Problem with Routines

[rossarmstrong]

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Everyone.

 

Trying to configure my Good Night Routine.

 

I am running V3 of the skill and use the ISY Portal.

 

I have a Scene that sets certain lights in the kitchen to low level and turns others off. The scene is controlled via several keypad buttons.

 

The Portal was originally set up with the Kitchen Night Light as a scene and using voice control has worked without error.

 

Tried to set the Good Night Routine with the same scene and nothing is activated.

 

Tried changing the Scene in the Portal to a Light. It is properly reflected as a light in the Alexa app and responds to both the app and voice control without error.

 

However, the Good Night Routine still will not activate the Kitchen Night Lights (regardless of brightness selected).

 

Anxious to get this figured out as there are several routines I would like to implement.

 

Thanks in advance for any help.

[cyberk]

You might need to rediscover devices, maybe even forget and rediscover.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[rossarmstrong]

That's been done with no effect. Sorry, should have listed that as part of my troubleshooting.

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi rossarmstrong,

 

Does this scene work in the Admin Console. Based on your description, I do not think so.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[ScottAvery]

The previous discussion on Routines went sideways, so I will ask here:  Are there any detailed instructions on what can go in routines and how to use them?  The amazon intructions just say to use the pull down menus.

[paulbates]

The previous discussion on Routines went sideways, so I will ask here:  Are there any detailed instructions on what can go in routines and how to use them?  The amazon intructions just say to use the pull down menus.

 

Assuming you created an ISY program, with no "if" clause, and you associated it with Connectivity, Amazon Alexa in my.isy.io.. there is nothing special about the ISY program statement content... Normal ISY program statements can be used.

 

Example program: TV (added in Alexa)

if

  <nothing>

then  (when you say "Alexa turn TV on")

  set TV on

  set roomlights off

 

else (when you say "Alexa turn tv off")

  set roomlights on

  set TV off

 

• You will need to discover devices after creating program the program and associating with my.isy.io.

 

Paul

Edited December 26, 2017 by paulbates

[ScottAvery]

I am interested in the ISY side, too, but here I am looking to find out what I can do within Amazon's routine definition.  I thought someone here might know before I go in search of an Amazon-specific forum not full of noise.

 

By routines I mean things like "Alexa, good night" (which then can kick off lighting changes and a verbal response)

[stusviews]

I am interested in the ISY side, too, but here I am looking to find out what I can do within Amazon's routine definition.  I thought someone here might know before I go in search of an Amazon-specific forum not full of noise.

 

By routines I mean things like "Alexa, good night" (which then can kick off lighting changes and a verbal response)

 

The main thing that you can do with routine, but not with the portal, is to more definitively describe the action. For example, the portal allows you to only turn something like a device,scene or program On or Off. Routines allow virtually any descriptor such as Open or Close or Good Night. I even use Flip (to rotate the slats on verticals).

 

However, a program can only be turned On, not Off. That means that you can run Then, but not Else. The solution is to define the program in the Portal as a Light.

 

Also, I like to be able to call out the On-Level for some lighting (e.g., turn on the light to 20%). That requires adding both the device and the scene to a smartphone Alexa group with both the device and the scene defined in the Portal as a Light.

[ScottAvery]

The main thing that you can do with routine, but not with the portal, is to more definitively describe the action. For example, the portal allows you to only turn something like a device,scene or program On or Off. Routines allow virtually any descriptor such as Open or Close or Good Night. I even use Flip (to rotate the slats on verticals).

 

However, a program can only be turned On, not Off. That means that you can run Then, but not Else. The solution is to define the program in the Portal as a Light.

 

Also, I like to be able to call out the On-Level for some lighting (e.g., turn on the light to 20%). That requires adding both the device and the scene to a smartphone Alexa group with both the device and the scene defined in the Portal as a Light.

 

Nice, I had not yet considered using them specifically for changing the request language structure.  I hadn't gotten past the idea of using for special events.  That really is powerful that you can use it to change the conversational nature of the interaction.  Are there limits to the word choices?

 

I had created a scene with voice command "Me" for the eventual joke of "Alexa, turn Me On" as soon as I get around to enabling fireplace and playback of Barry White to go with the lighting scene...  It seems that could be even easier with a routine.

[stusviews]

Yes, there are limits to the word expressions that can be used. For example, I have a morning program that opens the bedroom window coverings. The app won't let me use, "Let the sun shine in." There also also other reserved expressions and words.

[Scyto]

The main thing that you can do with routine, but not with the portal, is to more definitively describe the action. For example, the portal allows you to only turn something like a device,scene or program On or Off. Routines allow virtually any descriptor such as Open or Close or Good Night. I even use Flip (to rotate the slats on verticals).

 

However, a program can only be turned On, not Off. That means that you can run Then, but not Else. The solution is to define the program in the Portal as a Light.

 

Also, I like to be able to call out the On-Level for some lighting (e.g., turn on the light to 20%). That requires adding both the device and the scene to a smartphone Alexa group with both the device and the scene defined in the Portal as a Light.

 

great suggestion, thanks!  i was stugglin with how to do this, does the sequence of the light devices and the light scene matter?

[stusviews]

great suggestion, thanks!  i was stugglin with how to do this, does the sequence of the light devices and the light scene matter?

 

No, it does not matter in which order the devices/scenes are added.

[Scyto]

No, it does not matter in which order the devices/scenes are added.

I added two insteon light switches and a scene that set them to 20%, to a group called bedroom, the bedroom echo is also a member.

When I say to alexa ‘lights on’ it turns on the two lights to 100%, the 20% seems to be ignored or is processed first...

 

-edit-

I disabled the two lights, and the command worked, I re-enabled the devices and they now flash on bright and then are set to 20%. It seems the order of adding of the device is critical. Though the wife doesn’t like the bright to dim effect.... oh well...

Edited December 29, 2017 by Scyto

[rossarmstrong]

Hi rossarmstrong,

 

Does this scene work in the Admin Console. Based on your description, I do not think so.

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

Michel,

 

This is a Kitchen Night Scene I have used for years activated by Insteon keypad buttons. It works flawlessly from the admin console, MobiLinc, etc. 

 

It has also worked flawlessly when added to the ISY Portal and activated via voice with the Echo.

 

In the Alexa app, the only Scenes that appear on the Routine setup "Control Scene" page are those associated with the Harmony Hub. None of the ISY Portal Scenes are listed here. Instead all of the ISY Portal Scenes are listed on the Control Device page.

 

Using the Alexa app to add it to the Good Night night routine results in no action. However, the activation of my zwave locks work just fine.

 

I tried changing the Kitchen Night Scene in the Portal to a Device but it too did not activate when added to a Routine.

Edited December 29, 2017 by rossarmstrong

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi rossarmstrong,

 

Are you on V2 or V3?

 

With kind regards,

Michel

[ScottAvery]

Hi rossarmstrong,

 

Are you on V2 or V3?

 

With kind regards,

Michel

 

He is on V3

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Everyone.

 

Trying to configure my Good Night Routine.

 

I am running V3 of the skill and use the ISY Portal.

 

I have a Scene that sets certain lights in the kitchen to low level and turns others off. The scene is controlled via several keypad buttons.

 

The Portal was originally set up with the Kitchen Night Light as a scene and using voice control has worked without error.

 

Tried to set the Good Night Routine with the same scene and nothing is activated.

 

Tried changing the Scene in the Portal to a Light. It is properly reflected as a light in the Alexa app and responds to both the app and voice control without error.

 

However, the Good Night Routine still will not activate the Kitchen Night Lights (regardless of brightness selected).

 

Anxious to get this figured out as there are several routines I would like to implement.

 

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

Start with "Alexa, Refresh Devices"

 

Then make sure you are turning the scene (now considered a light by Amazon) On to 100%, the only value relevant for an Insteon Scene.

[stusviews]

I added two insteon light switches and a scene that set them to 20%, to a group called bedroom, the bedroom echo is also a member.

When I say to alexa ‘lights on’ it turns on the two lights to 100%, the 20% seems to be ignored or is processed first...

 

-edit-

I disabled the two lights, and the command worked, I re-enabled the devices and they now flash on bright and then are set to 20%. It seems the order of adding of the device is critical. Though the wife doesn’t like the bright to dim effect.... oh well...

 

That you can include an Echo as a member indicates that you're using the smartphone group. That app has requirements that the computer app does not, for example, no member of the group should have "light" as part of the spoken if you name the group "light."

 

I just looked at a couple of smartphone app groups and noted that I added devices first, but that was because devices appeared first. In any case, the devices turn on at the preset On-Level. The same is true for the computer app, but that app doesn't allow selecting an Echo.

[Scyto]

That you can include an Echo as a member indicates that you're using the smartphone group. That app has requirements that the computer app does not, for example, no member of the group should have "light" as part of the spoken if you name the group "light."

 

I just looked at a couple of smartphone app groups and noted that I added devices first, but that was because devices appeared first. In any case, the devices turn on at the preset On-Level. The same is true for the computer app, but that app doesn't allow selecting an Echo.

Not sure your point? I don’t have the word light as part of any spoken. Bottom line sequencing does matter, at least when using the iPad app. So it sort of works if you mess with enable/disable to ensure the scene comes after the lights - it’s a good workaround as one can say light on, lights off, lights 20% (note there is NO device called lights or with light in spoken, alexa applies the command to all devices that are light type). Ultimately this is just an echo limitation and as designed, I may go back to using scenes and defining it as a light in the isy portal. That way my lights will come on to the desired level even though it means I loose the flexibility of lights on a per room basis ( I have 5 echos, and now the verb light being context sensitive to each room is awesome).

 

Of course one way UDI could help is if we could choose on in alexa to be instant on vs on at level set as default.

[ScottAvery]

Of course one way UDI could help is if we could choose on in alexa to be instant on vs on at level set as default.

 

Couldn't you create a scene only for Alexa's use?

Edited December 30, 2017 by ScottAvery

[barrygordon]

I just discovered Alexa Routines.  I use them in a slightly different manner.  Basically  I run an ISY program as the action for the routine. The ISY program just references a Network resource to send a raw text message to a raspberry Pi on my LAN. The Pi sits at a port watching for text messages from the ISY. The text message tells the Pi which script to run from the script library.  A script is just a block of Node.JS code.  This allows me to do much more than what the ISY is capable of doing in a program and control things not under the control of the ISY. Naturally the ISY program can be made much more complicated.

 

The Pi Knows about everything in my house. Controls a set of 16 relays and responds to a set of 16 digital (contact closure) inputs.  It uses the relays for such things as the Garage Door openers, the sliding pocket doors for the theater. The relays and digital inputs are on reasonably priced, well constructed boards from Denkovi Ltd. which are Ethernet/TCP devices. Since the Pi is on the LAN it controls a Global Cache for IR when needed and send REST messages to the ISY.  The Pi subscribes to the ISY so it gets messages as to status when anything under the control of the ISY changes.  The Pi uses Amazon text to speech (TTS) to put messages out throughout the house.  Each room has a ceiling speaker (controlled by a relay) so messages can be specific to a room or a set of rooms. The Pi's up time is measured in months/years and really only goes down when I change something in a sloppy manner.  All development and most testing for the Pi is done in Visual Studio 2015 on a windows 10 system. 

 

The Pi has replaced Homeseer as the "Central Control" for my house. As much as possible all things in my house are controlled by things that have TCP or HTTP capability. 

 

If there is interest in what I have done with the Pi drop me a line or PM. I am willing to share the code but will only deal with those with Javascript programming experience, Ideally Node.js. 

[stusviews]

Not sure your point? I don’t have the word light as part of any spoken. Bottom line sequencing does matter, at least when using the iPad app. So it sort of works if you mess with enable/disable to ensure the scene comes after the lights - it’s a good workaround as one can say light on, lights off, lights 20% (note there is NO device called lights or with light in spoken, alexa applies the command to all devices that are light type). Ultimately this is just an echo limitation and as designed, I may go back to using scenes and defining it as a light in the isy portal. That way my lights will come on to the desired level even though it means I loose the flexibility of lights on a per room basis ( I have 5 echos, and now the verb light being context sensitive to each room is awesome).

 

Of course one way UDI could help is if we could choose on in alexa to be instant on vs on at level set as default.

 

Alexa computer groups are not the same as Alexa smartphone groups. I use smartphone groups on when I want a particular Echo device to control the group. In that case, I set both devices and scenes to be Alexa Category Light.

 

If I just want to be able to set the On-Level using a voice command regardless of which Echo responds, then I create a computer group also adding the device(s) and scene(s) to the group. I do not categorize anything. If I ask Alexa to turn on the light, then the light turns on at the level set by the scene. If I ask Alexa to set the light to x percent, then the light turns on to x%.

[rossarmstrong]

Has anyone successfully added a ISY Scene (that sets the on/off/brightness of several devices) to an Echo Routine?

 

If so, how did you do it? 

 

How do you have it configured in the ISY Portal?

 

Where does it show up to in the Alexa app to when adding it to a routine?

[stusviews]

Has anyone successfully added a ISY Scene (that sets the on/off/brightness of several devices) to an Echo Routine?

 

If so, how did you do it? 

 

How do you have it configured in the ISY Portal?

 

Where does it show up to in the Alexa app to when adding it to a routine?

 

If the scene is already created, added to the portal and also to the smartphone app, then select Routines and click on the + (top, right). Instructions will follow. Need more help? Where specifically are you stuck?

[rossarmstrong]

I'm not stuck. My scene isn't working with a routine.

 

See post #1 and #14 for full details.

[rossarmstrong]

Does anyone else notice the list of scenes when creating a Routine doesn’t match the scenes in the basic section of the Alexa app?