Choose

The Choose building block has several options, each with its own conditions and actions. It runs the actions of the first option whose conditions are all met. If no option matches, it runs the default actions, if you added them. Use it when the automation or script should do one of several things, for example, something different in the morning, during the day, and at night.

Using this building block from the user interface

1. Go to Settings > Automations & scenes and open an automation. To edit a script, open the Scripts tab and open the script.
2. In the Then do section of an automation, or the Sequence section of a script, select Add action.
3. Select Blocks, then select Choose.
4. Under Option 1, add the conditions under Conditions, and the actions under Actions.
5. Optional: To give the option a name, select Menu > Rename option.
6. Optional: To add another option, select Add option.
7. Optional: To add actions that run if no option matches, select Add default actions.
8. Select Save.

Options in the UI

Using this building block in YAML

In YAML, use choose with a list of options, each with conditions and a sequence. Optionally, add a default sequence. This works like “if, else if, else”. This example runs a different script in the morning, during the day, and at night:

triggers:
  - trigger: state
    entity_id: input_boolean.simulate
    to: "on"
mode: restart
actions:
  - choose:
      # IF morning
      - conditions:
          - condition: template
            value_template: "{{ now().hour < 9 }}"
        sequence:
          - action: script.sim_morning
      # ELIF day
      - conditions:
          - condition: template
            value_template: "{{ now().hour < 18 }}"
        sequence:
          - action: light.turn_off
            target:
              entity_id: light.living_room
          - action: script.sim_day
    # ELSE night
    default:
      - action: light.turn_off
        target:
          entity_id: light.kitchen
      - delay:
          minutes: "{{ range(1, 11) | random }}"
      - action: light.turn_off
        target:
          entity_id: all

Options in YAML

Good to know

• Only the first option whose conditions are met runs, even if the conditions of later options are also met.
• To check several things that don’t depend on each other, use a separate Choose for each, one after the other. For an example, refer to Automation: turn on lights in rooms that are in use.

Examples

Automation: Run a different script depending on the home mode

When the home mode changes, this automation runs a different script depending on the new mode. The conditions use the shorthand notation of a template condition.

triggers:
  - trigger: state
    entity_id: input_select.home_mode
actions:
  - choose:
      - conditions: >
          {{ trigger.to_state.state == 'Home' and
             is_state('binary_sensor.all_clear', 'on') }}
        sequence:
          - action: script.arrive_home
            data:
              ok: true
      - conditions: >
          {{ trigger.to_state.state == 'Home' and
             is_state('binary_sensor.all_clear', 'off') }}
        sequence:
          - action: script.turn_on
            target:
              entity_id: script.flash_lights
          - action: script.arrive_home
            data:
              ok: false
      - conditions: "{{ trigger.to_state.state == 'Away' }}"
        sequence:
          - action: script.left_home

Automation: Turn on lights in rooms that are in use

When the sun gets low, this automation turns on the porch and garden lights. If the TV in the living room is on, someone is probably in that room, so it also turns on the living room lights. The same goes for the computer in the studio. The two Choose building blocks don’t depend on each other.

• Trigger: Numeric state crossed threshold
  • Entity: Sun (sun.sun)
  • Attribute: Elevation
  • Below: 4
• Action: Turn on light
  • Target: Porch light (light.porch) and Garden light (light.garden)
• Action: Choose
  • Option 1:
    • Conditions:
      • Condition: State
        • Entity: Living room TV (binary_sensor.livingroom_tv)
        • State: On
    • Actions:
      • Action: Turn on light
        • Target: Living room light (light.livingroom)
• Action: Choose
  • Option 1:
    • Conditions:
      • Condition: State
        • Entity: Studio computer (binary_sensor.studio_pc)
        • State: On
    • Actions:
      • Action: Turn on light
        • Target: Studio light (light.studio)

alias: "Turn lights on when the sun gets dim and if some room is occupied"
triggers:
  - trigger: numeric_state
    entity_id: sun.sun
    attribute: elevation
    below: 4
actions:
  # This must always apply
  - action: light.turn_on
    data:
      brightness: 255
      color_temp_kelvin: 2732
    target:
      entity_id:
        - light.porch
        - light.garden
  # IF an entity is ON
  - choose:
      - conditions:
          - condition: state
            entity_id: binary_sensor.livingroom_tv
            state: "on"
        sequence:
          - action: light.turn_on
            data:
              brightness: 255
              color_temp_kelvin: 2732
            target:
              entity_id: light.livingroom
  # IF another entity not related to the previous, is ON
  - choose:
      - conditions:
          - condition: state
            entity_id: binary_sensor.studio_pc
            state: "on"
        sequence:
          - action: light.turn_on
            data:
              brightness: 255
              color_temp_kelvin: 2732
            target:
              entity_id: light.studio