Light Template for 'Dummy' Light to Expose to Alexa

Configuration
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1

I’m trying to create a ‘dummy’ light in Home Assistant that I can expose to Alexa. The intention is to make this dummy light do different things depending on which Alexa device was ‘last called’. Similar to an Alexa-enabled group (native to the Alexa app) containing an Alexa device and one or more lights, but I want to use a different word other than ‘lights’ (I want to use ‘lights’ for lamps, and ‘main lights’ for ceiling lights).

I’ve achieved this already with a simple on/off, and some input button helpers and a couple of automations, but I want to include brightness as well, hence wanting to use a light template entity.

All I want is to trigger an input_button helper when it’s turned on, another input_button helper when it’s turned off, and set the value of an input_number helper when the brightness is changed. I don’t need to track the on/off state.

Here’s what I have so far:

light:
  - platform: template
    lights:
      context_light:
        friendly_name: "Context-Sensitive Light"
        turn_on:
          service: input_button.press
          data:
            entity_id: input_button.context_aware_main_light_on
        turn_off:
          service: input_button.press
          data:
            entity_id: input_button.context_aware_main_light_off
        set_level:
          service: input_number.set_value
          data:
            entity_id: input_number.context_aware_light_brightness
            brightness: "{{ states('input_number.context_aware_light_brightness') | int }}"

The input number helper is configured with a min value of 0, max of 255 with step of 1.

Turning the light on/off successfully triggers an automation that performs a different action depending on which Alexa was ‘last called’. However, setting the brightness does not work - instead I get the below error:

image
image1059×140 18.7 KB

Any idea where I’m going wrong? Thanks in advance.

2

Input numbers don’t have a brightness, they have a value. And in this case the value needs to come from the variable brightness that will be passed from the input (dashboard, Alexa, etc). Using the state of the input number as shown in your example is circular… the value would never change.

service: input_number.set_value
data:
  entity_id: input_number.context_aware_light_brightness
  value: "{{ brightness }}"
1 Like
3

Thanks so much! Nailed it.