Alexa Open command stopped working as before

[WGKirby]

I have had Alexa working with my ISY and Universal Portal for a very long time.  I have been able to open my Somfy blinds using using a program I created called "All Blinds"  The program opens the blinds on "on" and closes the blinds on "off".  So I could say Alexa Open "All Blinds" and Alexa Close "All Blinds".  Within the last few weeks I have not been able to get the Open command word to work.  I can say Alexa turn on "All Blinds" and the blinds open and I can say Alexa Close "all Blinds" to close them.  I do not know what has changed.  Funny thing is I can tell alexa  open  "office light" and have my office light turn on so the open command is not completely non functional.  I called Alexa support and they said that the ISY optimized for Smart Home  V2 skill does not have a open command and that the original ISY skill V1 did.  Did universal recently remove the V1 Skill?  Is that why I started having problems with the Open command?  If so why does the open command work on some devices at my house and not others?

 

Any help is appreciated,

 

Bill

[stusviews]

Open and Close sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. It's been recommended to not use those terms, but I use them anyway. The V1 skill was removes a long time ago, are you sure that you're not on V2?

[WGKirby]

Open and Close sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. It's been recommended to not use those terms, but I use them anyway. The V1 skill was removes a long time ago, are you sure that you're not on V2?

Hello, thanks for your response. I have been using v2 since it released I just never removed v1. When I talked to Alexa support they said the v2 offering did not offer the open command. Since open is working on some devices, just not the program I need, their statement did not make sense. Do you have any suggestions on what I can do to trouble shoot this problem. I really want to say open blinds instead of turn on blinds.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[stusviews]

Open and close work on my garage doors, but not on any window coverings programs. I have no explanation as to why.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi stusviews,

 

It's the name that causes the issue. Try renaming your device to something that has nothing to do with entrance.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[stusviews]

Hi Michel,

 

Garage (1 and 2) seem to be entry words, but they work. Verticals is not an entry word, but open and close does not work. Other window covering words I use are walkway, pathway and courtyard. None work using open and/or close. The latter is not anyway related to an entrance, The former two may be. I just don't get it. BTW, for lighting out and off are equivalent.

 

Respectfully,

Stu

[WGKirby]

From Michael's comment to Stu's post, can someone explain what and Entry word is?  Do you mean a word that symbolizes an entry into a house or is it something more programmatic?  That statement seems to have more meaning than I am able to understand.

 

I forgot the program "All Blinds" from the portal and recreated it.  I added "all blinds" and "Blinds" to my spoken words.  I rediscovered my devices and have the same issue.  The spoken word Open "All Blinds" does not work where it had been working for months and the Spoken work Close "All Blinds" does still work.  As I mentioned I added the spoken word "Blinds" to the ISY portal along with "all Blinds" and Open "Blinds" and Close "Blinds" works.  I hate not knowing why something as simple as a "Turn on" substitute  became so difficult. 

[DaveStLou]

I have had the same issue with open garage door working for awhile and then suddenly stopped 6-8 weeks ago. You may want to try the new Routines in the Alexa app.

 

I intend to explore them for more complicated set ups but yesterday I was able to set up "Alexa,Open Garage" and "Alexa, Close Garage" as routines pointing to the programs via the portal.

 

It has worked for the last 24 hours so far.  YMMV

Edited October 31, 2017 by DaveStLou

[stusviews]

I presume that's it a a word that implies a means of entering a structure such as lock, door, deadbolt, window, gate etc. OTOH, I've been using open and close xxxxx's garage  and yyyyy's garage to run programs (Then, Else) for months, maybe longer, without a problem.

[roblombardo]

I am encouraged by this as the previously functional open/close commands have not been functional for some time. Obviously, the program would remain in the portal, but what to do about the listed spokens that may be in conflict with the routine now? Maybe just leave the program but delete all spokens in the portal if that is even possible?

Edited October 31, 2017 by roblombardo

[stusviews]

I am encouraged by this as the previously functional open/close commands have not been functional for some time. Obviously, the program would remain in the portal, but what to do about the listed spokens that may be in conflict with the routine now? Maybe just leave the program but delete all spokens in the portal if that is even possible?

 

If you delete them from the portal, then delete them from the Alexa app as well. The app never forgets unless told to do so

[roblombardo]

If you delete them from the portal, then delete them from the Alexa app as well. The app never forgets unless told to do so

The program must remain in the portal if it is to be used by a routine. What I'm unsure about, is what to do with the spokens in the portal that may be in conflict with the spokens in the routines? This may be moot anyway, because the only way the portal's spoken will come into play is if someone says turn on the garage door or turn off the garage door. That's not likely to happen.

Edit: The portal spoken is required. So, it must be given an obscure name. Otherwise, the open/close command will result in Alexa saying "garage door doesn't support that"

Edited November 1, 2017 by roblombardo

[roblombardo]

In order to mitigate the security risk an open command presents, I've set one of my program conditions as I must be inside the home geofence.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi everyone,

 

Also, "Open" is a trigger word for starting a skill. i.e. Alexa, Open "some skill name" ... so, again, the name after Open become really important.

 

With kind regards,
Michel

[fryfrog]

Hi everyone,

 

Also, "Open" is a trigger word for starting a skill. i.e. Alexa, Open "some skill name" ... so, again, the name after Open become really important.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

Do you know some/all/any of the words that you *can* use for "open" to work? Garage is the only obvious one so far. Are stu's suggestions of lock, door, deadbolt, window and gate accurate?

[DonM]

I found an interesting work around for the open/close problem.  What I discovered was that if you create a routine that says, for example, 'open the office shade' and have it turn on the device to open the shade it works,as does a similar routine for closing the shade.  Oddly, if you go and modify the 'When you say...' part of the routine, you get a message telling you that you can not use this text (but it still works).

 

BTW - routines seem to be only accessible using the mobile app.

 

And who knows, maybe this will stop working in few days.

 

Don

[stusviews]

I found an interesting work around for the open/close problem.  What I discovered was that if you create a routine that says, for example, 'open the office shade' and have it turn on the device to open the shade it works,as does a similar routine for closing the shade.  Oddly, if you go and modify the 'When you say...' part of the routine, you get a message telling you that you can not use this text (but it still works).

 

What specific device are you controlling?

[DonM]

What specific device are you controlling?

The Somfy RTS interface via z-wave directly for 1 case tested so far and a program that interfaces with the Somfy via z-wave in another.

 

Don

[asbril]

Can anyone tell me whether the Somfy RTS interface works with ISY ?

[stusviews]

Not directly. I'm using an Autelis Shade Control for Somfy that's interfaces between the ISY and the Somfy RTS interface. It's somewhat costly at $200, but allows using the ISY for all Somfy commands plus it provides for up to three more presets. From what I've heard, the Somfy Z-Wave interface doesn't have a Stop command, but I can't verify that as I'm using RTS exclusively for 14 window coverings.

There's pretty much nothing the Autelis can't accomplish with Somfy motors and the RTS (Radio Trransmission, Somfy) interface.

[etsvilik]

I'm using Global Cache serial interface with URTSII. Controled with network resources. Supports directions and stop. Rock solid for many years controlling multiple shades and awning