[Bug]: Event not firing, no reaction on Echo BUT can reach skill via invocation name and Alexa routine

[rhmunich]

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What happened?

I set up the Alexa Actions skill multiple times following exactly the installation instructions on Github but keep having the following issue:

The problem is that there is no reaction from the specified Alexa device when using the script.activate_alexa_actionable_notification (i.e. no announcement on my Echo Dot and also no activity in the developer tools listening to the event alexa_actionable_notifications). I tried with several echo devices but no success. (They are all just Echo Dots 2nd and 3rd Generation but hopefully this should not be the issue.)

I am using the following:

service: script.activate_alexa_actionable_notification
data:
  text: Yes or No?
  event_id: alexa_actionable_notification_test
  alexa_device: media_player.echo_dot_kuche_2_generation_weiss
  suppress_confirmation: true

BUT: I can successfully test the skill both …

1. … in the Alexa Simulator in the Developer Console, open the skill with its invocation name and it gives me the correct phrase.
2. … via an Echo by asking “Alexa, open [invocation name]”. Then, the Echo asks me exactly the text which I previously (unsuccessfully) tried to use via the script. I can also follow the response in the developer tools, listening to the event alexa_actionable_notifications.

Example:

event_type: alexa_actionable_notification
data:
  event_id: alexa_actionable_notification_test
  event_response: ResponseYes
  event_response_type: ResponseYes
origin: REMOTE
time_fired: "2023-12-03T19:13:24.452586+00:00"
context:
  id: 01HGRHK0F44CTJK0P8BQ5VMN1G
  parent_id: null
  user_id: 221efa77d2fd46ffad12ceafac762ee1

My current workaround is the following:

• I set up a routine in the Alexa app which says to Alexa the phrase “open [invocation name]” and thus starts the skill.
• Whenever I want to use Alexa Actions, I first activate script.activate_alexa_actionable_notification to send the text to the skill (but nothing happens). Afterwards, I delay for a few seconds and then start the Alexa routine above via HA. This way, I get the correct event_response with which I can proceed with my automations.

This works but it is of course just a mere workaround and also delays the whole action until Alexa finally asks the respective question.

Setup:

• latest version of Alexa Actions: v0.10.1
• I imported the skill from the Github repository https://github.com/keatontaylor/alexa-actions.git
• connected via NabuCasa
• language: German
• hosting region: EU (Ireland)
• use of a long lived token
• In the Alexa Developer Console, via Test Development the skill can be reached and gives the correct response phrase.
• The skill is listed in the Alexa app.
• I am using multiple Echo Dots (“just” 2nd and 3rd generation devices but I doubt that this is the issue) and of course the volume is up. The issue is the same with all of the devices.
• latest version of Alexa Media Player v4.8.0 installed
• I can make announcements on any of my echos via the notify service.

service: notify.alexa_media
data:
  data:
    type: tts
  message: "text to speech working "
  target:
    - media_player.echo_dot_kuche_2_generation_weiss

Version

v0.10.1

What Alexa device are you using?

Echo

What other Alexa device are you using?

Echo Dot 2nd and 3rd generation

Relevant log output

No response

[DEADSEC-SECURITY]

I need logs. Activate debug mode on the skill, try again and send me the logs.

[rhmunich]

I sent you a logfile via email. Let me know whether you received it and what exactly you need. Happy to assist!

[DEADSEC-SECURITY]

You can paste the logs here. It doesnt include any sensitive data, plus I didn't receive anything

[rhmunich]

I must admit that I am not really familiar with bug reporting and would appreciate your guidance in what exactly you need.

In a first step I did the following to get the attached log file from HomeAssistant:

1. activated bug reporting of Alexa Media Player integration (as the problem might also be with Alexa Media Player?)
2. started File Editor
3. triggered my script.activate_alexa_actionable_notification
4. triggered my script to start the Alexa routine which triggers the Actionable Notification skill

Let me know what exactly you need and how I get it. Log Alexa Actionable Notifications.txt

[DEADSEC-SECURITY]

Guys try the new version of the program

[rhmunich]

Thanks for updating to the new version. What do I need to do to get the new version? Do I have to set up the Alexa skill from scratch or which parts of the existing skill do I need to update/change?

[DEADSEC-SECURITY]

You can just copy the new code. But i would recommend remaking the skill to avoid issues if you dont exactly know what your doing.

[rhmunich]

I rebuild the skill from scratch. However, it does not help. The problem described above persists and I can only use my "workaround". Would highly appreciate your further support. Happy to assist with any logs if you tell me what you need and how I retrieve them.

[github-actions[bot]]

Stale issue message

[rhmunich]

Issue still existing

[marchett0]

I had an older (lambda.py v 0.8) installation of the skill, which was working perfectly. Only last_alexa wasn't updating. Then I upgraded to the latest version and it stopped working. The message when activating the skill is "A problem occurred with the requested Skill response" log cloudwatch.txt erro chamada skill.txt I tried to include the ask-sdk-core~=2.0.0 option in the requirement file but it didn't work and the error continues.

[danielbrunt57]

I had an older (lambda.py v 0.8) installation of the skill, which was working perfectly. Only last_alexa wasn't updating. Then I upgraded to the latest version and it stopped working. The message when activating the skill is "A problem occurred with the requested Skill response" log cloudwatch.txt erro chamada skill.txt I tried to include the ask-sdk-core~=2.0.0 option in the requirement file but it didn't work and the error continues.

An issue appears to have developed within the last week regarding ask_sdk_core (since March 18th when I last successfully built/deployed the skill). When trying to do it now, the lambda code can't find that library.

[DEADSEC-SECURITY]

Ill have to add that as part of the skill package now cuz apparently they removed it from the runtime which doesn't make sense.

[DEADSEC-SECURITY]

According to this https://developer.amazon.com/en-US/docs/alexa/alexa-skills-kit-sdk-for-python/set-up-the-sdk.html we need to add the sdk to the zip so I've added to requirements.txt and I'm releasing a new version that will generate a zip file for you guys to update