Windows Quick Start Guide with Script

This guide provides step-by-step instructions to set up the Alexa Voice Service (AVS) Device SDK on 64-bit Windows. When finished, you'll have a working sample app to test interactions with Alexa.

WARNING: This guide doesn't include instructions to enable wake word.

Prerequisites

You must set up MSYS2 (64-bit) and Pacman before the SDK runs on Windows.

1. Download and run the MSYS2 (64-bit) installer. MSYS2 is a software distribution and building platform for Windows. This installs three different shells: MSYS2, MinGW32, and MinGW64. You need to use the MinGW64 shell in the steps below.

2. Update Pacman, the package management system included with MSYS2. The latest version of Pacman is required to build the SDK. Open the MinGW64 shell, and run this command:

   pacman -Syu

3. Finish updating Pacman. Close and reopen MinGW64, and run this command.

   pacman -Su

Download the AVS Device SDK

Open the MinGW64 shell, and run this command to download the Alexa SDK installation and configuration scripts:

wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alexa/avs-device-sdk/master/tools/Install/setup.sh \
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alexa/avs-device-sdk/master/tools/Install/genConfig.sh \
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/alexa/avs-device-sdk/master/tools/Install/mingw.sh

Note: we recommend running these commands from your home directory (C:/msys64/home/<user_name>) or your desktop, however, you can run the script anywhere.

Authorization

Before you can use the AVS Device SDK sample app, you need to link it to your developer account by authorizing it in the Alexa developer portal.

Prerequisites

You must register an AVS Product and Create a Security Profile, if you haven't already.

Note: The product must be enabled for code-based linking.

Set up configuration

1. Move the config.json file that you downloaded when you created your Security Profile to your home directory.

2. Using the MinGW64 shell, run the setup.sh, using config.json and the device serial number (DSN) as arguments. You can either provide your own DSN, or use the system default (123456).

   For example:

   bash setup.sh config.json -s 998987
   

   Note: If you don't supply a DSN, then the default value 123456 will be generated by the SDK.

Finish authorization using Login with Amazon

1. Start the sample app using the startsample.bat file that you downloaded earlier. Note: this script is a batch file, and not a bash script. You can run the script either from the Windows command line, or by using the Windows File Explorer to locate the file and then double-clicking it.

2. Wait for the sample app to display a message like this:

##################################
#       NOT YET AUTHORIZED       #
##################################
################################################################################################
#       To authorize, browse to: 'https://amazon.com/us/code' and enter the code: {XXXX}       #
################################################################################################

3. Use a browser to navigate to the URL specified in the message from the sample app.
4. If requested to do so, authenticate using your Amazon user credentials.
5. Enter the code specified in the message from sample app.
6. Select “Allow”.
7. Wait for the sample app to report that it is authorized, and that Alexa is idle. It will look something like this:

###########################
#       Authorized!       #
###########################
########################################
#       Alexa is currently idle!       #
########################################

8. You are now ready to use the sample app. The next time you start the sample app, you will not need to go through the authorization process.

Note: if you exit out of sample app via the k command, the CBLAuthDelegate database will be cleared, and you will need to reauthorize your client.

Use the sample app

Now that the sample app is running, you can talk to Alexa and try out an interaction.

If you have quit the sample app, start it again by running: `startsample.bat``

Interact with Alexa using tap-to-talk

Press T+Enter, and ask Alexa something.

Note: To interact with the sample app, you might need to connect a microphone to your computer. A standard pair of earbuds with a microphone attached will work.

For example:

User taps-to-talk (T+Enter): "Alexa, what's the weather like?"

Alexa: "Right now in Portland, it's 71 degrees with sun..."

Additional options

Interaction options

Action	Command
Tap to talk	t+Enter, followed by your query (no need to say "Alexa...").
Hold to talk	h+Enter, followed by your query (no need to say "Alexa...").
Simulate button release	h+Enter
Stop an interaction	s+Enter

Playback controls

Action	Command
Play	1
Pause	2
Next	3
Previous	4

Settings

Action	Command
View available settings	c+Enter
Adjust speaker settings	p+Enter
Report firmware version	f+Enter
Help screen	i+Enter
Reset device	k+Enter; this will erase any data stored on the device, and you will have to re-register it. This will also exit the application.
Quit	q+Enter

Optional configurations

To run the sample app manually: Open the MinGW64 shell. Run the following commands:

cd <msys64_installed_path>/alexa_sdk/build/bin
./SampleApp.exe ../Integration/AlexaClientSDKConfig.json DEBUG9

To run the sample app using the Windows command line:

Add <msys64_installed_path>/mingw64/bin into the path.

For this option, use mingw32-make.exe instead of make.

To build the SDK after making custom changes: Open the MinGW64 shell, and run make inside of the the alexa_sdk/build folder.

Common Issues

See the Troubleshooting Guide.

Additional Resources

• Cmake parameters
• Unit and Integration Tests
• Updating the SDK