New Alexa Routine function issue - Not supported yet per Vera

Is anyone else having an issue with the new Alexa routine function not seeing any vera scenes. However under managed devices I can see the scenes. It just won’t display when trying to create a routine.

Update 10/31/17
From Vera Support:

Thank you for contacting Vera Support.

Indeed, Amazon Alexa supports the routines functionality, but in order to be available on Vera, that needs to be implemented in our official skill.

That option is not supported yet. There is no exact ETA

I don’t see routines on the alexa.amazon.com web site but I do see them on the app on my phone.
Unfortunately under smart home it only shows me my devices and none of my scenes. The scenes shows up under alexa.amazon.com and are callable so I concur this is most likely on the Amazon side.

Turns out the only scenes that show up in the new Alexa Routines menus are for my Harmony Hub. The Vera scenes do not show up when trying to create an Alexa Routine. I even disabled the Harmony skill within amazon to see if for some reason the new routine function only would work with one smarthome hub. I’ve disabled/enabled the Vera skill and same issue. Bottom line is the Vera Scenes are not seen from within the new Alexa Routine menus.

I can confirm that. Hopefully this can be fixed as rather than using Alexa’s weather forecast I want to use the one provided via Vera’s WU plugin to my Sonos speakers. As that gets it’s info from the weather station in my backyard making for a really local weather briefing.

Received this from Vera support this morning. There is no exact ETA

Thank you for contacting Vera Support.

Indeed, Amazon Alexa supports the routines functionality, but in order to be available on Vera, that needs to be implemented in our official skill.

That option is not supported yet.

all the devices under smart home say “device not supported” hope they can get an update out soon. I’d like to make use of this functionality.

I was able to get the routines to work using Martin’s updated GitHub integration code. I once again disabled the official Vera Skill and went back to Martin’s Version 3 which implemented Routines. I really don’t know why I keep going back to the official Vera skill as it is always way behind Martin’s implementation. Martin thanks once again !!!

Have any of you guys…or girls…lol…tried to control any Vera devices from within the Alexa application? None of them work in mine. Also,because of this I am not able to setup any “Routines” that involve Vera devices from within the Alexa application. :-\

I have no problem using Alexa to control devices. One thing that took me a while to figure out was how to tell Vera what devices Alexa can control. To accomplish that: on the computer (can?t do it in the iOS app) before you connect to the controller click on the upper right menu and then it says something about manage Alexa. From there select the devices you want Alexa to be able to control and then have Alexa do a search for devices.
As for routines, as mentioned in the thread above the Vera skill is not happy with them yet.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think it will be a great function for the Alexa/Vera Skill to have this incorporated in future. It will get us away from having to use the words on/off for a scene. Ie: Alexa lets watch a movie, to turn down the lights and turn on AV equiptment. Instead of alexa turn movie on. (to run a scene). I’m sure im not the only one who has thought of this, but there is a bit of a choppy work around for this. Alexa routines work with other light devices (Ie Philips Hue) and im sure some of the non vera power blocks (Ie Bluetooth). so you can create a virtual switch or use PLC so that when one of these devices turns on it runs a scene or turns on the devices you wanted. So when I say Alexa lets watch a movie, she turns on the philips hue back lighting i have behind my tv. (which is supported) which then turns on my AV Reciever, Tv sound bar and turns off my ceiling lights. (not supported). There is ofcourse a little delay but seems to work just fine. Food for thought, im sure there is probably a better work around for this!

[quote=“JGnTX, post:9, topic:197529”]I have no problem using Alexa to control devices. One thing that took me a while to figure out was how to tell Vera what devices Alexa can control. To accomplish that: on the computer (can?t do it in the iOS app) before you connect to the controller click on the upper right menu and then it says something about manage Alexa. From there select the devices you want Alexa to be able to control and then have Alexa do a search for devices.
As for routines, as mentioned in the thread above the Vera skill is not happy with them yet.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk[/quote]

Was referring to the new Alexa API for Android. Control of the Vera devices works fine with voice to Alexa interaction. However, even with voice to Alexa interaction you still can’t query the state of lights. Locks and thermostats work for this, just not lights.

Thought of the virtual device route for routine functions, but I don’t want to litter Vera with virtual devices everywhere i want routines. Instead, I spoke with support @ vera and they aware of the issue and are working on the new Alexa API integrations and should expect a new skill release in 2018. So they say, lol.

Would love an update from Vera on this. Being able to use routines to trigger scenes makes a huge difference in terms of user experience. Compare the simple example of “Alexa, play obamas slow jams” is way better than “Alexa, turn on obamas slow jams”.

I’ve noticed that even for the normal devices (i.e. GE Z-Wave plugs, Virtual Switches) are not supported either so can’t even fake it :frowning:

I think I mentioned in another similar topic, not sure how I missed this one, :smiley:

V3 Api Alexa Skill is work in progress as we speak. We have enough on our plates for these holidays but we should be back on track early 2018

[quote=“Sorin M., post:14, topic:197529”]I think I mentioned in another similar topic, not sure how I missed this one, :smiley:

V3 Api Alexa Skill is work in progress as we speak. We have enough on our plates for these holidays but we should be back on track early 2018[/quote]

Yeah, I read that in another topic after the fact. I can’t wait to for this feature to be available. I imagine the skill is a little buggy considering Alexa running a different Smart Home API level than the Alexa/Vera skill is designed to run on.

[quote=“Sorin M., post:14, topic:197529”]I think I mentioned in another similar topic, not sure how I missed this one, :smiley:

V3 Api Alexa Skill is work in progress as we speak. We have enough on our plates for these holidays but we should be back on track early 2018[/quote]

Awesome to hear, can’t wait for the beta! Have a great holiday and don’t work too hard over it…

Hey uhh so this seems to be kinda working now? At least, the devices and scenes are showing up as supported. Gonna try it out tonight…

Interestingly enough some scenes are missing. Is there any filtering going on here? I see my “good night” scene in the Smart Home section, but when trying to browse under routines it is missing.

Figured out why my scenes were missing… Vera seems to have classified one of the Zooz outlets I use to control power to our Echo’s as a garage door - a prohibited device. Once I sorted that out, I was able to add a scene to a routine! Interestingly enough, that only worked once, around noon PDT yesterday. Today, I’m not even able to add the same scene to another routine, although it’s still showing up in the first one…

Anybody out there looking to know when lighting control through the Alexa application would be enabled, check control of your lighting within the “Smarthome” section of the Alexa application. It’s finally available, at least for me. :smiley: Controlling scenes within the “Routines” section is still not available, however you can now create a “Routine” by adding as many individual devices as you like to the “action” of your “Routine”!!! This gives you the ability to give a custom command to turn on or off devices or a device with the addition of some other Alexa functionalities 8)

A useful new Alexa option. I seem to have devices supported and some scenes but not Vera ones.

Useful nevertheless and will be more so when scenes are fully supported. In another thread I wanted to turn off all my lights by using a Turn Off command for a scene or “Run” scene X as it is strange now Turning On something you want to go off. Even better now though I have a routine in which I say “Alexa Go dark” and then have listed all the devices to turn off. At the end Alexa then says “Good night” back to me. In future I will just make the Routine run the relevant Vera scene