Can you define helpers inside a package?

Configuration
1

I just started learning about packages. I want to define helpers (including timers), templates and automations.

Sadly the Packages documentation lacks a list of exactly what you can include and examples of how to do it. The implication is that you can define anything that you could define under the homeassistant: key in configuration.yaml and input_boolean is mentioned in passing – I assumed that if you can define them, you can also define input_number, input_text, and timer.

However, when I tried it with some test code, I got configuration warnings (that look rather like errors)

Configuration warnings

Setup of package ‘heating_x2_definitions’ failed: integration ‘input_number’ cannot be merged, expected a dict
Setup of package ‘heating_x2_definitions’ failed: integration ‘input_text’ cannot be merged, expected a dict
Setup of package ‘heating_x2_definitions’ failed: integration ‘timer’ cannot be merged, expected a dict

Is that because they are not supported, or did I just get the syntax wrong?

###
### ZZZ Test room heating control 	
###

input_number:
  - zzz_test_room_heating_manual_temperature:
      name: ZZZ Test room heating manual temperature
      min: 0
      max: 100
      step: 0.5
      mode: box
      icon: mdi:temperature-celsius

  - zzz_test_room_heating_required_temperature:
      name: ZZZ Test room heating required temperature
      min: 0
      max: 100
      step: 0.5
      mode: box
      icon: mdi:temperature-celsius

input_text:
  - zzz_test_room_heating_setting_reason:
      name: ZZZ Test room heating setting reason
      initial: “”
      icon: mdi:card-text-outline

timer:
  - zzz_test_room_heating_manual_override_timer:
      name: ZZZ Test room heating manual override timer
      duration: "00:00:00"
      restore: true
      icon: mdi:av-timer

  - zzz_test_room_heating_warmup_timer:
      name: ZZZ Test room heating warmup timer
      duration: "00:00:00"
      restore: true
      icon: mdi:av-timer

  - zzz_test_room_heating_door_or_window_open_timer:
      name: ZZZ Test room heating door or window open timer
      duration: "00:00:00"
      restore: true
      icon: mdi:av-timer

  - zzz_test_room_heating_room_unoccupancy_timer:
      name: ZZZ Test room heating room unoccupancy timer
      duration: "00:00:00"
      restore: true
      icon: mdi:av-timer

  - zzz_test_room_heating_echoblock_timer:
      name: ZZZ Test room heating echoblock timer
      duration: "00:00:00"
      restore: true
      icon: mdi:av-timer

template:
  - sensor: 
    - name: ZZZ Test room west TRV set temperature
      unique_id: zzz_test_room_west_trv_set_temperature
      unit_of_measurement: 'C'
      icon: mdi:thermometer
      state: "{{ state_attr('climate.zzz_test_room_west_trv', 'temperature') }}"
  - sensor:
    - name: ZZZ Test room west TRV measured temperature 
      unique_id: zzz_test_room_west_trv_measured_temperature
      unit_of_measurement: 'C'
      icon: mdi:thermometer
      state: "{{ state_attr('climate.zzz_test_room_west_trv', 'current_temperature') }}"
  - binary_sensor:
    - name: ZZZ Test room west TRV heat demand
      unique_id: zzz_test_room_west_trv_heat_demand
      icon: mdi:heat-wave
      state: "{{ float(state_attr('climate.zzz_test_room_west_trv, 'temperature'),0) > float(state_attr('climate.zzz_test_room_west_trv, 'current_temperature'),99) }}" 

automation:
  - id: zzz_test_room_heating_control
    alias: ZZZ Test room heating control
    description: Controls the heating for the ZZZ Test room using the ZZZ Test room heating schedule calendar
    use_blueprint:
      path: AndySymons/heating_x2.yaml
      input:
        thermostat_controls:
        - zzz_test_room_west_trv
        - zzz_test_room_east_trv
        away_switch: input_boolean.away
        door_or_window_open_sensors: []
        room_occupancy_sensors: []
        room_calendar: calendar.zzz_test_room_heating_schedule
        manual_temperature: input_number.zzz_test_room_heating_manual_temperature
        required_temperature: input_number.zzz_test_room_heating_required_temperature
        setting_reason: input_text.zzz_test_room_heating_setting_reason
        door_or_window_open_timer: timer.zzz_test_room_heating_door_or_window_open_timer
        unoccupancy_timer: timer.zzz_test_room_heating_room_unoccupancy_timer
        warmup_timer: timer.zzz_test_room_heating_warmup_timer
        manual_override_timer: timer.zzz_test_room_heating_manual_override_timer
        echoblock_timer: timer.zzz_test_room_heating_echoblock_timer
        minimum_thermostat_temperature: 5
        maximum_thermostat_temperature: 30
        away_temperature: 5
        background_temperature: 5
        door_or_window_open_period: 00:02:00
        unoccupancy_period: 00:30:00
        warmup_period: 02:00:00
        manual_override_period: 02:00:00

After reloading the configuration anyway, there were (predictably) no helpers, the template sensors look OK and the automation is generated but ‘unavailable’ and cannot be edited from the UI.

2

You can do it.

Can you share your package yaml that didn’t work?

3

It is there in the posting above (it took me a couple of minutes).
What you see is the content of /config/packages/heating_x2_definitions.yaml.
There is another package in the same directory that is working, so I seem to have set up packages OK.

4

sorry - was on my phone and didn’t scroll up!

OK, you just got the formatting a little wrong. I’ve modified them for you (I have never used an input_text so not sure about that one but guessing it is the same):

input_number:
  zzz_test_room_heating_manual_temperature: # note no preceding dash
    name: ZZZ Test room heating manual temperature
    min: 0
    max: 100
    step: 0.5
    mode: box
    icon: mdi:temperature-celsius

  zzz_test_room_heating_required_temperature:
    name: ZZZ Test room heating required temperature
    min: 0
    max: 100
    step: 0.5
    mode: box
    icon: mdi:temperature-celsius

input_text:
  zzz_test_room_heating_setting_reason:
    name: ZZZ Test room heating setting reason
    initial: “”
    icon: mdi:card-text-outline

timer:
  zzz_test_room_heating_manual_override_timer:
    name: ZZZ Test room heating manual override timer
    duration: "00:00:00"
    restore: true
    icon: mdi:av-timer

  zzz_test_room_heating_warmup_timer:
    name: ZZZ Test room heating warmup timer
    duration: "00:00:00"
    restore: true
    icon: mdi:av-timer

  zzz_test_room_heating_door_or_window_open_timer:
    name: ZZZ Test room heating door or window open timer
    duration: "00:00:00"
    restore: true
    icon: mdi:av-timer

  zzz_test_room_heating_room_unoccupancy_timer:
    name: ZZZ Test room heating room unoccupancy timer
    duration: "00:00:00"
    restore: true
    icon: mdi:av-timer

  zzz_test_room_heating_echoblock_timer:
    name: ZZZ Test room heating echoblock timer
    duration: "00:00:00"
    restore: true
    icon: mdi:av-timer

edited for typos

5

zzz_test_room_heating_package
Yep! Many thanks. :pray: So an elementary YAML error. I always get confused about when the dashes are needed :confounded:

This code now creates the helpers and template sensors correctly. The automation is incorrect – can you spot an obvious reason why?

6

Always look at the examples in the documentation. e.g.

https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/input_number/

Screenshot 2024-02-07 at 10-07-07 Input Number
Screenshot 2024-02-07 at 10-07-07 Input Number691×289 4.08 KB

2 Likes
7

YAML primers say use a dash for items in a list. You are right about the documentation of course – so I suppose the items under input_number are somehow not a list?

8

Correct, they are a dictionary. Other things that use dictionaries instead of lists:

script, all the other input_* helpers, themes, customize, utility_meters, and more.

1 Like
9

What is the error now (should be different now the helpers are working)?

10

It is unchanged – the automation appears as ‘unavailable’ in the UI and cannot be edited.

I have now started a new topic for this question: Automation created by package unavailable