How to use groups in scripts?

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1

Hi!
How can I use groups in my scripts?
I have a set of lights in a group and I want to use this group in my script (called ‘Soninho 1’). The idea is to turn off some lamps (this group). I know that I can set multiple actions in my script…but I will have to repeat this proccess in some other scripts, that’s why I would like to turn off just the ‘group’ device.
Also, I have more lights in this zone, so I can’t turn off entire zone.

This is my group (define in YAML mode):

- platform: group
  name: spots_quarto
  unique_id: spots_quarto
  entities:
    - light.spot_q1_light
    - light.spot_q2_light
    - light.spot_q3_light
    - light.spot_q4_light
    - light.spot_q5_light
    - light.spot_q6_light
    - light.spot_q7_light
    - light.spot_q8_light

spots_quarto doesn’t showd up in device selection box in script.

2

It should be an entity. Search in developer entity tab for group.

3

Yes, it does show up as an entitie…I’m already using in dashboard…but it doesn’t show while creating an script!

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See this last action…spots_quarto doesnt show :frowning: Everything else is correct, including individual lights in that group.

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4
  1. You probably should put up a light group. You can do this with a helper.

Automations & Scenes - Helpers - Add Helper - Group - Light Group

  1. Call that group via 'Call Service '. (Light) Groups are entities not devices.

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5

Groups is already created in YAML.
But tks, the tip that groups are not devices, but entities, did light me up! :slight_smile:
This combined with Call Service solved my issue with script. Tks!

1 Like
6

The advantages of a light group are the simultaneous control of color, temperature and of course brightness.

But happy that I could help. :blush:

7

I agree with @jmceara. I just tried to create a test automation and my YAML-based groups do not appear in the entity picker anymore. NOTE: I would think you actually want to use “Call Service” and then the “Light off” service and select the entity but I could not see them their either.

Then I selected to edit in YAML as shown below and “boom” they are there. So it looks like YAML-based groups do not appear in the GUI-based entity picker.

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8

I would note that I like using the old groups better although I would say I have not tried the new groups. This is because it would require a lot for me to redefine many switches as lights and I also do several groups in other groups. This is just a snippet of my YAML groups:

# Art
artlights:
    name: Artwork
    icon: phu:double-spot
    entities:
      - light.switchlinc_dimmer_1e_3f_e2
      - light.switchlinc_dimmer_2b_e4_c5
      - light.switchlinc_dimmer_1e_3e_07
      - light.switchlinc_dimmer_1e_3e_f3
      - light.switchlinc_dimmer_1e_3e_c0
      - light.switchlinc_dimmer_1e_3e_dc
      - light.keypadlinc_dimmer_1c_df_46_main
      - light.switchlinc_dimmer_1e_40_d7
    all: true
# ArriveHome
arrivehomelights:
    name: Arrival
    icon: mdi:car
    entities:
      - group.foyerlights
      - group.frontlights
    all: true
# Panic
paniclights:
    name: Panic
    icon: mdi:run-fast
    entities:
      - group.foyerlights
      - group.frontlights
      - group.backyardlights
      - group.kitchenlights
      - group.masterlights
    all: true

Then I make use of custom:button-card and repetitive YAML to add into Lovelace. Adding this button_card_template:

button_card_templates:
  group_lights:
    group_expand: true
    styles:
      card:
        - height: 100px
    tap_action:
      action: none
    hold_action:
      action: call-service
      service: >-
        [[[ if (entity.state == "on") return "homeassistant.turn_off"; else
        return "homeassistant.turn_on" ]]]
      service_data:
        entity_id: entity

And this in design with three lines of YAML per button and easy to add additional ones:

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9

One additional point, maybe should be reported as a bug. If I try to use the Entity picker as shown below, you can see nothing “pops” when I start to type groups.

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But if I enter the full name (in this case “group.artlights”) and click off, it comes back as knowing the group:

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10

But these controls works with YAML defined group too. I’m already using this for a long time. I have a button in dashboard set to my group and after changing color/brightness for this group, all lights are changed. No group in UI at all! :slight_smile:

11

Well as I said they do work if I edit in YAML or I enter the full name of the group. They just do not appear in my quicklist picker for entities.

12

The difference is that my YAML uses old style groups. I can combine lights, switches and other groups this way. As I understand it, all members of light group must be in light domain now. So I would need to redefine many switches as lights. Then find out if you can add a light group to another group.

13

The answer was simple for my “old style” Groups. Of course you cannot use the service light.turn_on because they are not necessarily lights (some are switches and in some cases other things). You use the generic homeassistant.turn_on

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Then you can see the groups.

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