Configuration.yaml question nothing is working

Everytime I change something in that yaml file, it seems like everything stops working until I make seemingly unrelated changes then things start working again, until the next change. It’s getting frustrating. What I seem to have found is that when I restart my hass service if it immediately returns, I have a problem. Also, when I have a problem, the web page starts asking me for a password instead of bringing me straight into the dashboard. Today what I tried to do was create two groups. The first group went ok, the second group didn’t go so well. I have tried taking the second group out, no good, taking out the first group, no good, moving the groups to the end, no good. Can someone please take a look at my yaml file below and help me understand what I am doing wrong? I’m hoping it’s something conceptual that I’m just not getting that once someone can explain it to me, the light bulb will come on (pardon the pun) and life will be good.
Thanks
(hass) hass@hass:~/.homeassistant$ cat configuration.yaml
homeassistant:

Name of the location where Home Assistant is running

name: Home

Location required to calculate the time the sun rises and sets

latitude: 35.1364
longitude: -89.7726

Impacts weather/sunrise data (altitude above sea level in meters)

elevation: 104

metric for Metric, imperial for Imperial

unit_system: imperial

Pick yours from here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tz_database_time_zones

time_zone: America/Chicago

Show links to resources in log and frontend

introduction:

Enables the frontend

frontend:

http:

Uncomment this to add a password (recommended!)

api_password: PASSWORD

Checks for available updates

updater:

Discover some devices automatically

discovery:

Allows you to issue voice commands from the frontend in enabled browsers

conversation:

Enables support for tracking state changes over time.

history:

View all events in a logbook

logbook:

Track the sun

sun:

Weather Prediction

sensor:
platform: yr

#nest
nest:
username: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
password: xxxxxxxx
climate:
platform: nest

#lights
light:

  • platform: hue
    host: 192.168.2.107
  • platform: osramlightify
    host: 192.168.2.142

#hue emulator
emulated_hue:
host_ip: 192.168.2.107
listen_port: 8300
off_maps_to_on_domains:
- script
- scene
expose_by_default: true
exposed_domains:
- light

#wink
wink:
access_token: yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

ios:

device_tracker:

  • platform: icloud
    username: xxxxxxx
    password:yyyyyyy

  • platform: nmap_tracker
    hosts:

    • 192.168.2.120
    • 192.168.2.121
    • 192.168.2.122
    • 192.168.2.124

#groups
group:

  • OfficeFan:
    • light.a19_w_60_01
    • light.a19_w_60_02
    • light.a19_w_60_03
    • light.a19_w_60_04

(hass) hass@hass:~/.homeassistant$

oh and I forgot to add, the log file never seems to get updated.

When you post configuration to the forum, use the </> code tag to preserve formatting. What you posted above is unreadable without formatting.

If you’re not seeing a log file in the same directory as your YAML, then there’s a problem. Figuring that out is your first step. You may need a clean install. When you get errors, the log will help you find where they are.

Using a good text editor is key. Notepad++ is great if you’re on Windows. YAML cares a lot about indentation. Tabs will break things.

Your formatting for groups is off. Here’s an example from my configuration:

master_bath_lights:
  name: Master Bath Lights
  view: no
  entities:
    - light.master_bath_mirror_lights_level_20_0
    - light.master_bath_shower_spot_level_21_0
    - light.master_bath_ledge_accent_level_22_0
1 Like

@turboc Just so you know how to do that, highlight whatever code you are posting and then press this button in the toolbar:

No biggie - it happens to all of the new posters, which is why I made the graphic. :slight_smile:

Ok, it runs now. But there groups don’t show up on the dashboard?

Thanks7890

view: no

makes the group into a card on the dashboard.

view: yes

makes the group into a tab across the top of the interface.

By the way, if you define a group but don’t have any correct entities in it (like if you used my example exactly as above), I don’t think the group will display. Use the states dev tool (<> icon at bottom of left sidebar) to find the correct entity id’s for your devices.