Jon00 Homeseer/Echo Skill Helper for Homeseer 3 & Homeseer 4

[DaveMunn]

Monitor Google/Amazon Webpage

Hi Jon,

Amazing Plugin, the whole family use it every day as part of our normal routine, the one problem I have is when I am playing around with the PC I mistakenly turn off the Google Chrome page needed to keep the Alexa-Amazon Echo Location side integrated.
I have set up an event to launch the page automatically every hour just in case I have turned the page off, but then I end up every day with 24 tabs across the top.
Is there a simple method of keeping an eye on a program file/webpage and launching an application when it monitors that it is not working or is closed. I had a brief look at your Network Monitor app but didnt know if I was in the right area??

Any pointers??

Thanks again

[DaveMunn]

ANSWERED

Sorry Jon,

Jon00 Process Monitor is the answer, I knew it was there somewhere

Thanks again

[jon00]

Hi Jon,

Amazing Plugin, the whole family use it every day as part of our normal routine, the one problem I have is when I am playing around with the PC I mistakenly turn off the Google Chrome page needed to keep the Alexa-Amazon Echo Location side integrated.
I have set up an event to launch the page automatically every hour just in case I have turned the page off, but then I end up every day with 24 tabs across the top.
Is there a simple method of keeping an eye on a program file/webpage and launching an application when it monitors that it is not working or is closed. I had a brief look at your Network Monitor app but didnt know if I was in the right area??

Any pointers??

Thanks again

Sorry Jon,

Jon00 Process Monitor is the answer, I knew it was there somewhere

Thanks again

When did you last download the script? I no longer use Chrome for this (uses Slimjet browser) and it comes with a watchdog script.

[jayceekeys]

Sonos One integrated Alexa

Hi Jon,

Would you be able to confirm if the plugin works with the Alexa integrated into the Sonos One units? I use your plugin with all of the other echos in the house, but need to buy an extra and was thinking of buying a Sonos One instead.

Best wishes,

Jay

[jon00]

I would have thought so. It works fine through the Reverb app, FireHD, FireTV etc

[jayceekeys]

I would have thought so. It works fine through the Reverb app, FireHD, FireTV etc

[DaveMunn]

When did you last download the script? I no longer use Chrome for this (uses Slimjet browser) and it comes with a watchdog script.

Hi Jon,

I am trying to update my Alexa Skill so Ican use the Slimjet Browser but I am getting a 404 error when I click on the link for the Chrome Script for Chrome on your Jon00Alexa.pdf doc.

Could you (or anyone) point me in the right direction of where to go to download the Chrome Script i require to carry on

Many thanks

[jon00]

Oh....looks like it has gone from the Chrome Store....

I'll send you a PM to see if you can install it manually. If you can, I'll add it to the Alexa download zip.

[DaveMunn]

Oh....looks like it has gone from the Chrome Store....

I'll send you a PM to see if you can install it manually. If you can, I'll add it to the Alexa download zip.

Hi Jon,

Sent you a PM but didn't know if it had the relevant information in it, it's been a long day and I may have pressed the wrong button!!!

[DaveMunn]

Hi Jon,

Sent you a PM but didn't know if it had the relevant information in it, it's been a long day and I may have pressed the wrong button!!!

Sorry Jon,

I have played around a bit more and just as I thought it was 100% me....
Everything was pointing in the log that it was connected but I was trying to run an event that wasn't working correctly anyway!!!

Your PM has solved the problem with the Alexa and now I have events running with the same name running events in different rooms, absolute legend.

I cant seem to get the Watchdog script running but as a workaround I am using your ProcessMonitor app to keep an eye on keeping the Slimjet running..

Once again I bow my hat to you.

Thank you so much in taking the time to solve this and getting me back on track

Regards

[bsobel]

sent this to you in email, but documenting here in case others have comments/suggestions for improvements on this concept:

I do have two feature requests I am hoping you will consider.

First for the DeviceValue parameter, and CAPI Control; could you allow device names here in addition to deviceRefs? Thinking something along the lines if the DeviceValue starts with a " or $" then its a name past to GetDeviceRefByName so something like "Pool Heater".255 and then (if I follow how the CAPI control works in your app) then "Pool Heater.ON" should work as well. (or alternatively $"Pool Heater".255

The second is, could there be a way to plumb the Alexa response back from a script from either a file or from a device status string, and for an event from the a device status string? Thinking something like FILE://Path to file for the script case (script responsible for writing to file, plugin reads file after the script Delay (msec). Perhaps something like #255 for using a device string by refId and "Pool Heater" or $"Pool Heater' for using a device by name?

My use case for the first is simple; as a developer my deviceRef's change a lot but I keep the names consistent, so looking by name means I don't need to update the ini file when I regenerate devices.
The second use case is "Alexa, tell HomeSeer to turn the spa on'. I would like to respond with 'Ok, I will turn the spa on' if it is off, or 'The spa is already on and at XX degrees' if it is already on. I couldn't see a way to change the response based on the event or script, hence the request. I envision my spa script keeping a virtual device status text updated as the spa heats, then any Alexa call can simply always use $"Spa Status" as the Alexa response.

[jon00]

Regarding the first, I'll take a look when I next revisit the script.

The [scriptfunc] tag will allow you to return the result of a script function. This tag can be placed in the AlexaResponse field to speak the output.

Consider these example settings:

Run Script: $SpaStatus.vb (the $ tells it is a function rather than a sub)
Alexa Response: [scriptfunc]

'SpaStatus.vb

Function Main(ByVal Parm As String) As String
Return "Hello World"
End function

When you get a successful trigger, it will pass "Hello World" back to Alexa.

You can write your spa checks/values in the script and return what you like.

[bsobel]

Fantastic, thank you!

[bsobel]

One quick verification; can a script conditionally return a ? at the end of the response to then have the system consider response triggers only if additional information is needed from the script?

[jon00]

One quick verification; can a script conditionally return a ? at the end of the response to then have the system consider response triggers only if additional information is needed from the script?

Yes!