setting default device to: ERROR: unknown device dev:

[dhess83]

I'm getting an error message I don't know what to do about. I finally got the script to log in by adding my amazon OTP to my password, but when I try to issue a command:

bash alexa_remote_control.sh -e textcommand:'alexa turn off all hue lights'
setting default device to:
ERROR: unkown device dev:

bash alexa_remote_control.sh -z
setting default device to:

Any help would be greatly appreciated :)

Edit: I learned one of my issues was missing jq. That was fixed by
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install jq

I also realized I needed to specify a -d 'device' or -d ALL. But when I do that, I get ERROR: unknown device dev:Living Room

[Korki67]

Hi dhess83,

I am just another fan of the script here. I think I can help. Please try:

alexa_remote_control.sh -d anydevice -e textcommand:'alexa turn off all hue lights'

You need to select one of your devices which you want to execute the damand.
You get a list of the available devices by:

alexa_remote_control.sh -a

In above command you replace "anydevice" by one of your device names from the list.

Regards,
Horst

[dhess83]

Horst,

Thank you so much for the reply. I actually had to log out, and log back in, with a new OTP, before the script was able to function correctly. I am not sure why, because even before I did this, -a DID show me all my actual devices.

I also learned from elsewhere that I had to append the OTP to my password in order for this to work. I was wondering, how often do you have to deal with logout issues caused by Amazon's 2FA? Will the mypassword+OTP string work indefinetly?

I have been wanting a utility like this for years, and, if this proves to be reliable, I am going to make a guide, and possibly a youtube video to help people install it. I am techy, but not proficient with code\syntax, so getting it to work was quite a challenge- not a whole lot in the way of a guide. But that's okay.

Anyway, thanks to you for responding, and thanks to the author for the script. Have a great weekend

[Korki67]

Hi dhess83,

great. Regarding your question on 2FA:

I am using the REFRESH_TOKEN which seems to work very stable, seems not to cause logouts and appears to be valid "for ever". You find some text on https://github.com/thorsten-gehrig/alexa-remote-control at the bottom of the page. Headline is "New option REFRESH_TOKEN".

You need to download a software for your PC to obtain the token. Then you copy it into the script on any other machine on which you want to run the script. It is a little overhead at the start but works perfectly at least for me.

Regards,
Horst

[adn77]

@dhess83 you should definitely use the new Refresh_Token login since this doesn't leave behind any sensitive login information in the script.
Also, have a look at the updated blog post @Korki67 referred to. It contains some common use examples, you might already be looking for ;)

Alex

[dhess83]

I am going to look into that. Thank you both for being willing to help a n00b. Also, I wanted to say, I was able to re-produce what I assume to be a bug on a different machine. In both cases using WSL2, with Ubuntu. After the successful login, no command will work, only "ERROR: unkown device dev:Kitchen" is returned.

Additionally, the command bash alexa_remote_control.sh -lastalexa

returns null. Now, if I force a logout with -l, and log back in, with a new OTP, the issue goes away, and all commands work. So, for some reason, on both of my machines, this has required two logins. This may be because I'm not yet using Refresh_Token, or maybe it's because I'm using WSL. Not a deal-breaker, just thought it was interesting.

Thanks again for both of your help.

[adn77]

The -l will simply remove all /tmp/.alexa... files.

So if your login was successful on the second try, maybe there was some file in that directory owned by a different user (e.g. root/non-root). Please check the contents of the /tmp dir when your commands are not working.

I ususally develop on WSL2, so that's my common test environment for alexa_remote_control.

[Teddy773011]

for two months I have no longer been able in node-red with alexa-remote app to control and read my paired devices
they are not detected, while the login and cookies are carried out correctly

can someone help me

[Korki67]

Hi Teddy, sorry to hear you are not proceeding. I am sorry to say I lost "overview" over your status. Do you now use the refresh_token? Can you access single Echos and only the paired devices are not working? Does problem only occur with default device or any device? I think your thread here needs a restart. Could you list from scratch what is working (e.g. -a option or use of single=unpaired devices) and list the command lines and the error message if any and the good or bad effect on your echos. Regards, Horst

[Teddy773011]

Hello, I am currently able to log in I can get my alexa docks to talk and see them in the list i can't see the smart devices associated with alexa in node-red (lights, switches etc) single echoes work how can i do a refresch_token, what command should i use in node-red?

[Korki67]

Hi Teddy,

let me first remind that I am just another happy user of this great script here.

To my understanding the smart devices behind = associated with an Alexa are not accessible with the script.

If you want to give a command to a smart device behind an Alexa, you can use routines by -e automation:routine_name or -e textcommand:'phrase you would say to Alexa'. I am using both nicely.

Does this help you to proceed?

Regards,
Horst