Alexa Smart Home Skill - Need help to make an http request - node.js

Question

I'm trying to build a home automation system by myself. For this, I use the Blynk server to control my hardware. I can control my hardware by requesting the URL of the blynk server.
For example: When I make a request to https://139.59.206.133/myprivatekey/update/V1?value=1 and update a Virtual Pin to "1" and my light turns on.
I used this to make an Alexa custom skill which is able to turn my light on by making an HTTPS request to the Blynk server. For example when I say "Alexa ask my Room to turn the light on". The custom Skill is working how it should.
But a Custom skill is not really what I was looking for, so I decided to build an Alexa Smart Home Skill. So I set one up and simply tried to make an HTTPS request when "TurnON" or "TurnOFF" is called.
My problem is that every time I try to make an HTTPS request Alexa says that the device is not responding.
I tried a lot of things, but I couldn't solve my problem on my own.
Code:
The Code is from the node.js Alexa Smart Home Example.
exports.handler = function (request, context) {
if (request.directive.header.namespace === 'Alexa.Discovery' && request.directive.header.name === 'Discover') {
log("DEBUG:", "Discover request", JSON.stringify(request));
handleDiscovery(request, context, "");
}
else if (request.directive.header.namespace === 'Alexa.PowerController') {
if (request.directive.header.name === 'TurnOn' || request.directive.header.name === 'TurnOff') {
log("DEBUG:", "TurnOn or TurnOff Request", JSON.stringify(request));
handlePowerControl(request, context);
}
}
function handleDiscovery(request, context) {
var payload = {
"endpoints":
[
{
"endpointId": "demo_id",
"manufacturerName": "Smart Device Company",
"friendlyName": "Zimmerlicht",
"description": "Smart Device Switch",
"displayCategories": ["SWITCH"],
"cookie": {
"key1": "arbitrary key/value pairs for skill to reference this endpoint.",
"key2": "There can be multiple entries",
"key3": "but they should only be used for reference purposes.",
"key4": "This is not a suitable place to maintain current endpoint state."
},
"capabilities":
[
{
"type": "AlexaInterface",
"interface": "Alexa",
"version": "3"
},
{
"interface": "Alexa.PowerController",
"version": "3",
"type": "AlexaInterface",
"properties": {
"supported": [{
"name": "powerState"
}],
"retrievable": true
}
}
]
}
]
};
var header = request.directive.header;
header.name = "Discover.Response";
log("DEBUG", "Discovery Response: ", JSON.stringify({ header: header, payload: payload }));
context.succeed({ event: { header: header, payload: payload } });
}
function log(message, message1, message2) {
console.log(message + message1 + message2);
}
function handlePowerControl(request, context) {
// get device ID passed in during discovery
var requestMethod = request.directive.header.name;
var responseHeader = request.directive.header;
responseHeader.namespace = "Alexa";
responseHeader.name = "Response";
responseHeader.messageId = responseHeader.messageId + "-R";
// get user token pass in request
var requestToken = request.directive.endpoint.scope.token;
var powerResult;
if (requestMethod === "TurnOn") {
const Http = new XMLHttpRequest();
const url='https://139.59.206.133/myprivatekey/update/V1?value=1';
Http.open("GET", url);
Http.send();
// Make the call to your device cloud for control
// powerResult = stubControlFunctionToYourCloud(endpointId, token, request);
powerResult = "ON";
}
else if (requestMethod === "TurnOff") {
var xmlHttp = new XMLHttpRequest();
xmlHttp.open( "GET", 'http://myprivatekey/update/V0?value=0', false ); // false for synchronous request
xmlHttp.send( null );
// Make the call to your device cloud for control and check for success
// powerResult = stubControlFunctionToYourCloud(endpointId, token, request);
powerResult = "OFF";
}
var contextResult = {
"properties": [{
"namespace": "Alexa.PowerController",
"name": "powerState",
"value": powerResult,
"timeOfSample": "2017-09-03T16:20:50.52Z", //retrieve from result.
"uncertaintyInMilliseconds": 50
}]
};
var response = {
context: contextResult,
event: {
header: responseHeader,
endpoint: {
scope: {
type: "BearerToken",
token: requestToken
},
endpointId: "demo_id"
},
payload: {}
}
};
log("DEBUG", "Alexa.PowerController ", JSON.stringify(response));
context.succeed(response);
}
};
My Requests:
if (requestMethod === "TurnOn") {
const Http = new XMLHttpRequest();
const url='https://139.59.206.133/myprivatekey/update/V1?value=1';
Http.open("GET", url);
Http.send();
// Make the call to your device cloud for control
// powerResult = stubControlFunctionToYourCloud(endpointId, token, request);
powerResult = "ON";
}
else if (requestMethod === "TurnOff") {
var xmlHttp = new XMLHttpRequest();
xmlHttp.open( "GET", 'http://myprivatekey/update/V0?value=0', false ); // false for synchronous request
xmlHttp.send( null );
// Make the call to your device cloud for control and check for success
// powerResult = stubControlFunctionToYourCloud(endpointId, token, request);
powerResult = "OFF";
}
Additional Info:
Programming language node.js
account linking, IAM role, and everything to create a smart home skill should be set up right
I am rather new to Alexa Skill building, and I'm also not very good at JavaScript.

Answer 1

If the request went through, I mean your code is being called, and light is being turned on/off, the problem is with the response.
My guess is that you are missing correlation id.
you need to add something like:
responseHeader.correlationToken = request.directive.header.correlationToken;
You should also implement the EndpointHealth: https://developer.amazon.com/en-US/docs/alexa/device-apis/alexa-endpointhealth.html