An option for "include if"

[dstrohl]

To have an option to include a block in a config, if another value matches a condition. (is not empty?)

For example.

decluttering_templates:
  room_light:
    variables:
        light_features:
            conditions: [[light_type]]|not_empty
            then:
                 features:
                      - type: [[light_type]]            
    card:
      type: tile
      entity: '[[light]]'
      name: '[[room]]'
      '[[light_features]]'


views:
cards:
  - type: custom:decluttering-card-plus
    template: room_light
    variables:
      - light: light.living_room
      - room: Living Room
      - light_type: toggle
  - type: custom:decluttering-card-plus
    template: room_light
    variables:
      - light: light.garage
      - room: Garage

So, in the living room card, where light type is defined, there would be a features block, and the garage card would not have the features block at all. (honestly, I don't know if that card would work without a features block, but the example is for the concept only. ).

or, perhaps have a template that could be used as -part- of a larger template, so, for example:

decluttering_templates:
  feature_section:
    map:
        features:
           - type [[light_type]]
     visibility:
         conditions:
            - condition: variable
              variable: light_type
              value_not: ''

  room_light:
    card:
      type: tile
      entity: '[[light]]'
      name: '[[room]]'
      [%feature_section%]
          


views:
cards:
  - type: custom:decluttering-card-plus
    template: room_light
    variables:
      - light: light.living_room
      - room: Living Room
      - light_type: toggle
  - type: custom:decluttering-card-plus
    template: room_light
    variables:
      - light: light.garage
      - room: Garage

Which might allow even more options for flexibility.

[tempus2016]

Thanks for this, it's a good one.

You can mostly do it already with the optional marker. Put a ? on the end of a placeholder and the key disappears completely when nothing sets it. The one catch right now is that it only removes its own key, not the block around it. So this:

features:
  - type: '[[light_type?]]'

leaves you with features: [{}] on the garage card instead of no features at all.

Until that changes, you can get there by passing the whole block as the variable:

decluttering_templates:
  room_light:
    card:
      type: tile
      entity: '[[light]]'
      name: '[[room]]'
      features: '[[features?]]'

- type: custom:decluttering-card-plus
  template: room_light
  variables:
    - light: light.living_room
    - room: Living Room
    - features:
        - type: toggle
- type: custom:decluttering-card-plus
  template: room_light
  variables:
    - light: light.garage
    - room: Garage

The garage card ends up with no features key at all.

That's a bit more typing than you were after, so I've fixed the underlying problem. Once that's released, a block that's left empty after its optional placeholders drop out gets removed as well, all the way up. Your first example then works pretty much as you wrote it, with no new syntax:

features:
  - type: '[[light_type?]]'

Set light_type and you get the feature. Leave it out and features is gone. It's merged and will be in the next release.

The partial-template idea (dropping a chunk of one template into another) is interesting, but it's a much bigger change, so I'll leave it to think about for now. extends: might already cover some of what you're after there if you haven't tried it.

[dstrohl]

thanks, yup, I did try (and am using) extends: and figured out the other approach as well. but I'm looking forward to your push.

[dstrohl]

I saw this show up in v1.12, THANKS!

few implementation questions.. (these aren't to imply that it's a problem if you cant do these, I'm only trying to make sure I understand the scope of the implementation). I appreciate this getting in at all!

1. In the writeup, you said:

if: keeps a value only while another variable says so. [[name|if:other]] keeps it while other is a yes, and [[name|if:other=text]] while other is exactly that text. When the condition fails the value counts as unset

is this only looking for the specific string "yes"? or is it looking for a bool? or something that could be made into a bool?

in other words,

• can I pass a variable with any string and it follows the rules of |bool,
• do I need to pass a variable that is only "yes",for true, and anything else == false.
• do I need to take my string and pass it through the variable|bool function first?

2. it notes that I can use it like: [[variable|if:other|default:final string]],

can I also do something like:

[[variable|if:other|or:backup_var|or:fallback_var|default:final string]]

with the assumtion of:
a. use variable if other is true.
b. otherwise, use backup var,
c. if backup var is unset, use fallback_var
d. if backup_var is not set, use the default string.

3. Can I use it further inline, like:

[[variable|or:backup_var|if:test_var]]

with the assumption of:
a. if variable is unset, use backup_var
b. take the value from (a) and if test_var is true use that, otherwise unset.

4. for the = check, will it convert the check variable to a string or must I do that first?

so,

• if I have a check_variable that is a numeric 1, and I do [[var|if:check_var=1]] will that work or do I have to convert the check_var to a string first? same with an object, if my check var is a map, to check it, do I need to conert it to a json string or in the = process will it convert it first?

Thanks!

Dan

[tempus2016]

Glad it's useful! Answers in order:

1. It reads the other variable the same way |bool does, so no need to convert it first. Unset, empty, no, false, off, 0 (as text or a number), false as a real boolean, and an empty list or map all count as no. Case and surrounding spaces don't matter. Anything else is a yes.

2. Yes. When other is a no, variable counts as unset, so or:backup_var gets its turn, then or:fallback_var, then the default. One thing to know: or: only stands in with text, so if backup_var is a map or list it's skipped and the next fallback is tried.

3. Yes, steps run in the order you write them. [[variable|or:backup_var|if:test_var]] picks variable or backup_var first, then drops the result if test_var is a no.

4. It converts for you. The check variable is turned into text and compared exactly, so a number 1 matches if:check_var=1 and a real true matches =true. It's case-sensitive and doesn't trim, so True or 01 won't match. A map or list can't be compared with = at all, so that's always false. A plain if:mapvar (no =) does work as an "is it non-empty" check, though.