Trigger every 4 hours: not passing validation

Configuration
1

I would like to have this automation trigger every 4 hours, but it is not passing validation. I suspect it is due to the repeat action I have.

- alias: 'switchbot updates'
  trigger:
    - platform: time
      hours: '/4'
  action:
    - repeat:
        count: "{{ state_attr('input_select.switchbot_updates', 'options') | count }}"
        sequence:
          - choose:
              conditions: []
              sequence:
                - service: mqtt.publish
                  data:
                    topic: switchbotmqtt/requestInfo
                    payload: >-
                      {% set bot = state_attr('input_select.switchbot_updates', 'options')[repeat.index] %}
                      {"device":"{{ bot }}"}
                - delay: 20

error:

Invalid config for [automation]: [hours] is an invalid option for [automation]. Check: automation->hours. (See /config/configuration.yaml, line 26).
2

The problem (or, at least, a problem) is the trigger itself. See Time Trigger and Time Pattern Trigger.

1 Like
3

I saw those pages and the answers were written all over the places, yet my eyes missed it.

- alias: 'switchbot updates'
  trigger:
    - platform: time_pattern
      hours: '/4'
  action:
    - repeat:
        count: "{{ state_attr('input_select.switchbot_updates', 'options') | count }}"
        sequence:
          - choose:
              conditions: []
              sequence:
                - service: mqtt.publish
                  data:
                    topic: switchbotmqtt/requestInfo
                    payload: >-
                      {% set bot = state_attr('input_select.switchbot_updates', 'options')[repeat.index] %}
                      {"device":"{{ bot }}"}
                - delay: 20

Does the trigger time starts at 00:00, 04:00, 06:00, etc or the time I created the automation?

4

Given the way you wrote the trigger it will fire when the hour is a multiple of 4 (0, 4, 8, … 20), and minutes & seconds are zero.

5

I have to ask, why does the automation action contain an effectively useless choose statement? Why not just put the service call and delay directly in the repeat's sequence?

6

I am undecided if I will create a condition. If I do, I may not remember how to added later. :smiley:

7

A condition for the automation? If so, that’s not how you do it.