Show Helper Input Select as text value

Configuration
1

Hi there

I’m using an input_select helper with a rule to announce when the washing machine is finished.

When an energy monitoring smart switch power goes above a certain value I set the helper value to running. When the power goes below a certain value and the helper value is running, I know it’s finished and can call the actions.

When I show these statuses in Lovelace they show as selects, but I want them to show as a status text value rather than a selectable option.

Is there a better way to do this, or how can I show the selects as text?

Thanks!

2

There are a number of methods depending on how much work you want to do, what you want the end result to be, and the possible other uses you have for the information.

Probably the simplest, but not the best looking method is to use a markdown card:

Example Markdown card configuration 
type: markdown
content: '{{ states(''input_select.washer_modes'')}}'
title: 'Washer Status:'

Custom cards that accept templates could be used instead.

Another method would be to use a Template sensor instead of directly using the Input select entity. A state-based template sensor could be used to report the state of your Input select.

Or, a trigger-based template sensor could be used to essentially replace your input Input Select and the Automation that sets its value.

3

Thank you!

I tried all three.

The Markdown card was as you said; simplest but not best looking.

The Template sensor works well like this, and is currently used as the ‘text source’ of the status.

template:
  - name: washingMachineStatusText
    state: >
      {{ states('input_select.washing_machine_status') }}

I made a start on the trigger based template sensor to see if that’s a cleaner approach.

The power changes regularly during a wash cycle, and while on standby - I only want to trigger events at the very start and the end. The washing machine start is indicated by the power consumption changing, being a value over 1.9w when the current state was off. The end of the wash is indicated by the power changing, being a value below 0.1w and the current state is on. This pair of rules works perfectly.

The power could fluctuate over 1.9w during a cycle, and below 0.1w during standby.

That said, perhaps this would work and I only need to watch for a state change to trigger the events.

template:
  - binary_sensor:
      - name: "Washing Machine Running Template Sensor"
        state: >
          {{ states('sensor.washing_machine_current_consumption')|float > 0.1 }}

Every time the power changes during standby I know each value will be under 0.1, and any change during a cycle will be over 1.9.

cheers

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