Using Contact and Motion Sensors to Trigger Alexa Routines (DTH in post 97) (Official Amazon Feature)

Can’t get physical sensor to trigger alexa. Routines and devices both set up. Two different brand smart things and iris oneone. Please help Amazon help desk doesn’t know what their doing

I added a couple more virtual contact sensors yesterday and again had to disable & re-enable the ‘smartthings skill’ in the alexa app before the new sensors worked via ST app.

After creating a new virtual button/sensor, make sure to go into your ST app and click on ‘Add a Thing’… it will search, and find the new virtual button/sensor… Click on Save, so that you can say “YES” when it asks if it’s paired.

UK user here. I guess this option for us yet? Can’t see the option to have Alexa say a custom phrase.

@jjmucker I’m based in Ireland and was looking at this over the weekend. I applied all the tricks mentioned above but the option never showed up for me.

One thing to note is if you unlink your Alexa account from ST or vice versa when you re-link by default all Devices and routines will be added to Alexa when you discover add new device from the Alexa app UNLESS you go into the Alexa app in ST first and choose only the items you want to be added.

If like me you only add some devices (my alexa gets all confused, but it might be my Irish accent) and you want to delete the devices, log into the Alexa web site from a PC, as noted above there is an option on the Device page to forget all (this does not exist in the Alexa app or at least I haven’t noticed it).

Yeah but currently, at least here in the UK, I can’t have Alexa say a custom word like, door open, if my door opens and triggers my open close sensor. As usual, UK are left behind when it comes to Alexa skills and features.

Just consider the USA your Beta testers :slight_smile:

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I’m in the UK and my Alexa App just doesn’t have the option to add a device in the when criteria of the routine. Am I correct in believing that this hasn’t been rolled out to UK customers yet? Why are we so behind? It took almost 6 months before I was able to get the ability to choose a video device. That feature was also only available in USA. I also cannot seem to find anywhere how to train Alexa with your voice so that she doesn’t respond to any voice. This is apparently also something only in america and it’s been out for a while and I can’t seem to find it in the UK alexa app.

Is it me doing something wrong or you can’t see virtual switches in Alexa routines?

They tried rolling this out south to north but it broke at Birmingham :slight_smile:

I don’t think anyone in the UK can use the new motion sensor feature yet.

Someone who has this contact sensor based routine working, can you kindly tell me what client version and bridge version your alexa app is running? also what host is alexa on?

I’m not sure where you find the host - ?

Surely it either works in the UK, or it doesn’t?
Does it matter what Version you’re on? Aren’t we all on the same version. In any case, it’s not working for me. I can see the sensors within smarthome, I can ask for temp readings etc, but I can’t get Alexa to tell me if my door is open via routines. Yet.

I just spoke to Amazon support. They said it’s not available in UK and no announcement has been made about this feature for Amazon UK. They have no idea when this will come to UK. Such a let down. They said to use the app to send feedback. So I did but I somehow don’t believe it will make much of a difference.

Maybe everyone can send them the feedback to draw their attention:)

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Pathetic. Should have been released at the same time as the US. They do this all the time.

So I got the virtual contact sensor detected by Alexa and it triggers an announcement no problem. I created a piston in webcore and it initiates fine, but it will not close the contact sensor after it has opened. I have to manually close it. Any one else having this issue? Here is my piston…

Move your second IF so it’s not nested within the first IF.

Thanks! I tried this as well and it wasn’t closing after the wait. I prefer this one to as it’s simpler…

Click the with, click on the cog icon, under Task Cancellation Policy, select Never.

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Works perfect now, thanks!

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