Cleaning up an automation... has to be a better way to do this

Configuration
1

The following automation sets the volume up on my alexa’s, makes an announcement and sets the volume back down.

I am using the Alexa Media integration installed via HACS. There is a media_player.everywhere, but in operation it caused all of my original Dots not to speak. So, I had to set volume on each device and change it again on each device.

There has to be a way to clean this up, I tried 1 media_player.volume_set with multiple entity_id’s but I could not get it formatted to pass muster on the automation verify.

Any help would be appreciated as this all slows down the entire automation.

Thanks Matt

- alias: Announce Input to all alexa
  trigger:
    - platform: state
      entity_id: input_text.alexa_tts
  action:
  - service: media_player.volume_set
    data:
      entity_id: media_player.work
      volume_level: '0.9'
  - service: media_player.volume_set
    data:
      entity_id: media_player.kids
      volume_level: '0.9'
  - service: media_player.volume_set
    data:
      entity_id: media_player.kitchen
      volume_level: '0.9'
  - service: media_player.volume_set
    data:
      entity_id: media_player.bedroom
      volume_level: '0.9'
  - service: notify.alexa_media
    data:
        target: 
          - media_player.living_room
          - media_player.work
          - media_player.kids
          - media_player.bedroom
          - media_player.echo
          - media_player.kitchen
        #title: "My title for Echo show"
        data:
          type: announce
          #method: all
        message: '{{ states.input_text.alexa_tts.state }}'
  - service: media_player.volume_set
    data:
      entity_id: media_player.work
      volume_level: '0.5'
  - service: media_player.volume_set
    data:
      entity_id: media_player.kids
      volume_level: '0.5'
  - service: media_player.volume_set
    data:
      entity_id: media_player.kitchen
      volume_level: '0.5'
  - service: media_player.volume_set
    data:
      entity_id: media_player.bedroom
      volume_level: '0.5'
2

How about

- service: media_player.volume_set
  data:
    volume_level: '0.9'
    entity_id:
      - media_player.living_room
      - media_player.work
      - media_player.kids
      - media_player.bedroom
      - media_player.echo
      - media_player.kitchen

cannot test it as don’t have any media players but it should accept a list.

3

That did it… I could not get the format nailed to save my soul earlier today.
Thanks Matt

4

Cool.
Just for fun, try this as well (untested but passes config checks)

- alias: Announce Input to all alexa
  trigger:
    - platform: state
      entity_id: input_text.alexa_tts
  action:
  - service: &volume_set media_player.volume_set
    data:
      volume_level: '0.9'
      <<: &entities
        entity_id: &all_players
          - media_player.living_room
          - media_player.work
          - media_player.kids
          - media_player.bedroom
          - media_player.echo
          - media_player.kitchen
  - service: notify.alexa_media
    data:
        target: *all_players
        #title: "My title for Echo show"
        data:
          type: announce
          #method: all
        message: '{{ trigger.to_state.state }}'
  - service: *volume_set
    data:
      volume_level: '0.5'
      <<: *entities

Here and here is to do that.

5

I tried it… It appears to set the volume the first time and then never announces and does not lower the volume. That is an interesting approach!

6

hm… cannot comment further but you have some fresh ideas/docs to digest :wink:

7

Yes, every time I try something… I learn something. Have been running this instance for years and still consider myself a newb.

8

That’s because it’s still changing rapidly, not surprised… “Use” != “know everything about it”. Think smartphones :wink:

1 Like
9

Did this ever work? As you use template for your message, it should be data_template below service.

10

How about this - requires a script:

script:
  set_volume_media_players:
    sequence:
      service: media_player.volume_set
      data_template:
        volume_level: "{{ volume_level }}"
        entity_id: "{{ entity_id }}"

- alias: Announce Input to all alexa
  trigger:
    - platform: state
      entity_id: input_text.alexa_tts
  action:
    - service: script.set_volume_media_players
      data:
        volume_level: '0.9'
        entity_id: &all_players
          - media_player.living_room
          - media_player.work
          - media_player.kids
          - media_player.bedroom
          - media_player.echo
          - media_player.kitchen
          
    - service: notify.alexa_media
      data_template:
          message: '{{ trigger.to_state.state }}'
          target: *all_players
          data:
            type: announce
          
    - service: script.set_volume_media_players
      data:
        volume_level: '0.5'
        entity_id: *all_players
11

Yes… that worked well. The automation is smaller and faster now. Have not tried the last one.

1 Like