Setting "global" variables in automation

[Sir_Goodenough ((SG) WhatAreWeFixing.Today)]

Hi Jacob Lee,

@jacobmovingfwd

 variables:
    upstairs_am_heat_target: '{{ upstairs_am_heat_target }}'
    upstairs_night_target: '{{ upstairs_night_target }}'

Setting a variable to itself doesn’t work because the variable doesn’t exist until you create it. It would be undefined there.

@jacobmovingfwd

variables:
  upstairs_night_target: 65
  upstairs_am_heat_target: 72
action: script.upstairs_heat_schedule
data:
  variables:
    upstairs_am_heat_target: '{{ upstairs_am_heat_target }}'
    upstairs_night_target: '{{ upstairs_night_target }}'

There you changed scope so it works in the first instance, but a new scope means new variables, so again it is undefined.

@jacobmovingfwd

variables:
  upstairs_night_target: 65
  upstairs_am_heat_target: 72
action: script.upstairs_heat_schedule
data:
  upstairs_am_heat_target: '{{ upstairs_am_heat_target }}'
  upstairs_night_target: '{{ upstairs_night_target }}'

That one looks like something an AI dreamed up.

If you want a variable you can refer to in multiple places in the acript/automation, use a helper. create it, load it with your values, and it will be available regardless of scope.

There is also this available:
Trigger based template sensor to store global variables.

But to solve your actual problem Jack has the answer you might be looking for.