shade ON the window and "turn off" to place the shade OFF the window somewhat more natural that "trigger close" and "trigger open," but that's just me. I certainly don't like using ON to open and OFF to close.

 

Somewhat more interesting that "open" and "close" work with my garage door programs (Z-Wave), but not with Somfy programs (network resource to Autelis to Somfy). Also, I'm finding that "open" and "close" work with Alexa groups that have both a scene and device as member. I suspect that including the device is the key. I'll investigate further.

[Sachelis]

Yeah, I'd considered using IFTTT, but as with Stu, I think on/off is more intuitive than "trigger". And while "trigger" is easy enough, I don't think my family members will remember it. I'll stick with on/off until Alexa gets a little smarter.

Edited March 28, 2017 by Sachelis

[stusviews]

I just completed an Amazon Echo survey. Among other things, I request better use of open and close with the ISY

[garybixler]

Hi

I have to ask why the first program always responds to OPEN/CLOSE or ON/OFF  but the second one will only respond to ON/OFF and not OPEN/CLOSE.

They are both the same except for what the are controlling.

 

First:

 

Turn KitchenLight ON/OFF - [iD 0069][Parent 0068][Not Enabled]

 

If
   - No Conditions - (To add one, press 'Schedule' or 'Condition')
 
Then
        Set Elk Output 'Kitchen Relay' On for 2 Seconds
 
Else
        Set Elk Output 'Kitchen Relay' On for 2 Seconds
 
Used to flip kitchen light relay for 2 seconds using ELK relay.

 

Second:

 

Dinning Rm Curtains - [iD 006C][Parent 0068][Not Enabled]

If
   - No Conditions - (To add one, press 'Schedule' or 'Condition')
 
Then
        Set 'Dining Room / Drapes Open EZ4O(1)- R2' On
 
Else
        Set 'Dining Room / Drapes Close EZ4O(1)- R1' On
 

 

Thanks Gary

 

Just a follow up. Just by reversing the spoken names given to Echo from the Portal caused the programs to also reverse there OPEN/CLOSE action. The name that works is (kitchen light) but names like (kitchen floods, kitchen tv, kitchen recessed) won't accept OPEN/CLOSE. ????

Edited March 30, 2017 by garybixler

[bmercier]

Hi

I have to ask why the first program always responds to OPEN/CLOSE or ON/OFF  but the second one will only respond to ON/OFF and not OPEN/CLOSE.

They are both the same except for what the are controlling.

 

First:

 

Turn KitchenLight ON/OFF - [iD 0069][Parent 0068][Not Enabled]

 

If

   - No Conditions - (To add one, press 'Schedule' or 'Condition')

 

Then

        Set Elk Output 'Kitchen Relay' On for 2 Seconds

 

Else

        Set Elk Output 'Kitchen Relay' On for 2 Seconds

 

Used to flip kitchen light relay for 2 seconds using ELK relay.

 

Second:

 

Dinning Rm Curtains - [iD 006C][Parent 0068][Not Enabled]

If

   - No Conditions - (To add one, press 'Schedule' or 'Condition')

 

Then

        Set 'Dining Room / Drapes Open EZ4O(1)- R2' On

 

Else

        Set 'Dining Room / Drapes Close EZ4O(1)- R1' On

 

 

Thanks Gary

 

It has nothing to do with the programs.

 

Alexa's ability to understand depends on the spoken name that you assigned them in ISY Portal.

 

Benoit

[DonM]

I have added the Z-wave devices for controlling motorized shades via the Somfy ZSRT.

 

I created a program called 'office shade' to turn the office shade device off and on via the 'then' and 'else' clauses from the program.

 

I entered this program into the portal with the spoken word 'office shade'.

 

In the Amazon application, I entered the device and then created a group called 'Office Shade Test' and included 'office shade in the group.

 

This reacts very nicely to open and close commands to the group 'Office Shade Test'.  However, when I change the name of the group to something else, Alexa does protest, even if I change it to something like 'Office Shade Program'.

 

I have tried a lot of things but can't seem to get past using 'Office Shade Test', which is not particularly intuitive.  

 

Any one have any suggestions?  Since I know nothing about the internal workings of the Amazon site with respect to Alexa, I can only experiment on a empirical basis.

 

Don

[GDavis01]

I also have the Somfy blinds with an Autelis controller... I have a program, called "Blinds"; the THEN statement closes the blinds and the ELSE opens them . In both cases, like Stu, I am using the a network resource.

 

What I have found works is "Alexa, start the blinds" which causes them to close. "Alexa, stop the blinds" causes them to open. The "start command works reliably, but the "stop" command sometimes needs repeating. What I have found is that I have to say it like "stoptheblinds" with little or no pause between the words... otherwise she hears "stop"!!

 

At least, I find this command more intuitive than "turn on the blinds"...

[bmercier]

I have added the Z-wave devices for controlling motorized shades via the Somfy ZSRT.

 

I created a program called 'office shade' to turn the office shade device off and on via the 'then' and 'else' clauses from the program.

 

I entered this program into the portal with the spoken word 'office shade'.

 

In the Amazon application, I entered the device and then created a group called 'Office Shade Test' and included 'office shade in the group.

 

This reacts very nicely to open and close commands to the group 'Office Shade Test'.  However, when I change the name of the group to something else, Alexa does protest, even if I change it to something like 'Office Shade Program'.

 

I have tried a lot of things but can't seem to get past using 'Office Shade Test', which is not particularly intuitive.  

 

Any one have any suggestions?  Since I know nothing about the internal workings of the Amazon site with respect to Alexa, I can only experiment on a empirical basis.

 

Don

 

When you make a change to the spoken name, it needs to be re-discovered by Alexa first.

 

So, you can go to the alexa app, and click "Discover" again.

 

Alternatively, you can simply say "Alexa, refresh my devices".

 

Also, I must add that Alexa does an automatic refresh every +/- 1 hours. So, it's probably already refreshed by now.

 

Benoit.

[smithlevenson]

Has this been improved at all?

I have pretty complex series of events that take place when I enter my office. I would love to be able to say things like "Alexa, I want to exercise" instead of "Alexa, Turn Exercise On", or "Alexa, I want to work" etc.

"Trigger" sucks just as bad for this.

[dbuss]

20 minutes ago, smithlevenson said:

Has this been improved at all?

I have pretty complex series of events that take place when I enter my office. I would love to be able to say things like "Alexa, I want to exercise" instead of "Alexa, Turn Exercise On", or "Alexa, I want to work" etc.

"Trigger" sucks just as bad for this.

Would a Routine work for this?

[smithlevenson]

47 minutes ago, dbuss said:

Would a Routine work for this?

It seems like it will work. Thanks for the info.

It does not work for my variable based Programs (It asks to turn the variable to 0-100%), but I switched it to the direct program isy category and it works. The scene isy category works the fastest for sure. All in all it should be acceptable.

[asbril]

Just for info,  I control my curtains in Google Home with Open and Close, using a Google Home App Shortcut