Virtual Button and Alexa Skill

Anyone using a virtual button with Alexa? I setup one but it doesn't seem to be showing up on my Alexa app after I include in on the Alexa Skill on the hub. Just curious if maybe that isn't supported.

Buttons are not supported via the Alexa skill. As a workaround, some people use a Virtual Switch with the "auto off" setting set to a low value so the switch is always ready to turn on again and trigger whatever app/rule/etc., assuming that is your goal. There may be a combo button/switch driver floating around somewhere if your use on Hubitat demands button capabilities; otherwise, I'd say this is the most common solution for this kind of need.

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I use one to trigger a morning routine. You included it in the Amazon Echo Skill app in the hub? I think you may need to resync from the Alexa side after you add new devices in the Amazon Echo Skill on hubitat.

See step 11 here: Amazon Echo Skill | Hubitat Documentation
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Ya I have several but this was for a specific thing that I wanted to start 4 different ways and I was hoping to do it with a button instead of 4 switches. Ah well.

Never had to do that for anything else I've added. Once I save it in the Hub's skill my Alexa app on the phone quickly tells me it was added.

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Just remembered I had issues quite a while ago and that was what sorted it. And mine was a contact not a button. I just realized that.

Silencing Phone alarm triggers switch, Switch triggers RM to open the contact, turn off the switch then closes the contact. Contact triggers Alexa routine. I think I had tried a button to start with and had to change to a contact now that I think of it.

That is what I get for trusting memory...... Apologies

yea. virtual switch with 1 sec auto-off works very well! I've got about 4 of them.

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use a virtual contact sensor "with switch" - that way alexa will see what it wants but you can treat it as a switch :slight_smile:

I have lots of virtual switches. I just wanted to do this with a button if possible as it was 4 different settings for the same device and I didn't want to make 4 virtuals for that but so be it.

I hear you - initially I wanted to use a button controller to select modes from a dashboard for testing - and came up short at the button - alexa side. (i've got 6 modes so its a dumb load of switches for sure!)

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