Automation notification on change state - include previous and current value?

Configuration
,
1

I’m looking to include both the current and previous state value in a notification when a sensor value changes. I have mocked up a simple automation using speedtest. Then below does NOT give me the “from” value when I use states('trigger.from_state'), states('trigger.from_state.state').

Is the trigger value NOT available in the notification section, or do I have something incorrect here?

Thank you kindly,
CDL

service: persistent_notification.create
data_template:
  title: Network Speed Alert
  message: XFinity Download Speed Changed to {{states('sensor.speedtest_download')}}, from {{states('trigger.from_state')}}`
2

If the automation is using a State Trigger to monitor the state-changes of sensor.speedtest_download, then this is how to report the sensor’s current and previous values:

  message: 'XFinity Download Speed Changed to {{trigger.to_state.state}}, from {{trigger.from_state.state}}'

For more information about the trigger variable when used with a State Trigger, refer to Templating - State.

3 Likes
3

When I change to this, I get:

Error: Error rendering data template: UndefinedError: ‘dict object’ has no attribute ‘to_state’

I’ve tried all sorts of combinations…

4
  1. Post the entire automation.
  2. How are you testing it? (The trigger variable is undefined if you are manually triggering the automation)
5

Was totally how i was testing it, thank you! Is there any way to do a conditional in the messages so I can test in demand, e.g.: if(trigger is nothing) {sensor.state} else {trigger.state} type logic?

6 
service: notify.persistent_notification
data:
  title: Network Speed Alert
  message: >
    XFinity Download Speed Changed to {% if trigger is defined and
    trigger.from_state is defined -%}
      {{ trigger.to_state.state }}, from {{ trigger.from_state.state }}
    {%- else -%}
      {{ states('sensor.speedtest_download') }}
    {% endif %}

NOTE

The use of the hyphen in -%} is for whitespace control (include/exclude spaces and newlines in the rendered text).

Be advised that you don’t normally test automations by manually triggering them. For more information, refer to Troubleshooting Automations.