Alexa with Query Door status support

[lawrence_jeff]

For anyone else that wants to query whether their door is open or not via Alexa and hit a brick wall with ifft. I wrote-up a way to do it without needing to create your own skill. It uses the very useful node-red app and an online bridge available for use.

A step by step setup can be found here. Once running you can query the status and also shut the door via Alexa

https://github.com/lawrence-jeff/OpenGarage-Firmware/blob/Dev/docs/AlexaSetup.md

[heyhogan]

Thanks! I am going to be building this project, and wanted to integrate it with my Amazon Dot. I was OK with IFTTT, but like the Node-Red option better. Thanks!!!

[Ray]

Cool. Thank you Jeff!

[binnyuk]

Have just ordered my door opener and started looking through all the documentation in preparation 🙂

I was just looking at the Alexa skills API and notice they do have a ContactSensor which allows a ‘is X open?’:

https://developer.amazon.com/docs/device-apis/list-of-interfaces.html

however it states that it’s en-US only, does that mean I can’t use it, being that I’m in the UK?

[binnyuk]

Looks like I answered my own question after going through the documentation etc further.

I also read that ‘unlocking’ is now supported on some lock devices (maybe not all?) — however this doesn’t seem to work for me, as when editing a device configured in this way, only the name is changeable.

The API suggests that it’s now possible:

https://developer.amazon.com/docs/device-apis/alexa-lockcontroller.html

I wonder if it’s a UK restriction? or perhaps using this method doesn’t use the latest API?

[binnyuk]

For anyone interested, I discussed this with the Amazon development team. The current unlock API is indeed restricted to the US, Japan and Germany devices only at this time, although not documented. They are ‘hoping’ to update their documentation to reflect which APIs are country dependent.

[lawrence_jeff]

If it makes you feel better, unlock doesn’t work in the US either – at least using the node red bridge, Alexa replies not supported yet.

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