Why would you EVER want to lose YAML?

@wellsy wrote:

In the process of shifting my config to 0.110.xx I had a relatively trouble free run and set about my normal workflows to add functionality to my production environment which is now sitting on the 0.110.3 release.

Working away at an automation for a temporary fix related to how my outside lights are automated.
NOTE: the one I’m working on is:

Update Occupied Status From Laundry

Here is a snippet of my current working automation.yaml (NOTE how human readable it is):

#**********************************************************
# PI UPS Battery <90% Alert Notification Automation
# sensor.ups_battery
#
#**********************************************************
- id: PiUpsBattery<90Information
  alias: Pi UPS Battery <90 Information Notification
  trigger:
    platform: numeric_state
    entity_id: sensor.ups_battery
    below: 90
    for:
      minutes: 2
  action:
    service: notify.my_bot
    data:
      message: "INFORMATION! The UPS Battery is now below 90%"            

#**********************************************************
# Reset sonoff binary sensors on HA restart
# sonoff19 Power2
# Other? Just add more - data: items
#**********************************************************                              

- id: 'UpdateBinarySensorStatus'
  alias: Update Binary Sensor Status
  trigger:
  - event: start
    platform: homeassistant
  condition: []
  action:
  - data:
      payload: ''
      topic: cmnd/sonoff19/Power2
    service: mqtt.publish 

#**********************************************************
# Update Occupied Status From Laundry
# switch.laundry_door_downlight
# sonoff15/Event
# sonoff13/Event
# sonoff17/Event
#**********************************************************

- id: UpdateOccupiedStatusFromLaundry
  alias: Update Occupied Status From Laundry
  trigger:
  - entity_id: switch.laundry_door_downlight
    platform: state
    to: 'on'
  condition: []
  action:
  - data:
      topic: cmnd/sonoff15/Event
      payload: Movement_tankPath
    service: mqtt.publish
  - data:
      topic: cmnd/sonoff13/Event
      payload: Movement_Patio 
    service: mqtt.publish
  - data:
      topic: cmnd/sonoff17/Event
      payload: Movement_sidePath 
    service: mqtt.publish   

#**********************************************************
# Long Press testing
# sonoff03 Power1
# Works well!
#**********************************************************

- id: 'HoldForTankLight'
  alias: Hold For Tank Light
  initial_state: true
  trigger:
  - entity_id: sensor.outside_light
    platform: state
    to: 'HOLD'
  action:
  - data:
      entity_id: light.tank
    service: light.toggle 
  - data:
      entity_id: light.side_1
    service: light.toggle
  - data:
      entity_id: light.patio
    service: light.toggle
       

#**********************************************************
# Start Fan Speed Automation
#**********************************************************
# Update Rumpus Fan Speed OFF
# stat/sonoff05/POWER4
# input_select.rumpus_fan_speed
#**********************************************************
# This automation script runs when the rumpus fan speed selector is changed to off.
# It publishes its value to the same MQTT topic it is also subscribed to.
#********************************************************** 

- id: 'SetRumpusFanSpeedOff'
  alias: Set Rumpus Fan Speed Off
  trigger:
    platform: state
    entity_id: input_select.rumpus_fan_speed
    to: 'off'    
  action:
  - data:
      entity_id: light.fan_off
    service: light.turn_on

So after running up against a load of problems which I couldn’t quite solve myself I turned to the forum (as you do) and found a few ideas and made some changes but none of them helped so I thought to myself “Ok…lets see how the UI automation thingy works?” Well I opened it up and had a bit of a look at the UI and must admit it looks pretty nifty…however!!! The moment I saved a very minor change to one line of my automation an horrific and totally unexpected change (which was irreversible in the UI) was created.

Below is the same snippet after saving 1 line of 1 automation in my automation.yaml:

- id: PiUpsBattery<90Information
  alias: Pi UPS Battery <90 Information Notification
  trigger:
    platform: numeric_state
    entity_id: sensor.ups_battery
    below: 90
    for:
      minutes: 2
  action:
    service: notify.my_bot
    data:
      message: INFORMATION! The UPS Battery is now below 90%
- id: UpdateBinarySensorStatus
  alias: Update Binary Sensor Status
  trigger:
  - event: start
    platform: homeassistant
  condition: []
  action:
  - data:
      topic: cmnd/sonoff19/Power2
    service: mqtt.publish
# here    
- id: UpdateOccupiedStatusFromLaundry
  alias: Update Occupied Status From Laundry
  trigger:
  - entity_id: switch.laundry_door_downlight
    platform: state
    to: 'on'
  condition: []
  action:
  - data:
      topic: cmnd/sonoff15/Event
      payload: Movement_tankPath
    service: mqtt.publish
  - data:
      topic: cmnd/sonoff13/Event
      payload: Movement_Patio 
    service: mqtt.publish
  - data:
      topic: cmnd/sonoff17/Event
      payload: Movement_sidePath 
    service: mqtt.publish
- id: UpdateOccupiedStatusFromPatio
  alias: Update Occupied Status From Patio
  trigger:
  - entity_id: light.patio
    platform: state
    to: 'on'
  condition: []
  action:
  - data:
      topic: cmnd/sonoff15/Event
      payload: Movement_tankPath
    service: mqtt.publish
  - data:
      topic: cmnd/sonoff13/Event
      payload: Movement_Patio 
    service: mqtt.publish
  - data:
      topic: cmnd/sonoff17/Event
      payload: Movement_sidePath 
    service: mqtt.publish
- id: HoldForTankLight
  alias: Hold For Tank Light
  initial_state: true
  trigger:
  - entity_id: sensor.outside_light
    platform: state
    to: HOLD
  action:
  - data:
      entity_id: light.tank
    service: light.toggle
  - data:
      entity_id: light.side_1
    service: light.toggle
  - data:
      entity_id: light.patio
    service: light.toggle
- id: SetRumpusFanSpeedOff
  alias: Set Rumpus Fan Speed Off
  trigger:
    platform: state
    entity_id: input_select.rumpus_fan_speed
    to: 'off'
  action:
  - data:
      entity_id: light.fan_off
    service: light.turn_on

I won’t use the words I used here on finding my entire automations.yaml destroyed in such a fashion as the language nazis may ban me forever!

Does anyone here think it’s ok for a UI to do that to someones carefully considered YAML commenting by saying yes to a change in 1 line of YAML?

My final comment is contained in the heading and even has two words capitalized (god forbid!).

Why would you EVER want to lose YAML? Indeed!

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Participants: 2

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