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Guides

Troubleshooting (FAQ)

Learn how to fix issues yourself!

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5 minute read

If the software or an action doesn't work; try go through this troubleshooting guide, and hopefully fix your problem!

ACC is short for AssistantComputerControl

This guide will present cases of problems, and then a list of possible solutions for it - before you start going through this, try and restart your computer or just closing and opening the ACC software - 90% of the time this solves the issue!

Cases

  • Assistant (Alexa or Google Assistant) doesn't understand what I'm saying

    • Problem: (example) My Google Assistant/Alexa doesn't understand any of the triggers (what I am saying). (No matter if the ACC software works or not, IFTTT should still respond.)
    • Solutions:
      1. Make sure that you have applets enabled on the account that is linked to your assistant. ACC doesn't actually have anything to do with your assistant, so this issue is on IFTTT or your assistant servie
      • If you're using Alexa: IFTTT requires you to say Alexa, trigger x before the actual trigger. So if you want to do the shutdown action, the words would be; Alexa, trigger shutdown my computer
      • If you're using Google Assistant: if your Google Assistant device (whether it's your phone or a physical product) might be set to a different language than the one your IFTTT applet is set to. If your applet language is set to "English" but the only language you have enabled on your Google Assistant account is "Italian", your Google Assistant wouldn't understand the english phrase. You can tell that this is the problem if the command you say is in a different language than the response you get (for example if I say an English phrase to my assistant, and it responds that it doesn't understand, but in Italian)
    • Check the status of IFTTT - if they're currently experiencing issues, try and wait

  • Nothing happens on the computer

    • Problem: The assistant responds, but nothing happens on my computer.
    • Solutions:
      1. If you use Amazon Alexa, IFTTT doesn't officially support other languages than English for Alexa, so if you're not speaking english to your Amazon Alexa; try in english
      • Your cloud service (Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive) has to be installed and running on your PC at all times - if it's closed, make sure to open it
      • Cloud service should be fully synced! If (for example) Dropbox is syncing x-hundred amounts of files, give your cloud service some time to fully sync all the files to your computer
      • Try and go through the setup guide within the software again (right-click the ACC icon > settings > do setup guide again)
      • Check your IFTTT activity page. If it says "Applet failed", something is wrong on IFTTT's end. This can sometimes be resolved by disconnecting your assistant and cloud service account, and reconnecting it. Check the "Fixing IFTTT errors" guide
      • Try and clear your action folder (which is located at Cloudservice/AssistantComputerControl, for example C:/Dropbox/AssistantComputerControl). The folder should be completely empty.
      • Check the status of IFTTT - if they're currently experiencing issues, try and wait
      • Check that the action folder is correct; right-click the ACC icon in the tray, go to settings, advanced settings and check the "Action folder path" is path_to_your_cloud_service/AssistantComputerControl (Scroll to 'Still not solved')
      • Make sure the account your cloud service is logged into on your PC is the same account as the one linked to your IFTTT account (refer to the "Check cloud service connection" section of the "Fixing IFTTT errors" guide)
      • Go to the web-version of your cloud service in your browser, and see if the files appear there. If they do, but don't appear on your PC, delete the ACC cloud folder on your PC, and wait for it to sync again
      • Ensure you have the software (ACC) installed on your computer
      • Check if the ACC software is open (look for it in the Windows Task Manager), if not; open it
    • Make sure the IFTTT applet you're using is an applet for the cloud service you have chosen during the ACC installation on your computer
    • If you're trying to use parameters, make sure you're using the right format; action:parameters{secondary parameters}
    • Set the "File edited margin" setting to a higher number. Explanation: ACC won't execute actions that are more than 30 seconds old (by default). In some cases IFTTT/your cloud service might set the "created" timestamp of the action to a timestamp that is older than 30 seconds. When in doubt, just set the setting to a very high number.

  • I open ACC, but it closes right after / ACC won't open

    • Problem: The software crashes/closes/doesn't open when I try to open it
    • Solutions:
      1. (most often not the user's fault, but the software)
      • Try to reinstall the software
      • Delete the contents of the folder %LocalAppData%/AssistantComputerControl - everything in this folder should be deleted; then try to open the software again.
      • Open an issue on GitHub, and let the developer(s) know about the issue
      • if you still can't get it to work and have opened an issue, go to the GitHub releases page and install the pervious version of the software, and see if that works

Still not solved?

Here's a little more in depth guide on how to fix pretty much all (ACC-related) issues
If you have still not tried the solutions above - do that first.

When you tell your assistant to, for example, shut down your computer, IFTTT asks the cloud service you have chosen to create a file in the ACC-action folder called "AssistantComputerControl" within your cloud service.

There are two types of issues. The ones where a files does appear in the ACC-action folder, and the ones where a file doesn't appear. Before you go through this little guide, clear the action folder completely, close AssistantComputerControl (right-click the ACC icon in the taskbar, located with your WiFi- and sound-icon and click 'Exit'). Once you've done this, execute an action (any enabled IFTTT applet).

Now, does a file appear in the action folder?

  • Yes!
    So far so good. This mean's we have narrowed it down to being a ACC-related issue, and that IFTTT & your cloud service is doing their job.
    Now we gotta make sure the ACC software actually picks up the file. Start up the ACC software again, and if the folder isn't completely cleared from .txt files, it's a sign that ACC is looking for the wrong folder. If the folder is cleared from .txt files, and you're using Microsoft OneDrive, then you probably need to right-click the folder which ACC is checking for .txt files (e.g. C:\Users\your-username\OneDrive**AssistantComputerControl**) and select the option "Always keep on this device" from the context menu. Test your applet again and if there are still issues proceed below.

Right-click the ACC icon in the tray, press "Settings", "Advanced settings" and check if the folder written out is the right action folder - the one where the files are actually created. If not, pick the correct one. Now, try restart the software and try another action.

  • No...
    This means there's a problem with IFTTT or your cloud service. This one is a bit tricky, and shouldn't normally occur. It's most likely a server problem on IFTTT or your cloud service's side. All ACC deals with, is the .txt file that IFTTT and your cloud service creates. Try to go through the troubleshooting steps again, and make sure IFTTT claims that the file is actually created in the IFTTT activity log.

If you still have problems, and none of the solutions above helped, you can seek help on our Discord server and ask help of our over 665 members (the developer often responds within a few hours). In case you believe you have found a bug, you can open an issue on GitHub.

Updated over 3 years ago