Domoticz-Google Plugin

Full version of Google Chromecast & Home Python Plugin for Domoticz home automation

Controls multiple Google Chromecasts and Homes on your network. Tested on Linux only.

Key Features

• Devices are discovered automatically and created in the Devices tab
• Voice notifications can be sent to selected Google triggered by Domoticz notifications
• When network connectivity is lost the Domoticz UI will optionally show the device(s) with Red banner
• Device icons are created in Domoticz
• Domoticz can control the Application selected
• Domoticz can control the Volume including Mute/Unmute
• Domoticz can control the playing media. Play/Pause and skip forward and backwards
• Google devices can be the targets of native Domoticz notifications in two different ways. Notifications are spoken in the language specified in Domoticz:
  • As a normal notification, these are sent to the device identified in the 'Voice Device/Group' hardware parameter
  • From a Domoticz event script targeting a specific device

Installation

Python version 3.7.3 or higher required & a 2019 version of Domoticz (for voice to work). On Python 3.6.x this plugin will crash Domoticz 10-20% of the time when the plugin is stopped or restarted. This appears related to a defect introduced in Python 3.6 that has been reported on the Internet.

To install:

• Go in your Domoticz directory using a command line.
• Run: cd plugins
• Run sudo pip3 install pychromecast should be version 13.0.4 or greater
• Run sudo pip3 install gtts
• Run: git clone https://github.com/dnpwwo/Domoticz-Google-Plugin.git
• Verify that domoticz/plugins contains plugin.py and 2 icon files
• Restart Domoticz.

In the web UI, navigate to the Hardware page. In the hardware dropdown there will be an entry called "Google Devices - Chromecast and Home".

To send voice notifications enter a Google device name in the 'Voice Device/Group' field in the hardware tab, then use the Domoticz standard Notification capability for individual Domoticz devices. Selecting notification target of 'Google_Devices' will cause the notification text to be spoken by the Google device.

Updating

To update:

• Go in your Domoticz directory using a command line and open the plugins directory then the Domoticz-Google-Plugin directory.
• Run: git pull
• Restart Domoticz.

Configuration

Google Chromecast & Home Devices

Nothing !

Domoticz

Field	Information
Preferred Video/Audio Apps	Application to select when scripts request 'Video' or 'Audio' mode
Voice message volume	Volume to play messages (previous level will be restored afterwards)
Voice Device/Group	If specified device (or Audio Group) will receive audible notifications. The is the device's 'friendly name' as seen via the Google Home App. 'Google_Devices' will appear as a notification target when editing any Domoticz device that supports Notifications
Time Out Lost Devices	When true, the devices in Domoitcz will have a red banner when network connectivity is lost
Log to file	When true, messages from Google devices are written to Messages.log in the Plugin's directory
Debug	When true the logging level will be much higher to aid with troubleshooting

Supported Script Commands

Command	Information
On	For 'Volume' Device - Turns mute off, For 'Playing' Device - Resume playback
Set Volume <vol> Set Level <level>	For 'Volume' Device - Sets volume percentage to <vol>, For 'Playing' Device - Sets position in media to <level> percent For Source device - Sets current Window
Play Playing	Resumes playing current media
Pause Paused	Pauses playing current media
Rewind	Sets position in current media back to the start
Stop Stopped	Stops playing current media
Trigger <URL>	Start playing <URL>
Video	Switch device to the selected Video App
Audio	Switch device to the selected Audio App
Quit	Quits the current application on the device
Off	For 'Volume' Device - Turns mute on, For 'Playing' Device - Pause playback
SendNotifiction	Target device speaks the message text e.g. commandArray['Lounge Home'] = "SendNotification Good morning"

Change log

Version	Information
1.13.1	Bugfix: Plugin now waits for voice playback correctly
1.14.7	Bugfix: Long media file now play
1.15.3	Improved logging during mp3 transfer
1.16.13	Bugfix: Handle groups changing 'elected leader'
1.18.13	Revamped device updates + improved debugging
1.18.35	Bugfix: Stopped devices being marked 'Off', fixed Playing slider
1.18.37	Bugfix: Media text not showing correctly
1.19.5	Removed Address & Port parameters because they seemed to confuse people. Now determined internally.
1.22.0	Support newer versions of PyChromeCast where the host is not available
2.0.2	Support newer versions of PyChromeCast (13.0.4) and related imports
2.0.3	Bugfix: Suppress occasional TypeError in UpdatePlaying function
2.0.4	Bugfix: Fix 'Model' errors during initial discovery
2.0.5	Bugfix: Handle more 'None' values