Official Alexa Smart Home Skill for openHAB 2

Agreed - what’s V2, whats V3?

No, you’re not the only one!

Scroll down to the “Item Configuration” header on this page: https://github.com/openhab/openhab-alexa/tree/v3 and you’ll see a little bit of info on V3 versus V2:

NEW Alexa Version 3 API syntax (v3)

  • Version 3 of the Alex Skill API introduces a more rich and complex set of features that required a change in how items are configured by using the new metadata feature introduced in openaHAB 2.3 (Currently only available via nightly build).
  • Version 2 tags are still supported and are converted internally to V3 metadata

I’m sure you’ll find much more information with a Google search.

Is the V3 skill actually available yet without self-hosting the skill?

Sorry for the confusion. We were working with Amazon to enable our v2 skill in all countries and languages they support, this took much much longer then expected. They made an exception for us to allow a v2 skill to be submitted so we would not have to wait for v3 to be done before those countries could use our skill. Now that this is done i can merge our v3 codebase into master and that will be our next release once we are ready with it. I will also be looking to enable a “beta” channel so we can get our community members testing the skill early.

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Dear all,

it is weekend, so time for fixing my rules :slight_smile:

Could you give me a hint for using thermostates with Alexa? I created a thread here:

Thanks, guys!

Hi Dan,
Could you please have a look at: [SOLVED] Alexa can´t reach devices exposed and added to the Alexa app

I‘m out of ideas and need a hint where to search next.
I was able to solve the issue with the help of Gabriele.
The items are only allowed to be defined as Number and not as Number:Temperature.
Is this a bug in the skill, exposing or the core?

Thanks!

What is the voice command to switch the HeatingCoolingMode?

Is there an easy way to have alexa turn the same lights on and off by slightly diferent prases?
I have defined “Kitchen lighting” and would like to also be able to call it “Kitchen lights” “Kitchen lamp” Light in the kitchen" and so on.
What would be the easiest way to accomplish this?

Create a group in the Alexa app and put the lights and the Echo inside.
Then you‘re able to call the item name, the group name or just turn on the lights to the Echo in this room/group.

Hy,

Seeing this, i think i wrongly started a new thread…
I hope i may post a link to the thread in here? Or can the admins delete the thread i created?

https://community.openhab.org/t/niko-home-control-2-binding-from-local-to-cloud-from-things-to-items/69034

Dear all,

how can I switch off the thermostat? The HeatingCoolingMode could be used to switch the thermostat to heating mode (using the chosen set point value) or switch it off. But my Alexa always responds that the device does not support “off” or “automatic”.

Can somebody help, maybe even with the right German voice command? Thanks!

does the openhab skill available in alexa app does already support v3 commands ?
i’m interested in: alexa=“InputController.input” [supportedInputs=“HDMI1,TV”]

i have the openhab skill installed in my alexa app, are there some more things to do ?

thanks in advance Lars

sorry guys, no way to make it works. followed this https://github.com/openhab/openhab-alexa as well this https://heathpaddock.com/2017/02/02/making-amazon-echo-alexa-sing-to-openhab2/ guide. situation is:

my own openhab cloud instance
italian localization
echo dot 3 into the same network of my openhab installation (on RPI3)
items correctly formatted. tags are ok
aws seems ok, alexa seems ok
oauth is ok

from my smartphone, with amazon alexa app installed i configure the skill -> ok- > login & password -> ok -> search devices -> echo dot3 starts but blinking blue -> no way to find items.

i’m going crazy, billions of retries but no success
any help, please?

I just got this running last night on a similar environment. It was a bear to get going, but I have everything fresh in my mind, maybe I can help.

I suggest checking the lambda logs first in amazon cloudwatch and posting those results. The URL will be different based on how you set things up, but you can find them by logging into https://console.aws.amazon.com.

Finally i did it!

It was about alexa’s skill configuration: defining oauth url for authorization and token. Urls must be about own openhab cloud instance, while client id and secret must be the ones generated as described into guides. The step was missing is that is needed to add client id and secret into mongodb of cloud instance as well. See the google home guide for how to do this. Once did this step, my echo has been able to corretly find openhab items

Finally i did it!

It was about alexa’s skill configuration: defining oauth url for authorization and token. Urls must be about own openhab cloud instance, while client id and secret must be the ones generated as described into guides. The step was missing is that is needed to add client id and secret into mongodb of cloud instance as well. See the google home guide for how to do this. Once did this step, my echo has been able to corretly find openhab items

inviato dal Pecofono

How can I tell Alexa to turn the thermostat off?

“Alexa, turn the heating to 22 degrees” - > “Thermostat heating is set to 22 degrees”
“Alexa, switch the heating off” -> “Thermostat heating does not support this”
(from German)

Can anyone help? Please check Thermostat works well in Google Home, but not with Alexa

I think that in my neighborhood the thieves would just throw the loudspeaker at a window :wink:

Hi,

Could someone please post an item example using v3 tags and a binding. Or confirm my guess below.

I see that the V3 tags are done like this:

Switch LightSwitch "Light Switch" {alexa="PowerController.powerState"}

but if I also have a binding channel connected to the item is it then like this with a comma between? :

Switch LightSwitch "Light Switch" {alexa="PowerController.powerState", channel= "........."}

Thanks Mark. I would test but I am not near my openhab setup at the moment

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