So back to my question then @tom_l, if they are meaningless why does 1) the gui use them when you try to setup automation and 2) why are they not listed in “Developer Tools → States or Settings → Devices & Services → Entities”, you question was how do you make it simpler? my answer is 3) make it so any ID the system automatically uses is listed in the section you described as well as have it searchable.
The gui uses them so you can change the entity id without needing to update your automation.
You’re not meant to use these outside the UI. If you want to use yaml, use yaml with entity based actions, not device based actions
You can find the device if in the url for the device.
So the system is making it more complicated than it needs to be, makes sense
I think you are by not using the ui. Just use entity actions, triggers, and conditions if you’re using yaml. They are much easier to manage
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So I ask again, why not make IDs used by any method searchable? The IDs are not searchable in the methods provided? It should be universal
Look, the feature doesn’t exist. So at this point you should just adapt to the current system. Complaining here isn’t going to go anywhere. We don’t add the features.
So you dont want to develop / add the feature - all I was looking for. The system knows what the ID is, dont understand why improving the search functionality would make it more difficult. That was all
No, I do not want to develop the feature. That’s why it’s pointless to complain to tom (not a developer) and myself about it. I’m a volunteer, and when I do add features, I only add to the backend. I don’t know the frontend.
The are not meaninless they are used
The are meaningless to me.
As I use YAML and can easily replace devices myself as I do not use device ids (or entry ids) in my automations.