Automation action not updating text sensor

Configuration
1

I have an actionable automation that at the end sets an input_text. But it doesn’t seem to be doing it

action: input_text.set_value
metadata: {}
data:
  value: '{{action_url }}'
target:
  entity_id: input_text.nvr_playback_channel


Executed: January 8, 2026 at 12:24:58 PM
Result:
params:
  domain: input_text
  service: set_value
  service_data:
    value: >-
      rtsp://192.168.1.108/cam/playback?channel=7&starttime=2026_01_08_12_21_16&endtime=2026_01_08_12_21_36
    entity_id:
      - input_text.nvr_playback_channel
  target:
    entity_id:
      - input_text.nvr_playback_channel
running_script: false

Action_url is set as a variable at the top of the automation:

alias: Set up variables for the actions
variables:
  action_ignore: "{{'IGNORE_' ~ context.id }}"
  action_open: "{{ 'OPEN_' ~ context.id }}"
  action_url: "{{trigger.to_state.state }}"

Which I can see from the set_value service it is getting the correct value. It’s just not making it way into the input_text.nvr_playback_channel entity.

2

Oh I might have just found it:

Invalid value: "rtsp://192.168.1.108:554/cam/playback?channel=7&starttime=2026_01_08_12_21_16&endtime=2026_01_08_12_21_36" (length range 0 - 100)

Input text with a max value. Is there a larger one?

3

You can change the limit in the input text entity’s settings. But, keep in mind that all states are limited to 255 characters. If you need more than that, the only option is to do it in an attribute. There are a few ways to do that, I would use a trigger-based template sensor.

4

Thanks, found I can increase the limit size of a helper under advanced settings. I think it might be finally working.

So this automation receives a playback link from my cameras (rather than having home assistant have to consume all the cameras), and when I open the notification it takes the url at that time and feeds it to a camera entity - that performs a playback from that period - not right now.

Every other solution seems to be based on home assistant being in control of the cameras - where i already have a recorder with 24x7 recordings.