Brilliant, but my head hurts now 😂. There I was, just starting to get my head around variables in scripts and Home Assistant went and took it to the next level with service call responses. Thanks for this video Jeff. I do believe I'm now a step closer to having a truly automated house 👍
Since the response variables got announced i was wondering how you would use them. I'll have to watch that a couple of times - i'm used to that - but i'm exited to do that!
You have just saved me a bunch of time. I was right in the middle of setting up something like this to make sure shades were not closing if a window or door is open with a message. Thank you.
@SlackerLabs, it looks like the get_room_lights script is missing from your github post. After rewatching the video, you shared it on screen (11:09) and I was able to create the script.
That was wonderful , thanks. Will try and use it for devices that have two locations such as Upstairs Guest Bedroom. Often I open Upstairs shutters, but a guest needs to control these independently.
The jinja templating for conditions / actions is cool. However, what I'd really like to do is have the triggers determined magically by jinja. In my case, all my external doors have contact sensors and I have zoned heating in each room. I'd like a general automation that when any contact sensor is open, the heating in that room is suspended until the door is closed. I can do this for individual doors, but would be great to have a 'smart' automation which just triggers from any door contact sensor and works out which zone to turn off on the heating.
Wow! Jeff! This is exactly what I was thinking of recently and you just made it work! Great job, very advanced feature and perfect walk-through. This will save me a lot of time. Thank you very much!
I used to do small scripts over template sensors. But depending on the use case both would work. The issue with the template sensors is really when they are not tied to another sensor. Like a text to speech sensor that would just have a randomized phrase. Those dont work well because they only update when HA reboots or you manually updating. In those cases small scripts work better.
@DanielSchless ahh. I actually prefer using the response variables in scripts. Once response variables were added I haven't seen the need to creat template macros.
OMG, this is probably one of the most amazing and overlooked features to arrive in HA! Certainly I didn't think of it when hearing about response variables, but I bet it's where the devs are headed with its introduction. Very impressive work! I think you've been watching too much of "that other TH-camr's" channel ;) Also, I can't help feeling your stop value should have been "And I'm spent" in an Austin Power's accent :) Thanks for sharing, Chris
Excellent video showing the potential of those return variables. I look forward to seeing what you've done with Jarvis. I'm in the process of re-writing what I've got and this looks like it could potentially expand on that.
I'm not sure what the advantage is for selecting lights based on an area. HA has supported supplying an area instead of a device ID in the light.turn_on service call for over a year! This seems unnecessarily complex. Or am I missing something here?
Your are absolutely right. For some service calls you could absolutely already do them by area prior to response variables. And yes. If the takeaway from the video was only "this is a better way to make a lighting automation" and not "this is how response variables could make any automation that was entity based no longer depended static entries" , then something was missed. Because not every action called in an automation can leverage area today. But no doubt that was a failure on my part. I need to get better at ensuring the viewers get to where I am trying to lead them. This is good feedback.
@@SlackerLabs Thanks for the clarification! And of course you're right, you're painting a bigger picture and included examples than show more advanced use-cases as well :)
Hi thanks for this initiation on response variable. I though to use that to solve the following problem : I have a SONOFF ZigBee 3.0 USB Dongle Plus, EFR32MG21, flash as repeater. Its nice cause it fall automatically into discovery mode when it loose connection. The problem is that it disconnect often . It easy to reconnect with zigbee discovery integration. But I have to reconnect it manualy a few time a week. Now I try replacing or relocating it . At other location it does not reach the device I need it to reach or replacement does the same it last 2 or 3 days then lose connection .I try other things too like adding more in the vicinity but nothing goes . So my question : Is there a way that I could automate zigbee discovery process say like an automation when this device is unvailable to rediscoverer it automatically which I am doing successfully manualy at the moment.
Nah, I moved stuff around, and guess I haven't added it to the repo. The code referenced in the video is all here thought > github.com/thejeffreystone/SlackerLabVideoExamples/tree/main/2023-ResponseVariables
The current updated version is in there now although Im not sure its all that different- > github.com/thejeffreystone/homeassistant-config/blob/b097d28dc3912eff375658751e8b3c4e9ef954ac/config/packages/utilities.yaml#L93
Ok so to break it down in have a smart bus run on a 48v system I currently have a surface pro 4 as one server next server is rasp pi 4 home assistant. I have my phone and tablet PC all connected on my network. So what I’m trying to accomplish is integrating all the devices in the bus to be monitored and controlled via home assistant. So I found so far how to integrate solar assistant my Plex Media server and soon all my shelly pucks to control most of my stand alone lights electric actuators mag locks. But I have a few devices I can only control via my phone and or tablet via a app. So let’s say for my diesel heater the app is called airheater BLE what I want to do is turn the device on and off come winter if I see the the temp is low in the bus this winter or set up a geo thing when I’m 15 miles away it activates the heater. I also have 24v led lights with multiple zones that can be controlled with a app called keep smile also special app on my phone. So basically if I could control the app on dashboard it would be cool like as in were using it on the phone. But I’m cool with just creating simple on off actions. So I want to know if u can control the individual apps via home assistant being my tablet never leaves the bus and is always connected to the network. Thanks You seem like the man is this possible
Ok, so I am no sure I have specific solutions, but I can offer some ideas that might trigger something you are aware. I'm guess these apps only work when connected locally over BLE, perhaps. If they are using BLE, it might be possible to get them connect via a BLE proxy to home assistant. They might already be supported but you if it is BLE you might be able to get the devs to add support for those devices. You didnt mention whether these have a cloud access, but those apps can integrate with Amazon, you could control amazon routines via HA using the Alexa Media Player integration from the Home Assistant Community Store. I have done that in the past for devices that didn't have a direct integration to Home Assistant. If there is a way to automate it using something in Windows if that Surface Pro is running Windows. Because you may be able to connect Windows to Home Assistant either using web hooks or some automation app. And lastly, you may be able to do something with MQTT if there was a way to automate things from your phone like Tasker for Android, or Shortcuts on iOS. Because you could have your phone send something to a MQTT, and have home assistant display that value. And then have something to change that value on home assistant and have an app change that value when it sees the change in MQTT. All of that to say, I would look for a way to get the device app to send and receive options via a webhook or mqtt. You can integrate anything Home Assistant that uses one of those. You may have to have a script or something on your server that bridges the two systems. But if there is a way to get those apps to talk to something external you may be able to integrate that external piece with Home Assistant.
@@SlackerLabs thanks for the reply after lot thinking and more research in think Im gonna get a shelly sence if I can find one has a ir blaster built into it.
For a brief moment you almost inspired me to switch back to a non Node-RED implementation. Especially for better, text-based git history. But, looking at your code reminds me of why I switched to Node-RED in the first place. Your code is great, but it's just too brainwave consuming to navigate, find, parse, maintain all this script code, buried inline amongst many YAML files. I do want to check out return values, however. And great video!
Things like these are so over complicated that often makes me want to just run a separate daemon for all my automations, written with actual code, JS or C# for example.
Ha! Laughed at the Hibbert reference.
I'm gonna need to watch this several time. Not only does it reduce future workload, but also requires better organized code. Thanks.
I totally got where you were going with it. That would have been nice when one of my smart bulbs burned out.
Hi Jeff, thanks for the great video, it opens up a whole next level of 'smart' for me. I'm going to be even more unsociable now!! 😀
Brilliant, but my head hurts now 😂. There I was, just starting to get my head around variables in scripts and Home Assistant went and took it to the next level with service call responses. Thanks for this video Jeff. I do believe I'm now a step closer to having a truly automated house 👍
Since the response variables got announced i was wondering how you would use them. I'll have to watch that a couple of times - i'm used to that - but i'm exited to do that!
You have just saved me a bunch of time. I was right in the middle of setting up something like this to make sure shades were not closing if a window or door is open with a message. Thank you.
Mind Blown! Jeff, keep this type of video coming. I didn't know I needed this but now I feel I have to implement it.
@SlackerLabs, it looks like the get_room_lights script is missing from your github post. After rewatching the video, you shared it on screen (11:09) and I was able to create the script.
This is good lateral thinking. Thanks for diving into it. Time to go ponder the future!
What a roundabout way to describe it...
That was wonderful , thanks. Will try and use it for devices that have two locations such as Upstairs Guest Bedroom.
Often I open Upstairs shutters, but a guest needs to control these independently.
The jinja templating for conditions / actions is cool. However, what I'd really like to do is have the triggers determined magically by jinja. In my case, all my external doors have contact sensors and I have zoned heating in each room. I'd like a general automation that when any contact sensor is open, the heating in that room is suspended until the door is closed. I can do this for individual doors, but would be great to have a 'smart' automation which just triggers from any door contact sensor and works out which zone to turn off on the heating.
I figured it out! Thanks for the video and getting me thinking!!
Wow! Jeff! This is exactly what I was thinking of recently and you just made it work! Great job, very advanced feature and perfect walk-through. This will save me a lot of time. Thank you very much!
This is awesome!! I have been waiting for something like this. I used to do something similar back in the openhab days :)
Truly next level home automation.
Well done video ... would love to get your take on short scripts vs template macros in HA
I used to do small scripts over template sensors. But depending on the use case both would work. The issue with the template sensors is really when they are not tied to another sensor. Like a text to speech sensor that would just have a randomized phrase. Those dont work well because they only update when HA reboots or you manually updating. In those cases small scripts work better.
Hmmm, I was talking about template MACROS not template SENSORS
@DanielSchless ahh. I actually prefer using the response variables in scripts. Once response variables were added I haven't seen the need to creat template macros.
OMG, this is probably one of the most amazing and overlooked features to arrive in HA!
Certainly I didn't think of it when hearing about response variables, but I bet it's where the devs are headed with its introduction. Very impressive work!
I think you've been watching too much of "that other TH-camr's" channel ;)
Also, I can't help feeling your stop value should have been "And I'm spent" in an Austin Power's accent :)
Thanks for sharing,
Chris
I do watch a lot of you TH-cam. Haha. At least four references to other TH-camrs or recent videos in this one.
@@SlackerLabs Nice! :)
Brilliant stuff Jeff!
Excellent video showing the potential of those return variables. I look forward to seeing what you've done with Jarvis. I'm in the process of re-writing what I've got and this looks like it could potentially expand on that.
as a redhead... i'm slightly offended by all this talk about jinja :D
I'm not sure what the advantage is for selecting lights based on an area. HA has supported supplying an area instead of a device ID in the light.turn_on service call for over a year! This seems unnecessarily complex. Or am I missing something here?
Your are absolutely right. For some service calls you could absolutely already do them by area prior to response variables.
And yes. If the takeaway from the video was only "this is a better way to make a lighting automation" and not "this is how response variables could make any automation that was entity based no longer depended static entries" , then something was missed. Because not every action called in an automation can leverage area today.
But no doubt that was a failure on my part. I need to get better at ensuring the viewers get to where I am trying to lead them.
This is good feedback.
@@SlackerLabs Thanks for the clarification! And of course you're right, you're painting a bigger picture and included examples than show more advanced use-cases as well :)
Hi thanks for this initiation on response variable. I though to use that to solve the following problem :
I have a SONOFF ZigBee 3.0 USB Dongle Plus, EFR32MG21, flash as repeater. Its nice cause it fall automatically into discovery mode when it loose connection. The problem is that it disconnect often . It easy to reconnect with zigbee discovery integration. But I have to reconnect it manualy a few time a week. Now I try replacing or relocating it . At other location it does not reach the device I need it to reach or replacement does the same it last 2 or 3 days then lose connection .I try other things too like adding more in the vicinity but nothing goes .
So my question : Is there a way that I could automate zigbee discovery process say like an automation when this device is unvailable to rediscoverer it automatically which I am doing successfully manualy at the moment.
I don't see the get_room_lights script in your github. Did I miss it?
Nah, I moved stuff around, and guess I haven't added it to the repo. The code referenced in the video is all here thought > github.com/thejeffreystone/SlackerLabVideoExamples/tree/main/2023-ResponseVariables
The current updated version is in there now although Im not sure its all that different- > github.com/thejeffreystone/homeassistant-config/blob/b097d28dc3912eff375658751e8b3c4e9ef954ac/config/packages/utilities.yaml#L93
Thanks!!
Jeff - where can i find the get_room_lights script?
github.com/thejeffreystone/SlackerLabVideoExamples/blob/a5aaf79e587f5922ba7606e2283157295fd0005f/2023-ResponseVariables/scripts.yaml#L16
@fredamn76 that’s the one I showed in the video. 👆
Ok so to break it down in have a smart bus run on a 48v system I currently have a surface pro 4 as one server next server is rasp pi 4 home assistant. I have my phone and tablet PC all connected on my network. So what I’m trying to accomplish is integrating all the devices in the bus to be monitored and controlled via home assistant. So I found so far how to integrate solar assistant my Plex Media server and soon all my shelly pucks to control most of my stand alone lights electric actuators mag locks. But I have a few devices I can only control via my phone and or tablet via a app. So let’s say for my diesel heater the app is called airheater BLE what I want to do is turn the device on and off come winter if I see the the temp is low in the bus this winter or set up a geo thing when I’m 15 miles away it activates the heater. I also have 24v led lights with multiple zones that can be controlled with a app called keep smile also special app on my phone. So basically if I could control the app on dashboard it would be cool like as in were using it on the phone. But I’m cool with just creating simple on off actions. So I want to know if u can control the individual apps via home assistant being my tablet never leaves the bus and is always connected to the network. Thanks
You seem like the man is this possible
Ok, so I am no sure I have specific solutions, but I can offer some ideas that might trigger something you are aware. I'm guess these apps only work when connected locally over BLE, perhaps. If they are using BLE, it might be possible to get them connect via a BLE proxy to home assistant. They might already be supported but you if it is BLE you might be able to get the devs to add support for those devices.
You didnt mention whether these have a cloud access, but those apps can integrate with Amazon, you could control amazon routines via HA using the Alexa Media Player integration from the Home Assistant Community Store. I have done that in the past for devices that didn't have a direct integration to Home Assistant.
If there is a way to automate it using something in Windows if that Surface Pro is running Windows. Because you may be able to connect Windows to Home Assistant either using web hooks or some automation app.
And lastly, you may be able to do something with MQTT if there was a way to automate things from your phone like Tasker for Android, or Shortcuts on iOS. Because you could have your phone send something to a MQTT, and have home assistant display that value. And then have something to change that value on home assistant and have an app change that value when it sees the change in MQTT.
All of that to say, I would look for a way to get the device app to send and receive options via a webhook or mqtt. You can integrate anything Home Assistant that uses one of those. You may have to have a script or something on your server that bridges the two systems. But if there is a way to get those apps to talk to something external you may be able to integrate that external piece with Home Assistant.
@@SlackerLabs thanks for the reply after lot thinking and more research in think Im gonna get a shelly sence if I can find one has a ir blaster built into it.
For a brief moment you almost inspired me to switch back to a non Node-RED implementation. Especially for better, text-based git history. But, looking at your code reminds me of why I switched to Node-RED in the first place. Your code is great, but it's just too brainwave consuming to navigate, find, parse, maintain all this script code, buried inline amongst many YAML files. I do want to check out return values, however. And great video!
You got to go with whatever is easiest to accomplish your goals. That is for sure!
Honest question from a slow learner, are these service calls kind of the same as array’s?
Things like these are so over complicated that often makes me want to just run a separate daemon for all my automations, written with actual code, JS or C# for example.
That's almost like programming in a real programming language, just way more cumbersome 🤔
It does feel like all of this should be easier. I mean I wish we could define entity relationships easier which would help this type of stuff.
Jeff. Too dark, sir. Please increase your lighting.
For which part? The clip of me at the computer or the parts where I am talking?
@@SlackerLabs Sitting at the desk
Yea that was a impulse thing. I need to set my area up to light that shot.
I need to stop subscribing to your channel. Tired of always having to rewrite my automations! :(
Its a never ending journey!
What the hell did you just talk about?
The future!