# Alexa Voice Service Client
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**Python Client for Alexa Voice Service (AVS)**
---
## Installation
```sh
pip install alexa_client
```
or if you want to run the demos:
```sh
pip install alexa_client[demo]
```
## Usage
### File audio ###
```py
from alexa_client import AlexaClient
client = AlexaClient(
client_id='my-client-id',
secret='my-secret',
refresh_token='my-refresh-token',
)
client.connect() # authenticate and other handshaking steps
with open('./tests/resources/alexa_what_time_is_it.wav', 'rb') as f:
for i, directive in enumerate(client.send_audio_file(f)):
if directive.name in ['Speak', 'Play']:
with open(f'./output_{i}.mp3', 'wb') as f:
f.write(directive.audio_attachment)
```
Now listen to `output_0.wav` and Alexa should tell you the time.
### Microphone audio
```py
import io
from alexa_client import AlexaClient
import pyaudio
def callback(in_data, frame_count, time_info, status):
buffer.write(in_data)
return (in_data, pyaudio.paContinue)
p = pyaudio.PyAudio()
stream = p.open(
format=pyaudio.paInt16,
channels=1,
rate=16000,
input=True,
stream_callback=callback,
)
client = AlexaClient(
client_id='my-client-id',
secret='my-secret',
refresh_token='my-refresh-token',
)
buffer = io.BytesIO()
try:
stream.start_stream()
print('listening. Press CTRL + C to exit.')
client.connect()
for i, directive in enumerate(client.send_audio_file(buffer)):
if directive.name in ['Speak', 'Play']:
with open(f'./output_{i}.mp3', 'wb') as f:
f.write(directive.audio_attachment)
finally:
stream.stop_stream()
stream.close()
p.terminate()
```
### Multi-step requests
An Alexa command may relate to a previous command e.g,
[you] "Alexa, play twenty questions"
[Alexa] "Is it a animal, mineral, or vegetable?"
[you] "Mineral"
[Alexa] "Is it valuable"
[you] "No"
[Alexa] "is it..."
This can be achieved by passing the same dialog request ID to multiple `send_audio_file` calls:
```py
from alexa_client.alexa_client import helpers
dialog_request_id = helpers.generate_unique_id()
directives_one = client.send_audio_file(audio_one, dialog_request_id=dialog_request_id)
directives_two = client.send_audio_file(audio_two, dialog_request_id=dialog_request_id)
directives_three = client.send_audio_file(audio_three, dialog_request_id=dialog_request_id)
```
Run the streaming microphone audio demo to use this feature:
```sh
pip install alexa_client[demo]
python -m alexa_client.demo.streaming_microphone \
--client-id="{enter-client-id-here}" \
--client-secret="{enter-client-secret-here}" \
--refresh-token="{enter-refresh-token-here}"
```
### ASR Profiles
Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) profiles optimized for user speech from varying distances. By default CLOSE_TALK is used but this can be specified:
```
from alexa_client import constants
client.send_audio_file(
audio_file=audio_file,
distance_profile=constants.NEAR_FIELD, # or constants.FAR_FIELD
)
```
### Audio format
By default PCM audio format is assumed, but OPUS can be specified:
```
from alexa_client import constants
client.send_audio_file(
audio_file=audio_file,
audio_format=constants.OPUS,
)
```
When PCM format is specified the audio should be 16bit Linear PCM (LPCM16), 16kHz sample rate, single-channel, and little endian.
When OPUS forat is specified the audio should be 16bit Opus, 16kHz sample rate, 32k bit rate, and little endian.
### Base URL
`base_url` can be set to improve latency. Choose a region closest to your location.
```
from alexa_client.alexa_client import constants
client = AlexaClient(
client_id='my-client-id',
secret='my-secret',
refresh_token='my-refresh-token',
base_url=constants.BASE_URL_ASIA
)
```
The default base URL is Europe. The available constants are BASE_URL_EUROPE, BASE_URL_ASIA and BASE_URL_NORTH_AMERICA but you can pass any string if required.
[Read more](https://developer.amazon.com/docs/alexa-voice-service/api-overview.html#endpoints)
## Authentication
To use AVS you must first have a [developer account](http://developer.amazon.com). Then register your product [here](https://developer.amazon.com/avs/home.html#/avs/products/new). Choose "Application" under "Is your product an app or a device"?
The client requires your `client_id`, `secret` and `refresh_token`:
| client kwarg | Notes |
| --------------- | ------------------------------------- |
| `client_id` | Retrieve by clicking on the your product listed [here](https://developer.amazon.com/avs/home.html#/avs/home) |
| `secret` | Retrieve by clicking on the your product listed [here](https://developer.amazon.com/avs/home.html#/avs/home) |
| `refresh_token` | You must generate this. [See below](#refresh-token) |
### Refresh token ###
You will need to login to Amazon via a web browser to get your refresh token.
To enable this first go [here](https://developer.amazon.com/avs/home.html#/avs/home) and click on your product to set some security settings under `Security Profile`:
| setting | value |
| ------------------- | --------------------------------|
| Allowed Origins | http://localhost:9000 |
| Allowed Return URLs | http://localhost:9000/callback/ |
Note what you entered for Product ID under Product Information, as this will be used as the device-type-id (case sensitive!)
Then run:
```sh
python -m alexa_client.refreshtoken.serve \
--device-type-id="{enter-device-type-id-here}" \
--client-id="{enter-client-id-here}" \
--client-secret="{enter-client-secret-here}"
```
Follow the on-screen instructions shown at `http://localhost:9000` in your web browser.
On completion Amazon will return your `refresh_token` - which you will require to [send audio](#file-audio) or [recorded voice](#microphone-audio).
## Steaming audio to AVS
`AlexaClient.send_audio_file` streaming uploads a file-like object to AVS for great latency. The file-like object can be an actual file on your filesystem, an in-memory BytesIo buffer containing audio from your microphone, or even audio streaming from [your browser over a websocket in real-time](https://github.com/richtier/alexa-browser-client).
## Persistent AVS connection
Calling `AlexaClient.connect` creates a persistent connection to AVS. A thread runs that pings AVS after 4 minutes of no request being made to AVS. This prevents the connection getting forcefully closed due to inactivity.
## Unit test ##
To run the unit tests, call the following commands:
```sh
git clone git@github.com:richtier/alexa-voice-service-client.git
make test_requirements
pytest
```
## Other projects ##
This library is used by [alexa-browser-client](https://github.com/richtier/alexa-browser-client), which allows you to talk to Alexa from your browser.
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[codecov]: https://codecov.io/gh/richtier/alexa-voice-service-client