Automation: however, it has the non-numeric value: '' (<class 'str'>)

josephny · January 8, 2025, 11:28am

Can someone please point out what I’m doing wrong?

I get the following error when this automation runs:

Thank you.

Error: Sensor sensor.daily_propane_usage_371_trigger has device class ‘volume_storage’, state class ‘measurement’ unit ‘gal’ and suggested precision ‘None’ thus indicating it has a numeric value; however, it has the non-numeric value: ‘’ (<class ‘str’>)

alias: Propane Usage Daily Update 12 30am
description: ""
triggers:
  - trigger: time
    at: "00:30:00"
conditions: []
actions:
  - action: homeassistant.update_entity
    metadata: {}
    data:
      entity_id:
        - sensor.daily_propane_usage_76_trigger
        - sensor.daily_propane_usage_125_trigger
        - sensor.daily_propane_usage_255_trigger
        - sensor.daily_propane_usage_355_trigger
        - sensor.daily_propane_usage_371_trigger
        - sensor.daily_propane_usage_629_trigger
        - sensor.tank_utility_003200223638383015473830
        - sensor.daily_propane_usage_630_trigger
mode: single

This is the sensor creation code:

  - trigger:
      - platform: time
        at: "00:40:00"
    sensor:
      - name: "Daily Propane Usage 371 trigger"
        unit_of_measurement: "gal"
        state: >
          {% set midnight = states('input_number.midnight_propane_level_371_claude') | float %}
          {% set current = states('sensor.propane_tank_neevo_371_gallons_rest') | float %}
          {% set refill = states('input_number.propane_refill_amount_371_claude') | float(0) %}
          {% if ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) > 0 %}
            {{ ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) }}
          {% endif %}
        state_class: measurement
        device_class: volume_storage

      - name: "Daily Propane Usage 630 trigger"
        unit_of_measurement: "gal"
        state: >
          {% set midnight = states('input_number.midnight_propane_level_630_claude') | float %}
          {% set current = states('sensor.propane_tank_neevo_630_gallons_rest') | float %}
          {% set refill = states('input_number.propane_refill_amount_630_claude') | float(0) %}
          {% if ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) > 0 %}
            {{ ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) }}
          {% endif %}
        state_class: measurement
        device_class: volume_storage

      - name: "Daily Propane Usage 355 trigger"
        unit_of_measurement: "gal"
        state: >
          {% set midnight = states('input_number.midnight_propane_level_355_claude') | float %}
          {% set current = states('sensor.tank_utility_003200223638383015473830') | float %}
          {% set refill = states('input_number.propane_refill_amount_355_claude') | float(0) %}
          {% if ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) > 0 %}
            {{ ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) * 10 }}
          {% endif %}
        state_class: measurement
        device_class: volume_storage

      - name: "Daily Propane Usage 125 trigger"
        unit_of_measurement: "gal"
        state: >
          {% set midnight = states('input_number.midnight_propane_level_125_claude') | float %}
          {% set current = states('sensor.propane_tank_neevo_125_gallons_rest') | float %}
          {% set refill = states('input_number.propane_refill_amount_125_claude') | float(0) %}
          {% if ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) > 0 %}
            {{ ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) }}
          {% endif %}
        state_class: measurement
        device_class: volume_storage

      - name: "Daily Propane Usage 76 trigger"
        unit_of_measurement: "gal"
        state: >
          {% set midnight = states('input_number.midnight_propane_level_76_claude') | float %}
          {% set current = states('sensor.propane_tank_neevo_76_gallons_rest') | float %}
          {% set refill = states('input_number.propane_refill_amount_76_claude') | float(0) %}
          {% if ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) > 0 %}
            {{ ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) }}
          {% endif %}
        state_class: measurement
        device_class: volume_storage

      - name: "Daily Propane Usage 255 trigger"
        unit_of_measurement: "gal"
        state: >
          {% set midnight = states('input_number.midnight_propane_level_255_claude') | float %}
          {% set current = states('sensor.propane_tank_neevo_255_gallons_rest') | float %}
          {% set refill = states('input_number.propane_refill_amount_255_claude') | float(0) %}
          {% if ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) > 0 %}
            {{ ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) }}
          {% endif %}
        state_class: measurement
        device_class: volume_storage

      - name: "Daily Propane Usage 629 trigger"
        unit_of_measurement: "gal"
        state: >
          {% set midnight = states('input_number.midnight_propane_level_629_claude') | float %}
          {% set current = states('sensor.propane_tank_neevo_629_gallons_rest') | float %}
          {% set refill = states('input_number.propane_refill_amount_629_claude') | float(0) %}
          {% if ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) > 0 %}
            {{ ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) }}
          {% endif %}
        state_class: measurement
        device_class: volume_storage

Troon · January 8, 2025, 11:32am

          {% if ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) > 0 %}
            {{ ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) }}
          {% endif %}

What if it’s not greater than zero? You need an else.

Alternatively, just use:

{{ max(((midnight - current) + refill)|round(2), 0) }}

tom_l · January 8, 2025, 11:33am

Where is your else case for when the if is not true?

This is not optional. All are mandatory:

If
Else
Endif.

tom_l · January 8, 2025, 11:35am

Sniped by Troon.

josephny · January 8, 2025, 11:56am

Thank you.

I made each sensor the following:

  - trigger:
      - platform: time
        at: "00:40:00"
    sensor:
      - name: "Daily Propane Usage 371 trigger"
        unit_of_measurement: "gal"
        state: >
          {% set midnight = states('input_number.midnight_propane_level_371_claude') | float %}
          {% set current = states('sensor.propane_tank_neevo_371_gallons_rest') | float %}
          {% set refill = states('input_number.propane_refill_amount_371_claude') | float(0) %}
          {% if ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) > 0 %}
            {{ ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) }}
          {% else %}
            {{ 0 }}
          {% endif %}
        state_class: measurement
        device_class: volume_storage

Reloaded YAML.

Ran the automation and the same error occurs.

Troon · January 8, 2025, 12:04pm

Let’s get directly to where the problem is coming from. Please paste the following into Developer Tools / Template and post the result here:

{% set midnight = states('input_number.midnight_propane_level_371_claude') | float %}
{% set current = states('sensor.propane_tank_neevo_371_gallons_rest') | float %}
{% set refill = states('input_number.propane_refill_amount_371_claude') | float(0) %}
midnight: {{ midnight }}
current:  {{ current }}
refill:   {{ refill }}
sum: {{ ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) }}

josephny · January 8, 2025, 12:08pm

Sorry, this is complete result:

Result

Result type: string

midnight: 117.6 current: 110.39999999999999 refill: 0.0 sum: 7.2

This template listens for the following state changed events:

Entity: input_number.midnight_propane_level_371_claude
Entity: input_number.propane_refill_amount_371_claude
Entity: sensor.propane_tank_neevo_371_gallons_rest

Troon · January 8, 2025, 12:13pm

Thanks, that looks fine. Are you sure it’s the same error (371), or has it moved down to the next tank?

Why are you running an update_entity at 00:30 on a sensor set to update itself at 00:40?

josephny · January 8, 2025, 2:07pm

The STRING type in the result is not the problem?

Troon · January 8, 2025, 2:10pm

All entity states are strings. The problem is that the empty string '' cannot be converted to a number; yet the sensor definition (device class and unit of measurement) means that its state string must represent (“look like”) a numeric value.

josephny · January 8, 2025, 2:29pm

I have the automation just for testing for the trigger sensor.

The end goal is to have it updated every day at 00:40.

What is the solution to the error?

Troon · January 8, 2025, 3:02pm

The only thing I can think of is that one of the entities feeding into the calculation is not available: the tank rest sensor, perhaps.

Put a default value on all three float filters and there should be no way that the sensor can be non-numeric:

        state: >
          {% set midnight = states('input_number.midnight_propane_level_371_claude') | float(0) %}
          {% set current = states('sensor.propane_tank_neevo_371_gallons_rest') | float(0) %}
          {% set refill = states('input_number.propane_refill_amount_371_claude') | float(0) %}
          {{ max(((midnight - current) + refill)|round(2) ,0) }}

Might not be correct if the input is temporarily unavailable, but it’ll at least be numeric.

josephny · January 8, 2025, 7:27pm

Now I’m even more confused.

If I run the automation, I do not now get an error.

But, the sensors have a state of UNAVAILABLE.

Current automation:

alias: Propane Usage Daily Update 12 30am
description: ""
triggers:
  - trigger: time
    at: "00:30:00"
conditions: []
actions:
  - action: homeassistant.update_entity
    metadata: {}
    data:
      entity_id:
        - sensor.daily_propane_usage_371_trigger
        - sensor.daily_propane_usage_76_trigger
        - sensor.daily_propane_usage_125_trigger
        - sensor.daily_propane_usage_255_trigger
        - sensor.daily_propane_usage_355_trigger
        - sensor.daily_propane_usage_629_trigger
        - sensor.tank_utility_003200223638383015473830
        - sensor.daily_propane_usage_630_trigger
mode: single

Current sensors:

  - trigger:
      - platform: time
        at: "00:40:00"
    sensor:
      - name: "Daily Propane Usage 371 trigger"
        unit_of_measurement: "gal"
        state: >
          {% set midnight = states('input_number.midnight_propane_level_371_claude') | float %}
          {% set current = states('sensor.propane_tank_neevo_371_gallons_rest') | float %}
          {% set refill = states('input_number.propane_refill_amount_371_claude') | float(0) %}
          {% if ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) > 0 %}
            {{ ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) }}
          {% else %}
            {{ 0 }}
          {% endif %}
        state_class: measurement
        device_class: volume_storage

      - name: "Daily Propane Usage 630 trigger"
        unit_of_measurement: "gal"
        state: >
          {% set midnight = states('input_number.midnight_propane_level_630_claude') | float %}
          {% set current = states('sensor.propane_tank_neevo_630_gallons_rest') | float %}
          {% set refill = states('input_number.propane_refill_amount_630_claude') | float(0) %}
          {% if ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) > 0 %}
            {{ ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) }}
          {% else %}
            {{ 0 }}
          {% endif %}
        state_class: measurement
        device_class: volume_storage

      - name: "Daily Propane Usage 355 trigger"
        unit_of_measurement: "gal"
        state: >
          {% set midnight = states('input_number.midnight_propane_level_355_claude') | float %}
          {% set current = states('sensor.tank_utility_003200223638383015473830') | float %}
          {% set refill = states('input_number.propane_refill_amount_355_claude') | float(0) %}
          {% if ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) > 0 %}
            {{ ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) * 10 }}
          {% else %}
            {{ 0 }}
          {% endif %}
        state_class: measurement
        device_class: volume_storage

      - name: "Daily Propane Usage 125 trigger"
        unit_of_measurement: "gal"
        state: >
          {% set midnight = states('input_number.midnight_propane_level_125_claude') | float %}
          {% set current = states('sensor.propane_tank_neevo_125_gallons_rest') | float %}
          {% set refill = states('input_number.propane_refill_amount_125_claude') | float(0) %}
          {% if ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) > 0 %}
            {{ ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) }}
          {% else %}
            {{ 0 }}
          {% endif %}
        state_class: measurement
        device_class: volume_storage

      - name: "Daily Propane Usage 76 trigger"
        unit_of_measurement: "gal"
        state: >
          {% set midnight = states('input_number.midnight_propane_level_76_claude') | float %}
          {% set current = states('sensor.propane_tank_neevo_76_gallons_rest') | float %}
          {% set refill = states('input_number.propane_refill_amount_76_claude') | float(0) %}
          {% if ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) > 0 %}
            {{ ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) }}
          {% else %}
            {{ 0 }}
          {% endif %}
        state_class: measurement
        device_class: volume_storage

      - name: "Daily Propane Usage 255 trigger"
        unit_of_measurement: "gal"
        state: >
          {% set midnight = states('input_number.midnight_propane_level_255_claude') | float %}
          {% set current = states('sensor.propane_tank_neevo_255_gallons_rest') | float %}
          {% set refill = states('input_number.propane_refill_amount_255_claude') | float(0) %}
          {% if ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) > 0 %}
            {{ ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) }}
          {% else %}
            {{ 0 }}
          {% endif %}
        state_class: measurement
        device_class: volume_storage

      - name: "Daily Propane Usage 629 trigger"
        unit_of_measurement: "gal"
        state: >
          {% set midnight = states('input_number.midnight_propane_level_629_claude') | float %}
          {% set current = states('sensor.propane_tank_neevo_629_gallons_rest') | float %}
          {% set refill = states('input_number.propane_refill_amount_629_claude') | float(0) %}
          {% if ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) > 0 %}
            {{ ((midnight - current) + refill) | round(2) }}
          {% else %}
            {{ 0 }}
          {% endif %}
        state_class: measurement
        device_class: volume_storage

Pasting into TEMPLATE results in:

Clear

Result

Result type: string

midnight: 117.6 current: 110.39999999999999 refill: 0.0 sum: 7.2

This template listens for the following state changed events:

Entity: input_number.midnight_propane_level_371_claude
Entity: input_number.propane_refill_amount_371_claude
Entity: sensor.propane_tank_neevo_371_gallons_rest

But, when I filter all entities by the word “trigger” not all entities appear:

k8gg · January 9, 2025, 3:39am

If you read your codes closer, many of your float didn’t have default value of 0, as Troon suggested earlier:

As a result, if any of those states being non-numeric (for example unknown or unavailable) the entire sensor would become unknown - because the codes are not instructed how exactly you want them to handle edge cases.

There might be other errors. For example, why is one of your calculation coming with a * 10 …?

Also, you want your template sensor to update only upon triggered. Could it be the case that since it is not 00:40:00 just yet, so those sensors naturally have not been triggered, hence unknown…?

josephny · January 9, 2025, 10:03am

Thank you @k8gg and @Troon

I understand that I know extremly little about HA, YAML, and programming in general, so please understand I am not arguing – just trying to make sense of it for myself.

I intentionally omitted the default values of those sensors (adding “(0)” after “float”) because I did not want them to be zero in the case of them not being defined. My logic could be wrong, but I’d rather an error or a non-value for the final calculated sensor amount than an incorrect amount.

Regardless, pasting the template @Troon provided in the DEVELOPERS | TEMPLATES showed that the values of those sensors are defined (that is, something other than “available” or “unavailable”), and therefore the default of “0” is not the problem.

(BTW, I also intentionall originally did not have an “else” for the same reason, not realizing it was required. My 30 year old programming skills are from an age when “else” statements were not required.)

The “* 10” is intentional and correct – that one tank has a different sensor that reports the amount off by that amount. Don’t know why, but the integration is not currently supported.

As for the template sensor including a time trigger, I’ve read a bunch of posts that lead me to believe than manually running an automation that includes “homeassistant.update_entity” will override the time trigger. No idea if my understanding is correct on this.

I think that this simple endeavor to get the daily change (“usage,” in my case) is so complicated is because of the readings or updates to the values happen at random times during the day for each tank sensor, so getting a value at (for example) midnight and comparing it to the value as of midnight the day before does not actually provide the day’s usage (and might show up as 0, or some other inaccurate amount).

Thank you very much for your help!

Mayhem_SWE · January 9, 2025, 3:50pm

else is not required. What is required is that your state: template must render to something, its result cannot be blank / null.

tom_l · January 10, 2025, 8:49am

It is most definitely required in this case, how else would they not have a null result when their if statement resolves to false?

They only have the one if statement and nothing else in the state template.

Mayhem_SWE · January 10, 2025, 8:58am

Is it not completely obvious from my post that what I mean is that it isn’t syntactically required? Which if you read the part of OP’s post that I was quoting seems fairly clear to me is how he had interpreted previous comments in this thread.

josephny · January 10, 2025, 9:38am

FWIW, I (a non-programmer) understand (which means others can also):

The “requirement” of using an ELSE is not because of a language syntax rule, but rather because without it the resolution of the STATE value could be non-existent (i.e., nul), which would mess things up (I don’t know how, but I know it’s a condition we want to avoid).

So, my understanding is that you are both correct.