New SmartThings Alexa skill (2020)

[Lars]

@gijosh28

@Lars, so odd behavior. It works like you said. Despite showing as a lock, I can ask Alexa to Lock or Unlock it which Arms Away and Disarms. If I “unlock” it, it asks for a code. I can also ask Alexa to turn it on and off (like a light), which Arms Stay and Disarms it, however, it does not ask for a code to turn it off. The old version did. Is there a way to make her ask for a code to turn it off?

If this is confusing let me know and I will try to clarify.

I am surprised that the old skill would ask you for code for on off… I would not have expected that. Currently it’s designed to require pin for specific capabilities,like lock, not for entire devices. I believe that this makes sense since the on off switch might control a light or something else. The custom device type you have seems to be more of a workaround that use lock for two states and on off for the other two.

[Lars]

@Guy1992

Hi guys,

Does anyone know how we can use the “ INTERIOR_BLIND” display category to show Blinds using the SmartThings Alexa Skill. I’m guessing it would need something to be configured in the DTH so that the Skill knows it’s a blind.

At the moment my blinds are showing as either switches or dimmers, therefore I can’t say “open the blinds” instead I say “turn off the blinds” - but it looks like with the Interior Blind category in the Alexa Discovery Interface this should now be possible:
Alexa.Discovery Interface 3 | Alexa Skills Kit

Cheers,
Guy

We have I our roadmap to improve blinds so you can use open/close or raise/lower. I would have expected that it should show as interior_blind, what DTH are your blinds using.

[Guy1992 (Guy)]

Hi Lars,

I’m using the DomoticzBlinds DTH: https://github.com/verbem/Domoticz-Server/blob/master/devicetypes/verbem/domoticzblinds.src/domoticzblinds.groovy

Cheers,
Guy

[Shinedown78]

Why is this question consistently being ignored despite a many asking if the ability to select devices will ever be reinstated? I take it that means no??

Please can someone from Smartthings clarify.

Many thanks.

[kharrison]

Same frustration here, it is causing a big mess with the device list that shows in Alexa. Why is this question avoided?

[Shinedown78]

@Lars please could you give us an update on this? It seems such a backward step in its current form, and it would be good to hear if ST are considering implementing the ability to select devices again, or not, as the case might be.

Many thanks.

[orangebucket (Graham)]

The new Alexa skill has been coming into its own as a pairing alert. I’ve been shifting devices between hubs today and Alexa has been giving me a new device notification a couple of seconds before the app even tells me the pairing was successful.

[Shanapadila (Shana Padilla)]

Hello … hello SmartThings Officials, please provide a response to the repeated question about not auto loading all devices. It creates a huge mess of duplicate devices and un enabling sometime works other times you get to hear alexa say " readable device to use" when you know you have multiples.

[Lars]

@Guy1992

Hi Lars,

I’m using the DomoticzBlinds DTH: https://github.com/verbem/Domoticz-Server/blob/master/devicetypes/verbem/domoticzblinds.src/domoticzblinds.groovy

Cheers,
Guy

I tested this DTH and for me it shows up as a Interior blind in Alexa, not as type “Other”

[Guy1992 (Guy)]

How strange - mine seems to say ‘Smartthings Device - Dimmable’ even after deleting it from Alexa and re-adding with the DTH from Github:

Maybe it’s a UK/US difference on Amazon’s servers

Edit - Yep, it looks like it’s not available in the UK (just tried using a US Alexa account and straight away was recognised!):

[Lars]

It is the same situation for Google,they roll out their new features at different times for different languages so you don’t really know what is working or not across the globe.

[cljara80 (Claudio)]

Hi dear friends

@Lars, @Automated_House, @JDRoberts. Three days ago everything between ST and Alexa was working well (new skill ST - new App ST), suddenly the routines in Alexa stopped working, the virtual sensors created in ST stopped activating the routines, although I can see them activate in Alexa when I activate them in ST, but it doesn’t activate the Alexa routine.
I have tried all the recommendations indicated in the community, verify duplicates and delete them from the amazon.alexa website, I followed the procedure: delete and re-create the virtual sensors in ST, delete the virtual devices in Alexa, delete the routines with problems , disable ST (new) skill in Alexa, log out Alexa, log back in Alexa, activate ST (new) skill in Alexa, discover devices in Alexa and create newly the routines in Alexa, but nothing seems to work, just the Alexa rutins do not run, even though the virtual sensor does activate in Alexa.
Any additional advice you can give me to solve this problem? Thank you.

PDT: sorry for my english, it’s not my native language

UPDATE: The day after this message, everything broke, ST’s physical motion and contact sensors that triggered routines in Alexa also stopped working. I have tried everything, delete all devices, routines, history, cache, the Alexa App, create new sensors in ST, I followed the “7 steps” indicated to activate routines in Alexa with ST Sensors, but nothing seems to work.
Even now, after deleting everything, Alexa no longer discovers all my devices and scenes that I have in ST.
I’m going to write to ST and Alexa support, but honestly I don’t think I have an answer that solves my problem. I hope that someone from the community can contribute with a new idea.

(I’m looking at the “Echo Speaks” App that seems to work, I hope it doesn’t break its unexpected operation like Alexa)

[Abhijeet_Ghosh (Anonymous)]

Please give some advice…I use virtual contact sensors to trigger Tuya and amazon smart plugs using smartthings…this bug only happens to some contact sensors though…this problem broke my smart home

[Abhijeet_Ghosh (Anonymous)]

Yes please give this update…have a ton of devices i don’t want on alexa and it looks bad having so many disabled devices

[Abhijeet_Ghosh (Anonymous)]

Used Lars advice of deleting and readding devices. Worked for most devices. The next day, the rest started working without me doing anything. My smart home now fully works! Thanks Lars!

[Lars]

@Abhijeet_Ghosh

Used Lars advice of deleting and readding devices. Worked for most devices. The next day, the rest started working without me doing anything. My smart home now fully works! Thanks Lars!

Do you mean deleting it from alexa webpage? It seems like the majority of issues people who switched have seen are due to these hidden duplicates devices. Amazon is still working on a fix for this do hopefully it won’t be long.

[Lars]

@cljara80

Hi dear friends

@Lars, @prjct92eh2, @JDRoberts. Three days ago everything between ST and Alexa was working well (new skill ST - new App ST), suddenly the routines in Alexa stopped working, the virtual sensors created in ST stopped activating the routines, although I can see them activate in Alexa when I activate them in ST, but it doesn’t activate the Alexa routine.
I have tried all the recommendations indicated in the community, verify duplicates and delete them from the amazon.alexa website, I followed the procedure: delete and re-create the virtual sensors in ST, delete the virtual devices in Alexa, delete the routines with problems , disable ST (new) skill in Alexa, log out Alexa, log back in Alexa, activate ST (new) skill in Alexa, discover devices in Alexa and create newly the routines in Alexa, but nothing seems to work, just the Alexa rutins do not run, even though the virtual sensor does activate in Alexa.
Any additional advice you can give me to solve this problem? Thank you.

PDT: sorry for my english, it’s not my native language

UPDATE: The day after this message, everything broke, ST’s physical motion and contact sensors that triggered routines in Alexa also stopped working. I have tried everything, delete all devices, routines, history, cache, the Alexa App, create new sensors in ST, I followed the “7 steps” indicated to activate routines in Alexa with ST Sensors, but nothing seems to work.
Even now, after deleting everything, Alexa no longer discovers all my devices and scenes that I have in ST.
I’m going to write to ST and Alexa support, but honestly I don’t think I have an answer that solves my problem. I hope that someone from the community can contribute with a new idea.

(I’m looking at the “Echo Speaks” App that seems to work, I hope it doesn’t break its unexpected operation like Alexa)

Have you done the step of forgetting the devices on alexa.amazon.com followed by another discover and it still doesn’t work? If so PM me your SmartThings account email and I’ll take a look.

[Abhijeet_Ghosh (Anonymous)]

I deleted the devices from the alexa app

[cljara80 (Claudio)]

Thanks @Lars for your reply. About “forgetting Devices” this option dont show for me in alexa. amazon.com, it directly showed “Delete”. However, I think I found a solution doing the following:

1. Delete all Devices in alexa.amazon.com
2. Delete skill ST through alexa.amazon.com
3. Log out in alexa.amazon.com and Alexa App
4. Update address in amazon.com in menu: Manage your content and devices/settings/country settings/ choose your address and push update.
5. log in Alexa app
6. Active skill ST
7. Discover Devices
   Now the devices (virtual and physical) active alexa rutines again. I hope it keeps working.

UPDATE: Yesterday everything broke again, TOTAL FRUSTATION! :sollozo:

[Shinedown78]

Alas, I’ll ask again…

Are there any plans to bring back device selection so we don’t have to import everything and go through the duplicate device nightmare that is seemingly being discussed everywhere in this thread?

Surely it’s the best solution to all of this @Lars ?