Echo Show: anyone writing skills?

[ccchuck]

Would really like my show to show NOAA radar, would be handy on the road, e.g., https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/lite/NCR/GWX_loop.gif.

[bojo2112jon]

***Link Removed***

[RandyWatts]

Thanks for sharing, very informative!

[sonnyw]

There is a skilll for Alexa show....My Radar NOAA Weather Radar. Search for it in skills

[wa8yxm]

MrWizard wrote:
that link doesn't work

try this and click a blue dot

https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/

I do that one every day. Then using the links on the left I can go to the local area and either static or looped

Learned a lot about reading Weather Radar after years of looking at the map and then out the window.

[MrWizard]

I gave my wife an echo show "8" for Xmas

It has web browser browsing built In

No longer need to create an special skill

[flexomob]

I still don't understand why you think that without programming there are only some restrictions on templates. Not always there are some restrictions, much also depends on skills and it isn't necessarily programming

[bwanshoom]

ccchuck wrote:
Would you guess if a skill to show a webpage is possible? I have no background in programing, so I'm at the mercy of whatever gets posted by DIY types. Would appreciate a heads up should you see something that might work for me.

Without programming, you're limited to what's provided by the Skill Blueprints and it doesn't look like they have much functionality. You pick a template and fill in the blanks, basically. So like a quiz show where you provide the questions and answers or a story teller where you provide the story.

Even if you can program, displaying a webpage is probably going to be a challenge in any case. The Show's display capabilities are limited to some predefined templates, as far as I know. In theory, you could probably create an image of what the website display looks like, but I think it would be a lot of effort.

[ccchuck]

bwanshoom wrote:
I've written a couple. It's definitely non-trivial - if you don't have a development/IT background it can be a challenge. It supports any web language and their are frameworks already created for many of them such as Python and Javascript.

However, Amazon recently announced a much easier way to create skills called "Blueprints". I have not looked into this yet, but it seems oriented to pretty basic ask/answer kind of skills.

You need to have a web endpoint to handle the requests, the things the user will ask for. That means running a public web server which is probably beyond casual skill creators. An alternative is to use AWS Lambda.

Would you guess if a skill to show a webpage is possible? I have no background in programing, so I'm at the mercy of whatever gets posted by DIY types. Would appreciate a heads up should you see something that might work for me.

[bwanshoom]

I've written a couple. It's definitely non-trivial - if you don't have a development/IT background it can be a challenge. It supports any web language and their are frameworks already created for many of them such as Python and Javascript.

However, Amazon recently announced a much easier way to create skills called "Blueprints". I have not looked into this yet, but it seems oriented to pretty basic ask/answer kind of skills.

You need to have a web endpoint to handle the requests, the things the user will ask for. That means running a public web server which is probably beyond casual skill creators. An alternative is to use AWS Lambda.

[MrWizard]

i took a quick glance at the tutorial site

the writing AKA 'programing' uses Python

Python is a scripting language i dabbled in a little bit about 6 or 7 years ago
and nothing since then
you have to think in logical progressive steps (like almost all programing)
its not like writing a recipe or directions
i did not dig deep, into the 'skills' writing
but seems more oriented toward controlling home functions, lights etc, via echo controlled modules and fetching info stored for alexa, dates, appointments, music from amazon

than grabbing random webpage data you might want to see

like i said i did not dig deep, and might have the wrong perception

[ccchuck]

I should have been more forthcoming with this posting, while the Echo is becoming a "big" thing with amazon, not everyone is enamored or necessarily aware of the AtoZ folks.
But if you are prime member, the echoes, now with a screen, echo show, are neat.
The apps for them are called skills, and yes you can write your own but so far I have not that successful.

[ccchuck]

TNGW1500SE wrote:

MrWizard wrote:
Alexa skills kit

Learned something new again

Thank you

Don't have Alexa, don't plan on getting one
But ... Nice to keep learning

Hey,,, it's kind of nice to just ask for the weather forecast and set timers for the waffles. I've got mine hooked up to the TV so I can turn it off and on. A bunch of stuff in my house is Alexa controlled now. You just say "Alexa, it's bedtime" and everything gets turned off. I'd almost put one in the car.

:-)) Alexa is fun, maybe intrusive, helplful - we use it a little more everyday.

[ccchuck]

MrWizard wrote:
that link doesn't work

try this and click a blue dot

https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/

Don't copy the period - https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/lite/NCR/GWX_loop.gif.<=======

[TNGW1500SE]

MrWizard wrote:
Alexa skills kit

Learned something new again

Thank you

Don't have Alexa, don't plan on getting one
But ... Nice to keep learning

Hey,,, it's kind of nice to just ask for the weather forecast and set timers for the waffles. I've got mine hooked up to the TV so I can turn it off and on. A bunch of stuff in my house is Alexa controlled now. You just say "Alexa, it's bedtime" and everything gets turned off. I'd almost put one in the car.