How to activate scene via voice command [Google Home]?

Lucas_Rey · April 30, 2018, 6:58am

Hello community, I already configured the google_assistant component on HA, and it works perfect. I can, for example, turn on/off yeelight devices via voice command sent to my Google Home devices.

# Google Assistant       
google_assistant:
...
...
...
  exposed_domains:
    - switch
    - light
    - group
    - scene
    - media_player
    - input boolean

Then, I taken the example configuration coming from official page, and setup it in configuration.yaml, obliviously changing entities with my light name.

scene:
  - name: Romantic
    entities:
      light.tv_back_light: on
      light.ceiling:
        state: on
        xy_color: [0.33, 0.66]
        brightness: 200

Now, how can I activate this scene via Google Home? I tried “Activate Romantic” but my Google Home is setup in my own language (Italian) and the related translated command (attiva) doesn’t work. Am I missing something?

Thank you.

touliloup · April 30, 2018, 7:13am

I have a script called “Sleep script”

I gave it the nickname “Sleep script” in Google

And I use the command “start sleep script” to start it from Google assistant

(Also added some shortcut)

touliloup · April 30, 2018, 7:15am

Oh sorry, you asked for scene. That I don’t know, I don’t use any. Worst case you could make a script that start a scene (if scene are not supported)

Florian · April 30, 2018, 10:55am

It’s working fine when using “start” or “activate” in German.

Are you using the Italian translation for “Romantic”? My experience with Google Assistant is, that it always tries to interpret the words in my native language when I mix some English words into my sentence. This usually results in some kind of failure/unintended behavior.

Check your Activity Log in the Google Home App to see what it may or may not have understood from your command.

Lucas_Rey · April 30, 2018, 1:28pm

Yes, I used Italian word for name:, and start or activation doesn’t work for me.
I tried also with shortcut, but even the name is on Google Home App, Google Home replied me with “Sorry I don’t understand”. DAMN! I believe the scenes can be used only in English

Lucas_Rey · May 2, 2018, 5:40am

Ok, I’ll report my solution in case someone else have the same issue. I know, maybe it’s a dirty solution, but it works!

Firstly I created a simple scene who will turn on 2 lights, set their color to pink and brightness to 200

scene:
  - name: romantico
    entities:
      light.yeelight_color1_miio77351282_miio:
        state: on
        rgb_color: [255,0,255]
        brightness: 200
      light.yeelight_color1_miio77626822_miio:
        state: on                
        rgb_color: [255,0,255]
        brightness: 200

For the color I found an useful color picker by GOOGLE

Than I created a template switch who will execute the scene:

- platform: template
  switches:
    scena_romantica:
      friendly_name: "Piantana Rosa"
      value_template: "false"
      turn_on:
        service: homeassistant.turn_on
        data:
          entity_id: scene.romantico
      turn_off:
        service: homeassistant.turn_off
        data:
          entity_id: scene.romantico

At this point I can call the scene from the GUI using the switch, but also via voice using Google Home. Btw, I had to use the command “Turn On Romantico” that is not properly “elegant” for a scene. So, I just created a shortcut using Google Home App from my phone where the command I give is:
Activate Romantico
Than Google Home will receive:
Turn on Romantico

Obliviously everything in my own language
The scenes are not natively supported in Italian (and not only Italian I believe), that’s why I had to use this trick.

DavidFW1960 · May 2, 2018, 6:23am

As long as you have exposed scenes and can see them in Google Assistant app you just say Hey Google activate xxxxxx and it does it.

Lucas_Rey · May 2, 2018, 6:42am

Nope, this doesn’t work in language that does not natively support scenes like my own language (Italian).

DavidFW1960 · May 2, 2018, 6:44am

Fair enough - I missed that bit.

Lucas_Rey · May 2, 2018, 6:48am

Yep! Still don’t understand why Google introduce these differences. When my GH spoke in english, I was able to use scenes and routines. Then, two month ago Google activated the italian language, but they miss ton of features

caiosweet · May 3, 2018, 2:44pm

You can use shortcuts…
http://www.androidworld.it/2018/03/21/google-assistant-scorciatoie-541516/

https://support.google.com/googlehome/answer/7382893?hl=en

Lucas_Rey · May 3, 2018, 3:01pm

I already use shortcut, it’s in my post

caiosweet · May 3, 2018, 3:40pm

sorry, I confused the posts

Olle_Johansson · October 23, 2019, 7:07am

I think the solution with the template switches are rather brilliant. I use a group today to turn off (almost) all lights in the house. The problem with this solution is that its really easy to confuse Google Assistant to turn on all lights when I try to sneak up early in the morning (no I told you to turn on the hallway, not the whole house…). I was thinking about using a scene instead to avoid the turn on part, but this i even better.

Using your solution I can activate a totally different group/scene when turning on and off the virtual switch. Its really rare that I want to turn on all lights in my house.

kasper1 · April 17, 2021, 4:35pm

I am trying to activate a HA scene with Google Assistant. It was easier than described in this post. With a HA Cloud subscription, the following worked for me:

Create scene in HA
Go to Configuration < Home Assistant Cloud < Google Assistant, Manage Entities and make sure that the scene is exposed to Google Assistant
Go to Configuration < Home Assistant Cloud < Google Assistant, Sync Entities to Google
Open Google Home app on your phone, go to Assistant settings > Routines
Create a new Routine, this routine will Adjust Home devices, Adjust scenes, select your scene

Massiefje · May 12, 2023, 10:06pm

Over 2 years later, but you’re brilliant!

Found it and this works like a charm! Thank you!