Echo & Alexa Forums

General Category => Echo Technical Support => Topic started by: DocPaul1 on March 26, 2018, 08:12:40 am

Title: Alexa Echo time delay in Routines
Post by: DocPaul1 on March 26, 2018, 08:12:40 am
Does Alexa routines have a time delay feature in routines ?
I need to have a 10 second time delay feature to control the re-boot of my cable box.
Routine would be :
ALEXA "reboot cable box"
Turn OFF: Sonoff switch
Delay 10 seconds
Turn ON: Sonoff Switch

Any work around for this if no delay timing available ?

Doc.
Title: Re: Alexa Echo time delay in Routines
Post by: jwlv on March 26, 2018, 11:43:55 am
Nope. Routines don't have delays. But it would be nice!
Title: Re: Alexa Echo time delay in Routines
Post by: HomeAuto123 on April 04, 2018, 07:31:14 pm
My Routines keep loosing their actions so its not very stable at the moment no point spending too much time on setting the actions.
To answear your question the functions do not have a time delay but there are work arounds. Will you be scheduleing the re boot of your cable box? If so you can set up a second job 10 seconds later to turn on your sonoff josb. There are more complicated ways that invole writeing Macros and using schedular app. You can google this. Should also be possible using IFTTT.
Thanks
Title: Re: Alexa Echo time delay in Routines
Post by: 32578 on June 11, 2018, 09:33:41 am
I have a workaround for activities controlled through a Harmony Hub; still working on other devices...
Pick an "always on" device within the Harmony app and add a new activity named delay using that device.  Insert a delay step in the activity's default start sequence.  In Alexa routines, insert the delay activity between Harmony actions as needed.  This approach can also be used to avoid automatic Harmony power off commands since going through the delay step allows you to switch between activities rather than ending them.  I used it to create an on/off toggle for picture-in-picture, which Harmony can't do.