Invalid config for [automation]: Expected HH:MM, HH:MM:SS or Entity ID with domain 'input_datetime' or 'sensor' @ data['at'][0]. Got None

Configuration
1

If someone runs into this error … drove me crazy for an hour or so …

This:

- alias: Nachtlicht ein
  description: Jacobs Nachtlicht einschalten
  trigger:
  - platform: time
    at: 22:30:00
  action:
  - service: switch.turn_on
    entity_id: switch.plugtwo
  - service: notify.pushover
    data:
      message: Nachtlicht ein
  mode: single

will raise above error, while

at: 06:30:00

will not (whysoever … when Hours are starting with a “0” it’s ok for the parser …)

Correct way to write is using hyphens:

at: "22:00:00"

5 Likes
2

I did, many thanks for the Post!!

3

Sorry. I’m bumping this - can anyone help please ?

I have something - Do I need to create a time sensor or value template as this does not work for me, resulting in the same error

alias: _A_TEST
description: ""
triggers:
  - trigger: time
    at: "{{ state_attr('sensor.mc', 'd') }}"
    id: MY-Zuhr
conditions: []
actions:
  - action: logbook.log
    metadata: {}
    data:
      name: TEST
      message: trigger id = {{ trigger.id }}
mode: single

The output of "{{ state_attr('sensor.mc', 'd') }}" is in the correct format HH:MM:SS but I’m still getting

Message malformed: Expected HH:MM, HH:MM:SS, an Entity ID with domain 'input_datetime' or 'sensor', or a combination of a timestamp sensor entity and an offset. @ data['at'][0]
4

Read the docs:

There are three allowed formats:

  • Time string
  • Input datetime
  • Sensors of datetime device class

at does not support templates. You could create a template sensor helper with a similar template and a timestamp device class (note the requirement for it to be a datetime object or ISO8601 string) and use that sensor’s entity ID.

{{ today_at(state_attr('sensor.mc', 'd')).isoformat() }}
1 Like
5

Thanks @Troon … guess you’re going to leave me to do the hard work :joy:

I really didn’t want to create time sensors but guess that’s the way to do it easily

6

???

I’ve extracted the key bits from the docs, told you that templates won’t work, and given you a state trigger for a template sensor helper. Use it like this:

image
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Then:

triggers:
  - trigger: time
    at: sensor.my_zuhr
    id: MY-Zuhr
1 Like
7

Oh man, I’ve made a mess of things by trying to create these entitles via API as that’s how I’m updating them daily

foreach $p('a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e') {

  $curlData="{
    \"state\": \"$pt_object->{$p}\",
    \"device_class\": \"timestamp\"
  }";

#print $curlData,"\n";
system("curl -s -X POST -H \"Content-Type: application/json\" -H \"Authorization: Bearer $token\" -d '$curlData' https://homeassistant.home.xxxx.net/api/states/input_datetime.mcec_${p} 2>&1 >/dev/null");

}

Ufff now to work out how to create time objects via API if at all possible ?

8

You simply need to create / update a sensor with an ISO8601 string (including the T!) as its state (not an attribute), and a device_class of timestamp.

1 Like
9

Sorted … thanks mate

  $pt_object->{$key."_formatted"}=DateTime->now()->strftime('%Y-%m-%dT').$time->strftime('%H:%M:%S').'Z';

Which has created these that I can use in the automation

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Now how do I get rid of these sensors that I accidently created or do I need to RTFM ?

image
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10

Just in case anyone lands here looking for a solution

  • Restarting HA will get rid of any temporary entities created by API
  • To use datetime objects in an automation, set them up correctly ie
    – Create datetime helpers
  • To update those helpers via the API use a service call - DO NOT attempt to update the state of the object ie
    –
system("curl -s -X POST -H \"Content-Type: application/json\" -H \"Authorization: Bearer $token\" -d '$curlData' https://homeassistant.home.xxxx.net/api/services/input_datetime/set_datetime 2>&1 >/dev/null");

Where your payload is

  $curlData="{
    \"datetime\": \"2024-10-01 00:00:00\",
    \"entity_id\": \"input_datetime.your_id\"
  }";