N00bs guide to ST & GD00Z (Garage Door Controller)

[Ron]

@JonDeutsch

Any insights appreciated…thx!

I find alexa works best with simple names and don’t name too many things similarly.

For example why “Jon’s Garage Door” instead of just “Garage”. Open Garage, Close Garage is more likely to work.

If you have two then perhaps name it simply “John Garage”. As in “Alexa Open John Garage”.

Also speak clearly, I tend to speak one word at a time. as in “Alexa…pause until I hear wake sound (optional)…Open…Johns…Garage…Door”

There is a full thread on naming things well for Alexa, check it out.

Echo Naming Quirks

Please add more as you find them. echo does not do well with device names that include numbers, like "kitchen 1." If you have a device with a name like this, and you don’t want to change it because you like having that name for your smartthings dashboard, then just put the device into an echo group of one and give it a group name that echo does like. Echo does not like the group name “everything.” Some possible alternatives include “house” or “all devices” Echo will always accept “turn on” or “switch on.” Iris has a list of 20 “basic” command formats for switches and thermostats that echo should always accept (although using a rigid command format sort of defeats the purpose of having echo’s natural language skills). But at least you could use these to test a particular prob…