Can I store 2 items in a single text helper

[Tdwdotnet (TimW)]

Hi

how can I store 2 values in a text helper ? and how do I reference them individually later?

I need to store HVAC mode and current temperature, and later use those values to reset a thermostat

I have automations working for each thermostat with just the mode, but now I find I need to record / set the temperature too. My multiple helpers are already getting messy to manage

Thanks

[templeton_nash]

Hi @Tdwdotnet

You could store the two values in the helper by concatenating the two string values. You could put a feminist character in the middle - maybe a bar symbol.

You can then use the Jinja split function to split the two values out.

[123 (Taras)]

@templeton_nash

You could put a feminist character in the middle - maybe a bar symbol.

I’m unfamiliar with “feminist” used in this context. Is that an auto-correct goof or something else?

[Troon]

@123

I’m unfamiliar with “feminist” used in this context.

Simple enough:

foo♀️bar

Then split('♀️').

[mekaneck (Rick Auch)]

You could also get fancy with encoding values in JSON:

Use this in a template to set the values:

{{ dict(mode='heat', temp=70) | to_json }}

And this to extract them (this example just extracts ‘mode’)

{{ (states('input_text.json') | from_json).mode }}

[123 (Taras)]

I see what you did there … but the suggested “feminist” example was a “bar symbol”.

I’m gonna go with “auto-correct goof” until templeton_nash clears it up. A vertical bar is easier to type than Unicode: U+2640.

heat|70

[templeton_nash]

Feminist! Lol!

I meant delimiter.

[123 (Taras)]

Your auto-correct appears to be powered by ChatGPT …

[Edwin_D]

This is a clever way to use attibutes to store many variables. Maybe that is a better way to prevent input helper explosion?

WTH can't input helpers be read only in UI

@123 Here you go, an updated version. You can set a default setting if you want to store the timestamp or not in the default_timestamp attribute of the template sensor, but you can also overrule that setting using set_timestamp: true or set_timestamp: false in the event data Updated code for the template sensor: template: - trigger: - platform: event event_type: set_variable - platform: event event_type: remove_variable sensor: - unique_id: 4a4c8e53-9e…

The one here also adds a timestamp, there’s a simpler version above if you do. ot need that:

WTH can't input helpers be read only in UI

here you go: Trigger based template sensor: template: - trigger: - platform: event event_type: set_variable - platform: event event_type: remove_variable sensor: - unique_id: 4a4c8e53-9e68-4198-9cc5-b336e228ea4d name: Variables state: Variables attributes: variables: > {% set current = this.attributes.get('variables', {}) %} {% if trigger.event.event_type == 'set_variable' %} {% set …

[Tdwdotnet (TimW)]

Thank you, I tried a few options but this worked best for me

              - service: input_text.set_value
                target:
                  entity_id: input_text.bedroom_window_helper
                data:
                  value: >-
                    {{ dict(mode=states('climate.bedroom'),
                    temp=state_attr('climate.bedroom','temperature') ) | to_json
                    }} 

and

              - service: climate.set_hvac_mode
                target:
                  entity_id: climate.bedroom
                data:
                  hvac_mode: >-
                    {{ (states('input_text.bedroom_window_helper') |
                    from_json).mode  }}