Feature Request: cleaner @state_trigger('True or ... ')

[dlashua]

This syntax is a bit hacky looking and hard for new users to follow:

@state_trigger('True or binary_sensor.dark')

There's no reason to make the above syntax NOT work, but think a convenience decorator for this use pattern might be beneficial. Something like this:

@state_change_trigger('binary_sensor.dark')

@state_change_trigger([
  'binary_sensor.dark',
  'binary_sensor.motion'
])

Though, naming things is hard. There's probably something better than state_change_trigger.

[craigbarratt]

Yes, the current suggested approach isn't very intuitive.

However, the last example (putting the variables in a list) should work with @state_trigger, although the quotes would go outside the list. The reason it works is that a non-empty list evaluates to non-zero:

@state_trigger("[binary_sensor.dark, binary_sensor.motion]")

Do you agree it's sufficient to document this method as the way to get a trigger on any change?

For a single variable, it almost works correctly without using a list, except for the case where the variable is an empty string (since non-empty string are non-zero).

[dlashua]

Documenting it this way is certainly make the code more readable.

It still means that if you already have a python list of entities to watch, you have to do this:

@state_trigger("[" + ", ".join(my_list_of_entities) +"]")

In which case, this is still cleaner to me

@state_trigger('True ' + " or ".join(my_list_of_entities))

But isn't nearly as good as:

@state_trigger(my_list_of_entities)

[swazrgb]

I notice that almost all of my state triggers follow the True or ... pattern, so a more convenient syntax for this would be great. The suggestion to accept a list of entities would be fantastic.

[craigbarratt]

Ok, that's two votes for

@state_trigger(my_list_of_entities)

so let me look at doing that. I was also thinking about using a list of strings for multiple expressions, that are ored together (ie, anyone being true will trigger the function).

It would be possible to make both forms work. A single string argument state variable (ie, no expression and no list) could be detected and treated as trigger on any change. And a list of strings, each of which could be an expression or a state variable name meaning any change, would be logically ored together.

[craigbarratt]

Ok, @state_trigger now allows multiple arguments of strings or lists of strings. Any string can be just a state variable name, which means trigger on any change. Commit 59c12f9. The old form still works, but I removed it from the docs.

task.wait_until()'s state_trigger argument also has the same extensions, although it can only be a single string or list of strings.

[dlashua]

I tested @state_trigger() and task.wait_until() with lists, strings, combinations of lists and strings, as well as the old "True or ..." functionality. Everything worked as expected.

THANKS!