Generic thermostat created from helpers UI can't use toggle as actuator

Configuration
1

I have converted all but a few items from YAML config to UI based config where available. I tried to create a thermostat helper in the UI, but I find that the UI does not allow me to use a toggle/input-boolean as the actuator entity.
The same thermostat in YAML works fine using the input-boolean as the the control output.

Bug, not supported, or not yet supported?

2

Not (yet) supported, I think. There’s a note in the docs:

Configuration using our user interface provides a more limited subset of options, making this integration more accessible while covering most use cases. If you need more specific features for your use case, the manual YAML-configuration section of this integration might provide them.

I created a template switch.

3

Do you mean the UI allows you to use a template switch?

4

No - create a template switch to toggle your input_boolean.

- platform: template
  switches:
    living_room_thermostat:
      friendly_name: "Living room thermostat"
      unique_id: e7272354-975d-4c2e-aaad-70cb13ed5546
      turn_on:
        action: input_boolean.turn_on
        target:
          entity_id: input_boolean.heating_boost
      turn_off:
        action: input_boolean.turn_off
        target:
          entity_id: input_boolean.heating_boost

And that will appear in the drop-down list of switches.

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5

Isn’t the boolean redundant?

6

Well… You’re right, it certainly feels that way. :grin:

But what else is the template switch going to be based on?

7

Whatever the boolean is used for could the switch also be used to? Or?

8

These UI choices are silly sometimes. If it just uses homeassistant.turn_on/off why not allow to pick anything that has on/off. It won’t make the UI any more complex.

1 Like
9

Or a helper which is sort of the opposite of “Change device type of a switch”?

Change anything else into a switch? Which is what the template does.

10

I submitted a PR to get the UI to include input_boolean as a target.

11

I use the binary input/toggle simply to maintain logical state, I then have an automation that turns the actual fan on based on a variety of conditions. e.g. thermostat calls, timer to cycle some air, main HVAC on, etc.

And it looks like there is objection to supporting input_boolean in the thermostat UI, while in YAML it works fine?

12

My PR was declined, seems that input_boolean is not considered a switch, I do then wonder what it is if not a logical switch, and why it is not being removed/deprecated if not allowed to be used, but can be created in the UI.

I’ll either live with YAML, or maybe convert to a template switch with no state and no output that does seem to work.