Create Group Blueprint

This blueprint creates a group with either static or dynamic members.

It has two main functions to add members

• Dynamically include multiple members based on a common string in their object ID’s. (Dynamic Include List)
• Or statically add individual members. (Static Entities To Add)

Then the group can be refined by

• Dynamically excluding multiple members based on a common string in their object ID. (Dynamic Exclude List)
• Or statically removing individual members. (Static Entities To Remove)

Group Types

Simple (Static) Group

• If you would like to create a group and manage its members manually, you only need to use the Static Entities To Add field to select entities.
  • If you add or remove devices from home assistant, the group will need to be updated manually.

Dynamic Group

• If you would like members to be automatically added or removed from the group, use the Dynamic Domain List, Dynamic Include List, and Dynamic Exclude List fields and enter identifying strings.
  • You can still add or remove members statically by using the Static Entities To Add or Static Entities To Remove fields.

Recommended Steps for Creating a Dynamic Group

First familarize yourself with domain and object_id state objects.

• Home Assistant state objects

Start with a broad brush.

• Add a domain in Dynamic Domain List. Example: - light
• Add a string in Dynamic Include List. Example: - bedroom
• Save the automation and run it.
• View the group created, (Configuration → Entities → in the search bar enter ‘group’, click the group) and its members.
• Make note of the members that need to be removed and strings they have in common.
• If necessary, edit the object IDs of the members and add identifiers to make them easier to exclude.

Then narrow the scope.

• Go back to the automation and in Dynamic Exclude List add a list of common strings to exclude.
• Save and run the automation then go back to the group to view updated list members.

Rince and repeat.

• Continue this process until only the members you want are in the group.

Order of Operation

This blueprint follows a specific order of operation when adding members to a group.

1. If a domain is entered in Dynamic Domain, all entities in those domain are added to an internal list. Otherwise all entities are added to the list if Dynamic Include List or Dynamic Exclude List are used.
2. If an include string is entered in Dynamic Include List, only entities with object ID’s containing that string remain in the list.
3. If an exclude string is entered in Dynamic Exclude List, all entities with that string are removed from the list.
4. Then static members are added or removed from the list
   a. If specific entities are selected in Static Entities To Add, those entities will be added to the list.
   b. If specific entities are selected in Static Entities To Remove, those entities will be removed from the list.

Field Types

Dynamic Domain List, Dynamic Include List, and Dynamic Exclude List
Strings entered in these fields need to be entered as a yaml list. For example:

- light

or for multiple strings

- light
- lock

Static Entities To Add, and Static Entities To Remove
Multiple entities can be added to these fields. If devices are added, expand the device and remove unnecessary entities.

Notes

• The only way to see what entities are added to the group is to actually view the group members.
• Recommend opening two home assistant windows, one with the automation (Configuration → Automations) and another with the entities list (Configuration → Entities) filtered for ‘group’.
• Dynamic Domain List, Dynamic Include List, and Dynamic Exclude List fields are lists and need to be entered with a hyphen, then a space, then the string. Example: - light
• Automations created with this blueprint are ran at home assistant start and when groups are reloaded (Configuration → Server Controls → Click Groups, Group Entities… ). Groups will be recreated at this time also.
  • If you would like to update groups while home assistant is running, all you have to do is run the automation.
• To delete a group, delete the automation that created it and restart home assistant or reload the groups.

Credits

Portions of this blueprint are from the following repositories or posts

• Frigate Notification Blueprint
• Taras’ post re: group creation

1 post - 1 participant

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