Super Groups - composed of two or more Groups - UI based creation

It would help immensely if we could create ‘Super Groups’ composed of two or more Groups, using the UI (not requiring any YAML coding)

For example…

creating Groups of motion sensors helps me automate many things. Some areas/rooms have more than one motion sensor. Those become groups, per area…

area : number of entities in the group

Living Room motion : 3 motion sensors
Master Bedroom motion : 2 motion sensors
Kitchen Motion : 1 motion sensor
Mudroom Motion : 1 motion sensor

Back Yard motion : 3 motion sensors
Front Yard motion : 2 motion sensors

AND I want to create Super Groups from the above

super group name : groups contained in super group

Outside Motion : Back Yard motion; Front Yard motion

Inside Motion : Living Room motion; Master Bedroom motion; Dining Room motion; Kitchen motion; Mudroom motion; etc

Does it not already work like that?

Nested grouping is possible using legacy groups. These are group entities defined in YAML, not Group helpers defined via UI (which don’t produce a group entity but whatever is the common domain of the selected entities, like binary_sensor for motion detectors).

I have used this technique, for many years, to create nested groups of interior lights by room, floor, and entire house. It can also be used for motion sensors (thereby indicating occupancy by room, floor, building, etc).


FWIW, you may be interested in the following feature which will eventually be included in a future version. It applies to temperature and humidity of an area but maybe it will (someday) be extended to support motion detectors.

I suspect Legacy Groups are YAML only… which I dont want to deal with. I’ll clarify the FR to say UI based, not YAML.

You’re certainly free to make that choice but it serves to deprive you of a lot of Home Assistant’s functionality.

I have to migrate ~480 events from my Homeseer system to HA. I’m still learning my way around HA itself… so learning YAML (with all the trial / error, researching, asking for help, etc) would greatly (3 to 5x depending on the item) lengthen the time it will take… and the pain/headaches.

HA is already impressive to me (32 yr software career) but I’m surprised there its still missing UI based ‘basic automation constructs’ like dynamic groups and super groups.

You may also want to consider using Labels… no YAML required, can be targeted in actions, and (with the Spook custom integration) can be managed programmatically in automations and scritps.

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YAML has the potential to reduce time and effort as well.

If you need multiple, similar entities, you can define one then copy-paste it to make additional entities, making small edits to each one. The same process via the UI can be considerably more onerous.

But it’s possible to add a group into a group helper in the UI, you don’t need the yaml groups. I just tested it and it works fine.

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