Hello community.
Beginner needs help: I would like to create my own log file to write down what happened when via the automations. Just to have control at the beginning, if everything runs correctly.
I would like to be able to integrate this log on a dashboard. is this possible as I imagine it?
You can use the logbook card to track activity on particular entities.
This doesn’t give you the error log, though.
Hello
If you just want to log what you do and why in your own words, there is this as well.
I suppose you could use a system_log.write action to write to the log, and perhaps a command line sensor to use grep and tail to pull out the last X log messages, but to meet your stated goal of keeping track of if things are working “correctly” while you are an HA beginner, I would suggest using more “out of the box” approaches.
You can use traces to inspect what happens when your automations run. You can use notify actions in the automations to alert to you problems or unexpected occurrences. You can set helpers, like toggles or texts to express changing states in the system. These helpers would then be easy to add to a dashboard.
Going this way will have a few benefits for you:
In any case, good luck!
I write ALL my own log files, simply because it’s much easier to use than the built in options. I am willing to share the code with you, just know that you’ll need to use a couple add-ins to use to the full potential. I have added an example of the RAW data I write to one of my logs. Security Log in this case. All data is written to a txt file, and that data is the displayed in the front end, dynamicly update. All logs can [optionally] be purged overnight to reduce file sizes. Incorporating it into your existing code requires a few lines of code and is very flexible about what you can pass to the script that builds the raw data. On my system, I write to 11 different files, with data sorted by topic. For example Security, HVAC, Media, Maintenance and so on. This allows me to log as much or as little data as I need, all into one concise file by topic.
RAW Security data from today:
<br><b>[0] ================= 06/22/2025 12:00 AM =================</b>
<br><b>[1] - Reset </b><big>SECURITY LOG</big><br>--------------------------
<br><b>[2] SECURITY ACTION 06/22/2025 01:38:46.069703</b>
<br>Automation - [Log Door Lock Status]
<br>[log_door_lock_status] triggered by lock.front_door_bolt_241 called from [automation.log_door_lock_status]
<br>1 - Front Door Lock was changed to LOCKED by Manual.
<br>2 - Art Home is ON, Steff Home is ON.
<br>3 - Everyone Home is ON, Someone Home is OFF, Nobody Home is OFF.
<br>--------------------------
<br><b>[3] SECURITY ACTION 06/22/2025 06:00:00.172010</b>
<br>Script - [Set Alarm Disarmed]
<br>[set_alarm_disarmed] called from [automation.set_alarm_to_disarmed_every_morning -> script.set_alarm_disarmed]
<br>1 - Alarm changed to DISARMED.
<br>--------------------------
<br><b>[4] SECURITY ACTION 06/22/2025 06:00:00.188094</b>
<br>Automation - [Set Alarm to Disarmed every morning]
<br>[set_alarm_to_disarmed_every_morning] triggered by Time: 06:00:00 called from [automation.set_alarm_to_disarmed_every_morning]
<br>1 - Alarm changed to DISARMED.
<br>2 - Art Home is ON, Steff Home is ON.
<br>3 - Everyone Home is ON, Someone Home is OFF, Nobody Home is OFF.
<br>--------------------------
<br><b>[5] SECURITY ACTION 06/22/2025 08:45:30.473219</b>
<br>Automation - [Perimeter Door Sensor Tripped] Play Sound
<br>[automation.perimeter_door_sensor_tripped] triggered by binary_sensor.garage_entry_door_state called from [automation.perimeter_door_sensor_tripped]
<br>1 - At 06/22/2025 08:45:30: Value=38
<br>--------------------------
<br><b>[6] SECURITY ACTION 06/22/2025 08:45:38.202886</b>
<br>Automation - [Log Door Status]
<br>[log_door_status] triggered by binary_sensor.tilt_sensor_2_state called from [automation.log_door_status]
<br>1 - Garage Door 2 was changed to OPEN
<br>--------------------------
<br><b>[7] SECURITY ACTION 06/22/2025 08:45:38.213634</b>
<br>Automation - [Log Door Lock Status]
<br>[log_door_lock_status] triggered by cover.garage_door_2 called from [automation.log_door_lock_status]
<br>1 - Garage Door 2 was changed to OPEN by Manual.
<br>2 - Art Home is ON, Steff Home is ON.
<br>3 - Everyone Home is ON, Someone Home is OFF, Nobody Home is OFF.
<br>--------------------------
<br><b>[8] SECURITY ACTION 06/22/2025 08:45:43.270220</b>
<br>Automation - [Perimeter Garage Door Sensor Tripped] Play Sound
<br>[automation.garage_tilt_sensor_tripped] triggered by binary_sensor.tilt_sensor_2_state called from [automation.garage_tilt_sensor_tripped]
<br>1 - At 06/22/2025 08:45:43: Value=56
<br>--------------------------
<br><b>[9] SECURITY ACTION 06/22/2025 08:47:07.250403</b>
<br>Automation - [Perimeter Door Sensor Tripped] Play Sound
<br>[automation.perimeter_door_sensor_tripped] triggered by binary_sensor.garage_entry_door_state called from [automation.perimeter_door_sensor_tripped]
<br>1 - At 06/22/2025 08:47:07: Value=38
<br>--------------------------
<br><b>[10] SECURITY ACTION 06/22/2025 09:24:27.326091</b>
<br>Automation - [Perimeter Door Sensor Tripped] Play Sound
<br>[automation.perimeter_door_sensor_tripped] triggered by binary_sensor.garage_entry_door_state called from [automation.perimeter_door_sensor_tripped]
<br>1 - At 06/22/2025 09:24:27: Value=38
And what it looks like in the front end:
This is the main control section for all logged data:
As I mentioned, it is a bit of a task to get all the parts and pieces configured, but once you understand the workflow, adding additional logs is a piece of cake.
Please send me a private message if you are interested in doing this. I will go over all the required components, steps required to set up the notify services and code blocks that need to be inserted into your existing code. The scripts and automations do all the dirty work as well as the maintenance required. You just need to be willing to invest the time and effort to put it all together.
Hello kartcon.
Thanks a lot.
That’s exactly what I’m looking for.
can I come back to you later when I’ve got to know the system?
I only have a few entities and this logging would be way beyond my level of knowledge at the moment.
Give me some more time, but this is exactly what I want.
OK. You can contact me at any time.
Before you get too deeply entrenched, I’d like to offer some advice I learned the hard way. All of these tips can be researched right here if you need more info.
triggers:
- device_id: 7dd80fbbaf172755af6fddac80666ee4
domain: zwave_js
type: zwave_js.value_updated.value
trigger: device
command_class: 37
property: ""
conditions: []
actions: []
versus
triggers:
- trigger: state
entity_id:
- switch.garage_relay_2_zw040
conditions: []
actions: []
Same exact trigger action and device, but second is easier to read and later troubleshoot. Also note the naming; this switch is controlling the second garage door and is device #40 in my Z-Wave JS-UI controller. I know I am a bit anal retentive about it but it makes sense to me!
2. Use the GUI automation and scrip builders to help you become a proficient YAML coder. You can use the GUI builders to begin coding your automations. Remember to look at the YAML so you can learn syntax, requirements and code structure. Its really an easy language to learn once you respect its spacing requirements
3. Consider what you want your system to look like at completion. Build your automations to do one thing and do it correctly every time. It is far better to build small concise automations than to build one large mega complex automation to try to work through every scenario. Remember, automation can call scripts which can chain together a sequence of actions. Consider this; you want an automation to do the following: At 8 pm lock the front door, close the garage door and turn on the outside lights. I would build one automation that triggers at 8pm and the call 3 individual scripts, one for each task. If at some point you need to add or remove a task, it’s a simple edit of the calling automation. Additionally, these 3 scripts can be called from elsewhere as well, so you can call the ‘lock the front door’ script when you leave the house. No need to code it again and again in multiple automations. Create a simple ‘no one home’ automation and call the scripts necessary.
This snippet of code is from my doorbell automation. It calls multiple scripts and grabs a camera snapshot between the calls. the camera image is used in the last script which sends it to my email. The 8 sec delay just makes sure the image capture and write commands have completed.
triggers:
- trigger: state
entity_id: binary_sensor.doorbell_button
from: "on"
to: "off"
for:
milliseconds: 500
## conditions removed for brevity
- action: script.turn_on
entity_id: script.notify_hass_doorbell_sensor_tripped
data:
variables:
log_parent: "{{ this.entity_id }}"
- action: camera.snapshot
data:
filename: "www/snapshots/doorbell_image.png"
target:
entity_id: camera.front_door_camera
- delay: '00:00:08'
- action: script.turn_on
entity_id: script.notify_push_doorbell_sensor_tripped
- action: script.turn_on
entity_id: script.notify_smtp_doorbell_rang
Good luck and have fun while building your dream smart home. HA shouldn’t be a task, but rather a fun project that makes your home better.
Art - aka kartcon
Hello Art.
Thank you very much for your tips. Very important, especially for me as a beginner. I’ll definitely get in touch.
I’ll be spending a lot of time on it, because I have lots of ideas.
I hope I can implement all of them.
But only bit by bit, because my time is limited and I can only do it all on the side. I’ll have more time in autumn and winter.