Template-based action in an automation

Configuration
1

Hi,

for my heating automation(s) I am trying to execute an action based on a template.
Specifically, depending of the state of a sensor, I want to execute one action or another.
Example:

actions:
[...]
  - action: '{% if is_state("binary_sensor.fibaro_fgk_bedroom_open", "off") %} input_number.set_value
      {% else %} climate.turn_off {% endif %}

      '
    data: '{% if is_state("binary_sensor.fibaro_fgk_bedroom_open", "off") %} value:
      {{ states("input_number.heating_bedroom_day") }} {% else %} {} {% endif %}

      '
    target:
      entity_id: '{% if is_state("binary_sensor.fibaro_fgk_bedroom_open", "off") %}
        input_number.heating_bedroom {% else %} climate.spirit_bedroom  {% endif %}

        '
[...]

So, depending on the sensor state, this should either result in something like

- action: input_number.set_value
  data:
    value: <some_number>
  target:
      entity_id: input_number.heating_bedroom

or

- action: climate.turn_off
  data: {}
  target:
    entity_id: climate.spirit_bedroom

The code itself does not give any errors, but unfortunately the execution of the actions: list stops at this point and none of the succeeding actions are triggered.

Does anyone have an idea what’s wrong here?

2

Data needs to return a dictionary, not yaml. Also, if this just a single if statement and you aren’t going to have multiple options, you’re likely better off using if,then,else action.

3

Thanks for your reply! I read it multiple times and still can’t follow what you mean :wink:
Could you please elaborate a little bit more, maybe give an example?

4

What’s the reason for using jinja/templates here?

5

I am running a sequence of actions to update the temperature settings for each thermostat.
Depending on the a binary sensor state (= window sensor reporting an open window), for a single one of those thermostats, I don’t want to update the temperature (which would trigger the TRV switching into heat mode), but instead I want to run a climate.turn_off action.

The automation itself is triggered by a number of different events, so its most likely not sufficient to place a condition clause before the input_number.set_value action for this particular TRV.
(I would need to check again, but there was a reason why I tried it the way it looks now).

If you know an alternative way to “phrase” it, please let me know.

6

Direct reply to your question (without going into whether it is necessary or not): you have to return dictionary in both cases, not just in the “else” case.

data: >
  {% if is_state("binary_sensor.fibaro_fgk_bedroom_open", "off") %}
    {{ { "value": states("input_number.heating_bedroom_day") } }}
  {% else %}
    {}
  {% endif %}

you can also use dict() function to make the dictionary: dict(value=states("input_number.heating_bedroom_day")). Either way, the whole thing must be enclosed in {{ }} for functions (states/dict) to work. Same applies to the target field.

1 Like
7

Ah, thanks for the explanation!

But wouldn’t a (simplified) statement like this:

data: >
  {% if (something) %}
  value: {{ states("some_other_thing") }}
  {% endif %}

result in a valid dictionary, i.e. like

data:
  value: 42
8

You might have a problem with the syntax. Templates need to be quoted for single line:

  - action: "{{ 'switch.turn_on' }}"

or unquoted for multi-line:

  - action: >
      {{ 'switch.turn_on' }}

In your original post, you appear to have newline characters within a quoted template, which will fail.

9

This:

produces a string. You can help yourself by testing such code snippets in the template editor in Developer Tools and observing the type of result.

obraz
obraz838Ă—265 15.3 KB

2 Likes
10

I blame the visual editor :wink:

It looks like it’s working now, looking like this:

  - action: >
      {% if is_state("binary_sensor.fibaro_fgk_bedroom_open", "off") %}
      input_number.set_value
      {% else %}
      climate.turn_off
      {% endif %}
    data: >
      {% if is_state("binary_sensor.fibaro_fgk_bedroom_open", "off") %}
      {{ dict(value=states("input_number.heating_bedroom_day")) }}
      {% else %}
      {}
      {% endif %}
    target:
      entity_id: >
        {% if is_state("binary_sensor.fibaro_fgk_bedroom_open", "off") %}
        input_number.heating_bedroom
        {% else %}
        climate.spirit_bedroom
        {% endif %}

I will watch the behavior closely, but a first test ran successful.
Thanks everyone!

11

well, from my standpoint, it doesn’t seem like you need templates at all. Templates are just making it harder to read.

- if:
  - condition: state
    entity_id: binary_sensor.fibaro_fgk_bedroom_open
    state: "off"
  then:
  - action: input_number.set_value
    target:
      entity_id: input_number.heating_bedroom
    data:
      value: '{{ states("input_number.heating_bedroom_day") }}'
  else:
  - action: climate.turn_off
    target:
      entity_id: climate.spirit_bedroom

But if you really want to use templates all you need to change is

    data: '{% if is_state("binary_sensor.fibaro_fgk_bedroom_open", "off") %}
      {"value":{{ states("input_number.heating_bedroom_day") }} } {% else %} {} {% endif %}

      '

If you were doing more than a single if statement, then I’d use templates… but you aren’t.

2 Likes
12

Thanks a lot, @petro!
I must admit, I wasn’t aware of that syntax and you’re right, it’s a lot easier to read.

I will start refactoring my code :smiley:

13

I am, of course, aware of the template editor (been using it for years).
However, until now I was not consciously aware that it shows the data type of the output.
Thanks for pointing that out!

14

…with some caveats about its behaviour:

image
image222Ă—461 12.3 KB

1 Like