Author Topic: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time  (Read 4944 times)

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Toughspot

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Good morning all,

I've installed Kodi and iTunes but can't get voxcommand to carry out my simple requests, such as:

1. browse movies
2. play <Artist>
3. Go home

Any help would be appreciated.  Log file attached.

jitterjames

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #1 on: April 11, 2017, 10:18:28 AM »
Based on your log you are using VoxCommando with a more or less blank configuration.

VoxCommando does not "auto-magically" work with any and all programs and services without configuration.  You need to create or import commands and configure some things in order for it to work.

I strongly recommend that you familiarize yourself with the program a little bit and this page in the wiki is a good place to start:
http://voxcommando.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=How_to_use_VoxCommando

When you first installed VoxCommando you were asked to select a configuration.  At this point you could have chosen from about 15 different English configurations which included some for Kodi and iTunes.

Here is the main page covering installation in general: http://voxcommando.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=Installation

From that page you'll be able to find specific pages like these:

Kodi: http://voxcommando.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=Installation_Kodi
iTunes: http://voxcommando.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=Installation_iTunes

You best bet is to start over with a clean install and select a Kodi configuration (follow ALL the instructions linked to above), then enable the TCP plugin and import the XML commands for the Echo.

You can combine multiple configurations or create your own commands of course but since you are a new user and since Kodi allows you to play music, I suggest you forget about iTunes until you are a bit more familiar with VoxCommando.  In any case, here is a guide to combining multiple configurations:


Toughspot

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #2 on: April 11, 2017, 11:05:41 AM »
Thank you much.... I see you could tell I am a newbie to VC

Toughspot

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #3 on: April 11, 2017, 01:08:59 PM »
Does the XML command for the Echo need to be attached to every command in each group?

nime5ter

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #4 on: April 11, 2017, 01:50:33 PM »
No. You just need to place that command in an always enabled command group, such as the core VoxCommands command group.

And the TCP plugin's simple web server needs to be enabled for this command to work.

Here's what is happening:

When you use the Amazon Echo as a microphone, you are using a workaround rather than the standard method of issuing voice commands in VC.

Typically, in VoxCommando we use Microsoft's speech recognition engine to interpret audio directly from a microphone input.

When you use the Echo, you are instead using Amazon's speech recognition, and then you're sending your voice command as a text string to VoxCommando via an http get request.

Two Echo to VC solutions have been shared on the forum. If you're still using the first one, then the http request you're sending to Vox is generating an event called "EchoToVC", which includes two payload values. The first payload is the command, as text.

The command XML in question is triggered by that EchoToVC event.

When this command is triggered, it uses a built-in VC action that emulates the act of giving a voice command.

That action is VC.TellVox.

If you double-click on that command in the command tree you can see that line.

In other words, every time you tell Alexa to send a command to VoxCommando, Amazon is sending a text string, and then VoxCommando tries to match that string against a voice command in your command tree.

The problem with this method is that if Amazon's interpreted text is spelled differently than what VoxCommando is expecting, the command will not execute in VC.

This is not an issue when we use a normal microphone input with VC.
« Last Edit: April 11, 2017, 01:58:28 PM by nime5ter »
TIPS: POST VC VERSION #. Explain what you want VC to do. Say what you've tried & what happened, or post a video demo. Attach VC log. Link to instructions followed.  Post your command (xml)

Toughspot

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #5 on: April 11, 2017, 02:15:13 PM »
Aaaahhhhhh

Thank much

By the way, I'm asking because only one or two of the commands are being carried out such as

Alexa tell Jarvis to open Kodi
« Last Edit: April 11, 2017, 02:17:51 PM by Toughspot »

nime5ter

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #6 on: April 11, 2017, 04:07:19 PM »
We'd have to see your log again to understand why the majority of commands are not being executed, but the main possibilities are:

1) You have not yet properly configured Kodi and VoxCommando per the installation instructions, or

2) Alexa is spelling the commands differently from how the commands are actually written.

Honestly, it would be much better to first set up, test, and learn to use VoxCommando with a proper microphone input.

After that point one can add Alexa to the equation. Trying to do everything at once--as a new user especially--is introducing a lot of variables simultaneously.
TIPS: POST VC VERSION #. Explain what you want VC to do. Say what you've tried & what happened, or post a video demo. Attach VC log. Link to instructions followed.  Post your command (xml)

Toughspot

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #7 on: April 11, 2017, 05:42:59 PM »
Okay...  I'll give that a shot.

One last question if a perform a search in Amazon using the following command:

"https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords={1}"

What command can I use to ask VC to go to next page when there are multiple pages of the results

I found out that none of my XJson commands are working.  Not even in VOX using the "save and execute commands"  Where can I look to rectify this problem please?
« Last Edit: April 11, 2017, 05:57:04 PM by Toughspot »

nime5ter

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #8 on: April 11, 2017, 06:40:38 PM »
Okay...  I'll give that a shot.

One last question if a perform a search in Amazon using the following command:

"https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords={1}"

What command can I use to ask VC to go to next page when there are multiple pages of the results

It depends what you mean. What you've shared is not a command, it's just a URL. How are you issuing the command?

Quote
I found out that none of my XJson commands are working.  Not even in VOX using the "save and execute commands"  Where can I look to rectify this problem please?

This suggests that part of the general problem you're having is that not all the steps have been followed in configuring Kodi to communicate with VC, and configuring VoxCommando to work with Kodi, as per the instructions at the link James provided above: http://voxcommando.com/mediawiki/index.php?title=Installation_Kodi

Problem solving in VC almost always involves enabling the history window in VoxCommando to see what VC is doing when you try to execute commands. Orange lines in the history window are errors. Rolling over those lines usually provides more information about the error.

Even with "save and execute", if a command takes some kind of payload value, you'll need to provide the appropriate payload for the command to work. All xJson commands require that the xJson plugin is enabled and configured correctly.

... There are many possible culprits.
TIPS: POST VC VERSION #. Explain what you want VC to do. Say what you've tried & what happened, or post a video demo. Attach VC log. Link to instructions followed.  Post your command (xml)

Toughspot

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #9 on: April 11, 2017, 07:06:27 PM »
Thanks bud....

Most appreciated

Toughspot

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #10 on: April 11, 2017, 09:57:44 PM »
If you guys help me solve this problem I promise never to bother you again.

For some reason whenever VC and Kodi are on the same port (8080) VC locks up and says this program must be closed.... WTH??

Furthermore, no matter what I do I can't get JSON TEST CONNECTION to pass....  I'm sure everything is correct

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
« Last Edit: April 11, 2017, 10:04:11 PM by Toughspot »

jitterjames

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #11 on: April 11, 2017, 10:20:30 PM »
You are using port 8080 for Kodi's web server?

Please send us an image of your settings for each of the following plugins in VoxCommando:

- xJson

- TCP

You say that VC freezes and throws an error but when exactly does that happen?  Is it when you click a particular button etc.?  Please try to walk us through the sequence of events of what you are doing and what happens as a result.

Toughspot

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #12 on: April 11, 2017, 10:39:48 PM »
As long as Kodi and VC has the same ports (8080) or any other port for that matter, when I click "saving setting" in TCP everything freezes then the error comes up and VC closes.

I tried fresh install of both VC and Kodi but issue still persists.  I even restored my PC to an earlier time and I still have the problem.
« Last Edit: April 11, 2017, 10:58:04 PM by Toughspot »

jitterjames

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #13 on: April 11, 2017, 11:01:44 PM »
It is difficult to read those images because they are very small.

You did not post an image of the TCP plugin but it sounds like you are trying to use the same port in the TCP plugin as the port that you are using in Kodi which you cannot do.  Only one program on a machine can receive connections on a particular port at the same time.  If Kodi already has the port open then VoxCommando will not be able to open it.

You need to set the port in the xJson plugin to match the port in Kodi.  This is because xJson is sending commands to Kodi on that port.  But the port you use in TCP must be different from the one used by Kodi and must not  be a port that is in use by any other program on your system.

The port you use in the Alexa skill must match the port that you use in the TCP plugin.

FYI I am going to sleep now so if you still need help I will respond in the morning.

Toughspot

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #14 on: April 11, 2017, 11:04:34 PM »
Thanks bud. I'll see how it goes.

Toughspot

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #15 on: April 12, 2017, 10:20:05 AM »
Good morning,

Can someone please tell me where I'm going wrong.  I got a "Success! Received Response from XBMC" telling me that my port is configured correctly but yet JSON won't connect.  I also noticed a "SR Engine Fail" in History. I've attached photos and the log.
« Last Edit: April 12, 2017, 10:53:27 AM by Toughspot »

jitterjames

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #16 on: April 12, 2017, 10:59:57 AM »
Your images are sideways and too small to read.  Please use the Windows snipping tool, or another program like snagit to upload images I can actually see.

I don't know what you mean by "yet JSON won't connect".  Maybe if I could see the images I would understand, but maybe it's not really an issue.

Also you've uploaded multiple images of the same windows but with what appears to be different settings, so it's impossible for us to know what actual settings you are currently using.
« Last Edit: April 12, 2017, 11:02:42 AM by jitterjames »

nime5ter

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #17 on: April 12, 2017, 11:03:10 AM »
It's a bit of a challenge for us to help for the following reasons:

1. The photos you're posting are very low resolution, which makes it difficult for us to see your port settings. In the future, can you please use something like the built-in Windows snipping tool (screen capture)?
https://support.microsoft.com/en-ca/help/13776/windows-use-snipping-tool-to-capture-screenshots

2. The log indicates that VC is trying to connect to Kodi on port 9090, and being refused. The one photo of the xJson plugin where the port field is legible says 8080.

a. Do you have the HTTP port set to 9090 or to 8080 in the xJson plugin?
b. Is Kodi open when you try to test the connection?

In brief:
a. Kodi needs to be running in order for VC to connect to it. You'll get a timeout error if Kodi is not running.

b. The HTTP port in the xJson plugin needs to match the port you set in Kodi's web server settings (e.g., 8080, assuming you're not already using that port for other services on this machine). Your log is indicating that you're trying to connect to Kodi via port 9090. That is not advisable, as Kodi uses this port for other purposes, but I don't actually know what problems might result.

c. Once you've tested the connection in the xJson plugin and it is working, be sure to *save* your plugin settings by clicking the Save Options button.

d. The TCP plugin has nothing to do with your communication with Kodi, except insofar as the port you are using to communicate with Alexa must be different from the one you're using to communicate with Kodi. In the photos you posted, in one photo it looks like you might have the TCP port set to 8080, but in another it looks like 8096. Which are you using?

8096 for the TCP plugin/Amazon, and 8080 for xJson/Kodi would be good.

EDIT: I may be misinterpreting the log. Kodi sends its notifications on 9090, and that could be what the log is indicating. So ignore my comments about port 9090 if you haven't done anything with that port yourself.




« Last Edit: May 12, 2017, 04:04:48 PM by nime5ter »
TIPS: POST VC VERSION #. Explain what you want VC to do. Say what you've tried & what happened, or post a video demo. Attach VC log. Link to instructions followed.  Post your command (xml)

Toughspot

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #18 on: April 12, 2017, 11:27:11 AM »
Okay guys.  First of want want to thank you all for your patience.  You both are better men that me because I have an unlimited amount of patience, my problem is that I lose it so quickly... Hehehehe

Below are the photos with another copy of the log.  The name of the file describes the caption.
« Last Edit: April 12, 2017, 11:31:44 AM by Toughspot »

Toughspot

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #19 on: April 12, 2017, 11:32:59 AM »
Kodi port Config

Note the event XJSON CAN'T CONNECT
« Last Edit: April 12, 2017, 11:59:37 AM by Toughspot »

nime5ter

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #20 on: April 12, 2017, 11:47:12 AM »
OK. First, I see that I confused you with my comment about port 9090. My apologies. You should not have changed the "subscribe to notifications" port at the bottom of the xJson window. That should stay at 9090. That is a different thing. I misread the log, and because we couldn't read the initial screen images I was concerned that you'd set the web server port to 9090 as well.

After you've fixed this and again saved your xJson plugin settings:

1. Close both programs. Then open Kodi, then open VoxCommando.
2. Try some of those browse Kodi commands again.

If they still don't work, James can help you via TeamViewer. You can send him a PM.

- Naomi
TIPS: POST VC VERSION #. Explain what you want VC to do. Say what you've tried & what happened, or post a video demo. Attach VC log. Link to instructions followed.  Post your command (xml)

Toughspot

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #21 on: April 12, 2017, 12:05:58 PM »
Still didn't work.  In fact when I use browse commands it "LOCKS" up Kodi and I have to Ctrl-Alt-Delete to close it.  I'll pm James now.

Thanks

Toughspot

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #22 on: April 12, 2017, 01:36:09 PM »
My most sincere appreciation to James for his invaluable assistance; you too Naomi... :-)

Question... Should I be concerned about these two errors??

1. XJason.Connect
2.Failed to Start RS Engine
« Last Edit: April 12, 2017, 01:44:40 PM by Toughspot »

jitterjames

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #23 on: April 12, 2017, 02:31:15 PM »
Spelling mistakes notwithstanding, probably not.

The SR error is only an issue if you are trying to use a normal microphone and it stops working. This is a bug I will address in the next release related to emulated recognition like when we send text from Alexa but should not affect you unless you are switching back and forth between your echo and a normal microphone.

The xJson connect error is probably the notification system trying to connect when it is already connected. As long as you are seeing events from Kodi (like when media starts or stops) then it is working correctly.  It just tried to connect every time Kodi is focused in case it got disconnected for some reason like if you had closed and then reopened Kodi.
« Last Edit: April 12, 2017, 02:46:12 PM by jitterjames »

Toughspot

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #24 on: April 12, 2017, 04:36:57 PM »
I'm having issues opening Kodi.  Any anyideas please?  Attached is a log and photo.

jitterjames

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #25 on: April 12, 2017, 04:42:47 PM »
That means there is no such voice command as "open kodi".

Look at the phrases in the command editor or use "show help" to see what the valid voice commands are.

Toughspot

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #26 on: April 12, 2017, 04:54:25 PM »
Thank you sir.....

PegLegTV

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #27 on: August 05, 2017, 04:46:36 PM »
just a heads up I noticed last night that I'm seeing "Failed to start SR engine!" when using autovoice as my mic, I'm running 2.2.3.8

jitterjames

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #28 on: August 05, 2017, 05:02:35 PM »
just a heads up I noticed last night that I'm seeing "Failed to start SR engine!" when using autovoice as my mic, I'm running 2.2.3.8

Autovoice is not really being used "as your mic".  It is sending speech to VC as text and then VC is doing emulation on that text.

So this error is probably not an issue and may be the result of you not having an active microphone in Windows.  If you do not have a microphone then VC cannot start the engine.  When performing emulation it will disable the recognizer and then re-enable it in emulation mode, then disable that engine and try to reenable the regular SR engine using your real microphone.  The fact that an error is thrown whenever it tries to enable the regular mode engine should not be an issue as far as I know.

As long as it works then don't worry about the error.

PegLegTV

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #29 on: August 05, 2017, 06:10:24 PM »
I wasn't to worried, I figured it was doing emulation with the text, I just thought I would let you know the error is still happening since you said:

Quote
The SR error is only an issue if you are trying to use a normal microphone and it stops working. This is a bug I will address in the next release related to emulated recognition like when we send text from Alexa but should not affect you unless you are switching back and forth between your echo and a normal microphone.
(further up in this thread)

wasn't sure if you had addressed it yet so I thought I would let you know that it was still showing up.

jitterjames

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #30 on: August 05, 2017, 06:16:40 PM »
If you have a working microphone and you get this error then it is still a bug that needs to be fixed.

If you have no microphone attached and you get this error then there is no bug.  It is correctly reporting that it can't start the SR engine because you have no microphone available to use for SR.

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Re: New user needs help setting up VoxCommando for the first time
« Reply #31 on: August 05, 2017, 06:18:51 PM »
 :bonk now I get it