Read calendar and weather forecast to me

I have had a Homey Pro 2023 for just a few days, I’m very excited about the flows, but still an absolute beginner and I’m not really getting any further with using voice commands, despite searching on this and other places.

What I would like to achieve is the following:

When I wake up, I say to the Google Nest Mini on the bedside table, "Hey Google, good morning."
The Philips Hue lights in the 'Living Room' zone turn on. (Philips Hue app is installed, lights are set up and working).
The Google Mini reads my agenda for the day (I have the IcalCalendar app installed).
The Google Mini reads the weather forecast for the day.

I understand that I can create a flow that I can sync with Google and then execute as a routine, but I don’t understand how to create speech output. Nor do I know which app is best to install for the weather forecast. In some flows that I see online, there is a blue icon with two speech balloons and the tag ‘Speech,’ but I can’t find that option when creating a flow.

If someone could help me set up this flow or show me an example flow, I hope it will also make clear how to use speech in the future.

For speech on Google:

App you need: Cast a text to Google App for Homey | Homey works directly (only fill in the card)

Also possible: Google Services App for Homey | Homey but needs setting up.

First one very straightforward. Just a need to add a action card (Then…)

Weather apps: try Homey App Store

Some apps: KNMI (official) or Open weather

But to be honest: all those things you want your Google to say; maybe best way may be use Google routines :thinking: :blush:

But it is fun to play around with Homey.

Anyway: you have to start with Google-routine. You need to add an action (Smart-home devices → Scenes → choose a flow)

Flows you want to add need to be made favorite flow (in Homey) and need to have a start-action.

image

Thanks for your very quick reply, I’ll start experimenting this evening :smiley:
I know I could use Google routines, I might still end up there for some of what I want. But yeah, it is fun to play around in Homey. New toys…

What do you mean by ‘works dire’? Dire as in ‘awful’ or ‘terrible’?

Forgot to end the sentence :blush: works directly I think i wanted to write. Edited the post :slight_smile:

Have fun :+1:

I think in google routines the tags with values aren’t available.
With Homey you can use any variable or tag, their value turns into speech as well:

Screenshot from 2024-06-01 20-24-33

Screenshot from 2024-06-01 20-24-49

But, as always, things can be done in multiple ways


But maybe I misunderstand, but which tags with values you need in Google routine???

A hint to your hint to use routines
:wink:

At the moment, I am indeed using a Google routine, more or less as shown by @Hielke_de_Jong. It works, but I’d like to go ‘native’ and use Homey.

I definitely need to delve more into the available variables.
@Peter_Kawa; how did you manage to get the variables you used? I can include ‘weer’ as a variable, but that’s very limited (‘Het weer is zwaar bewolkt’). I assume your ‘NL omschr.’ is more extensive. And do you have a sensor outside for the ‘Temperature (C)’ or do you get that variable from somewhere else?

Apologies for the many beginner questions and thanks for the help!

Some homework :grin: :grin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmC-a6VIRZY

The pictures show the variables and their value: So ‘zwaar bewolkt’ is the value of ‘NL omschr.’. This value you will get from the weather-app you are using. So it depends on which app you choose what text is available.

Or: https://support.homey.app/hc/en-us/articles/4410240765586-Using-Homey-Logic-in-Flows

Hi Bert-Jan,

Apologies aren’t necessary, we all started with nothing, right?

Indeed, the ¨NL Omschr." tag is from an other program
(there’s several weather apps you can install for extended weather info, like OpenWeather, Buienradar, Buienalarm, KNMI).

But Temperature is provided by the native/onboard/built-in “Weather” (“Weer”) tags.
As you can see, I can select it
Screenshot from 2024-06-02 20-03-29


Homey also provides for a Weather description as you can see (no apps needed):
Screenshot from 2024-06-02 20-09-04

When your Homey’s language is set to Dutch, enter ‘weer’ into the search bar :wink:

Maybe a way is to create a virtual device (Experimental option on HP23 or use an app like Virtual Devices App for Homey | Homey). Sync this virtual device to Google and then create a new routine. This routine only activates the virtual button/device created (off to on). When this is done Homey can take over as @Hielke_de_Jong already explained. You could create an advanced flow with more then 1 Cast cards in it, so specific information can be casted to the Google device as you want. Hopefully this makes any sense

I had to read it a couple of times :blush:

I think you mean to create a starter for the Google-routine? In my experience it is not very easy yo find the correct virtual device which Google accepts in a routine. Also I do not think starting the routine is a problem for @Bert-Jan (?? but might be of course). I would say in this case just use the Goodmorning-routine in Google as starter.

The best starter-action from within Homey for a Google speaker (mini or audio) I could find is the device itself. For playing Spotify (see some other post) I ended up using Put the speaker to mute for a couple of seconds. This then can be used in a starter-action for Google-routine.

Thanks; I did not know :blush:. Any idea on which this info is based?

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AFAIK it’s OpenWeather based, Hielke.
But let’s face it, it’s very basic, a weather app offers so much more.

Sorry, my Dutch is better :yum:
I have a virtual switch created in Homey by using experimental virtual devices in HP23, this switch is available in Google Home. By using the routine starter Goodmorning I let Google switch this device on. After this all other actions can be performed from an (advanced) flow by using the Google Cast app. Ending the flow by turning the virtual switch off again

No need to write sorry; my Dutch is better too :slight_smile:

But you can start a flow from a Google-routine. Any reason you do not use that?

Never tried the experimantal virtual device; will try it :slight_smile:

I’m not using Homey for such a long time and did not know this is possible, so I have to find out how this works. This was the most logical way for me as I can switch something on and react to that within Homey :blush:

I will look into the way Flows are synced to Google, maybe this will work better and easier then my way so thanks for this tip :muscle:

The flow in Homey is ‘scenes’ in Google routines; see screen in post:

The flows you can use need to have a start-card and need they be a ‘favorite’ flow.

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