Unable to use value_template in MQTT automation

Configuration
1

I’m getting following error when reloading the automation.yaml file.

2021-06-02 11:52:02 ERROR (MainThread) [homeassistant.config] Invalid config for [automation]: [value_template] is an invalid option for [automation]. Check: automation->value_template. (See /config/configuration.yaml, line 9).

Here is my configuration

- id: '1622606175334'
  alias: RF Example
  description: ''
  trigger:
  - platform: mqtt
    topic: tele/tasmota_rfbridge/RESULT
    payload: 'ON'
    value_template: '{{ value_json.RfRaw.Data }}'
  condition: []
  action:
  - type: turn_on
    device_id: ac347a76fe8056094d4c87d6d92d32a3
    entity_id: switch.exhaust_fan
    domain: switch
  mode: restart

HA documentation says I can use value_template as well.

automation:
  trigger:
    - platform: mqtt
      topic: "living_room/switch/ac"
      payload: "on"
      value_template: "{{ value_json.state }}"

Any idea what could be the issue?

3

If value_template were not allowed, I’d expect the error to be “invalid config for trigger”, and refer to “automation->trigger->value_template”.

Suggestions:

  • Carefully check your indentation within the trigger: make sure you’re not using tabs instead of spaces.
  • Use value rather than value_template.
  • Make your overall indentation match the documentation snippet you pasted: it’s much neater.
4

Thanks for the quick reply. Nothing wrong with indentation. It just works fine (no errors in the log if I remove value_template from the configurations. But then I can’t achieve what I want to do with this :slight_smile:

5

After few hours of searching Internet, trial and error I figured out how to do this. I’m guessing documentation needs to be updated.

Here is how I got it to work

- id: '1622606175334'
  alias: RF Example
  description: ''
  trigger:
  - platform: mqtt
    topic: tele/tasmota_rfbridge/RESULT
  condition:
  - condition: template
    value_template: '{{trigger.payload_json.RfRaw.Data | regex_match(".*3808080808190909090808.*",
      ignorecase=False) }}'
  action:
  - type: turn_on
    device_id: ac347a76fe8056094d4c87d6d92d32a3
    entity_id: switch.exhaust_fan
    domain: switch
  mode: restart

As you can see, value_template should be part of condition. Thats why only payload is available under trigger section when adding automation from UI