How do I test a sunrise/sunset automation trigger

Configuration
1

I am setting up a sunrise based automation

trigger:
  - platform: sun
    event: sunrise
    offset: 0

How do I trigger an event to test it? I have tried various things in the event developer tool, but cannot figure it out.

2

Interesting question…

I don’t have the answer, but you can try this:

Make an automation with this trigger and write the full event object to your log or a persistent notification. We can then see what it looks like in order to emulate it.

3

Not quite sure how to do that. Can you save me another hour of looking stuff up?

4

Go to Developer Tools > STATES, then open Set States. Enter sun.sun as the entity. Enter above_horizon or below_horizon. Then click SET STATE.

5

Sure thing. :slight_smile: I was on mobile, hence the brief response.

      - service: system_log.write
        data:
          message: "{{ trigger.event }}"
          level: debug
          logger: "homeassistant.components.automation"

Accompanying that, you’ll need this (depending on your default logger settings):

logger:
  default: warning  # my default is this
  logs:
    homeassistant.components.automation: debug

And/or (perhaps the quicker/easier option):

      - service: persistent_notification.create
        data:
          title: "Nick's Event Test"
          message: "{{ trigger.event }}"
6

Should have said that I tried that.

7

Thank you. I have done the persistent notification.

Now to wait for sunset …

1 Like
8

Not sure if this is your quandary, however can you not trigger the automation from Setting, Automations? picture below. I realize this does not address the source trigger, if that is issue. However, as you have done, sending debugging info out to home-assistant.log, at least you can see what is happening in the automation wiith well place debug log outputs.

IMHO, I think the Home Assistant automation and scripting are the biggest achilles heels of this system (maybe tied with ZHA zigbee). I really think the devs need to consider a new approach to scripting and automation in the coming year. What is there now is really lacking and BIG hindrance to regular folks doing more with HA.

Good hunting!

image

9

Yeah i do know how to use run, but that doesn’t test the trigger.

The usual case of a trigger that monitors a state is easy to test by changing the state in dev tools. (As suggested by @templeton_nash How do I test a sunrise/sunset automation trigger - #4 by templeton_nash ) but the sunrise/set trigger is not based on state, but on an event which i can’t find the docs for.