Write data by name

Use this action to write a value to a variable on your connected ADS device, identified by the variable name.

Using this action from the user interface

If you prefer building automations and scripts visually, Home Assistant walks you through this action step by step. You pick what to target, tweak a few options, and save. No YAML knowledge required.

To write a value from an automation or a script:

1. Go to Settings > Automations & scenes.
2. Open an existing automation or script, or select Create automation > Create new automation.
3. If you’re setting up a new automation, add a trigger in the When section. Scripts don’t need a trigger. They run when something else calls them.
4. In the Then do section, select Add action.
5. Search for and select ADS: Write data by name.
6. Enter the ADS variable name, choose the ADS type, and set the Value to write.
7. Select Save.

This action does not support targets. In the UI, you are not prompted to choose an area, device, entity, or label.

Options in the UI

Using this action in YAML

If you work directly in YAML, or you want to know exactly what Home Assistant does under the hood, this section has the technical reference. It lists the field names you use in YAML, their types, and which ones are required.

In YAML, refer to this action as ads.write_data_by_name. A basic example looks like this:

action: ads.write_data_by_name
data:
  adsvar: ".myvariable"
  adstype: int
  value: 123

This writes the value 123 as an integer to the variable .myvariable.

Options in YAML

Try it yourself

Ready to test this? Open Developer tools > Actions, search for this action, fill in the fields, and select Perform action. You see what happens on your actual entitiesAn entity represents a sensor, actor, or function in Home Assistant. Entities are used to monitor physical properties or to control other entities. An entity is usually part of a device or a service. [Learn more] without writing a line of YAML.

More examples

Real scenarios where this action shows up in automations and scripts. Copy any example and adapt it to your setup.

Automation: write a setpoint when a helper changes

Write a new value to a PLC variable whenever an input number helper changes, for example to push a temperature setpoint from Home Assistant to your ADS device.

• Trigger: State: Setpoint helper changes
• Action: ADS: Write data by name
  • ADS variable: .setpoint
  • ADS type: int
  • Value: 21

- alias: "Push the setpoint to the PLC"
  triggers:
    - trigger: state
      entity_id: input_number.heating_setpoint
  actions:
    - action: ads.write_data_by_name
      data:
        adsvar: ".setpoint"
        adstype: int
        value: "{{ states('input_number.heating_setpoint') | int }}"

Still stuck?

The Home Assistant community is quick to help: join Discord for real-time chat, post on the community forum with the action you’re calling and what you expected to happen, or share on our subreddit /r/homeassistant.