Amazon Echo Control Binding in OH3: how to expose items?

Add-ons Bindings
1

Hi,

I have succesfully set up my Amazon Account in openhab using the “Amazon Echo Control”- Binding. Unfortunately my Echo device cannot find any of my smarthome devices (already implemented in OH3). Do I have to “tag” the items somehow? If so: where and how?

Thanks in advance!

2

Did you read the binding documentation where it instructs on tagging?

If not, why not? The forum is not a substitute for the documentation.

3

yes I did but couldn´t find the answer, the documentations are not really end-user friendly.

The forum should be an addition to the documentation at least. Why are you assuming I haven´t read the documentation? For me, as an non english native speaker, it is not an easy task to read and understand technical documentations, so I often need some extra step by step support. Don´t feel adressed if you don´t want to take someone by the hand.

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4

If you want to expose your things from openhab to Alexa, you will need an other binding ( hue Emulation or via the Openhab-cloud )

5

I just realized you were looking at the echocontrolbinding designed to control Amazon Echo devices from openHAB. You want the Alexa Smart Home skill.

I do not use either one but have seen it in the documentation.

6

Hi guys,

unfortunately the “Amazon Alexa Smart Home Skill” ist not available for OH3.
I added some Metadata to my items like “Lighting” or “Switchable”. That way my devices are discovered and it seems to work.

Thank you!

7

Are you sure?
That documentation is for OH3. Have you set up the cloud connector?
That page does not list anything else needed to be installed.

8

This is a skill. You need to install that on your Amazon device, not in openHAB.

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9

need
1 openHAB Cloud Connector
2 amazon Skills openHAB
I did not try it in version 3

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10

Hi,

yes, that´s what I have done:

  • set up openHAB Cloud connector
  • installed openhab Skill in Alexa
11

in the alexa app on your phone select Skills - Openhab and login.
Maybe this is still missing?

If already done please share an example config of one of your items.
Thanks

12

I installed this skill and I am logged in. As I mentioned above I already discovered my items/devices in Alexa so from my point of view everything works now (still having some trouble with my homematic radiator controllers, but that´s probably some other problem…). So what´s the point here? Am I doing sth. wrong?

13

Ah sorry, my mistake. I thought you still struggeling with the discovery.

14

first of all: evertyhing fine now?
second: did you add the metadata via the recommended “Metadata” - “Amazon Alexa” way?
because, if you just “tagged” the item with “Lighting”, this is a deprecated functionality and will soon not work anymore.

15

Really? I did this during the migration from OH2 – OH3 and all is fine.
So a good idea to remove all devices from the alexa app and start add metadata instead of the tagging?

16

jepp. The tagging still works, but will be removed in some further releases of OH3, which makes sense, because the tagging doesn’t give you complete control over the Alexa-API.

17

I used the new Metadata way and I can confirm everything works fine now. Of course it´s a change to tag items this way when you have done it textual before. But now I really like the new way.

18

Thanks Thomas,
i changed all items to metadata and everything is working fine.