Google home has had a (relatively) major update so routines can now be triggered from a device. I've passed a virtual switch from Hubitat into Google home and it can see it, and there's bi-directional control. It also appears in the routines section for use as a 'starter' (trigger) but when the routine doesn't trigger when it turns on.
I can trigger the routine manually within Google home so I know it's setup correctly. I'm not sure why it isn't being triggered when the switch turns on though as per the setup routine/automation. Has anyone else had any success with this?
Maybe you can help me with a related question... The only device starters I'm offered in the "When a device does something" category when I try to create a new Household routine, are Remote Controls, Speakers, Streaming Boxes, Thermostats, TVs, and Vacuums.
None of my switches, virtual or real, that I've brought in from Hubitat to Google Home are offered as starters. Any idea why?
That does seem odd. Most of my devices linked to Google show up, including all my virtual switches created in Hubitat (I have not actually checked if any do not show). I do have all those switches in a room of their own in Google Home called Hubitat, but I can't see that making any difference.
We're these devices added via Google Home "works with Google"? I have never had luck adding devices from the Google integration in Hubitat itself, or if you can even do it that way.
Devices added to Google Home from the Google Home Community app aren't able to be used to trigger routines because device changes aren't pushed to Google Home, they only get updated when Home loads and requests an update. I'm not sure if the built-in app has the same problem.
Yes, all of the Hubitat devices I have in Google Home were added via the HE community Google Home app.
I added a virtual switch to GH via the built in "works with" Hubitat, the virtual switch shows up in Google Home, but doesn't show up as an available starter in a Household routine in GH. Just bizarre...
Wow...off to go test after I move the virtual switch into a room. My other switches I added via the community GH integration are pretty much all in rooms so hopefully the combination of using the built-in Works With Hubitat GH integartion + putting it in a room will do the trick.
Thanks for the avatar comment...pretty darn amazing birds. I took that pic at what is now known as Safari Park in San Diego years ago. The largest condor in the enclosure flew down to perch right in front us on the viewing platform, and just stared at us with his oh so serious gaze. Always reminds me of my middle school vice-principle.
Booyah! Geez...thanks for figuring that out, @Grizzlebeard, I never would have. Adding it to a room starts w/adding it to a house, which I think is the critical/crucial step.
It sure would be nice if Google shared this small, extremely important bit of information...
Thanks for the hot tip!
@wmhashmi - apologies for stomping all over your thread. My bad. I'll do a test of triggering a GH routine via switch and see how it goes for me.
Sorry i'm slow to reply. For me it didn't appear at first either and the solution was I needed to add it to a 'home' and also to a room. Also, the routine you setup needs to be a 'household' routine not a 'personal' routine otherwise you can't use the device as a starter.
Even though I have my device as a starter it still isn't triggering the routine when it turns on (i did check that the routine is enabled). Hopefully someone can get it to work and let me know where I'm going wrong.
FYI I'm using the built in google home app integration. I've noticed that the device state doesn't seem to update inside google home unless you manually refresh. But even if I manually turn it on from within google home it still doesn't trigger the routine. Very weird.
I added my virtual switch and a light bulb via the built-in GH integration (e.g., works w/Hubitat on the GH side), both devices are in rooms in my main GH household. Set the routine to turn on a light and speak a message.
Turned on the virtual switch on HE side and the light turned on and the announcement played. So not sure why yours is getting stuck. Seems just as odd as my problem did earlier. Maybe start over and re-create the routine?
One additional general bit of learning: Every device in my GH, including ones I added w/the community GH integration, is available to act on in the routine. So appears that devices that you want to be triggers have to be added via the built-in integration, but devices you want to act on can be added via either the built-in GH integration, or the community integration.
Someone just posted a similar method just the other day, but I'll be dammed if I can find it. You tip about adding it to a room is perfect, as I couldn't get mine to work and that was the missing link. The poster was mentioning using it for speech notifications, as the built in Google home integration is wonky, at least for me and others.
Curious - was your device added to your household but not added to a room? I thought that you had to choose both at the same time (i.e., choosing a room requires first choosing a household), so there could not be a case where a device is in a household but not in a room. As I noted above I think that the key step is choosing a household, since the new routines are organized by household. What do you think?
I did setup one succesfully. My good night routine witch is controled by RM filp a switch in hubitat to setup a wake-up alarm on the nest hub of my choice. No more separate "hey google, wake-me up at such a time". Very neet. I'm using the built-in GH integration. Same thing happened to me: the virtual switch I used did not show up in starter until I put it in a room.
Slightly off topic, but is there an advantage to having Google run the routine instead of HE? I have all the routines I need setup to trigger within HE using virtual switches that I can command from google already. I am not necessarily seeing where adding cloud (Google) to HE back to cloud to then run actions on HE is an advantage to someone who already has an actual hub. My thought was that Google is trying to work towards becoming more like a hub for those that don't have dedicated hubs. I could maybe see using it as a link to something that doesn't connect to HE (like some wifi switches). But, other than that, is there a benefit I am missing?
(Edited to add... "because you can" is a perfectly legitimate answer. I was just wondering if there was any benefit to it)
It allows activation of Google routines from within HE rather than the other way around.
I use it to turn my Nest Hub screen on and off with the bedroom light or motion events as I have soft lighting and the dim function never works properly. I also set and cancel my workday alarm via HE bedtime and wakeup rules.
I use it to kick off a verbal announcement in the middle of a rule that I run When we are going to bed. The rule turns on a virtual switch and then Google makes the desired announcement.
Just started looking into this. I have my son's morning and bedtime routines in google.. they work as follows.
say 'ok google kids name bedtime/good morning"
various, lights and lamps turn on/off and change to appropriate color
nightime - music routine starts for 1.5 hours then switches to white noise for 8 hours
morning - white noise is shut off
I know i can do steps 1 and 2 in hubitat, but i don't think there is a way to do step 3 in hubitat, and so i need to trigger the routine. I also want my son to be able to trigger this routine as part of his learning of things and being more independant, but i will need the button ruled by hubitat because i have to restrict it to be only pushed once or all hell will break loose.
