Venstar automation high / low temperature setting input about core HOT 5 CLOSED

Hey there @garbled1, @jhollowe, mind taking a look at this issue as it has been labeled with an integration (venstar) you are listed as a code owner for? Thanks!

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from core.

Target temperature high and Target temperature low only make sense in the context of Auto. For either heat or cool, there is only a singular target temperature. What you are seeing is the expected behaviour.

from core.

So when writing an automation or script the thermostat must first be set to Auto in order to input Temp High & Low parameters? I'll close the ticket because there is a work around, put it in auto, but this seems a bit counter intuitive. I was doing some rewriting of automations for my system and in the process the outside temperature triggered another automation which changed the thermostat from Auto to Cool and I had to change it back in order to complete what I was working on. I would think if it was a capability of the device it would always be available to be configured in an automation or script.

from core.

I'm having a hard time thinking when you would need to set the high and low temperature setpoints when you are not in Auto.
What is your usecase for needing to set the high and low when not auto?

from core.

I think you missed the point... it's not setting it at the front end during operation it is only when trying to write an automation or a script...

Say I want to write an automation and the current operating mode of the thermostat is currently set to anything but Auto...

Settings > Automations & scenes > Create automation > Create new automation
Trigger = any trigger
Condition = none or any condition
Action > Climate > Set target temperature
I select my device "Heat Pump" which is my Venstar thermostat

At this point if I want to input a Temp High/Low for my heat pump when running in HVAC mode Auto I cannot because the thermostat is currently set to Cool and those options are not presented only Target Temp. If the thermostat happens to be in Auto then they are presented. So before writing any automation or script where you want to set Temp High/Low for mode Auto you must set the current operating mode to Auto.

I don't know if this happens just for Venstar or all thermostat devices with an auto mode. I would think that when writing an automation or script it should not depend on current operating mode but should know the device capabilities and allow them to be displayed as options. If I look at states under the developer tools it knows that I have hvac_modes: heat, cool, off, auto available as run options.

Hope that clarifies things. Like I said the work around is to put the thermostat in the operation mode you want to write the automation or script too but I have automations with choices that address different modes in them.

from core.