Binary sensor internal property as a variable

ESPHome
1

Hello,

Don’t know if this is possible but I am trying to dictate if an entity is internal or not based on the property of a switch. Basically changing it from internal to external on the fly. Below is an example of what I thought would work:

switch:

# Internal entities

  - platform: template
    optimistic: True
    name: internal entities
    id: internal_entities
    assumed_state: False
    restore_mode: RESTORE_DEFAULT_ON

binary_sensor:

# Relay 17

  - platform: switch
    name: "Relay 17"
    id: relay_17_i
    publish_initial_state: True
    source_id: relay_17
    internal: !lambda 'return id(internal_entities).state;'
    icon: "mdi:electric-switch"

Maybe this isn’t possible but thought I’d reach out as I didn’t find anything online.

Thank you,
DaviBoi

2

Usually Esphome documentation mentions “templatable” when configuration option is dynamically configurable with lambdas

do you get an error:?
This option is not templatable!

3

Yeah unfortunately I do. Didn’t know if there was a way around this. Thanks for the insight!

4

Why do you want to do this?

it seems like a very strange question to ask.

1 Like
5

Strictly bandwidth. With all entities enabled, the esp will “miss” state updates. Not typically a problem having only choice entities enabled but there are choice times for debugging where having all entities enabled would provide benefit.

DaviBoi

6

How many entities do you have?

The API is very efficient. That should not happen.

7

For example, sending the RPM or speed read from a canbus will shutdown the API to where it it wont update any entities. The canbus is running at 125kb but the data is being updated multiple times a second. Having just those two enabled is enough to bring it to a halt. My data connection is roughly 5mbit-10mbit

8

You can throttle the updates sent to HA.

https://esphome.io/components/sensor/index.html#throttle

9

For that specific example that would work. However, i am experiencing incorrect states for gpio switches and binary sensors when I get past 75 entities. Ive been able to manage it but was looking for a quick way to enable and disable exposed entities to HA without manually having to enable each individual one.