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[Idea / Urgent request] Controlling pre-programmed sentences

YellowYellow Member
edited April 2017 in Ideas & Suggestions
Dear Athom,

Homey is getting more mature and more "out-of-the-box" useable. I think this is a great approvement since the beginning of Homey. I applaud you and your efforts.
While this is great for the main stream user, this could be a problem for the tweaker or more advanced user (me). In fact it could be the end of an unique selling point: Making your own flows, including your own trigger sentences (Or as you state on the website: "Using these building blocks there are an infinite number of possibilities, so everyone can make their home do what they want").

I would like to point out the following problem:
The adding of pre-programmed sentences limits the use of universal generic sentences to be used in personalised flows.
Examples of pre-programmed sentences: I am home, lights off in room X, start music, sleep well. 

I would like you to come up with an solution for the growing number of pre-programmed sentences in Homey and Homey apps.
While I understand that these sentences are neccesary for the starter and "out-of-the-box" users, these sentences are killing the usability of custom triggers.

My request for change:
The ability to turn off pre-programmed sentences in the control panel. For example:
Trigger                                Status
"Lights of in room X"         on | off
"I am home"                       on | off


Two examples of the annoying side effects of the pre-programmed sentences: 
Note: The sentences are translated from Dutch. So it can differ in English.

Trigger: "Lights off in the living room"
My programmed output: "Lights off in the living room". Lights dim. Timer 60 sec: Lights out.
The result because of the pre-programmed sentence: "All lights off in the living room." Lights instantantly go off
My frustration: I would like some time to get out of the room and not go complete darkness.

Trigger: "I am home."
My programmed output: "Welcome home, it is <temp living room> degrees."
The result because of the pre-programmed sentence: "Welcome <My name>, good to see you again! Welcome home, it is <temp living room> degrees."
My frustration: It adds an extra sentence which can not be changed and it uses only my name, while my gf uses it as well.

These are just two examples, but the numbers increase with every update of Homey and Homey apps.


What do you (other users and Athom) think about this proposal?

Edit:
- Minor changes
- Update: Issue is also mentioned on Github: https://github.com/athombv/homey/issues/1489 by mwandzik and https://github.com/athombv/homey/issues/1048 byjjtbsomhorst. 
Most important is the option to control the pre-programmed sentences.

Comments

  • I know this is not the answer you want to hear,  but why not change your personal sentences to something less simular?
  • This would only be a workaround:
    1. With every update or added pre-programmed sentence (Homey & apps) I have to change my personalised flows.
    2. I want to use the most logical sentences: I am not the only user and I don't want to say something else than "Goodmorning" to let Homey know that I woke up (otherwise I have to remember the "unusual" trigger sentence every morning).
  • Priknr1 said:
    I know this is not the answer you want to hear,  but why not change your personal sentences to something less simular?
    I think this is not the right answer. It's not the first time that I have to change things because of an update.
  • Amen.. Would like to turn the pre-programmed speech commands off aswell!
  • Is there a list of all pre-programmed sentences? Also bugging me.
  • JPe said:
    This is list is not fully updated. Examples of other sentences:
    "I am home"
    "I am going to sleep"
    "I am awake"
    "I am back"

    And of course: this is list is only the standard Homey sentences. The pre-programmed sentences for Apps are not included, like:
    "What will the weather be like" (multiple apps)
    "Roll down the shutters"
    "Is it raining"

  • Did you request support@athom.com to include an option in the voice menu to enable/disable preset voice commands? Indeed opens new possibilities
  • The first request is made in November 2016: https://github.com/athombv/homey/issues/1048
    As you can see on the comments on Git the issue became more urgent since Homey version 1.2.
  • WRosWRos Member
    I can't turn the lights in the Woonkamer off because the window screens and the radiator valve are related to the Woonkamer to. 

  • dvk8dvk8 Member
    I would also like to see an option to disable some pre-programmed speech commands. 

    I always had aflow with the command: "Doe het licht uit" which would turn off all lights. 

    It still does that, but now it asks: Do you really want to turn of the lights? and then it turns them off anyway because it also trigger my flow, but homey stays in a listening state for some seconds because it is waiting for me to say yes or no. 

    I tried replacing the word "licht"(light) with "lampen" (lamps) but it still triggers the pre-programmed flow. Really annoying
  • We talked about this at the meetup last saturday @ Athom HQ but they don't have it on the roadmap soon because it's all off or all on otherwise they support will get a lot of messages about that things are wrong and it would be harder to find the problem when users can disable one or multiple triggers that are defined by Athom. They said to look into it but don't expect this soon. 
  • anneanne Member
    However, they will add a function that will warn you when the text you enter in a 'something is said' triggercard overlaps with a pre-defined speech command. I think they said it would be in the next release (1.3). 

  • hansjehansje Member
    How difficult can it be to have a list of the predefined sentences in the pc application with the ability to switch them and/or alter them. Especialy the long sentence "I'm sorry, but I am not sure what you would like me to do" is really annoying because it is way to long (funny three times) and I hear it so often... Just "No comprendo" or "Don't understand" is sufficient for me.
  • casedacaseda Member
    how difficult? putting in the code isn't that hard, but now put yourself in the shoes of the support people, when users can individually choose everything to be disabled.

    Then something goes wrong, user accidentally disables an option they didn't want, but didn't notice they did it, so the user knocks on the door of athom, since it is not working (anymore).
    Athom then needs to go down a list of 50+ questions just to know that users situation (they can't see your current state of your homey... its called privacy :wink: )
    and after all those questions and half an hour (or maybe more since response time is dependable on both parties) of time, they came to the conclusion that is was just 1 checkbox unchecked in the settings.
    If it just 1 user... then ok, but athom/homey is getting more and more users, if 10 people have a similar issue everyday, it adds up quick.
  • Well.. I agree it's a bit too much to uncheck every sentence but there should be a checkbox under stuff for geeks: Disable pre-programmed commands.

    It get's very annoying now
  • caseda said:
    how difficult? putting in the code isn't that hard, but now put yourself in the shoes of the support people, when users can individually choose everything to be disabled.

    Hmm.. Like said above, just put it under Stuff for geeks and add a confirmation window with a warning. Just like resetting the z-wave network. Haven't heard people who accidentally did that.. ;)
  • What about just having a single checkbox to disable all or none standard triggers.. 
  • I'm also wondering if there is any logic in the processing of speech to check which of the app-commands suits the request the best. I guess not since this morning I was asking Homey what my next appointment was (which is a command the 'iCalendar to Voice'-app should understand) and Homey responded that it couldn't start the next song.

    So I guess Homey found the word 'next' in the sentence and decided it was about playing music, while there is an app which also knows the word 'next' AND other words in the sentence (like 'appointment').
  • What about just having a single checkbox to disable all or none standard triggers.. 

    Second this. Athom please comment
  • Hi, I will ask the developers to take a closer look at this issue!
  • Individual selection would be the best option of course, but I'd be very happy with just an all on/off checkbox! :)
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