GoogleHome working but now can't make changes

[johnstonf]

Things were working great using my GoogleHomeMini... then...

All of a sudden, i make changes, save, then upload, and now get the error as in the screenshot...

Error:
Error sending your spokens.  Is Google Home linked with this user profile (emailaddress@gmail.com)
my commands are still working, but can't make changes.

Tried exiting browser, removing 2nd user in portal, etc.

[larryllix]

Mine has me locked out for a few weeks now. I am still working as well as GH ever worked (not very  well at all wit it's grouping assumptions and lack of understanding more than any two  words)

It seems google keeps playing with security and they constantly send out requests for your password on mobile phones and other Google controlled browsers as they discover new ways to annoy users in the name of the world coming to an end via hackers.

I believe I got one warning months ago that somebody was attempting to use my google ID for a location and website I was not familiar with.  I refused it, and I now I fear it may have been the ISY Portal without proper identification.   I cannot find any way to re-approve the ISY Portal account into my google permissions.

 

I have found a google  webpage to remove/manage   accounts individually, but there does not seem to be any way to re-instate an ISY portal account access, once refused. I think that google assumes this to be all automatic from the request end,  but never forgives or asks the account holder again.

 

My wife and I talked today about getting rid of the three Google Home devices. They have been nothing but a PITA so far with performane and google constantly changing their security methods and forcing users to update. Google does not support anything but themselves very well while Amazon supports most connections to google.

Edited March 27, 2018 by larryllix

[johnstonf]

3 minutes ago, larryllix said:

Mine has me locked out for a few weeks now. I am still working as well as GH ever worked (not very  well at all wit it's grouping assumptions and lack of understanding more than any two  words)

It seems google keeps playing with security and they constantly send out requests for your password on mobile phones and other Google controlled browsers as they discover new ways to annoy users in the name of the world coming to an end via hackers.

I believe I got one warning months ago that somebody was attempting to use my google ID for a location and website I was no familiar with.  I refused it, and I now I fear it may have been the ISY Portal without proper identification.   I cannot find any way to re-approve the ISY Portal into my google permissions.

I have found a google  webpage to remove/manage  all other accounts individually, but there does not seem to be any way to re-instate an account access, once refused. I assume that google assumes this to be all automatic from the request end,  but never forgives or asks the account holder again.

My wife and I talked today about getting rid of the three Google Home devices. They have nothing but a PITA so far.

Oh man, that's a crappy sounding ending!
It actually was working great until the BIG STOP.
I thought maybe it was the portal that couldn't communicate to Google.
Google is so USELESS when you need support.

I'm assuming @Michel has tried to help you figure this out?

 

 

 

 

 

[johnstonf]

Well, mine just went from bad to worse...

now everything just says "I'm sorry, there was an error and I'm unable to control your home device"

(both Android phones and GoogleHomeMini... all WERE working up to about 8pm tonight)

crap

 

 

[larryllix]

My feeling is that google is changing their security frequently, and after awhile,  users consider the constant barrage of "Update your security", just junkmail.  if you ignore one, things stop working eventualy. They will not be ignored and want to own you.

Google is becoming the equivalent of MicroSoft, constantly installing new ways to obsolete your system when they want to sell new products,  using the "you are at risk" scare tactic. This has recently started with Win 7 now.

Edited March 27, 2018 by larryllix

[johnstonf]

FWIW... 18mar27:

  -Kept getting "i'm sorry there was an error and i'm unable to control your home device”

    -On Note4 via HomeAssistant and on GoogleHomeMini

  -So on Note4> GoogleHOME> 3barUL> HomeControl> 

    -3dotsUR> ManageAccounts> Touch”UniversalDevices”> UNLINK

      (had to repeat above couple of times till it was removed fully)

    -Now link the account back in

    -Presto, now commands working, AND portal can "send spokens to google home” again

(not sure for how long, but after an hour still all working... yay)

 

[larryllix]

I have one of three GH minis that I have unlinked and relinked several times but will not accept HA commands still. The other two GH minis, magically repaired themselves without any help from me AFAIK. 

After almost a week of rebooting and relinking I just gave up. It just sits there with only Internet information - news, weather, q&A.  get tired of GH controlling devices I did not want changed.

Edited March 27, 2018 by larryllix

[Michel Kohanim]

Hello all,

These are usually symptoms of having multiple Google Accounts and GH linked with the incorrect account. Do you have multiple accounts?

With kind regards,
Michel

[johnstonf]

2 minutes ago, Michel Kohanim said:

Hello all,

These are usually symptoms of having multiple Google Accounts and GH linked with the incorrect account. Do you have multiple accounts?

With kind regards,
Michel

Yes... (multiple accounts)... but...
-My wife has an Android with her google account
-I have an Android with my google account
-I have a GoogleHomeMini linked to my account
-I have my phones GoogleAssistant/Home linked to my account
-When i unlinked and relinked (after messing with multi-accounts, then backing off to only mine)
  ...all started working ok.
-What is the purpose for multiple accounts on the portal?
-Can i only use one account (so i need my account on her phone?)
-SHOULD we be able to use multiple accounts?

-The reason i started down the multi-accounts, is that when i added her phone using my account, it complained after trying to link to the portal.
  (some message like 'could not link, check your connection), over and over...
 

 

[Michel Kohanim]

Hi johnstonf,

The purpose of multiple accounts is if you want to have different GH respond to specific instructions differently. Based on what you have outlined above, I do not think you need multiple accounts. 

This said, however, I think your wife may have inadvertently linked GH using her account. Again, the issue is having multiple Google accounts linked to the same ISY Portal account.

With kind regards,
Michel

[Jimbo.Automates]

What Michel says is what I have.  If I remember correctly, I have multiple accounts using google home, but only one account is linked to portal, each account does not need to be linked to the portal.  But, that account that is linked to the portal is a shared account so it exists on both our phones.

 

[johnstonf]

49 minutes ago, Michel Kohanim said:

Hi johnstonf,

The purpose of multiple accounts is if you want to have different GH respond to specific instructions differently. Based on what you have outlined above, I do not think you need multiple accounts. 

This said, however, I think your wife may have inadvertently linked GH using her account. Again, the issue is having multiple Google accounts linked to the same ISY Portal account.

With kind regards,
Michel

Is an isy portal account the same or different than a portal USER? 
And does each Portal-USER link to a 'separate' Google account?
I can see having different command sets for different people being useful.
(but still quite confused as to what can be multiple, and link to what, and if it's all ok to do)
(as Larryllix was saying, he's having issues, so i don't want to veer out of the lines)

 

 

 

 

[bmercier]

6 hours ago, johnstonf said:

Is an isy portal account the same or different than a portal USER? 
And does each Portal-USER link to a 'separate' Google account?
I can see having different command sets for different people being useful.
(but still quite confused as to what can be multiple, and link to what, and if it's all ok to do)
(as Larryllix was saying, he's having issues, so i don't want to veer out of the lines)

ISY Portal Accounts have the spokens

ISY Portal Accounts can have one or several users in it. 

GH links to a an ISY Portal user (Which is in an account, which gives access to the spokens of that account).

When you want multiple GH with their own set of spokens, then you need to create sub-accounts for each. In the sub-account for GH A, you create the spokens and  user in that sub-account, and use that ISY Portal user when linking your GH. Repeat for you GH B, C, D, etc.

In order to understand linking, it's really a GH accounts that links to an ISY Portal user, not the opposite.  ISY Portal does NOT link to a Google Account. When you link your Google account to an ISY Portal user (and incidently the related ISY Portal account), a unique ID is sent to GH. Later on, when sending spokens to GH, that unique ID is sent. When there is an error sending spokens, it is because Google does not recognize and process the unique ID correctly. If it is not linked, it would be normal that the ID is not recognized.

The other cases I've seen this is when multiple Google account has been used to link to a single ISY Portal user. In that case, Google seems to be mixed up. 

Removing additional ISY Portal accounts/users won't help. You need to start fresh on the Google side. First, make sure you are using only one Google account on the Google Assistant app, and try to link again. If worst comes to worst, try deleting the mobile app and reinstall it, log in with your google account and link. If you are using multiple mobile devices with Google Assistant, do the same for the others.

Benoit

 

 

 

 

[larryllix]

How does one get rid of multiple google accounts linked to the GH app?

I remember it was almost impossible to get the app to support more than one account but after deleting every ISY device, unlinking  GH from the UDI account, for each GH  device,  uninstalling the GH app, deleting all memory remnants out of my mobile phone, and then power cycling it, when I reinstall the GH app, it still re-installs with  all the same three accounts, and the UDI devices are still remembered without downloading them again,  if I link to UDI .

 

I have repeated this almost a dozen times now for the last two weeks but ISY portal will NOT download the device setup as it reports permission was refused.

Multiple linked accounts cannot be removed anywhere I can find in the GH app. I do NOT used multiple accounts for HA. It was an attempt to use a shared calendar without sharing an email account only. This doesn't seem possible with Google.

Unless somebody can instruct me how to make this work, the GH minis are going to get dumped soon. I have spent too many weeks on this now.

Any help would be appreciated.

Edited March 28, 2018 by larryllix

[johnstonf]

6 hours ago, larryllix said:

How does one get rid of multiple google accounts linked to the GH app?

I remember it was almost impossible to get the app to support more than one account but after deleting every ISY device, unlinking  GH from the UDI account, for each GH  device,  uninstalling the GH app, deleting all memory remnants out of my mobile phone, and then power cycling it, when I reinstall the GH app, it still re-installs with  all the same three accounts, and the UDI devices are still remembered without downloading them again,  if I link to UDI .

 

I have repeated this almost a dozen times now for the last two weeks but ISY portal will NOT download the device setup as it reports permission was refused.

Multiple linked accounts cannot be removed anywhere I can find in the GH app. I do NOT used multiple accounts for HA. It was an attempt to use a shared calendar without sharing an email account only. This doesn't seem possible with Google.

Unless somebody can instruct me how to make this work, the GH minis are going to get dumped soon. I have spent too many weeks on this now.

Any help would be appreciated.

I'm wondering if the app settings are being backed up to your Google Account, and when you re-install it, it is pulling from your backups?
Sounds like that to me... 

 

 

 

[Jimbo.Automates]

How does one get rid of multiple google accounts linked to the GH app?
I remember it was almost impossible to get the app to support more than one account but after deleting every ISY device, unlinking  GH from the UDI account, for each GH  device,  uninstalling the GH app, deleting all memory remnants out of my mobile phone, and then power cycling it, when I reinstall the GH app, it still re-installs with  all the same three accounts, and the UDI devices are still remembered without downloading them again,  if I link to UDI .
 
I have repeated this almost a dozen times now for the last two weeks but ISY portal will NOT download the device setup as it reports permission was refused.
Multiple linked accounts cannot be removed anywhere I can find in the GH app. I do NOT used multiple accounts for HA. It was an attempt to use a shared calendar without sharing an email account only. This doesn't seem possible with Google.
Unless somebody can instruct me how to make this work, the GH minis are going to get dumped soon. I have spent too many weeks on this now.
Any help would be appreciated.

All accounts registered on your phone will show up in the GH app, that doesn't cause any problems, that's how all Google apps work. The problem would be if more than one of those is linked to the portal. Select each account, then select Home Control and see if Universal Devices shows up. If it shows for more than one account then unlink it.

It's not possible to have a shared calendar without an email, we do exactly that and don't have any issue.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[johnstonf]

18 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

All accounts registered on your phone will show up in the GH app, that doesn't cause any problems, that's how all Google apps work. The problem would be if more than one of those is linked to the portal. Select each account, then select Home Control and see if Universal Devices shows up. If it shows for more than one account then unlink it.

It's not possible to have a shared calendar without an email, we do exactly that and don't have any issue.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
 

AhHa... lights now came on as to how multiple Android accounts, in GoogleHome(GH),  on ONE phone, could (bad thing to do) be linked to ISY FORUM... and how to check for that...
Thanks. 
(I still wonder if GoogleBackup backs up GH settings, and restores if you reset phone??... could explain HOW you end up with multiples again)  

So, my question would be:
-Is it 100% ok to have ONE Google account used on one phone, and ONE"OTHER" account used on another, both to same ISY-PORTAL user... or should another user be created on the ISY-PORTAL, OR does it matter at all on the ISY-PORTAL side if you share one, or create two accounts.
 

Edited March 28, 2018 by johnstonf

[Jimbo.Automates]

So, my question would be:
-Is it 100% ok to have ONE Google account used on one phone, and ONE"OTHER" account used on another, both to same ISY-PORTAL user...

That is the correct way to set it up. I've had it that way from the beginning and have no issues. Do not create multiple portal users unless you want different devices controlled by each user.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[larryllix]

2 hours ago, Jimbo said:

All accounts registered on your phone will show up in the GH app, that doesn't cause any problems, that's how all Google apps work. The problem would be if more than one of those is linked to the portal. Select each account, then select Home Control and see if Universal Devices shows up. If it shows for more than one account then unlink it.

It's not possible to have a shared calendar without an email, we do exactly that and don't have any issue.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
 

Thanks Jimbo.

Trouble is there are so many circular links in this google app. It is really hard to tell where you are att and which account connection is being referred to

Trying to follow your lead (I suspect you are using an iOS app   duh!. Pixel2 XL ) here is what I find.

Opening the app i find myself (after the waiting animation) at the "welcome Home" page.

Clicking on the hamburger menu on the top left takes me to my single account at the top followed by a list of more menus. This includes "Home Control"

In "Home control" I find my "assistant" and my three GH devices at the top and Universal Devices title with a complete list of all the ISY Portal elements listed below.

Clicking on the triple dot menu on the top right, I find UDI (64 devices) listed at the top followed by a list of every company you can connect to,

If I click on the UDI logo I am offered to unlink that account, only.

However....

If I return to the first page of menus and click on "devices" I get four cards showing my three GH devices and my Onkyo receiver.

In each of these is a triple dot menu on the top right with a "settings" menu option.

Clicking a GH mini settings option gets me to a "Device Settings" page with a "Linked accounts"  subtitle containing two accounts, my email address, and my wife's name.

After a click on the accounts I get a list of those two accounts with mine containing an "X" to unlink the account from this device. If I complete the unlink for this device with this account, only my wife's name will be shown but this cannot be linked or unlinked. There is no options associated with this person.

Now backing up to the devices page again and selecting a different  GH mini device, it's only shows my wife's name as a "linked account". I have found absolutely no way to change this. When entering that account settings it is not shown as "other accounts"  and there is no unlink "X" option and no mention of my account or any linked account.

Again backing up (as per above) the third GH device shows two "Linked Accounts" linked to the device. Examining the details it shows my email address at the top and another subtitle "Other Accounts" with my wife's name underneath.

 

So what I have found it

- each of my devices has different accounts linked to itself
- only one main account is listed in the root of the app
- linking seems to be associated with each device and not with google accounts

After my last rebuild last night, again the GH app linked to the UDI account (ISY Portal login password was proven to match again). A success screen is shown for the linking. All my ISY Portal devices are listed in the GH app again. All devices complain they cannot connect to my HA devices. ISY Portal complains it does not have permission to download into GH. The change? Now all three GH devices will not talk to ISY Portal instead of just one out of three.

Fred is correct on this. the GH app is getting it's information from a cached memory of what was downloaded in the past somehow.

Strange this was all working for many months until the DST change knocked my router offline for the night. When power cycled, two of  minis started working after some time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.

Edited March 28, 2018 by larryllix

[Jimbo.Automates]

Yes, I am Android, never will use an iPhoney   See inline

45 minutes ago, larryllix said:

Thanks Jimbo.

Trouble is there are so many circular links in this google app. It is really hard to tell where you are att and which account connection is being referred to

Trying to follow your lead (I suspect you are using an iOS app   duh!. Pixel2 XL ) here is what I find.

Opening the app i find myself (after the waiting animation) at the "welcome Home" page.

Clicking on the hamburger menu on the top left takes me to my single account at the top followed by a list of more menus. This includes "Home Control"

In "Home control" I find my "assistant" and my three GH devices at the top and Universal Devices title with a complete list of all the ISY Portal elements listed below.

Clicking on the triple dot menu on the top right, I find UDI (64 devices) listed at the top followed by a list of every company you can connect to,

If I click on the UDI logo I am offered to unlink that account, only.

That's is how it works.  You link the account to the UDI portal, when you link that account to the portal you give the same portal login credentials on all phones so the isy devices that are shared are the same on all phones.

However....

If I return to the first page of menus and click on "devices" I get four cards showing my three GH devices and my Onkyo receiver.

In each of these is a triple dot menu on the top right with a "settings" menu option.

Clicking a GH mini settings option gets me to a "Device Settings" page with a "Linked accounts"  subtitle containing two accounts, my email address, and my wife's name.

After a click on the accounts I get a list of those two accounts with mine containing an "X" to unlink the account from this device. If I complete the unlink for this device with this account, only my wife's name will be shown but this cannot be linked or unlinked. There is no options associated with this person.

You can only unlink your wife's account from a device that contains your wife's account, like her phone?

Now backing up to the devices page again and selecting a different  GH mini device, it's only shows my wife's name as a "linked account". I have found absolutely no way to change this. When entering that account settings it is not shown as "other accounts"  and there is no unlink "X" option and no mention of my account or any linked account.

Again backing up (as per above) the third GH device shows two "Linked Accounts" linked to the device. Examining the details it shows my email address at the top and another subtitle "Other Accounts" with my wife's name underneath.

I'll have to play with this when I'm home...

So what I have found it

- each of my devices has different accounts linked to itself

Yes, that's so it knows who is talking to it.  But this seems to just happen when I add a new device, no need to go an link each one, but I don't remember for sure.

- only one main account is listed in the root of the app

Only accounts that actually exist on your phone are listed here.  Meaning you ad them with 'add account' in Android settings menu.

- linking seems to be associated with each device and not with google accounts

Home control devices are linked with the Google Home App for an account, and each device has to be linked with an account.  Two separate things.

After my last rebuild last night, again the GH app linked to the UDI account (ISY Portal login password was proven to match again). A success screen is shown for the linking. All my ISY Portal devices are listed in the GH app again. All devices complain they cannot connect to my HA devices. ISY Portal complains it does not have permission to download into GH. The change? Now all three GH devices will not talk to ISY Portal instead of just one out of three.

Fred is correct on this. the GH app is getting it's information from a cached memory of what was downloaded in the past somehow.

It's not a cache, it's app backups, and it's a feature of most very modern android app.  Settings are saved in the cloud so when the app is restored the settings come with it.  This makes it nice when you move to a new device.

Strange this was all working for many months until the DST change knocked my router offline for the night. When power cycled, two of  minis started working after some time.

I've not rebuilt mine, and hadn't needed to, and now I don't want to  Maybe @bmercier can test this with.

 

 

 

[larryllix]

25 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Yes, I am Android, never will use an iPhoney   See inline

 

 

LOL. Love that one. Wife uses an iPad and I have learned to say "Sorry honey, I have no idea what kind of stupid idea they have there.  I am afraid to touch that confusion anymore." Great game machines though if I played them.

OK  Thanks for all that. I have to go through it with a finer tooth comb later but...

- I did discover I had to remove the  second account from the phone it was done on. Third account disappeared by itself??
-All links of accounts was done under each device, so I had to unlink three devices from her phone.

All my ISY Portal devices have begun to be accessible via vocals on a all GH devices now. YAY!! I am back to that point now.

However I have not been able to reconnect my common account for calendar sharing. Back to the account games again. "Account for what?"

..and ISY Portal still gets refused permission to connect to GH, Despite unlinking from it and relinking, rebooting ISY Portal web access, waiting 30 minutes etc..grrrr....

as long as I don;t need to make any changes to my ISY Portal portfolio it won;t be a problem and I am back to being frustrated with GH turning on rooms full of lights when I ask for one (only two word allow in any device description  phrase) I don't know where this problem is. Some of it seems like ISY Portal deficiencies (over Alexa) and some seems like googles attempt at AI, making assumptions. For now I will just try to avoid any HA with GH. I have until mid-May to decide if I dump them (I have a resource/drain  of disposal) and stick with Amazon.

 

Thanks much!

[Jimbo.Automates]

3 minutes ago, larryllix said:

Thanks much!

You are welcome, it is a little confusing and I forget some of the details, but describing them here helped to cement it in my brain, until it changes again.

Yes, the rooms thing is annoying and made this list:  https://www.androidpolice.com/2018/03/14/10-stupidly-simple-things-wish-google-home/

I really hope that gets fixed soon, I think @bmercier mentioned room support between GH and the Portal was coming sometime?

[johnstonf]

You're probably aware, but it took me a bit... but when you say "TURN ALL LIGHTS ON" it uses the GoogleHomeCategory, but ALSO... if you have the word LIGHT anywhere in  your spokens! (THAT confused me).... so if i don't want lights included in the "TURN ALL LIGHTS ON", then:
a)Put it into another GoogleHomeCategory (such as SWITCH or OUTLET)
b)Change the word LIGHT to LAMP in spokens (for those you DON'T want)... i had to use WORKLAMP not "WORK LAMP" as LAMP is a light by itself
Now ONLY the lights i WANT on, come on!
(also things like "DIM ALL LIGHTS" works, etc)

CAUTION:
-IF a light STILL turns on/off, remove it from ISY-PORTAL, send spokens to Google, then re-add it... BE SURE you change the GoogleHomeCategory to NON-LIGHT category, and ensure no word light or lamp is used by itself... BEFORE YOU SEND SPOKENS again... i was successful with WORKLAMP and READINGLAMP (where i didn't want these coming on with the "TURN ALL LIGHTS ON"... THEN send the spokens back up to Google...keep trying... it should eventually work...  Now "TURN ON THE READINGLAMP" etc works by itself.  I also nicknamed each of my lights ALPHA, BRAVO, CHARLIE, ECHO,DELTA and they all respond nicely to that.  They seemed happy I gave them a name!

I do wish there was also a NULL/NONE GoogleHomeCategory... (don't) try "TURN ON ALL SWITCHES"... EVERYTHING comes one... waterheater, airconditioner, blah blah

Is the limitation of only 3 categories a GOOGLE limitation, or ISY-PORTAL?



 

Edited March 28, 2018 by johnstonf