Help with waiting_for_trigger time pattern template

Configuration
1

I have an automation that I want to use with a wait_for_trigger for a specific (random) time. The automation is triggered by a state change, which usually occurs around midnight. The automation should trigger a notification at random in the morning between 6:00 and 9:00. I want to use a template for the time, just like I would do with a delay.

automation:
  - alias: Notify in the morning
    trigger:
      platform: state
      entity_id: sensor.holiday
    action:
      # this delay template works
      # - delay: '0{{ (range(6, 8)|random|int) }}:{{ range(0,5) | random | int }}{{ range(0,9) | random | int }}:{{ range(0,5) | random | int }}{{ range(0,9) | random | int }}'
      - wait_for_trigger:
        platform: time
        # at: '06:59:59' # this works just fine
        # random time between 06:00:00 and 08:59:59 -- Err
        at: '0{{ (range(6, 8)|random|int) }}:{{ range(0,5) | random | int }}{{ range(0,9) | random | int }}:{{ range(0,5) | random | int }}{{ range(0,9) | random | int }}'
    - service: notify.notify
      data:
        message: "Today is: {{ states('sensor.holiday') }}"

Suggestions are welcome.

2

Maybe you can use a template trigger, don’t think you can template the at: of a time trigger.

3

What Burningstone said, you can’t template the at option.

In addition, if you want a random value between 6 and 8 (inclusively) then the second argument in the range() function should be 9 (not 8). The second argument is the “stop” argument and should be greater, by one, than the desired range.

You can try this Template Trigger. However, the now() function only updates every minute so you can’t schedule a time containing seconds. EDIT: Potential flaw in this approach. See post by charlyr below

click to show 
  - platform: template
    value_template: >
      {{ now().hour == range(6, 9)|random and now().minute == range(0, 60)|random }}
2 Likes
4

Thanks for the suggestions. Too bad the at: can’t be templated. My next attempt will be to wait until 6:00:00 and then add a delay for 0-2 hours. Something like this:

automation:
  - alias: Notify in the morning
    trigger:
      platform: state
      entity_id: sensor.holiday # triggers around midnight
    action:
      - wait_for_trigger:
        platform: time
          at: '06:00:00' # 'at' can't be templated yet
      - delay: '0{{ (range(0, 1)|random|int) }}:{{ range(0,5) | random | int }}{{ range(0,9) | random | int }}:{{ range(0,5) | random | int }}{{ range(0,9) | random | int }}'
      - service: notify.notify
        data:
          message: "Today is {{ states('sensor.holiday') }}"
5

Did the Template Trigger I suggested fail to work? EDIT: Flawed approach. See charlyr’s post below.

6

I actually didn’t try yet. I don’t like triggers with now() much. But when my own solution fails, I’ll certainly give it a shot.

7

Why not?

Both Time Trigger and now() employ the internal clock to determine when the appointed time occurs.

Primary difference is that now() in a Template Trigger has a resolution of one-minute whereas Time Trigger’s is one-second. If your application requires a one-second resolution then a Template Trigger with now() isn’t suitable.

EDIT

My suggestion has a potential flaw because the computed random time will change each minute thereby making it a moving target.

1 Like
8

@123 just a quick question about this template that you posted above.

The presence of now() causes the template to be evaluated every minute, does this not mean that the random filters are also recalculated every minute, so it is possible that this could never fire or fire multiple times within the time window, as the time that you are comparing to is different every minute?

1 Like
9

Good questions!

Yes.

possible that this could never fire or fire multiple times within the time window

Yes; no.

Good catch that it may never trigger because it computes a new time each minute. Each computed time could be in the past or future to the extent that the current time never succeeds to match it.

However, it won’t trigger multiple times because it’s not the automation’s primary trigger but is used in the action’s wait_for_trigger. After triggering, the execution move on to the next action (delay).

Thanks for identifying the potential bug and Happy Cake Day!

@metbril
I retract the suggestion to use a Template Trigger in this situation because there’s a possibility it will never trigger during the desired time range. The flaw is that the inclusion of now() means the template is re-evaluated every minute which causes a new random time to be computed (i.e. the computed time become a moving target).