node-red-contrib-alexa-virtual-buttons

A Node-RED node to trigger Alexa Routines via the Virtual Buttons skill by Thomptronics. To learn more about Virtual Buttons, please visit www.virtualbuttons.com

IMPORTANT NOTE: Virtual Buttons is only available in the countries that allow English-speaking Alexa skills.

Install

Run the following npm command in your Node-RED user directory (typically ~/.node-red):

npm install @thomptronics/node-red-contrib-alexa-virtual-buttons

Node Configuration

Access Code

Put your Access Code in the node's Properties tab. The Access Code is required for communications with Alexa.

See www.virtualbuttons.com for detailed information how to get your own unique access code.

Virtual Button

The Virtual Button field specifies the button you want to press (1 to 99). You can pass a button number in the msg.payload of the input message, or you can enter it in the node's Properties tab.

A Virtual Button number passed in msg.payload will override any value you set in the node's Properties tab. If both are blank, the virtual button number defaults to 1.

Node Usage

The following flow is a simple example of how to use this node to trigger Alexa Routines.

[{"id":"66f244c7099a0e6d","type":"tab","label":"Alexa Virtual Buttons","disabled":false,"info":"","env":[]},{"id":"f0ecd3914bc2c72d","type":"debug","z":"66f244c7099a0e6d","name":"","active":true,"tosidebar":true,"console":false,"tostatus":false,"complete":"true","targetType":"full","statusVal":"","statusType":"auto","x":490,"y":240,"wires":[]},{"id":"dec0df03465b68bd","type":"inject","z":"66f244c7099a0e6d","name":"","props":[{"p":"payload"},{"p":"accessCode","v":"","vt":"str"}],"repeat":"","crontab":"","once":false,"onceDelay":0.1,"topic":"","payload":"1","payloadType":"num","x":110,"y":200,"wires":[["65df7cd9ef19ed79"]]},{"id":"65df7cd9ef19ed79","type":"virtual-buttons","z":"66f244c7099a0e6d","name":"","virtualButton":"1","x":320,"y":240,"wires":[["f0ecd3914bc2c72d"]]},{"id":"da5a7cb9284a527f","type":"inject","z":"66f244c7099a0e6d","name":"","props":[{"p":"payload"},{"p":"accessCode","v":"","vt":"str"}],"repeat":"","crontab":"","once":false,"onceDelay":0.1,"topic":"","payload":"2","payloadType":"num","x":110,"y":240,"wires":[["65df7cd9ef19ed79"]]},{"id":"af84a37bc216a79d","type":"inject","z":"66f244c7099a0e6d","name":"","props":[{"p":"payload"},{"p":"accessCode","v":"","vt":"str"}],"repeat":"","crontab":"","once":false,"onceDelay":0.1,"topic":"","payload":"99","payloadType":"num","x":110,"y":280,"wires":[["65df7cd9ef19ed79"]]},{"id":"518b685a9932be5b","type":"comment","z":"66f244c7099a0e6d","name":"Enter your Acess Code into the virtual buttons node's Properties tab","info":"","x":280,"y":120,"wires":[]},{"id":"a144ae739a0eabe9","type":"comment","z":"66f244c7099a0e6d","name":"Press the '1' inject button below to trigger the Alexa Routine...","info":"","x":260,"y":160,"wires":[]},{"id":"1786c55597f7cc0c","type":"comment","z":"66f244c7099a0e6d","name":"Prerequisites: (1) Enable the Virtual Buttons Alexa skill; (2) Create an Alexa Routine that is triggered by Virtual Button 01","info":"","x":440,"y":40,"wires":[]},{"id":"162387450f4c3e53","type":"comment","z":"66f244c7099a0e6d","name":"(see www.virtualbuttons.com on how to do the above)","info":"","x":240,"y":80,"wires":[]},{"id":"395688354895724c","type":"comment","z":"66f244c7099a0e6d","name":"*The '2' and '99' buttons will only work if you chose to subscribe to those additional (and optional!) buttons","info":"","x":400,"y":340,"wires":[]}]