Automation trigger: local device control vs triggered by automation

[PzInTX]

Hello friends,
I have a GE/Jasco 14287 fan controller. I have an “fan speed control automation” that controls the fan speed based on room temperature. This automation has a blocking condition which relies on an input_boolean to be true. I’d like to have a second automation that sets the input_boolean false if the 14287 is manually set at the device itself.

I’ve tried using the solution that @freshcoast posted here, however this doesn’t differentiate between the device being controlled locally vs when the device is triggered by the “fan speed control automation”.

I have noticed in Developer Tools, when listening for state_changed that root context.user_id == “null” when operating the device directly, rather than when it’s triggered by the automation, in which case != “null”… (see snippet below)

event_type: state_changed
data:
  entity_id: fan.living_room_ceiling_fan1
  old_state:
    entity_id: fan.living_room_ceiling_fan1
    .
    .
    context:
      .
      .
      user_id: 1234567890
  new_state:
    entity_id: fan.living_room_ceiling_fan1
    .
    .
    context:
      .
      .
      user_id: null
origin: LOCAL
time_fired: "2023-07-17T00:18:00.440875+00:00"
context:
  .
  .
  user_id: null

However, when I try to use this data as part of the Event Trigger for my second automation, the second automation picks up on the context.user_id of the child “old_state” or “new_state”, rather than the root context.user_id.

Here’s what I’ve tried to use as an Event Trigger, which is unreliable:

platform: event
event_type: state_changed
event_data:
  entity_id: fan.living_room_ceiling_fan1
context:
  user_id:
    - null

If anyone has thoughts between how I can trigger an automation based on the state change via local device control vs state change via triggered by automation, I would very much appreciate it.

Thanks

[tom_l]

Try this for a null value:

context:
  user_id: []

However you need to check more than just one context and I think you may have it back to front, both physical device and automation return a null user_id context:

The other option is to create a sensor like this that stores the last context and use that in a state condition:

Access to trigger.to_state.context from a different entity?

You do. All automation triggers change the context. What you need to do is store the context when the switch turns on. You need to check all three contexts as per the table: [Screenshot 2022-06-21 081430] Then use that when your no-motion automation runs. e.g. this triggered template sensor will save the switch context when it turns on: (configuration.yaml) template: - trigger: - platform: state entity_id: switch.shelly_1pm_garage_switch_0 to: "on" sensor: - na…

[PzInTX]

Thank you @tom_l, this works great, much appreciated!