How to trigger Alexa routines from Home Assistant

What’s the issue with the cloud component? Is it that it doesn’t properly expose binary sensor types?

No. The problem is that the auth between the alexa skill and the alexa component is not completely implemented in the cloud component.

Meaning what exactly? That Alexa can’t see any sensors? Is it that proactive mode is disabled?

Yes, proactive mode is disabled. HA can’t send updates to alexa without alexa asking for a status.
Alexa could already see sensors, even before proactive mode was implemented.

Darn. Hopefully they update soon; makes the cloud service a lot less appealing.

I trigger Alexa routines with this component:

I’m been using Haaska for a couple of months now, and thought I would give this a try, but my first problem is that my binary sensors are not being discovered. To make sure the discovery was still working, I added a light and the light does get discovered and it is in the same filter include list as my binary sensors (I have no exclude filter). I’m on 0.85.1. Am I missing something simple?

OK, got the binary sensor figure out…

Now I can’t get the Alexa routine to trigger.
The routine sees the binary sensor, and I can add the binary sensor to the routine and can set the state the routine is to look for (in my example to “open”). I can “play” the routine and see that it performs the action (saying “hello”).
When the binary sensor state changes in in HA, Alexa sees it change to “open”, but the routine is not triggered.

I have followed the steps best I can tell:

  1. Enabled Send Alexa Events in my haaska skill; and relinked the skill on Alexa app.
  2. Added to configuration.yaml the endpoint, client_id and client_secret (copied from “Send Alexa Events”)
    Not sure where else to look/do?

Got it working…had to relink the skill on Alexa App (disable/enable the haaska skill) yet again.

I can’t get this to work either.
Alexa app can see the binary_sensor, it’s state changes when i open the door, but the Routine refuses to trigger. Rarely, it does trigger (alexa app notification) but notification is delivered ~30 minutes after the event.
I’ve tried disabling / enabling the skill, deleting / recreating routines, devices etc etc all to no avail.
I am using HomeAssistant skill, and hassio 0.87.1

I can’t get it to work either. Running .88 and the HA skill.

I have 6 devices setup and working in the Alexa app. They update properly; however it does not trigger the routine. For example when Front door opens it should say on the alexa " Front Door is Open" but does not trigger even though in the Alexa app it shows the front door as open.

Any updates or workarounds to get it working?

Have you enable the “Send Alexa Events” permission on the alexa developer console? You must disable and enable the skill again on the alexa app after that.

This would be huge for Home Assistant - the ability for Alexa to alert me by speaking a phrase of my choice based on what a sensor is doing is the dream. Will justify Nabu casa cloud subscription alone!

Anyone see this: “Error calling LWA to get auth token”?

I’ve been over and over the settings, but can’t see the problem.

try this

Have you set up the “Login With Amazon” and the security profile correctly?

I’ve gone over it and over it. Can’t find anything that is not as outlined in the haaska instructions and the SmartHome instructions. The Lamda function tests OK and the Alexa routine works properly. Permissions are set and enabled. No errors, but when binary_sensor (device class motion) is turned on, Alexa doesn’t budge.

This may be a stupid question but… have you disabled and enabled (and relinked) the skill on the Alexa app? Also, have you run a scan after that?

You can try checking for events. On the Alexa Developer Console, on the “Test” tab, enable the Device Log and the Alexa Smart Home (Beta) widgets. On the Smart Home widget, enable the live debugger. The, on the device log widget you should see events appearing every time you change a sensor or turn on a light that is exposed to alexa.

EDIT: if you still see the LWA auth errors, then my suggestion above will not work. But those errors could be from you testing the lambda directly.

I’m a bit confused because the cloud component is definitely actively reporting sensor state into Alexa for me but the routine won’t run. Does something still need to be activated for the cloud component?

Sorry, first post here.

I trigger Alexa to switch an Amazon plug from HA using duckdns.org.
I use a free SmartThings cloud account to setup a virtual device that is both a switch & a sensor. Some people call this an Alexa Switch. When the switch is triggered, it changes the sensor state
I use HomeAssistant I control the switch which changes the sensor.
An Alexa routine uses the SmartThings sensor change to trigger changing the Amazon plug.

Just another way to do things without a cloud subscription.