Helper in tod template

[RamonaSteve (Steve Maze)]

I am fairly new to HA and struggling with the YAML syntax to create a binary_sensor using tod and helpers for the after and before properties. This is the content of my config/binary_sensor.yaml file:

- platform: tod
  name: Energy Savings
  after:  '{{ states("input_datetime.energy_savings_start_time") }}'
  before: '{{ states("input_datetime.energy_savings_end_time"  ) }}'

Both input_datetime.energy_savings_start_time and input_datetime.energy_savings_end_time are Date and/or time (time only) helpers with start_time set to 4:00 PM and end_time set to 9:00 PM.

I have tried various combinations of single and doulbe quotes but have not come up with the correct combination. Everything seems to be OK in File editor but errors when I Check Configuration. the current error is:

Invalid config for [binary_sensor.tod]: Invalid time specified: {{ states("input_datetime.energy_savings_end_time" ) }} for dictionary value @ data['before']. Got '{{ states("input_datetime.energy_savings_end_time" ) }}'
Invalid time specified: {{ states("input_datetime.energy_savings_start_time") }} for dictionary value @ data['after']. Got '{{ states("input_datetime.energy_savings_start_time") }}'. (See ?, line ?).

What am I doing wrong? Is there a good reference or tutorial for writing advanced YAML for HA?

Thanks in advance.

[123 (Taras)]

@RamonaSteve

What am I doing wrong?

The after and before options don’t support templates. The documentation indicates they only support time strings.

[Didgeridrew]

I need help with a little project

Hi all I need a help with a little project, I scrape some events from the web and store them in sensors “sensor.match_time_one” which is the time of the event. I need to create another sensor showing “Next event” This doe not work, just to demonstrate the idea can someone please show me the correct approach to do this binary_sensor: - platform: tod name: Event 1 time: “sensor.match_time_one” before_offset: 15 minutes after_offset: 20 minutes - platform: tod name: E…

[RamonaSteve (Steve Maze)]

Thank you @123. I misinterpret the docs. I assumed that string | time included templates that resolve to sting or time.

[petro]

if you’re not against templates, just make a template sensor

template:
- binary_sensor:
  - name: My TOD
    state: >
      {{ today_at(states(("input_datetime.energy_savings_start_time")) < now() < today_at(states(("input_datetime.energy_savings_end_time")) }}

[RamonaSteve (Steve Maze)]

Thank you, @petro. Other than the error in your YAML – it should be states(... rather than states((... – this worked perfectly. And I learnt a bit more Jinja2 with today_at()

[123 (Taras)]

@RamonaSteve

assumed that string | time included templates that resolve to sting or time.

When it supports templates, it will state that it supports templates. Here’s an example.

[RamonaSteve (Steve Maze)]

Thank you, @123. I am fairly new to HA so still learning how to interpret the docs. This helps.