Error when creating toggle automation

[marciokoko (Mars)]

Im trying to control my roller curtain. I have it set up so that if it receives a 1 or 0, it activates the dc motor in one direction or another. If I add value of 1 it fails but if I add value of 0 it works:

But my toggle doesnt show up on my dashboard

So I went to hassio and Ive got this so far:

# Example configuration.yaml entry
input_boolean:
  notify_home:
    name: Publish MQTT msg
    icon: mdi:car

  power_kompressor:
    name: Kompressor
    icon: mdi:car

  power_solenoid:
    name: Solenoid
    icon: mdi:car

  power_curtain:
    name: Curtains
    icon: mdi:home

# MQTT Switches RPi2 - RPi3
switch:
  - platform: mqtt
    name: kompressor
    command_topic: "test_channel"
    payload_on: "komp-on"
    payload_off: "komp-off"
  - platform: mqtt
    name: solenoid
    command_topic: "test_channel"
    payload_on: "sole-on"
    payload_off: "sole-off"
  - platform: mqtt
    name: curtains
    command_topic: "curtainStatus"
    payload_on: "1"
    payload_off: "0"

And this is my automations:

- id: '1540843414270'
  alias: MQTT T1R1 ON
  trigger:
  - entity_id: input_boolean.notify_home
    from: 'off'
    platform: state
    to: 'on'
  condition: []
  action:
  - data:
      payload_template: '01'
      topic: test_channel
    service: mqtt.publish
- id: '1541035109238'
  alias: MQTT T1R1 OFF
  trigger:
  - entity_id: input_boolean.notify_home
    from: 'on'
    platform: state
    to: 'off'
  condition: []
  action:
  - data:
      payload_template: '02'
      topic: test_channel
    service: mqtt.publish
- id: '1541282916869'
  alias: Kompressor ON
  trigger:
  - entity_id: input_boolean.power_kompressor
    platform: state
    to: 'on'
  condition: []
  action:
  - data:
      payload_template: '{{ states.input_boolean.power_kompresor.state }}'
      topic: test_channel
    service: mqtt.publish
- id: '1541283025484'
  alias: Kompressor OFF
  trigger:
  - entity_id: input_boolean.power_kompressor
    platform: state
    to: 'off'
  condition: []
  action:
  - data:
      payload_template: '{{ states.input_boolean.power_kompresor.state }}'
      topic: test_channel
    service: mqtt.publish
- id: '1541283060236'
  alias: Solenoid ON
  trigger:
  - entity_id: input_boolean.power_solenoid
    platform: state
    to: 'on'
  condition: []
  action:
  - data:
      payload_template: '{{ states.input_boolean.power_solenoid.state }}'
      topic: test_channel
    service: mqtt.publish
- id: '1541283088175'
  alias: Solenoid OFF
  trigger:
  - entity_id: input_boolean.power_solenoid
    platform: state
    to: 'off'
  condition: []
  action:
  - data:
      payload_template: '{{ states.input_boolean.power_solenoid.state }}'
      topic: test_channel
    service: mqtt.publish
- id: '1585523916793'
  alias: Enrolar Cortinas
  description: ''
  trigger:
  - payload: '0'
    platform: state
    topic: curtainStatus
  condition: []
  action:
  - entity_id: input_boolean.rollup_curtain
    service: mqtt.publish
- id: '1585524161515'
  alias: Desrolar Cortinas
  description: ''
  trigger:
  - payload: '1'
    platform: state
    topic: curtainStatus
  condition: []
  action:
  - data: {}
    entity_id: input_boolean.rollup_curtain
    service: mqtt.publish

[Burningstone]

You need data_template instead of data any time you use a template in your data.
So everywhere you have a block with {{}} inside the data block, you need to change data to data_template.

Please be informed that you can probably also use a template switch instead of writing multiple automations.

[marciokoko (Mars)]

You mean like this:

- id: '1585523916793'
  alias: Enrolar Cortinas
  description: ''
  trigger:
  - entity_id: input_boolean.rollup_curtain
    platform: state
    to: 'on'
  condition: []
  action:
  - data:
      payload_template: '{{ states.input_boolean.rollup_curtain.state }}'
      topic: curtainStatus
    service: mqtt.publish
- id: '1585524161515'
  alias: Desrolar Cortinas
  description: ''
  trigger:
  - entity_id: input_boolean.rollup_curtain
    platform: state
    to: 'off'
  condition: []
  action:
  - data:
      payload_template: '{{ states.input_boolean.rollup_curtain.state }}'
      topic: curtainStatus
    service: mqtt.publish

The switch still doesnt show up onthe dashboard.

@Burningstone

template switch

[Burningstone]

Are your state topic and command topic the same?

For the curtains this should be all you need, no automations:

switch:
  - platform: mqtt
    name: curtains
    command_topic: "command_topic"
    state_topic: "curtainStatus"
    payload_on: "1"
    payload_off: "0"

The command_topic should be the topic that opens/closes the curtains when a command is sent to it. The state_topic should be the topic that shows the state of the curtains.
When the switch works, it will send “1” to the command_topic when you turn on the switch and send “0” to the command_topic when you turn off the switch. The switch gets its state from the state_topic.

I also realized your templates don’t make sense, currently it sends the state of the input_boolean as a payload, however you need 1 or 0 as payload, the state of an input_boolean is either ‘on’ or ‘off’, so it will not send the correct payload and therefore your curtain wont change position.

[marciokoko (Mars)]

Yeah I dont understand what happened. With all the versions things have gotten messed up. When I started, automations.yaml didnt exist, at least I dont think so or maybe I didnt use it. What I know so far is that the switch doesnt show up for the curtains as it does for the solenoid and kompressor and I dont understand why?

[Burningstone]

Do you have any errors in the logs?

[marciokoko (Mars)]

Yes but I dont see any related to switches.

Line 127 is empty but just before the groups.yaml call:

and the only thing in the groups.yaml file is:

Coffee_Monitoring:
  name: Coffee Monitor
  view: yes
  entities:
    - sensor.emoncms_nodefortniteh
    - sensor.emoncms_nodefortnitet

which refer to emoncms sensors that used to work but for some reason stopped working.

Let me understand something.

1. I need to create the entities (switches & input booleans) in the configuration.yaml file, right?
2. Then I create the automations either in the UI or in the automations.yaml file, right?

[Burningstone]

Groups as a frontend construct has been deprecated in version 107, remove the line
view: yes
But you are right, has nothing to do with your switch.

To your questions:

1. Yes.
2. Yes, the automations you create in the UI will be stored in automations.yaml as well.

Can you please post your full configuration.yaml file, with all sensitive information redacted?

[marciokoko (Mars)]

Sure here it is:

homeassistant:
  # Name of the location where Home Assistant is running
  name: Home
  # Location required to calculate the time the sun rises and sets
  latitude: 25.5263
  longitude: -58.0307
  # Impacts weather/sunrise data (altitude above sea level in meters)
  elevation: 90
  # metric for Metric, imperial for Imperial
  unit_system: metric
  # Pick yours from here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tz_database_time_zones
  time_zone: America/Bogota
  # Customization file
  customize: !include customize.yaml

# Show links to resources in log and frontend
#introduction:

# Enables the frontend
frontend:

# Enables configuration UI
config:

# Uncomment this if you are using SSL/TLS, running in Docker container, etc.
# http:
#   base_url: example.duckdns.org:8123

# Checks for available updates
# Note: This component will send some information about your system to
# the developers to assist with development of Home Assistant.
# For more information, please see:
# https://home-assistant.io/blog/2016/10/25/explaining-the-updater/
updater:
  # Optional, allows Home Assistant developers to focus on popular components.
  # include_used_components: true

# 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:

# Enables a map showing the location of tracked devices
map:

# Track the sun
sun:

# Example configuration.yaml entry
input_boolean:
  notify_home:
    name: Publish MQTT msg
    icon: mdi:car

  power_kompressor:
    name: Kompressor
    icon: mdi:car

  power_solenoid:
    name: Solenoid
    icon: mdi:car

  power_curtain:
    name: Curtains
    icon: mdi:home

# MQTT Switches RPi2 - RPi3
switch:
  - platform: mqtt
    name: kompressor
    command_topic: "test_channel"
    payload_on: "komp-on"
    payload_off: "komp-off"
  - platform: mqtt
    name: solenoid
    command_topic: "test_channel"
    payload_on: "sole-on"
    payload_off: "sole-off"
  - platform: mqtt
    name: power_curtain
    command_topic: "curtainStatus"
    payload_on: "1"
    payload_off: "0"
    
# Sensors
sensor:
  # Weather prediction
  - platform: yr
  
  # Emoncms
  - platform: emoncms
    api_key: mykey
    url: http://www.mydomain.com/emoncms/
    id: 1

# Example configuration.yaml entry configuring HomeKit
homekit:

mqtt:
  broker: 192.168.1.113
  
sonoff:
  username: [email protected]
  password: mypwd
  scan_interval: 60
  grace_period: 600
  api_region: 'us'
  
# Example configuration.yaml entry
device_tracker:
  - platform: bluetooth_le_tracker
  
# Text to speech
tts:
  - platform: google_translate
    service_name: google_say

# Cloud
cloud:

group: !include groups.yaml
automation: !include automations.yaml
script: !include scripts.yaml

#panel_iframe:
#  configurator:
#    title: Configurator
#    icon: mdi:wrench
#    url: http://hassio.local:3218
#    
system_health:

[Burningstone]

Are you sure the topic is correct?
Can you please go to Developer Tools -> MQTT and enter # in the box “Listen to a topic” and press start listening. Then manually control the curtain and post a screenshot of the output in the “Listen to a topic” box here.

Did you restart Home Assistant after adding the switch?
If you go to Developer Tools -> States do you see an entity switch.power_curtain?

[marciokoko (Mars)]

i know the mqtt topic is curtainStatus. Ive tested it many ways.

As for the dwitch entity, well, therein lies the rub. Its not there…no matter what i do or how many times i restart hassio, it wont come up.

[Burningstone]

Does it show up when you change the command_topic to “test_channel”?

Did you try without quoting the payload like this:

  - platform: mqtt
    name: power_curtain
    command_topic: "curtainStatus"
    payload_on: 1
    payload_off: 0

Did you try adding a state_topic like this?

  - platform: mqtt
    name: power_curtain
    command_topic: "curtainStatus"
    state_topic: "curtainStatus"
    payload_on: "1"
    payload_off: "0"

[marciokoko (Mars)]

I changed the power_curtain command_topic to “test_channel” and after restarting, woah…a bunch of stuff changed. Not sure if it was because of the test_channel change. Let me try changing it back…
The only thing i did differently this time was that i found an option to Restart Hass in a sprocket wheel on the top left of the Configurator file editor and used that instead of the typical Restart Server option in the Hassio Configuration menu option…

ok so i changed it back to curtainStatus and it still shows up. So Im guessing this option:

Isnt quite the same as this option:

And even now something is off and not completely refreshed because if you take a look at my dashboard, i have:

1. Cortinas input_boolean… which IS INDEED in my configuration.yaml
2. Rollup Curtains input_boolean… which IS NOT in my configuration.yaml
3. Muestra toggle switch… which IS NOT in my configuration.yaml

So something doesnt seem to be refreshing completely…

[Burningstone]

Did you try refreshing the browser with shift + F5?