How does HA set up entities for ZWave devices?

I posted recently about integrating a motion sensor with the new OZW add-in. When I paired it, HA very cleanly set up a series of entities to measure the relevant sensors from the device.

However, I also have a Remotec ZRC-90 that is paired but no entities have been created for it at all.

Initially, I created automations for the Remotec based on events, but I’ve refined that to representing presses in input_number variables that are easier to incorporate into automations as entity states.

(There’s an entity for each button, and its state is the value of the button push as it happens. As the buttons are pushed, the value is changed briefly before going back to zero.)

Is it possible for HA devs to have these entities set up automatically? Or is it up to OZW developers to decide whether entities are pushed to the downstream home automation system?

How is that easier than using events in automations? Especially with the new “choose” option for automations/scripts that got introduced recently, it’s really easy to automate remotes working with events. I’d definitely prefer that OZW doesn’t create an entity for each button of each of my remote, I’ll have hundreds more entities cluttering my interface. Either a sensor that shows the last pressed button or events, but not one entity per button press.

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Events are great as triggers for automations but they can’t be used in other parts of the automation. For instance:

Wait until logic can’t be used with events:

  • If my alarm has been triggered, you’ve got 30 seconds to double-click a button on the device. (This saves having to make two automations)
  • It’s not possible to create automations that use the push-and-hold logic using events. The device will keep sending push-and-hold messages that keep triggering the automation (in previous builds), or you have to create another automation to stop the first one.

Events can’t be used as conditions:

  • I can’t have an automation that says “don’t open the garage door unless this additional button is being held down as a child safety measure”

Essentially, both events and states give you ways to work with automations. The best thing about HA is that it gives people enormous flexibility to operate in ways that best suit them. You could choose to go by events if you like, or by states. But having options easily available would be great for users, especially newbies.