Using a action template in a device_tracker.see automation

Configuration
1

Question


data_template: >
  location_name: {% if is_state("input_boolean.guest_mode" , "off") %}not_home{%
  else %}home{% endif %}
dev_id: guest_mode

This is my action in an automation to set the location_name payload for a call service device_tracker.see. No matter what the state of the input_boolean, the answer is always not_home.

Anyone see what I am doing wrong?

2

Remove the >

And put quotes around the template

3

I tried your suggestion and no change.

Here is my entire automation so that I have full disclosure.

- alias: Guest Mode Toggle
  trigger:
  - entity_id: input_boolean.guest_mode
    platform: state
  action:
  - data_template:
      dev_id: guest_mode
      location_name:
        "{% if is_state("input_boolean.guest_mode" , "off") %}not_home{% else %}home{% endif %}"
    service: device_tracker.see
4 
- alias: Guest Mode Toggle
  trigger:
    entity_id: input_boolean.guest_mode
    platform: state
  action:
    service: device_tracker.see
    data_template:
      dev_id: guest_mode
      location_name: "{% 'not_home' if is_state('input_boolean.guest_mode' , 'off') else 'home' %}"
5

Pasted this into my automations.yaml and still get the same results. I see the automation trigger, but the result never changes. I’m starting to think that a template can’t be used for device_tracker.see.

6

It definitely can because I use one.

Any errors in the log?

Edit - the only real difference in mine is it includes source_type - try…

- alias: Guest Mode Toggle
  trigger:
    entity_id: input_boolean.guest_mode
    platform: state
  action:
    service: device_tracker.see
    data_template:
      dev_id: guest_mode
      source_type: network
      location_name: "{% 'not_home' if is_state('input_boolean.guest_mode' , 'off') else 'home' %}"
7

Guest Mode Toggle: Error executing script. Invalid data for call_service at pos 1: must contain at least one of mac, dev_id.

8

Try adding source_type, as above?

9

Added and it still doesn’t work. I did a full restart of HA (Docker container on UNRaid) and got an error for automations not being able to start. Investigating…

10

After several restarts, I am now getting this in my notifications panel:

The following integrations and platforms could not be set up:

  • automation

Please check your config

But my automations are running

11

What does the log say?

12

ERROR (MainThread) [homeassistant.config] Invalid config for [automation]: invalid template (TemplateSyntaxError: tag name expected) for dictionary value @ data[‘action’][0][‘data_template’][‘location_name’]. Got None. (See /config/configuration.yaml, line 129).

That is where my include statement is for my automations.

13

Paste your automation as it is now please.

14

I have about 30 automations in the file. Here is the one we have been working on.

- alias: Guest Mode Toggle
  trigger:
    entity_id: input_boolean.guest_mode
    platform: state
  action:
    service: device_tracker.see
    data_template:
      dev_id: guest_mode
      source_type: network
      location_name: "{% 'not_home' if is_state('input_boolean.guest_mode' , 'off') else 'home' %}"

Even if I delete it from my automations.yaml file, I still get the error.

15

Just paste that template in to the template tester in developer tools for me? Make sure it’s valid, I can’t see any issues with it but the error message implies it’s not resolving.

16

This is what I got to work and I pasted it into my automations.yaml file. It still does not change the device_tracker.guest_mode entity.

location_name: "{% if is_state('input_boolean.guest_mode' , 'off') %}not_home{% else %}home{% endif %}"
17

The general error went away, of course.

18

I figured it out. The input_boolean was listed as editable: false. I changed this to true and it now works as expected. Thank you for all of your help.

1 Like
19

Hi @unw1red where exactly did you change the editable from false to true?

20

I went to Developer Tools, clicked on the entity, changed editable: true and pressed SET STATE.

1 Like