New to Smartthings and would like to know how to get echo to work with linear garage door opener

Devices & Integrations
21

Ok, follow these steps…

1 - open Alexa Helper
2 - tap on add/view virtual switches
3 - name the switch whatever you want to say to Alexa, garage door should be good. Make it an Alexa switch. Tap create switch. Tap done. Tap done again.
4 - tap create new Alexa scenario
5 - name the scenario, garage door open/close
6 - Tao scenario type. Choose the third one down (devices). Tap done.
7 - tap control scenario settings.
8 - Tap control switch, choose the switch you just created.
9 - choose switch state reacts to. Choose on/off.
10 - scroll down to “when switch is on” and choose smart things device control.
11 - scroll to the bottom and choose garage door. Choose your garage door. Tap done.
Scroll down to “when switch is off” and repeat steps 10 & 11.
12 - Tap done repeatedly until Alexa helper closes.
13 - go back into Alexa Helper. Your garage door scenario will be on the first page. If it is tap done.
14 - open the Amazon echo smart app.
15 - tap on my switches.
16 - choose the box next to the switch you created.
17 - tap done. Tap next. Tap done.
18 - tell Alexa to discover your devices.
19 - tell Alexa to open the garage door
20 - if it opened tell her to close the garage door.
21 - if that verbiage diedoes not work, try telling her to turn on/off the garage door.
22 - enjoy.

Let me know what the verbiage is.

Edit:
If the verbiage is on/off using Alexa helper I know for a fact that open/close works great using the custom device handler.
Fyi, this device will not run local with either of these methods.

22

Maybe I should go custom handler then. I really want to say open and close. How do I go about doing that? The Alexa Helper App did not show up or is myapps I the st ap. What do you mean by run local? Apologies again on my ignorance. This whole custom smart home thing is new to me

23

There are a lot of steps to get this to work…Be sure to read through the manual here:

http://thingsthataresmart.wiki/index.php?title=Alexa_Helper

Your first step is to get the app installed. Be sure to publish it in the IDE…you will then see it in the marketplace.

I have the exact set up as you, and no offense to anyone here, but forget about any custom device, the statement about running locally, or any thing else…the Linear Garage door opener works great as installed by the SmartThings app. You can always change it later…right now just focus on getting it to work with Alexa Helper.

And please note, there is nothing special you need to do to use the command open/close…That is a function of the Amazon Echo, NOT Alexa Helper or SmartThings. Once you get this working you should simply be able to say “Alexa, open Garage Door” and it should open.

Very high level steps you need to follow are here. Refer to the manual for more specific detail:

  1. Install the code for Alexa Helper and the child app
  2. Create an Alexa Switch to control the open/close states
  3. Associate the Alexa Switch with the Garage door device (using a Control Scenario within Alexa Helper)
  4. Associate the on command with open, and the off command with close
  5. Test and have fun!

Let me know if any of this is helpful.

24

Yeah, I want sure about the verbiage which is why i mentioned.

@ibeastie Once you get the software installed, just follow the steps above and read the instructions…

You’ll be good to go!

25

Michael, for some reason I don’t see “my device types” I have the the Parent Published and the Child set to unpublished like the documentation suggests. Not sure why things look different. Correct me if I am wrong but “my device types” is where I will create the “Alexa Switch?”

26

The Parent app needs to be published. The Child app CAN be published but it is not necessary and it can just confuse the user when looking in the market place.

Regarding the Alexa Switch, that code is here: https://github.com/MichaelStruck/SmartThingsPublic/tree/master/devicetypes/michaelstruck/alexa-switch.src

You WILL publish this code under My Device Handlers. Again, there are a lot of critical steps, but once you get through them you will know 90% of what you need to do in other Smart Apps. The device installation is listed here: http://thingsthataresmart.wiki/index.php?title=Alexa_Helper#Virtual_Switch_Setup

27

Not sure why this is so confusing. I have the parent and child code installed. I was able to create an Alexa Switch but for some reason the Alexa Helper is nowhere to be found in the smart things application. Marketplace—SmartApps—My Smartapps does not show up. Urrghhhhh I am sure it is easy but I don’t see it.

28

@ibeastie

Follow this link.

Read all of it and follow the directions exactly as they are written.

http://thingsthataresmart.wiki/index.php?title=Alexa_Helper

29

Everything seems to check out except the Alexa Smart App. When I go into the market place and click on smart apps there is not a myapps tab or choice if you will. Like I stated earlier, I have the parent and child app installed and was able to create an Alexa switch.

30

@ibeastie

Follow this link and do what’s it says in the first post.

31

I cannot get the Alexa Helper to show up as in app in the marketplace. At this point I would like to delete these smartapps in my api and either start over or give up. How can I delete the helper and the helper scenario?

32

I was able to remove and re-add parent, child, Alexa switch, and garage door device as an Alexa switch type. I still cannot find or locate the Alexa Helper in the smarthings app. Urghhhh. I am at a loss.

33

I maybe wrong I am very new to this and the 2 guys helping you are much much better at this than I am. but all I had to do was set the garage controller up to the garage
then i added the device handler mentioned above ( gouldner : RG Linear GD00Z Garage Door Opener )
then i added a routine in ST to open the garage door
then i added a routine to close the garage door
I allowed echo access to the device in smart apps
and that was it i say alexa open the garage door it opens and the same for close
it was the first thing I actually got working and had no problem at all it just worked and im pretty sure the only special thing i had to do was add that device handler from gouldner

1 Like
34

The most frustrating thing about his is that I don’t see the Alexa Helper app in mysmartapps. Is it in a special place in the marketplace. The Alexa Switch “Garage Door” shows up in Things but I can’t seem to get the Alexa Helper to show up. Does this have anything to do with me having the first gen smartthings hub? Didn’t see a certain hub in the requirements.

35

Have you followed the directions snobs exactly?
Have you installed the Alexa helper smart app just like it says above?
There is a link above for Alexa helper, yes it’s a really long read, but it is very detailed and walks you through every single step. Have you followed that, completely?

36

Lol Directions Snobs. I feel I followed all the right steps. I have went over the doc several times. The direction that does not match up is that when I go to Marketplace and then click on Smartapps I don’t see an option to add a smart app. I just see all the canned smart apps. Maybe that is the issue? Any idea what the problem there would be? Like I said I see the alexa switch in the smart things app. Was able to add the switch to a device in alexa. I just can’t find the app.

37

Go To market place, smart apps and then scroll to the bottom to my smart apps.

Do you see it there?

38

More is the last one. I am using an iPhone. Is this an iOS problem? Do you recommend removing the app and readding?

39

That was it the whole time. I had to delete the app and re-add it. Sorry for not trying this sooner. I will follow the app steps now and let you know if we are good. Thank you for your patience in this.

40

This is your problem. Follow this link and do what it says.

Once done, go back to market place, smart apps, and scroll to the bottom. It should be there then.