Add services to Alert module

Feature Requests
1

For your consideration…

The Alert component, https://www.home-assistant.io/components/alert/, is a very, very useful component. It seems awkward to create a timed repeating notification, based on a state, any other way in HA, in my opinion. The Alert component does exactly that very well.

However, the Alert component only allows notifications to be sent to currently developed notification platforms as listed on the sidebar of https://www.home-assistant.io/components/notify/
I’ve run into a situation in which it would be very useful to be able to be able to call a service, such as ifttt.trigger, and pass the data to the service, from the Alert component rather than just call a notifier. Being able to call any other service would open up a wealth of timed possibilities, such as turning on/off other devices, or changing other states, etc.

Thoughts, comments, and votes welcomed.

Thank you.
Brian

2

What is an Alert?

It’s effectively a simple (stunted) automation. It is purpose-built to do one thing (for convenience).

  • It supports one trigger.
  • It doesn’t support conditions.
  • It supports one action (it can initiate a notification) and can do it repeatedly.

What is an Automation?

It can do many things.

  • It supports multiple triggers.
  • It handles multiple conditions.
  • It can do multiple actions (and can initiate anything).

Why not just use an automation to initiate services?