Template Binary Sensor

The template binary sensor platform allows you to define any lambda template and construct a binary sensor out if it. The lambda will run continuously; it isn’t possible to specify an interval at which the lambda runs.

For example, below configuration would turn the state of an ultrasonic sensor into a binary sensor.

# Example configuration entry
binary_sensor:
  - platform: template
    name: "Garage Door Open"
    lambda: |-
      if (id(ultrasonic_sensor1).state > 30) {
        // Garage Door is open.
        return true;
      } else {
        // Garage Door is closed.
        return false;
      }

Possible return values of the lambda:

  • return true; if the binary sensor should be ON.

  • return false; if the binary sensor should be OFF.

  • return {}; if the state is not known (use last known state)

Configuration variables:

  • lambda (Optional, lambda): Lambda to be evaluated repeatedly to get the current state of the binary sensor.

  • All other options from Binary Sensor.

binary_sensor.template.publish Action

You can also publish a state to a template binary sensor from elsewhere in your YAML file with the binary_sensor.template.publish action.

# Example configuration entry
binary_sensor:
  - platform: template
    name: "Garage Door Open"
    id: template_bin

# in some trigger
on_...:
  - binary_sensor.template.publish:
      id: template_bin
      state: ON

  # Templated
  - binary_sensor.template.publish:
      id: template_bin
      state: !lambda 'return id(some_sensor).state > 30;'

Configuration options:

  • id (Required, ID): The ID of the template binary sensor.

  • state (Required, boolean, templatable): The state to publish.

Note

This action can also be written in lambdas:

id(template_bin).publish_state(true);

See Also