Add the ability to bind the group helper entity to a device

[dougiteixeira]

Breaking change

None

Proposed change

This PR adds the option for the user to bind the group entity configured from the UI to a device.

This is a much requested feature, for example in these posts:

• https://community.home-assistant.io/t/wth-cant-i-add-a-helper-to-a-existing-device/467945
• https://community.home-assistant.io/t/link-custom-ora-alone-entities-to-a-device/656532
• https://community.home-assistant.io/t/why-cant-we-add-template-entities-to-existing-devices/467149

I believe the device selector is a good way out of this, giving the user direct control over the helper/device link.

If you accept this implementation, I think about extending it to other helpers that do not inherit the device from their source entity.

Type of change

• Dependency upgrade
• Bugfix (non-breaking change which fixes an issue)
• New integration (thank you!)
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• Deprecation (breaking change to happen in the future)
• Breaking change (fix/feature causing existing functionality to break)
• Code quality improvements to existing code or addition of tests

Additional information

• This PR fixes or closes issue: fixes #
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[jpbede]

Re-opened, didn't see that this is the group helper not template helper as in #117753, sry :)

[gjohansson-ST]

Why not just attach to the right devices which the entities belong to instead of making the user has to select?

[dougiteixeira]

Why not just attach to the right devices which the entities belong to instead of making the user has to select?

Because a group can be composed of entities from several different devices. In my opinion, it makes more sense for the user to select the device, as we will have fewer complaints than the integration trying to obtain an entity as a reference for the device.

[gjohansson-ST]

Because a group can be composed of entities from several different devices. In my opinion, it makes more sense for the user to select the device, as we will have fewer complaints than the integration trying to obtain an entity as a reference for the device.

That's somehow my point. If you have a group of 5 lights. Why wouldn't you want to attach the group entity to all 5 of them?
It does not make sense to have the user to manually select the 5 devices with the risk of choosing the incorrect one etc.

[dougiteixeira]

That's somehow my point. If you have a group of 5 lights. Why wouldn't you want to attach the group entity to all 5 of them?
It does not make sense to have the user to manually select the 5 devices with the risk of choosing the incorrect one etc.

But an entity can be attached to only one device, it is not possible to attach on all five devices.

Or am I wrong?

[dougiteixeira]

The idea is to expand this behavior to all helpers that do not have just one source/reference entity.

Thinking that the user is creating the entity, in the same way that he selects device class, unit, etc. (in some types of helpers), he would select the device on which he wants the entity to be linked.

This in addition to making helpers more accessible through the user interface and would meet users' recurring requests.

[gjohansson-ST]

But an entity can be attached to only one device, it is not possible to attach on all five devices.

I think you can manually do so, but I'm not sure that makes sense either.
I personally don't think this is the right approach.

[dougiteixeira]

I personally don't think this is the right approach.

The alternative is to keep it as is, without a link to the device? I see no other acceptable and reliable solution.

[Torgrima]

This is a feature I have wished I have had for a long time, I hope it get merged.
First steps to making it possible to associate any helper to a device or create a device based on custom template sensors / helpers.

I have several helpers belonging to multiple devices.
E.g helpers for mi flora pots where a zone in the greenhouse could be a device, where all the flowerpots is a child device in the greenhouse. entities like light, Co2...

[frenck]

Hi there @dougiteixeira 👋

We've discussed this PR with some people on the core team, and we've decided not to move forward with it.

While adding the ability to bind the group helper entity to a device is technically cool, the core team feels that this feature doesn't align with the information architecture of Home Assistant. Looking at it from that perspective, groups are meant to combine different data points or controls from different devices and are thus above this all.

Nevertheless, thanks for being willing to contribute 👍

../Frenck

[Torgrima]

Home assistant is definitely missing the possibility to create a device from a group of templates and helpers.
Especially, if home-assistant will support blueprint for templating/helpers.

[frenck]

@Torgrima This is not the right place for feature requests. Place use our community forums for that purpose.

Thanks! 👍

../Frenck