CODEWITHSUNDEEP
alexa-skills-kit
Giorgio Robino
Giorgio Robino

Reputation: 2265

Alexa Skill: Invocation name: How to catch the skill STARTING PHRASE?

I'm working on my coming soon music player skill. I'd like to have different behaviour following a different skil linvocation, by example:

1. start immediately the audio streaming:

Play MyMusicSkillName

2. just introduce the skill behaviour with a welcome/help message:

Open MyMusicSkillName

My question is: There is a way to distinguish the invocation VERB, getting the invocation starting phrase (and distinguish in LaunchRequest event)? Any idea?

See documentation: https://developer.amazon.com/docs/custom-skills/understanding-how-users-invoke-custom-skills.html#invoking-a-skill-with-no-specific-request-no-intent

Ask Alexa, Ask Daily Horoscopes

Begin Alexa, Begin Trivia Master

Launch Alexa, Launch Car Fu

Load Alexa, Load Daily Horoscopes

Open Alexa, Open Daily Horoscopes

Play Alexa, Play Trivia Master

Play the game Alexa, Play the game Trivia Master

Resume Alexa, Resume Trivia Master

Run Alexa, Run Daily Horoscopes

Start Alexa, Start Daily Horoscopes

Start playing the game Alexa, Start playing the game Trivia Master

Tell Alexa, Tell Daily Horoscopes

Use Alexa, Use Daily Horoscopes

Upvotes: 1

Views: 1024

Answers (1)

Jay A. Little
Jay A. Little

Reputation: 3287

Unfortunately, the LaunchRequest does not provide any way to differentiate how the user opened your skill.

However, you can differentiate between a new user and a user who has used the skill before by saving something in your database such as a last_played audio. Then when you handle the LaunchRequest, you can check that user's ID in your database and if they have a last_played entry, then automatically continue playing. Or if its a new user, then provide an introduction/welcome message.

Returning users who you think want to hear the introduction message by saying "Open" instead of "Play" probably want to be reminded of what to do or what options the skill has, which you should handle in the HelpIntent anyway. So if your skill auto played for them, they should naturally ask a question of your skill that will launch the HelpIntent.

Upvotes: 3

Related Questions