Alexa Openhab skill does not recognize STOP command for SHUTTER

Hello,

During my udpate to OH 4.3.2 I want to re-write the Alexa Voice control.
I was using the approach with proxy item which worked like a charm for years.

Now, I wanted to get rid of the proxy items and rules and implement the smart approach.
Problem statement
OH correctly receives the UP, DOWN events both from the Alexa App UI and Voice recognition.
The STOP command works in the Alexa App UI and triggers OH item.
The STOP command is not recognized by Alexa.
Alexa responds with the message “I do not know how to help” (German: Ich weiss nicht wie ich Dir dabei helfen kann)

It seems as if Alexa (or the skill?) does not recognize the STOP command for shutters
The commands for UP, DOWN, OPEN, CLOSE are working OK
In the Alexa app, I can send the STOP command succesfully and the shutter stops.
Alexa voice recognition does not recognize the action “STOP” at all

Item definition
I tried some alternatives, all of them work, but the STOP command is NOT recognized

// This is the simplest way - it works for UP+DOWN but not STOP
Rollershutter VC_OG2_Azi_Fenster_RolloEndPoint  	"Arbeitszimmer Fenster Rolladen"      {alexa="Shutter" , channel="knx:device:bridge:generic:Shutter_OG2_Arbeitszimmer_Fenster" , autoupdate="false" }

// This is more descriptive - it works  it works for UP+DOWN but not STOP
Rollershutter Azi_Fenster_RolloEndPoint  	"Arbeitszimmer Fenster Rolladen"      {alexa="Blind.RangeValue" [capabilityNames="@Setting.Position", supportedCommands="UP=@Value.Up:@Value.Open,DOWN=@Value.Down:@Value.Close,STOP=@Value.Stop", actionMappings="Close=DOWN,Open=UP,Lower=DOWN,Raise=UP,Stop=STOP"], channel="knx:device:bridge:generic:Shutter_OG2_Arbeitszimmer_Fenster" , autoupdate="false" }

Any thoughts or hints how the shutter command “STOP” can be recognized by Alexa?

Kind regards

The stop command is using the Alexa.PlaybackController interface. Based on the utterrance examples in German, it should work by saying Alexa, stopp Arbeitszimmer Fenster Rolladen. It might work better if you shorten the device name. I think if the device name isn’t exactly matched, the Alexa language processing might consider the command as a generic stop/cancel. Check your voice history to see how your voice commands were interpreted.

Thank you! This is the solution!

It makes a huge difference to say
Alexa, stopp Arbeitszimmer Fenster Rolladen instead of
Alexa, Arbeitszimmer Fenster Rolladen stop.

It is interesting that both of those alternative statements for opening and closing the shutters are correctly understood and work
*Alexa, Arbeitszimmer Fenster Rolladen schliessen *
Alexa, schliesse Arbeitszimmer Fenster Rolladen

*Alexa, Arbeitszimmer Fenster Rolladen öffnen *
Alexa, öffne Arbeitszimmer Fenster Rolladen

And yes: I agree that shorter device names decrease the possibility of misunderstandings.
And Alexa is smart enough to ask if it is not sure about the device in a specific room.

Thank you!

1 Like