Is there a correct way to sequence events on startup / configuration reload

Configuration
1

I was checking through the logs and I found an error was occurring after reloading all configuration:

Referenced entities select.hall_lighting are missing or not currently available

Its occurring because I have an automation that is trying to set (write to) a template select.
And the ordering is unclear between the initialization of the template select and the trigger conditions for the automation.

I did try updating configuration.yaml to move the automations include to the bottom of the file:

automation: !include automations.yaml

However that didn't seem to help, so I ended up changing my automation to wait for the select to become ready, i.e.:

actions:
  - repeat:
      for_each: "{{ active_setting }}"
      sequence:
        - wait_template: "{{ has_value(repeat.item.selector) }}"
          timeout: "00:00:5"
          continue_on_timeout: false
        - action: select.select_option
          metadata: {}
          data:
            option: "{{ repeat.item.value }}"
          target:
            entity_id: "{{ repeat.item.selector }}"

Where repeat.item.selector is the select.abc to be updated.
That approach works but it feels a but kludgey to simply halt the automation waiting for the control to be ready.

I considered some other options, I could:

  • Change the automation to directly update the backing field, behind the select (which breaks the abstraction - of interacting with a select).
  • Change the template select, to an input helper select (the dumb version), but that loses some functionality.

TL;DR - I have three ways of solving the problem, but I don't like any of them for various reasons.

Is there a official/standard way of ensuring that automations / controls load in specific order so that they are available before they are used?

2

Here's what I do.