How do I debug device event data within Developer Tools -> Events?

Configuration
1

Is it possible to look at event data when a device changes state please? I would like to understand or see the json data that occurs when for example, a binary_sensor turns on or off, which will help me build automations with variables.

Just using a simple example, I have the following binary_sensor:

binary_sensor:
  - platform: ping
    host: 192.168.1.10
    name: "dsrv3msi"

If I create an automation to trigger a message when the state changes, I can look at the automation debug trace to see the from and to state changes in json:

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However, how do I see this same information without using an automation? I gather this can be done within Developer Tools → Events, but I can’t figure out how.

How does “Listen to events” work? Can I specify an entity here? I see “Active listeners” on the right, so I tried entering “state_changed” as something to listen to, but nothing happened.
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Thanks in advance.

2

You’re doing it correctly, you just need to wait for a state change to occur.

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3

Thank you for confirming I’m at least on the right track petro.

I can only presume there’s an issue with my setup as I’ve over 800 entities whose states are always changing. Even if I manually change a light state from on to off, it doesn’t appear within Listen to events. Am I perhaps wrong in my understanding that “state_changed” lists any entities that change state?

4

Hmm, that’s weird. I tried * along with Start Listening and events then appeared! I then went back to state_changed and found that is now working as well!! :man_shrugging:
I suspect there might have been an extra space character in state_changed because if I add a space, no events appear…