Need help using groups.yaml file

Configuration
1

When I try to create a group in the groups.yaml file I get the following error:

Invalid config for [group]: [jonandsheila] is an invalid option for [group]. Check: group->group->group->jonandsheila. (See /config/configuration.yaml, line 8).

Below is my entry in the groups.yaml file and below that is my configuration.yaml file.

# Example groups.yaml entry
group:
  jonandsheila:
    name: Jon and Sheila
    entities:
      - device_tracker.life360_jon
      - device_tracker.life360_sheila

I don’t understand the error as line 8 in my configuration.yaml file is a blank line

Below is a cut and paste of pertinent section of my configuration.yaml file:

# Text to speech
tts:
  - platform: google_translate
(line-8)
group: !include groups.yaml
automation: !include automations.yaml
script: !include scripts.yaml
scene: !include scenes.yaml
2

You’re pointing to the group in your configuration.yaml, but then in group.yaml you’re also using group:, this is one group: too much.
Try:
configuration.yaml:

tts:
  - platform: google_translate
(line-8)
group: !include groups.yaml
automation: !include automations.yaml
script: !include scripts.yaml
scene: !include scenes.yaml

groups.yaml:

jonandsheila:
  name: Jon and Sheila
  entities:
    - device_tracker.life360_jon
    - device_tracker.life360_sheila
3

Thank you!

That did the trick!

4

I was under the impression that I have put a bunch of different entities under one group and call that group in the code to automate something. In this case, I want to turn on all the lights at a certain time for all the lights in the group.

- id: basementLightsOffTest
  alias: Family Room Lift Turned On At Sunset
  trigger:
    - platform: time
      at: "17:25:00"
  action:
    # Turn on the lights
    - service: light.turn_on
      entity_id: group.basement_lights

The group is defined as:

basement_lights:
  entities:
    - light.leviton_dimmer_switch_2 #basement familyroom
    - light.madelynlamp
    - light.laurellamp
    - light.leviton_dimmer_switch #stairway light switch
    - light.leviton_device_9f8c #basement hallway

When the automation runs, it will turn one of the lights. Am I using this incorrectly?

Thanks in advance for the help!

5

Are you sure the entities are named correctly and when you made this group did you reload the groups or restart HA?

6

You should certainly check what thebatfink suggests, and this won’t be the reason why your old-style group doesn’t seem to be working, but as your entities are all lights, you would be better off using the newer-style light group platform.

You can set this up through the UI, or via YAML as you wish (under the light: key rather than the group: key).

7

Thank you for the responses - @thebatfink & @reste_narquois !

Are you sure the entities are named correctly

I believe so. The entities were autopopulated instead of typed out.

when you made this group did you reload the groups or restart HA?

I don’t recall but did both this morning. It didn’t work.

your entities are all lights, you would be better off using the newer-style light group platform 1.

At this point, I’d give anything a try to get this to work.

# Example configuration.yaml entry
light:
  - platform: group
    name: "Kitchen Lights"
    entities:
      - light.kitchen_ceiling_lights
      - light.kitchen_under_cabinet_lights
      - light.kitchen_spot_lights
      - light.pendant_lights

With the above example, do you call this light group with: group.kitchen_lights ??

In the YAML for light group, I have several different light groups for the upstairs, specific bedrooms, basement, etc.

8

As a light group, it will be part of the light domain, so likely light.kitchen_lights - do a search for it in the States tab of Developer Tools

9

light.kitchen_lights

But I still suspect you have / had some other issues. The original group should have worked. Go to developer tools, services, choose light.turn_on service and as the entity your light.kitchen_lights, call the service. What happens?