Custom integration/Automation reporting state changes of same value

Development
1

Hi folks, looking for some assistance with the HA state machine.

I am the author of the BHyve integration which provides a switch entity. The integration connects to the service provider API with a websocket, and on certain events the switch’s state may change. My current logic simply sets the value of the property self._is_on based on the event data received, for example:

if event == "device_idle" or event == "watering_complete":
    self._is_on = False

Separately, I have an automation which notifies me whenever this switch’s state changes. The notification payload looks like:

data_template:
    message: >
        {{ trigger.to_state.name }} changed ({{ trigger.from_state.state }} : {{ trigger.to_state.state }})

I often receive notifications with the following payload: Switch changed (False : False), which indicates that the Switch’s state has changed value, but to the same value. My integration does not override the force_update prop.

I’m not clear if this is an error in my Integration or Automation. Is anybody able to give me any tips at what might be going wrong?

Thanks!

2

I’m assuming you’re using a state trigger with no to: or from: in the automation. If that’s the case, it will trigger every time the entity’s state or one of its state attributes changes. You could add a template condition checking that the to and from state don’t equal each other to work around this.

3

Ah yes, thank you @Tediore - indeed do not have a to: or from: property set:

trigger:
    - entity_id: switch.backyard_zone
      platform: state

Many of the updates would include a change to the state attributes, which explains this behaviour. Thanks for the help!!

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