Script converting string into array for the value field

[bfg100k]

The problem

In my script I am making the service call using the value of a variable input_text.viomi_s9_script_helper that contains x,y coordinates as a string. When it runs, the value is getting converted into an array instead.

 service: xiaomi_miot.set_miot_property
 data:
   entity_id: vacuum.viomi_v18_155a_robot_cleaner
   siid: 6
   piid: 1
   value: '{{ states(''input_text.viomi_s9_script_helper'')|string }}'

Log shows

2023-08-08 12:28:01.238 WARNING (SyncWorker_4) [custom_components.xiaomi_miot.vacuum] Viomi S9(viomi.vacuum.v18): Set miot property {'did': '378455517', 'siid': 6, 'piid': 1, 'value': (0.596, -0.431)} failed: No response from the device

When I hardcode the entry for value, it works as expected.

 service: xiaomi_miot.set_miot_property
 data:
   entity_id: vacuum.viomi_v18_155a_robot_cleaner
   siid: 6
   piid: 1
   value: 0.676,-0.217

Log shows

2023-08-08 12:19:50.069 DEBUG (SyncWorker_14) [custom_components.xiaomi_miot.vacuum] Viomi S9(viomi.vacuum.v18): Set miot property {'did': '378455517', 'siid': 6, 'piid': 1, 'value': '0.676,-0.217'}, result: {'code': 0, 'did': '378455517', 'piid': 1, 'siid': 6}

Not sure if this is specific to the custom integration or is this a standard script behaviour?

What version of Home Assistant Core has the issue?

core-2023.8.4

What was the last working version of Home Assistant Core?

No response

What type of installation are you running?

Home Assistant Container

Integration causing the issue

xiaomi_miot

Link to integration documentation on our website

https://github.com/al-one/hass-xiaomi-miot

Diagnostics information

No response

Example YAML snippet

No response

Anything in the logs that might be useful for us?

No response

Additional information

No response

[tdejneka]

or is this a standard script behaviour?

It's standard behaviour.

For a template, the type of the value it produces is inferred from its appearance. For example, a comma-delimited string looks like a tuple (or list) so the end-result is a tuple (or list).

The inclusion of the final string filter in your template doesn't serve to influence Home Assistant's ultimate interpretation of the value's type.

This 'auto type' feature usually works to one's advantage but not always.

[bfg100k]

Thanks for the insight. Is there any workaround to force it to output a string instead?

[tdejneka]

Any use of a template to produce a comma-delimited string will make the final result a tuple (or list). However, you can try this untested workaround which uses two templates where each one simply produces a string.

   value: >
     {% set x = states('input_text.viomi_s9_script_helper').split(',') %}
     {{x[0]}},{{x[1]}}

If the two values in your Input Text are separated by a comma and a space, change split(',') to split(', ')

[bfg100k]

No that didn't work. "value" still gets converted into a list in the output. If I can't fix it here, is my next step to hack up the integration code (i.e. in the set_miot_property method of xiaomi_miot)?

Executed: 21 September 2023 at 13:58:18
Result:
params:
  domain: xiaomi_miot
  service: set_miot_property
  service_data:
    entity_id: vacuum.viomi_v18_155a_robot_cleaner
    siid: 6
    piid: 1
    value:
      - 0.5690000000000001
      - -1.3980000000000001

[tdejneka]

No that didn't work

Then there's no way to avoid Home Assistant's native typing from automatically inferring the data's type from its appearance (short of modifying the code that implements native typing).

[bfg100k]

Is there a way to make a generic service call passing in all the variables as a json string? That should get around the formatting issue.

[tdejneka]

How do you plan to get the value of your Input Text helper into the JSON string? With a template?

[bfg100k]

Is there a way to make a generic service call passing in all the variables as a json string? That should get around the formatting issue.

Managed to get some help from the author of the component regarding this and got the following to work so all good now. Thanks for your help too @tdejneka

 service: xiaomi_miot.set_miot_property
 data: |-
    {{ {
      'entity_id': 'vacuum.viomi_v18_155a_robot_cleaner',
      'siid': 6,
      'piid': 1,
      'value': states('input_text.viomi_s9_script_helper')|string,
    } }}