fauxmo 0.1.0

Emulated Belkin WeMo devices that work with the Amazon Echo

fauxmo
======

Python 3 module that emulates Belkin WeMo devices for use with the
Amazon Echo.

Updates 20151231 by @n8henrie:

- see
`HISTORY.md <https://github.com/n8henrie/fauxmo/blob/master/HISTORY.md>`__
- All credit goes to @makermusings for `the original version of
Fauxmo <https://github.com/makermusings/fauxmo>`__!
- Also thanks to @DoWhileGeek for commits towards python 3
compatibility

Summary
~~~~~~~

The Amazon Echo will allow you to control a limited number of home
automation devices by voice. If you want to control device types that it
doesn't know about, or perform more sophisticated actions, the Echo
doesn't provide any native options. This code emulates the Belkin WeMo
devices in software, allowing you to have it appear that any number of
them are on your network and to link their on and off actions to any
code you want.

Usage
~~~~~

1. ``cp config-sample.json config.json``
2. Edit config.json
3. ``python3 fauxmo.py [-v]``
4. Have the Echo "find connected devices"
5. Test: "Alexa turn on [the kitchen light]"

Currently all the code is in ``fauxmo.py``, but I hope to refactor it
into a module soon. It has an example REST handler class that reacts to
on and off commands using the
`python-requests <http://docs.python-requests.org/en/latest/>`__ library
as well as a handler for the `Home Assistant Python
API <https://home-assistant.io/developers/python_api>`__; these are
examples of a multitude of ways that you could have the Echo trigger an
action.

**Note:** unless you specify port numbers in the creation of your fauxmo
objetcs, your virtual switch devices will use a different port every
time you run fauxmo.py, which will make it hard for the Echo to find
them. So you should plan to either leave the script running for long
periods or choose fixed port numbers.

Once fauxmo.py is running, simply tell your Echo to "find connected
devices" or open a browser to or your mobile device to the `connected
home settings <http://alexa.amazon.com/#settings/connected-home>`__ page
and ``Discover devices``

Reading list:
-------------

- http://www.makermusings.com/2015/07/13/amazon-echo-and-home-automation
- http://www.makermusings.com/2015/07/18/virtual-wemo-code-for-amazon-echo
- http://hackaday.com/2015/07/16/how-to-make-amazon-echo-control-fake-wemo-devices
- https://developer.amazon.com/appsandservices/solutions/alexa/alexa-skills-kit
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Plug_and_Play
- http://www.makermusings.com/2015/07/19/home-automation-with-amazon-echo-apps-part-1
- http://www.makermusings.com/2015/08/22/home-automation-with-amazon-echo-apps-part-2


Changelog
=========

0.1.0 :: 20151231
-----------------

- Continue to convert to python3 code
- Pulled in a few PRs by [@DoWhileGeek](https://github.com/DoWhileGeek)
working towards python3 compatibility and improved devices naming
with dictionary
- Renamed a fair number of classes
- Added kwargs to several class and function calls for clarity
- Renamed several variables for clarity
- Got rid of a few empty methods
- Import devices from ``config.json`` and include a sample
- Support ``POST``, headers, and json data in the RestApiHandler
- Change old debug function to use logging module
- Got rid of some unused dependencies
- Moved license (MIT) info to LICENSE
- Added argparse for future console scripts entry point
- Added Home Assistant API handler class
- Use "string".format() instead of percent
- Lots of other minor refactoring