Using Smart Swith To Trigger Alexa To Talk?

I am using a GE Z-wave smart switch with Alexa. I currently can control the switch by talking to Alexa but I want to do opposite but unable to figure out how. I want it so when I cut on my smart switch it will trigger Alexa to say something. In the Alexa app when I go to new Routine it only shows switches in action list and not on trigger list. So IF-Switch On THEN-Alexa says “Good Morning”.

Thanks

You could do this with Echo Speaks and WebCore.

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Thank you. Will try it out

Web core might be overkill for that if you aren’t already using it . You can also just use use an echo routine, which is is easier, although you don’t have as many options. So different things work for different people . See the community FAQ:

Agreed. I prefer using Webcore, because I can also send notifications. If someone opens any of the doors, Alexa will tell me, but the sliding glass door also sends an SMS to me.

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IMHO, webCoRE ahould be stock and the “GoTo” rule engine for ST. I see so many people struggling with trying to find the optimal App to do this or that when webCoRE is typically the answer for most.

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The doors sensors and motion sensors are easy to create routines. It’s the light switches won’t trigger events

I know, but if you read the FAQ, you will see that smartthings allows you to create a virtual device which is both a sensor and a switch. It will literally look like two different devices to echo. But when you turn the switch on, the open sensor will send an “open” event, and when you turn the switch off, it will send a “close” event. :sunglasses:

So now everything becomes pretty straightforward. And anything that you can do in SmartThings can be used to trigger an echo routine. Not just sensor events.

For example

  1. create one of these special dual function virtual devices. The instructions and details are in the FAQ already linked to above. :sunglasses:

  2. set up a SmartThings automation so that the virtual switch part of that device Turns on/off when the real physical switch turns on. ( most people would just use the “mirror” option in the official smart lights feature.

  3. create an echo routine (not a SmartThings routine) based on the virtual sensor part of the device from step one.

And that’s all you need. Now turning on the physical switch triggers the echo routine. Ta dah! :sunglasses::tada:

And here is the FAQ link again.

FAQ: Can I trigger an Echo Action without Speaking to It?

Hi. Bare with me. I am following the wiki page How to use SmartThings to have Alexa do something without speaking to it

and following the 7 steps. And I am stuck on Step 1 :frowning:

My end goal is when Arlo Camera Motion is Triggered make Alexa “Bark/Growl like a dog”

In smarthings ide: I have
“My Devices” = Two Arlo Cameras
“My Device Handlers” = One Simulated Alexa Switch

In step 1 of the instructions it says “1) create virtual device in the IDE”.

Does that mean that I need to add another entry to “My Devices” for the Alexa Switch? If so…how do I fill out the “Create Device” form Device Network ID?

Thank you.