You´re right - I´ve overseen the “!=” as “if not”.
The Automation Editor has a habit of reformatting YAML according to its rules. Sometimes this reformatting changes the meaning of the data and results in a broken automation.
I found a thread that talks about tuples
{% set schedule = {4:20, 6:21, 8:20, 10:19 12:20 22:17, 24:17} %}
{% set key = schedule.keys() | list %}
{% set value = schedule.values() | list %}
{% set hour = now().hour %}
{{ hour }}
{{ value[key.index(hour)] }}
{{ schedule[hour] }}
You can change {{ value[key.index(hour)] }} to {{ value[key.index(8)] }} or {{schedule[8]}}and it will show in the developer the second half of the tuple 20.
Hope this helps with your understanding
Could you please say something to that. What does it mean?
“Take from the list of scheduled times the line which contains a number which is bigger than the current hour …” - if I read it right, but what comes after that?
It was for you. Use developer tools and you can cut and paste into templates and see how tuples work.
Ah - understood. Thanks!
I can get the array to be dynamic in the developers tools
{% set s_wk =
{state_attr('input_datetime.sp1_wk', 'hour'): states('input_number.t1_wk'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp2_wk', 'hour'): states('input_number.t2_wk'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp3_wk', 'hour'): states('input_number.t3_wk'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp4_wk', 'hour'): states('input_number.t4_wk'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp5_wk', 'hour'): states('input_number.t5_wk')} %}
{% set s_wknd =
{state_attr('input_datetime.sp1_wknd', 'hour'): states('input_number.t1_wknd'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp2_wknd', 'hour'): states('input_number.t2_wknd'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp3_wknd', 'hour'): states('input_number.t3_wknd'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp4_wknd', 'hour'): states('input_number.t4_wknd'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp5_wknd', 'hour'): states('input_number.t5_wknd')} %}
{% set hour = now().hour %}
{{ hour }}
{{s_wk[19]}}
{{s_wknd[20]}}
And here is screen shot from developer tools
but I can’t get it to work in the automation.
Also when working on an ecobee thermostat it would not set the temperature it you also set the hvac_mode.
alias: Main Floor Thermostat Control Heat Control
description: 'Set the main floor thermostat for Heat'
trigger:
- id: 'schedule'
platform: time
at:
- input_datetime.sp1_wk
- input_datetime.sp2_wk
- input_datetime.sp3_wk
- input_datetime.sp4_wk
- input_datetime.sp5_wk
- input_datetime.sp1_wknd
- input_datetime.sp2_wknd
- input_datetime.sp3_wknd
- input_datetime.sp4_wknd
- input_datetime.sp5_wknd
- id: 'override'
platform: state
entity_id: input_boolean.thermostat_main
to: 'on'
for: '00:00:30'
- id: 'disable'
platform: state
entity_id: input_boolean.thermostat_main
to: 'off'
for: '00:00:30'
condition: []
action:
- choose:
- conditions:
- "{{ trigger.id != 'disable' }}"
- "{{ is_state('input_boolean.thermostat_main', 'on') }}"
sequence:
- variables:
weekday:
1: 61
2: 61
3: 61
4: 61
5: 61
6: 61
7: 61
8: 68
9: 68
10: 68
11: 68
12: 68
13: 68
14: 68
15: 68
16: 68
17: 50
18: 68
19: 68
20: 68
21: 61
22: 61
23: 61
24: 61
weekend:
1: 61
2: 61
3: 61
4: 61
5: 61
6: 61
7: 61
8: 68
9: 68
10: 68
11: 68
12: 68
13: 68
14: 68
15: 68
16: 68
17: 50
18: 68
19: 68
20: 68
21: 61
22: 61
23: 61
24: 61
schedule: "{{ weekday if now().isoweekday() in [1,2,3,4,5] else weekend }}"
- service: climate.set_temperature
target:
entity_id: climate.main_floor
data:
temperature: "{{ schedule[now().hour] }}"
- conditions:
- "{{ trigger.id == 'disable' }}"
sequence:
- service: climate.turn_off
target:
entity_id: climate.main_floor
data:
hvac_mode: 'off'
default: []
mode: single
I have searched and can find nothing that helps.
Also simplified the temperature as the documentation explained that it always took the first match so this limits it to one action per hour but that was limited anyways. You can have it anywhere in the hour to trigger. I was doing the 1-24 so I could test. I have tried
sequence:
- variables:
weekday:
- value_template: >-
{% {state_attr('input_datetime.sp1_wk', 'hour'): states('input_number.t1_wk'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp2_wk', 'hour'): states('input_number.t2_wk'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp3_wk', 'hour'): states('input_number.t3_wk'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp4_wk', 'hour'): states('input_number.t4_wk'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp5_wk', 'hour'): states('input_number.t5_wk')} %}
and get this error
Error loading /config/configuration.yaml: while scanning for the next token found character ‘%’ that cannot start any token in “/config/automations/main_floor/MainFloorThermostatControl.yaml”, line 38, column 20
I have tried this:
sequence:
- variables:
weekday:
- value_template: >-
{{ {state_attr('input_datetime.sp1_wk', 'hour'): states('input_number.t1_wk'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp2_wk', 'hour'): states('input_number.t2_wk'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp3_wk', 'hour'): states('input_number.t3_wk'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp4_wk', 'hour'): states('input_number.t4_wk'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp5_wk', 'hour'): states('input_number.t5_wk')} }}
and I get this error:
Error loading /config/configuration.yaml: while scanning a simple key in “/config/automations/main_floor/MainFloorThermostatControl.yaml”, line 38, column 19 could not find expected ‘:’
in “/config/automations/main_floor/MainFloorThermostatControl.yaml”, line 39, column 23
I tried this:
sequence:
- variables:
weekday:
- value_template: >-
"{{ {state_attr('input_datetime.sp1_wk', 'hour'): states('input_number.t1_wk'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp2_wk', 'hour'): states('input_number.t2_wk'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp3_wk', 'hour'): states('input_number.t3_wk'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp4_wk', 'hour'): states('input_number.t4_wk'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp5_wk', 'hour'): states('input_number.t5_wk')} }}"
and got this error
Error loading /config/configuration.yaml: while scanning a simple key in “/config/automations/main_floor/MainFloorThermostatControl.yaml”, line 38, column 19 could not find expected ‘:’
in “/config/automations/main_floor/MainFloorThermostatControl.yaml”, line 42, column 101
And I have tried this:
sequence:
- variables:
weekday:
- value_template: >-
"{{ {state_attr('input_datetime.sp1_wk', 'hour') ~ ':' ~ states('input_number.t1_wk'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp2_wk', 'hour') ~ ':' ~ states('input_number.t2_wk'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp3_wk', 'hour') ~ ':' ~ states('input_number.t3_wk'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp4_wk', 'hour') ~ ':' ~states('input_number.t4_wk'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp5_wk', 'hour') ~ ':' ~ states('input_number.t5_wk')} }}"
And I get this error:
Error loading /config/configuration.yaml: while scanning a simple key in “/config/automations/main_floor/MainFloorThermostatControl.yaml”, line 38, column 19 could not find expected ‘:’
in “/config/automations/main_floor/MainFloorThermostatControl.yaml”, line 42, column 108
and lastly I tried this:
sequence:
- variables:
weekday:
- value_template:
{{state_attr('input_datetime.sp1_wk', 'hour') }} : {{states('input_number.t1_wk')}}
{{state_attr('input_datetime.sp2_wk', 'hour') }} : {{states('input_number.t2_wk')}}
{{state_attr('input_datetime.sp3_wk', 'hour') }} : {{states('input_number.t3_wk')}}
{{state_attr('input_datetime.sp4_wk', 'hour') }} : {{states('input_number.t4_wk')}}
{{state_attr('input_datetime.sp5_wk', 'hour') }} : {{states('input_number.t5_wk')}}
Error loading /config/configuration.yaml: while parsing a flow mapping in “/config/automations/main_floor/MainFloorThermostatControl.yaml”, line 38, column 22 expected ‘,’ or ‘}’, but got ‘’
in “/config/automations/main_floor/MainFloorThermostatControl.yaml”, line 38, column 65
and I tried it with quotes and a comma
sequence:
- variables:
weekday:
- value_template:
"{{state_attr('input_datetime.sp1_wk', 'hour') }}" : "{{states('input_number.t1_wk')}}",
"{{state_attr('input_datetime.sp2_wk', 'hour') }}" : "{{states('input_number.t2_wk')}}",
"{{state_attr('input_datetime.sp3_wk', 'hour') }}" : "{{states('input_number.t3_wk')}}",
"{{state_attr('input_datetime.sp4_wk', 'hour') }}" : "{{states('input_number.t4_wk')}}",
"{{state_attr('input_datetime.sp5_wk', 'hour') }}" : "{{states('input_number.t5_wk')}}"
this passed the configuration validation
variables:
weekday:
- value_template: ''
'{{state_attr(''input_datetime.sp1_wk'', ''hour'') }}': '{{states(''input_number.t1_wk'')}}'
'{{state_attr(''input_datetime.sp2_wk'', ''hour'') }}': '{{states(''input_number.t2_wk'')}}'
'{{state_attr(''input_datetime.sp3_wk'', ''hour'') }}': '{{states(''input_number.t3_wk'')}}'
'{{state_attr(''input_datetime.sp4_wk'', ''hour'') }}': '{{states(''input_number.t4_wk'')}}'
'{{state_attr(''input_datetime.sp5_wk'', ''hour'') }}': '{{states(''input_number.t5_wk'')}}'
but when executed got this:
Took the value_template out and same issue . The thermostat never set and when I do it with numbers it works.
Any guidance ???
Most of the error messages are related to a incorrect indentation. However, even if you fix the indentation, it will still fail because you are using a Jinja2template to generate YAML and that won’t work.
YAML is processed first and then Jinja2 is processed.
You will need to define the dictionaries in JSON format (not YAML) within the temperature option (in the climate.set_temperature service call).
I think I sorta have this. Here is the code
alias: Main Floor Thermostat Control Heat Control
description: 'Set the main floor thermostat for Heat'
trigger:
- id: 'schedule'
platform: time
at:
- input_datetime.sp1_wk
- input_datetime.sp2_wk
- input_datetime.sp3_wk
- input_datetime.sp4_wk
- input_datetime.sp5_wk
- input_datetime.sp1_wknd
- input_datetime.sp2_wknd
- input_datetime.sp3_wknd
- input_datetime.sp4_wknd
- input_datetime.sp5_wknd
- id: 'override'
platform: state
entity_id: input_boolean.thermostat_main
to: 'on'
for: '00:00:30'
- id: 'disable'
platform: state
entity_id: input_boolean.thermostat_main
to: 'off'
for: '00:00:30'
condition: []
action:
- choose:
- conditions:
- "{{ trigger.id != 'disable' }}"
- "{{ is_state('input_boolean.thermostat_main', 'on') }}"
sequence:
- variables:
weekday:
"{{state_attr('input_datetime.sp1_wk', 'hour') }}": "{{states('input_number.t1_wk')}}"
"{{state_attr('input_datetime.sp2_wk', 'hour') }}": "{{states('input_number.t2_wk')}}"
"{{state_attr('input_datetime.sp3_wk', 'hour') }}": "{{states('input_number.t3_wk')}}"
"{{state_attr('input_datetime.sp4_wk', 'hour') }}": "{{states('input_number.t4_wk')}}"
"{{state_attr('input_datetime.sp5_wk', 'hour') }}": "{{states('input_number.t5_wk')}}"
weekend:
"{{state_attr('input_datetime.sp1_wknd', 'hour') }}": "{{states('input_number.t1_wknd')}}"
"{{state_attr('input_datetime.sp2_wknd', 'hour') }}": "{{states('input_number.t2_wknd')}}"
"{{state_attr('input_datetime.sp3_wkdn', 'hour') }}": "{{states('input_number.t3_wknd')}}"
"{{state_attr('input_datetime.sp4_wknd', 'hour') }}": "{{states('input_number.t4_wknd')}}"
"{{state_attr('input_datetime.sp5_wknd', 'hour') }}": "{{states('input_number.t5_wknd')}}"
schedule: "{{ weekday if now().isoweekday() in [1,2,3,4,5] else weekend }}"
- service: climate.set_temperature
target:
entity_id: climate.main_floor
data:
temperature: "{{ schedule[now().hour] }}"
- conditions:
- "{{ trigger.id == 'disable' }}"
sequence:
- service: climate.turn_off
target:
entity_id: climate.main_floor
data:
hvac_mode: 'off'
default: []
mode: single
The interesting part is that it has to execute once before it will execute correctly. I assume this is because it has to populate the automation with the current values. This obviously is not the desired solution. My error was having a space before the : and having the value_template.
@123 can you point me to some documentation on JSON dictionaries. Totally clueless on this and what I have found in searching is not related to home assistant.
@controlc This is my input_datetime and input_number declarations. I have then in separate files.
my input_datetime file:
sp1_wk:
name: Time for Temp Setpoint 1 for week
has_date: false
has_time: true
sp2_wk:
name: Time for Temp Setpoint 2 for week
has_date: false
has_time: true
sp3_wk:
name: Time for Temp Setpoint 3 for week
has_date: false
has_time: true
sp4_wk:
name: Time for Temp Setpoint 4 for week
has_date: false
has_time: true
sp5_wk:
name: Time for Temp Setpoint 5 for week
has_date: false
has_time: true
sp1_wknd:
name: Time for Temp Setpoint 1 for weekend
has_date: false
has_time: true
sp2_wknd:
name: Time for Temp Setpoint 2 for weekend
has_date: false
has_time: true
sp3_wknd:
name: Time for Temp Setpoint 3 for weekend
has_date: false
has_time: true
sp4_wknd:
name: Time for Temp Setpoint 4 for weekend
has_date: false
has_time: true
sp5_wknd:
name: Time for Temp Setpoint 5 for weekend
has_date: false
has_time: true
My input_number file
t1_wk:
name: 1st Temperature Weekday
icon: mdi:thermostat
min: 55
max: 80
unit_of_measurement: F
t2_wk:
name: 2nd Temperature Weekday
icon: mdi:thermostat
min: 55
max: 80
unit_of_measurement: F
t3_wk:
name: 3rd Temperature Weekday
icon: mdi:thermostat
min: 55
max: 80
unit_of_measurement: F
t4_wk:
name: 4th Temperature Weekday
icon: mdi:thermostat
min: 55
max: 80
unit_of_measurement: F
t5_wk:
name: 5th Temperature Weekday
icon: mdi:thermostat
min: 55
max: 80
unit_of_measurement: F
t1_wknd:
name: 1st Temperature Weekend
icon: mdi:thermostat
min: 55
max: 80
unit_of_measurement: F
t2_wknd:
name: 2nd Temperature Weekend
icon: mdi:thermostat
min: 55
max: 80
unit_of_measurement: F
t3_wknd:
name: 3rd Temperature Weekend
icon: mdi:thermostat
min: 55
max: 80
unit_of_measurement: F
t4_wknd:
name: 4th Temperature Weekend
icon: mdi:thermostat
min: 55
max: 80
unit_of_measurement: F
t5_wknd:
name: 5th Temperature Weekend
icon: mdi:thermostat
min: 55
max: 80
unit_of_measurement: F
Here is the lovelace configuration:
I get the impression my explanation didn’t quite register so I’ll let you wrestle with this for awhile until you have a “Doh! 
” moment. 
Yes it did. That is why I asked:
" @123 can you point me to some documentation on JSON dictionaries. Totally clueless on this and what I have found in searching is not related to home assistant."
what I meant by this is: JSON
Sorry if I didn’t make that clear.
A script variable called foo containing a dictionary with three key-values defined in YAML:
- variables:
foo:
apples: 23
oranges: 5
bananas: 16
A Jinja2 variable called foo containing a dictionary with three key-values defined in JSON:
{% set foo = {"apples": 23, "oranges": 5, "bananas": 16} %}
This actually makes it much simpler:
- id: '1Main Floor Thermostat Control Heating'
alias: 1Main Floor Thermostat Control Heat Control
description: 'Set the main floor thermostat for Heat'
trigger:
- id: 'schedule'
platform: time
at:
- input_datetime.sp1_wk
- input_datetime.sp2_wk
- input_datetime.sp3_wk
- input_datetime.sp4_wk
- input_datetime.sp5_wk
- input_datetime.sp1_wknd
- input_datetime.sp2_wknd
- input_datetime.sp3_wknd
- input_datetime.sp4_wknd
- input_datetime.sp5_wknd
- id: 'override'
platform: state
entity_id: input_boolean.thermostat_main
to: 'on'
for: '00:00:30'
- id: 'disable'
platform: state
entity_id: input_boolean.thermostat_main
to: 'off'
for: '00:00:30'
condition: []
action:
- choose:
- conditions:
- "{{ trigger.id != 'disable' }}"
- "{{ is_state('input_boolean.thermostat_main', 'on') }}"
sequence:
- service: climate.set_temperature
target:
entity_id: climate.main_floor
data:
temperature: >-
{% if now().isoweekday() in [1,2,3,4,5] %}
{% set weekday = {state_attr('input_datetime.sp1_wk', 'hour'): states('input_number.t1_wk'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp2_wk', 'hour'): states('input_number.t2_wk'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp3_wk', 'hour'): states('input_number.t3_wk'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp4_wk', 'hour'): states('input_number.t4_wk'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp5_wk', 'hour'): states('input_number.t5_wk')} %}
{{ weekday[now().hour] }}
{% else %}
{% set weekend = {state_attr('input_datetime.sp1_wknd', 'hour'): states('input_number.t1_wknd'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp2_wknd', 'hour'): states('input_number.t2_wknd'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp3_wknd', 'hour'): states('input_number.t3_wknd'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp4_wknd', 'hour'): states('input_number.t4_wknd'),
state_attr('input_datetime.sp5_wknd', 'hour'): states('input_number.t5_wknd')} %}
{{ weekend[now().hour] }}
{% endif %}
- conditions:
- "{{ trigger.id == 'disable' }}"
sequence:
- service: climate.turn_off
target:
entity_id: climate.main_floor
data:
hvac_mode: 'off'
default: []
mode: single
Many thanks @123
I have tested it and it fires correctly.
I just got schooled in a much easier way to do this. @controlc hope you find this helpful.
- Create a generic thermostat if needed
- Go to hacs and load the schedule integration and card.
- Add the schedule integration to configuration → integration.
- Build your schedule to control your thermostat by adding card in Lovelace.
Easy peasy!
Schedule is awesome.
Arguably, not much easier.
Copy-paste the example I posted
versus
four steps, potentially five if HACS isn’t installed (which is a multi-step process in itself), and then build the schedule from scratch.
The end-result is a nice UI for adjusting the schedule but that wasn’t a requirement for this topic.
For what I read into @controlc desires (magic commands, something smarter) this fits. My only point is this allows you to adjust easily and without writing yaml or modifying templates. Not saying yours is not elegant - it is - but this allows a greater WAF to adjust settings and have control over the system.
What’s magical is my thermostat. I set its schedule when I installed it about 12 years ago and haven’t had a need to change it more than once ever since. Twelve years of flawless and timely service; pure magic. 
first: I wish you both a Happy Christmas.
Second: What I`ve searched was an idea. I have read the article from @olen and found that the solution “one automation for one thing to do - regardless of entity, time and so one” great. I thought it could be nice if I’ve got one automation for “automate heating” and it will be “feed” by a kind of array with tod, dow, temp. and entity. I don’t know if it will be easier to maintain. But I know I like it without any additional plugins, snippets or something else. I think this makes it a much easier to backup/restore.
I thank you both and I read your dispute very gladly. I’ve learned something and hopefully could use it in the future.
No dispute with Taras. I think the gentleman is brilliant and knows Home Assistant as well as anyone. I will present people with options and when I learn something I like to share it. This allows people to make their own informed decision. I am not asking anyone to use my suggestions or the solutions I have found and present. I won’t get into arguments on the forum. I will present my side and then let it be. When we don’t agree, I can accept that because everyone has a different perspective and experience.
Best wishes for happy holidays!