Node-Red: writing values into wo using payload

Third party integrations Node-RED
1

I can more or less easily writing values into hass using the service “set_value {“value”:{{payload}}}”.
But I have several use case where it is not possible for me to use the payload, as the value I would like to write (set) isn’t in the flow. So I tried all kind of stuff that easy works in a script or automation, but nothing works. For instance:

{ “value”: $entities(‘sensor.energy_production_tomorrow’).state / 2}

At the I ended up using a script to write the values:

service: input_number.set_value
target:
  entity_id: input_number.multiplus_minimal_soc_setpoint
data:
  value: |
    {{ states('input_number.victron_soc_etimated_value')}}

As I couldn’t find any working example for this I assume the node is not made to do this and after reading some threads I often get the impression that it ends up using MQTT to do such stuff.
something as publish to MQTT and then creating a sensor in HA using mqtt. But this seems to be pretty complicated too.

2

I’m not clear on what it is you want to do. It would seem you want two input numbers to mirror each other? An event state node to a call service is all you need.

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I see it needs to be divided by 2, in the output section on the bottom of the event state node use

$number($entity().state) / 2
3

Yep that is what I did.

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4

I made an edit above, is the division, what the problem was?

5

Nope I want to write a value triggered by a event state. And the source value is not in the flow.

6

So you want to react to a state change, and then GET the state another entity in homeassistant to do whatever calculation you need to do?

7

I’m still a little unclear. To bring addinoal values into a flow you can use a current state. You can output the value to any message position, again at the bottom output section, and pass it like {{payload}}.

So msg.whatever can be passed as {{whatever}}

8

You want to trigger the flow by entity_1 state change in order to retrieve entity_b state for further processing?
If so, then use Trigger:State node to intercept entity_1 change, then redirect its result to Current State or Get Entities node to retrieve state of entity_2 node. Since that the flow will contain value of entity_2 you can do whatever you want with.

9

Do you mean something like this? I tried that, but having trouble with formatting correctly.

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If such would work it would make a lot of my flows easier.

10

I haven’t figured out if that is possible yet. What I suggested is using a current state node, outputting to a different message position when the event is triggered.

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The message it will give me

msg : Object
object
_msgid: "c26facef8283e949"
payload: 2
topic: ""
entity_2: "85.0"

Now I can use {{payload}} and {{entity_2}} in a call service node. The code in the event state output will divide that entity by 2.

[{"id":"b9d1897ed4f01d5d","type":"debug","z":"f80b6c338afd5483","name":"","active":true,"tosidebar":true,"console":false,"tostatus":false,"complete":"true","targetType":"full","statusVal":"","statusType":"auto","x":1030,"y":1220,"wires":[]},{"id":"efbba4107fd31ce4","type":"server-state-changed","z":"f80b6c338afd5483","name":"","server":"","version":3,"exposeToHomeAssistant":false,"haConfig":[{"property":"name","value":""},{"property":"icon","value":""}],"entityidfilter":"input_number.number","entityidfiltertype":"exact","outputinitially":false,"state_type":"str","haltifstate":"","halt_if_type":"str","halt_if_compare":"is","outputs":1,"output_only_on_state_change":true,"for":0,"forType":"num","forUnits":"minutes","ignorePrevStateNull":false,"ignorePrevStateUnknown":false,"ignorePrevStateUnavailable":false,"ignoreCurrentStateUnknown":false,"ignoreCurrentStateUnavailable":false,"outputProperties":[{"property":"payload","propertyType":"msg","value":"$number($entity().state) / 2","valueType":"jsonata"}],"x":330,"y":1220,"wires":[["cf755d5fb0c33613"]]},{"id":"cf755d5fb0c33613","type":"api-current-state","z":"f80b6c338afd5483","name":"","server":"","version":2,"outputs":1,"halt_if":"","halt_if_type":"str","halt_if_compare":"is","entity_id":"input_number.grow_humidity","state_type":"str","blockInputOverrides":false,"outputProperties":[{"property":"entity_2","propertyType":"msg","value":"","valueType":"entityState"}],"override_topic":false,"state_location":"payload","override_payload":"msg","entity_location":"data","override_data":"msg","x":730,"y":1220,"wires":[["b9d1897ed4f01d5d"]]}]
1 Like
11

Ok got it, you use a “current state” node to inject a new entity as payload. Clever such a use is not mentioned in the docs. And it works in my case.

1 Like
12

I too spent weeks getting to this point. Using Current State solves it all. Thanks so much!