Voice commands on Goggle Minis understood but not executing
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I have a very odd problem and hope someone could steer me in the correct direction to fix the issue. I have ActiveHome Professional running on my WIN7 server that TriggerCmd is also loaded/running on. I have created a number of on and off commands for the 15 Leviton X10-compatible switches in my house and if I speak the exact phrase to Google, it comes back and tells me it is executed. And as I 'watch' the switch in AH Pro, I can see it toggle the switch. BUT, at least 50% of the time, the light does not turn on. However, if I manually toggle the switch in the AH Pro program with the mouse, it works every time. I also have a CR12A remote and a TM751 receiver that also always turns the lights on/off when used.
Does anyone have any ideas about what to check? My X10 interface is a CM15A w/USB connection back to my computer and Version 3.316 of AH Professional w/SmartMacros.
Thanks!
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@Frank-Malczewski, that is strange. What if you manually run the command that the TRIGGERcmd agent is running? I wonder if you'll see the same 100 percent toggle, but 50 percent light turn on rate.
Also, this is a separate question: I wonder which Google Assistant action you use. If you aren't using the newer Smart Home version, you really should. It's better for turning lights on and off because you say, "Hey Google, turn on kitchen light" instead of, "Hey Google, ask TRIGGERcmd to run kitchen light" or something similar. It also recognizes your voice words better because it has a list of them ahead of time.
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When I went to the server running TriggerCMD and started up the GUI command editor, I get/got the same 'poor' rate of success. In fact, just now, I gave Google the command
"Hallway light on"
which is connected to the GUI Command:
c:\x10\hallwaylightson.bat
and in that file I have
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\X10\Common\ahcmd.exe" sendrf f16 on
It did not work. So then I clicked on the 'PLAY" icon in the GUI. It also did not work.When I went to AH Pro and manually turned it on and off, both times it worked. Then I went back to the GUI and clicked on PLAY to turn it on. This time it worked. And when I told Google "hallway light on" again, it too worked. It is so frustrating.
As for the Google Assistant action, I am not sure I understand. I created routines in Google Home, one of which is titled Hallway Lights On. In that routine, I have:
WHEN i say "Hallway light on"
ASSISTANT WILL Tell trigger command to run hallway lights power (NOTE: for all my 'on', I found I had to use a different word other than on, so I picked power).
And BTW, I have several different "WHEN" lines, as sometimes I say Hallway LIGHT on, or Turn on hallway light, or Turn on the hallway light (I found it needs the EXACT wording, unlike my WEMOs that are also being run on my system).
Now as I type, and keep testing various lights using Google Home, it is working
UPDATE: And now it is not working... AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH.
Is there a different way to execute in Google?
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@Frank-Malczewski, yes, there's a much better way to execute using Google. The Google Assistant action is called "TRIGGERcmd Smart Home". I think you're either using the "TRIGGERcmd" or "TRIGGER command" action.
Here's a video about the Smart Home version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeiV5aySmTw
It makes each of your commands a smart home switch, that you can turn on or off. It has these advantages:
- Much better voice recognition because Google already has a list of your commands/devices.
- You no longer have to use routines to say simple short phrases like "Hallway light on".
- You can have one command entry for each light instead of two.
The Smart Home version of the Alexa skill and Google action sends an " on" or " off" parameter to your command, but in the latest version of the TRIGGERcmd agent, you don't have to create a batch file and use that parameter to determine whether to turn your light on or off. You can use the "Command" field for on, and "Off Command" field for off, like this:
The Smart Home action is perfect for your situation. You really should switch to it.
About your command intermittently flipping the switch on or off: I'd still recommend doing this experiment to narrow down whether it makes any difference if TRIGGERcmd is running your command, or something else runs it. Please open a cmd prompt, and type c:\x10\hallwaylightson.bat and press enter. I'm curious if that gaves a similar ratio of success/failure to turn the light on.
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@Russ Thanks for the reply. Regarding Google, I will do that - it will just take some time for me to change over given the number of switches. I do like not having to 'guess' what I may say in order to make it work. Even missing a "s" (hallway light on vs hallway lights on) would cause it to fail and tell me it is not set up/you can do this in...
Maybe this will also help with my wife? It tells here now she is not authorized when she gives a command.
As for executing from the command line, it has failed just about as often. In fact, after about 6 google voice commands turning on/off various lights that did work, trying to turn off one light failed via google. I then went to ADMIN CMD prompt and entered the command. It failed. I tried 4 times. All 4 failed. Then, as I typed this and tried to capture the screen to paste here, I accidently executed it again. This time it worked...
![alt text]
Now, that light is working fine via google voice commands - just tried it 4 times. Have a good one...
UPDATE: And now it is not - voice or CMD prompt. But working 100% from AHP screen. What the heck is going on...
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@Frank-Malczewski Hmmm. Question. The bat files I created say to sendrf f2 off.
Does this mean the computer is not using the AHP/CM15A interface but rather sending a rf signal and maybe that is what is failing (if the remote receiver is too far away) but when I do it from within the AHP program, it is going via USB to the CM15A and into the wires directly? I only have one of the remote receivers located upstairs (found with two there was too much interference). But there is also an antenna on the CM15A. Not sure how this is working (actually, not working)...
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@Frank-Malczewski, I like the theory RF would likely be less reliable than sending the signal through your house wires.
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@Russ I watched the video about using Google smart home and got partly started but hit a snag not knowing what to do. I did get the service linked and now I see all my light switches in the Linked To You part of HOME, not assigned to any room. But that is where I failed to get further as I don't understand the bat files I now need to create, what folder to put them in, what to call them, and the purpose of a voice name. If I could beg for some assistance, here is what I have. On the computer called server where TC resides, I have a folder C:X10 where I stored some 34 files dealing with turning the light switches on and off. Here is just one to show the context:
In TC GUI I have:
Which is programmed as follows:
I assume all these similar on/off bat files are no longer good. When I went to TC and checked into voice commands, I see a long list:
but they don't do anything, although if I say Hey Google, turn off the kitchen sink light it says it is doing it but of course nothing happens.
I assume the disconnect is the .bat files. Could you give the proper syntax for just one light, and the programming needed for the GUI? I assume I can leave the new bat files in the same folder. And do I need a voice name for my 'server'?
Thanks.
And as for the command that I am using, and the question as to whether that syntax is telling the computer to send an RF signal, is there a way to port the command through AH Pro so that the command goes via the USB connection to my 15A?
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@Frank-Malczewski, you have 2 options.
Option 1: Use your current .bat files, turn on parameters, and setup your commands like this:
Command: c:\x10\kitchensinkon.bat
Off Command: c:\x10\kitchensinkoff.bat
Allow Parameters: true
Option 2: Use one batch file for each light, and don't fill in the Off Command so the Command runs with " on" or " off" parameters.
The batch file would insert the on or off parameter where %1 is in the .bat file. So your batch file would look like this:
c:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\x10\Common\ahcmd.exe" sendrf f1 %1Command: c:\x10\kitchensink.bat
Allow Parameters: true
About sending the signal to your X10 devices through your 15 amp power line (plc) instead of over the air (rf),
c:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\x10\Common\ahcmd.exe" sendplc f1 on
It's sendplc and sendrf because:
plc = power line command
rf = radio freqency -
@Russ Thank you! Of the two options, is one better than the other?
And also thanks for the sendpic command. Never knew that and I bet that will resolve my failures as turning lights on/off from the program never failed...
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@Frank-Malczewski, one advantage of using one batch file is if you want to make a change there are fewer files to update, but otherwise they'll work the same. Let me know how the sendplc command works out.
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@Russ So I went with option 1. Thought it was easier and I don't plan to make many changes once done.
And YES, the SENDPLC command seems to be working much better BUT too early to tell. I changed each .bat file over to it. Time will tell.
Lastly, I didn't know if I needed to do something about the "VOICE NAME" column for my computer. Right now it is blank (see screenshot above). What is its purpose?
Thanks for all your help. Hopefully this will be the last message pestering you...
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@Frank-Malczewski, good question - the voice name field for the computer is really only needed for your non-default computer(s). Notice you don't have a "Voice Commands" or "Smart Home Voice Commands" button for serverDell. That's because it's not your default computer and you don't have a voice name for it.
You can run commands on your default computer by saying the command without the " on (voice name of your computer)" part.
If you give your serverDell computer a voice name of, "dell", you'll be able to say, "Hey Google, turn on calculator on dell."
If you say, "Hey Google, turn on calculator," it will run calculator on your default computer which is Server. -
@Russ Well, two steps forward but one back. I deleted all my routines for all the lights. I also purged all the extra commands in the GUI interface. But when I tell Google to turn off the computer room light, it will turn it off, turn it off, then sometimes says SORRY, CANT REACH TRIGGERCMD SMARTHOME but it still turns off the light. Or it will say SORRY, CANT REACH TRIGGERCMD and not turn it off, but then, after about 15 seconds, the light will go off. Any ideas as to what is going on? BUT on a positive note, I have significantly cleaned up all my routines in HOME and in the GUI interface, plus it is understanding what I want much better. Thanks.
Oh, and I did UPDATE AGENT...
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@Frank-Malczewski, are you still getting that "CANT REACH TRIGGERCMD SMARTHOME" back from Google? I wonder if that was related to Google's recent outage. I've heard that before but for me it's been very rare.
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@Russ Yes. Several times today I have gotten "Sorry, TrigerCMD is not available right now", including right now. Earlier, I thought it might have been something related to changes made in the GUI interface (removed a command) so I went to GOOGLE HOME and "Reconnect Account" That worked and triggerCMD started to work. But 10 minutes ago I tried to turn on a light and got the same message. So I just went into GOOGLE HOME and did the same thing as earlier. And yes, the light command now worked. Have any idea what is going on? having to constantly Reconnect Account is a pain. Thanks.
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@Frank-Malczewski, thanks for telling me about this. I'll see if I can figure out why that's happening.
You could help me by posting the exact time you hear the error, and your time zone. That way I can find the relevant log entries.
EDIT: I was able to reproduce it and I think I know what the problem is. Sometimes my server is failing DNS lookups. My server needs to contact Google after Google contacts my server, and I think sometimes that DNS lookup is failing. I think I have a solution. I'm working on it now.
EDIT2: @Frank-Malczewski, it's fixed now. I have a workaround in place for the DNS problem. I have a longer term fix too but it will take longer than tonight to implement. Please test it.
EDIT3: Nevermind. I thought I had it but apparently not. I just tested it and had the same problem - "Sorry, it looks like TRIGGERcmd Smart Home is unavailable right now," or ,"Sorry, I couldn't reach TRIGGERcmd Smart Home"
EDIT4: I found another DNS name it was trying to go to and I added it to the workaround (/etc/hosts). I haven't been able to reproduce the problem since, but it's intermittent, so I'm not sure whether it's fixed or not yet.
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@Russ Thanks Russ. I am glad it is nothing wrong that I am doing. FYI, for the past 24 hours, it has been stable with no error message. Hopefully, you will find the ultimate issue.
New question - when my wife tries to tell Google to turn on / off a light, it fails. Yet in HOME, it does show her as being a 'connected account' in the Google Nest hub. Any idea what I need to do to allow her to be able to control lights?
Thanks.
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@Frank-Malczewski, please take a look at these thread about this:
https://www.triggercmd.com/forum/topic/363/google-home/22
https://www.triggercmd.com/forum/topic/526/now-you-can-share-your-computers-with-other-triggercmd-usersTL;DR:
I suspect you have voice match on. So you could setup a TRIGGERcmd account for her and share your computers with her. -
@Russ Hi Russ, ol' buddy, ol' pal...
Well, as before, I got part of way through. I read the above, decided to not disable voice match and therefore go the route to add her. I was successful in creating her new account, used the email feature to her and accepted it in her account, and server does show up under her new triggercmd account (used google login method since I already have that account 'linked' to all the HOME devices. But when I looked at the voice command page, I saw nothing. When she tried to turn off a light, she got "Looks like TC is not available right now", so I must have missed a step.
And to make matters worse, when I tried to turn off the same light, I got "Sorry, I couldn't reach TC Smarthome right now". It was at 8:15PM, EST.
EDIT: Just tried to update Agent, then remove and reinstall background service. I then went to HOME and reconnected the account. In the past, this made it work for me. Right now, it is not working ("Sorry, I couldnt reach..."). And I did reboot the server after starting up the background service.
EDIT2 If I go to triggercmd.com I can execute triggers...
So, did I miss a step or is it that same problem as I had before?
Thanks.
Frank
