Turning on a sleeping Script freezes Automation

Configuration
1

I have a script that delays the turning off of my car charger for 10 minutes.
The script is called from an automation that asses solar usage.
If within the 10 minutes the automation deems to not want the charger turned off, it will cancel the delay script.

The problem I am having, is once the delay script is started, the next time the automation calls the script (which should be ignored) the whole automation locks up and isn’t called again until the 10 minutes expire and the script completes.

I can reproduce the issue with this very simple automation that runs every 5 seconds:

alias: "[YYYYY] Test"
description: ""
trigger:
  - platform: time_pattern
    seconds: /5
condition: []
action:
  - service: script.turn_on
    metadata: {}
    data: {}
    target:
      entity_id: script.1713794885013
mode: single

that triggers this very simple script that makes a log entry, waits 30 seconds, then makes another log entry:

alias: "[XXXXX] Some delay script"
mode: single
sequence:
  - service: logbook.log
    data:
      name: "[XXXXX]"
      message: Script start
  - delay:
      hours: 0
      minutes: 0
      seconds: 30
      milliseconds: 0
  - service: logbook.log
    data:
      name: "[XXXXX]"
      message: Script end

Looking at the Logbook, I see that the automation is triggered, the script starts and makes the first log. The automation is triggered again, obviously no log is made this time and the script is already running.
However no more log entries from the automation running until the script ends and dumps it’s last log.

Screenshot 2024-04-22 at 16.24.25
Screenshot 2024-04-22 at 16.24.25735×453 44.3 KB

Is this an issue with how I am setting these up?

2

By default , a script/automation as the mode set to single/unique.
Which prevents running them more than once at the same time … so you might try changing the mode.

3

I need the script to be single so the delay is running only once.
The automation is also set to single for various other reasons, however I thought that running a script from an automation by setting it to on is asynchronous and the automation continues. Which is actually happening just fine as the automation runs a second time.

Why would the automation freeze when trying to set the script to on when it is already on?

4

Could you rather provide unique IDs for your real automation and script and post the traces. This will be more useful.

Also check your HA log for warnings. There should be a message to say it didn’t run a second instance if the mode is set to single.

Read the section on waiting for scripts too: Scripts - Home Assistant.

5

What’s the reason for executing the script every 5 seconds when it’s known in advance that the script takes at least 30 seconds to complete?

6

Post your actual automation and script instead.
Your post screams inefficient and XY issues

7

My actual automation is huge, I thought by simplifying things it would be easier to see the issue.
The script and automation I posted above is actual code I have tested and has the same issue.

8

This is just a test script that shows the problem I am having.
My actual script runs whenever the power meter in my house changes. I assesses if it should adjust or switch off my car charger.

Because I don’t want my charger switching off and on again in quick succession whenever a cloud goes over the house, it runs a script that delays for 10 minutes then switches it off.

The automation needs to keep running whenever the power meter changes, in case the cloud disappears and now it doesn’t need to turn the charger off, so it cancels the script from completing.

The problem is that the next time the automation runs after starting the script, it all freezes until the scripts 10 minute timer elapses.

This can all be seen happening with the 2 bits of code I posted above.

9

The script’s mode is single. That means while it’s busy executing its actions (such as waiting for a delay to expire) it ignores all subsequent attempts to execute the script.

10

That’s exactly what I want to happen.
While it’s waiting it’s 10 minutes, it shouldn’t let the automation start another 10 minute timer. However the automation should continue to run every time it’s needed so it can call script.turn_off before the script finishes executing.

But the automation only runs 1 more time after the script has been turned on. I don’t get any error that it couldn’t start the script a second time.

This is my actual script:

#
# Delay stopping charge
#
script:
  delayed_charger_turn_off:
    alias: "[Tesla Script] Delayed charger switch turn off"
    mode: single
    sequence:
      - service: logbook.log
        data:
          name: "[Tesla] Smart Charging"
          message: "Delaying for 10 minutes, then turning charger off"
      - delay:
          minutes: 10
      - service: logbook.log
        data:
          name: "[Tesla] Smart Charging"
          message: "10 minute delay expired, TURNING CHARGER OFF!"
      - service: switch.turn_off
        target:
          entity_id: switch.jess_charger
        data: {}
11

This is a guess, but I think turn_on is waiting for the script (with the delay) to finish in order to see if it was successful. You could check by putting a notification after it.

If so, it may be that that does not happen if continue_on_error is set to true, because then it does not need to wait for the result. But that is entirely implementation dependent (and I do not know anything about the implementation details).

12

A delay statement or a timer entity? EDIT I see it’s a delay.

For future reference, don’t call it a timer. That word means something very different in Home Assistant.

2 Likes
13

A timer entity would be my weapon of choice. That is because you can see if it runs, restart it, cancel it, whatever. And it is not causing long running scripts but it is purely event driven.

1 Like
14

Put the call for the delay script in an If/Then action with condition that the delay script’s current attribute is equal to 0.

15

Or just react to switch being on for 10 minutes.
But it all depends on what the other conditions are and how it’s supposed to function.

16

It’s my understanding that running the script using

action:
  - service: script.scriptname

makes the automation wait for the script to finish. But setting a script to on let’s the automation continue.

And that’s what I see. If I call the script directly, it waits.
Turning it on, it continues.

However the second time the automation runs, and calls the script, it all freezes until the script completes.

I have even tried adding this to the automation, but it still freezes on the 2nd iteration.

continue_on_error: true

I’m starting to think this is a bug in HA as the same pattern occurs using the simply script and automation I initially posted.

17

I think you are right, a timer might be better to use here as I could then check it’s already running and cancel it if needed.

I do however think my initial issue here could be a HA bug.

18

Bug or not, I would use a timer helper and logic to see what time timer is doing on subsequent calls. That way scripts run no longer than needed. Timers can also be set to survive restart/automation reload.

1 Like