Tip: reading an attribute from a climate entity

[Patrick4 (Patrick)]

I couldn’t find where this was documented or an example given, even if the template documentation put me on the track, so I thought I’d share my finding.

If you ever need to read (and store) a single attribute from an entity like a climate one, you can do as follows, here with the preset_mode:

service: input_text.set_value
data:
  value: "{{states.climate.my_radiator.attributes.preset_mode}}"
target:
  entity_id: input_text.my_radiator_preset

The other useful thing that helped me and that beginners like me don’t know is the developer tools / template that you will find in your HA instance. Nifty!

I hope this is useful. Enjoy!

[123 (Taras)]

Documented tip: Use the states() and state_attr() functions instead of directly referencing an entity’s properties.

This:

  value: "{{ state_attr('climate.my_radiator', 'preset_mode') }}"

not this:

  value: "{{ states.climate.my_radiator.attributes.preset_mode }}"

---

NOTE

If you wish to store a value, you can also use a Trigger-based Template Sensor. The main advantage over an Input Text is that the value displayed by the Template Sensor cannot be modified in the UI.

WTH can't input helpers be read only in UI

Yes. I you can use a trigger template sensor like this: template: - trigger: - platform: event event_type: set_my_sensor sensor: - name: My sensor state: "{{ trigger.event.data.state }}" And then you can change it in a script or automation like this: action: - alias: Update my sensor event: set_my_sensor event_data: state: new_value Can even add attributes if you want, just pass more data in the event and use it in attributes in the sensor config. Plus trigger template …

An entity’s state property is limited to storing a string not exceeding 255 characters. If there’s a need to store more information and not necessarily just a string, here’s a more sophisticated Trigger-based Template Sensor, able to store multiple values, exceeding 255 characters, whose type can be string, integer, float, list, dictionary, or boolean.

WTH can't input helpers be read only in UI

here you go: Trigger based template sensor: template: - trigger: - platform: event event_type: set_variable - platform: event event_type: remove_variable sensor: - unique_id: 4a4c8e53-9e68-4198-9cc5-b336e228ea4d name: Variables state: Variables attributes: variables: > {% set current = this.attributes.get('variables', {}) %} {% if trigger.event.event_type == 'set_variable' %} {% set …

[Patrick4 (Patrick)]

Damn, I had searched!

Thanks for the correction and the extra tips!

[mr.sneezy]

Thanks for the info, hard to find stuff about accessing attributes at times.
I used the create a Helper method with a template sensor and it worked too.

value: "{{ state_attr('climate.daikin_ac', 'fan_mode') }}"