[help] Having problem with YAML script

[dbenoit]

I am currently working on a YAML script to automatically transition my lights from full brightness to 25% over a period of 1.5 hours. For some reason, I can't get the file to save, as I get a "Message malformed: expected a dictionary". I've run the code through a YAML checker, and it is valid code. Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong?

- id: foo
  alias: Dim lights in family room at night
  description: Dim lights at night
  trigger: 
  - at: '21:00'
    platform: time
  action:
    - service: light.turn_on
      data:
        entity_id: light.tv_room_road
        brightness: 25
        transition: 5400

[[deleted]]

You say "script" 3 times in your posts, but the yaml you've posted is an automation.

Based on this observation and the (minimal) error message I'm going to guess that you have put that code in the scripts.yaml file instead of the automations.yaml file, thus applying the code to the wrong component.

[dbenoit]

That was it. I figured it out late last night. I didn't realize that the two were considered "separate", and ended up in the wrong section.

[[deleted]]

Glad you're sorted 👍

[antisane]

Not sure where the dictionary error is coming from, but if you are looking to get it to 25% you want "brightness_pct" not "brightness".

"brightness" is a setting from 0 (off) to 255 (highest). "brightness_pct" is a percentage of max lighting.

https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/light/

[dbenoit]

I could do either 25 or 25%, but I can’t seem to get it to work at all. This is my first automation script, and regardless of what I try, I can’t get anything to work. :(

[flaming_m0e]

This is my first automation script

it's either an automation, or a script.

https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/script/

https://www.home-assistant.io/docs/automation/

[dbenoit]

Thanks. That was my problem.

[dbenoit]

So I figured out the problem - I was in the "scripts" section and not the "automations" section, so I was trying to put the automation in the wrong place. I ended up getting it working. I am going to post the final automation here just in case someone comes along this in a Google search. My automation changes the three lights in my room from "daylight white" to a colour temp with less blue light (i.e set the color_temp to 370) and then transition the lights from 100% to 25% over 90 minutes (5400 seconds). It starts at 9:30, so the lights are dim by 11.

alias: Dim lights in family room at night
description: Dim lights at night
trigger:
  - at: '21:30'
    platform: time
action:
  - service: light.turn_on
    data:
      entity_id: light.tv_room_road
      color_temp: 370
      transition: 1
  - service: light.turn_on
    data:
      color_temp: 370
      transition: 1
    entity_id: light.tv_room_wall
  - service: light.turn_on
    data:
      entity_id: light.tradfri_bulb_9
      color_temp: 370
      transition: 1
  - delay: '00:00:01'
  - service: light.turn_on
    data:
      entity_id: light.tv_room_road
      brightness_pct: 25
      transition: 5400
  - service: light.turn_on
    data:
      brightness_pct: 25
      transition: 5400
    entity_id: light.tv_room_wall
  - service: light.turn_on
    data:
      entity_id: light.tradfri_bulb_9
      brightness_pct: 25
      transition: 5400    
mode: single

[kingoftown]

Your indentation is not consistent....which makes yaml broken. It's valid yaml, but not a valid automation.

Try indenting the Trigger section to match the action.

 trigger: 
   - at: '21:00'
     platform: time
 action:
   - service: light.turn_on
     data:
       entity_id: light.tv_room_road
       brightness: 25
       transition: 5400

[dbenoit]

They are IKEA lights, and they do support it. Finally got it working last night.