Join Custom responses from Alexa!

Hello all! I'm excited to share that there is now a way to create custom responses from Alexa using Node-RED, Join and optionally AutoVoice with Tasker. The beauty behind this method is the node we will be using can also send commands to Alexa without invoking from any device (echo dot, phone or pc). This is where AutoVoice really shines with its Alexa Smart Home feature. So here goes. This assumes node-red is already installed on your PC.

Step 1. Install the Join node for node-red. Great guides: https://joaoapps.com/join/node-red/ and https://notenoughtech.com/home-automation/nodered-home-automation/how-to-use-join-app-in-nodered/

Step 2. Install the Alexa Remote node by going into your Node-RED, clicking menu on the top right then Manage palette then Install tab and look for node-red-contrib-alexa-remote2 and install it.

Step 3. Add an Alexa Routine node, double click the node and set up your Alexa account by clicking the pencil icon next to Account. Here are my settings:

Auth Method: Proxy
This IP: localhost
Port: 3456
File Path: Authfile (This can be a path to a file or simply a filename, be sure to set this so you dont have to re-authorize the Alexa every time you boot node-red)
Refresh:3 days
Auto Int: On
Events: On
Service Host: pitangui.amazon.com (This is for the US only, others will have different settings - https://github.com/586837r/node-red-contrib-alexa-remote2 for more info)

Page: amazon.com (This is for the US only, others will have different settings - https://github.com/586837r/node-red-contrib-alexa-remote2 for more info)

Language: en-US (This is for the english only, others will have different settings - https://github.com/586837r/node-red-contrib-alexa-remote2)

Step 4. Click Add, make sure your newly created account is selected then click done and finally on the top right click where it says deploy.

Step 5. In a new browser tab navigate to the url you see in the node status, mine was http://localhost:3456/

Step 6. Sign in to your Amazon account.

Step 7. Close that tab and go back to the node-RED tab.

Step 8. Click the Alexa node (Routine Speak) making sure your amazon account is selected, then select the device you want Alexa to speak from. Next to the input box that says text there is a little drop down menu, change that to msg. and type in: payload.input

Step 9. Click Done. Now create a Join Recieved Message node

Step 10. Set the command to: alexasay

Step 11. Set the variables to: input

Step 12. Click done

Step 13. Connect the output of the join node to the input of the Alexa routine node

Step 14. Click Deploy

Step 15. Send a join push to your node-RED with the line: alexasay=:=Hello World

Thats it!! Your're Alexa sould say "Hello World" out loud without having to push the button or saying Alexa. The real fun comes into play when you use this along with the Alexa Smarthome node. This node can control/query any device linked to your Alexa meaning Join/Tasker can control ANY smart home device including the AutoVoice smart home devices. This makes for a huge potential of flows and responses.

I may make a video tutorial if this is too hard to follow, in the mean time if you have any questions let me know!