---
layout: page
title: "Input Select"
description: "Instructions how to integrate the Input Select component into Home Assistant."
date: 2016-02-02 17:00
sidebar: true
comments: false
sharing: true
footer: true
logo: home-assistant.png
ha_category: Automation
ha_release: 0.13
---

The `input_select` component allows the user to define a list of values that can be selected via the frontend and can be used within conditions of automation. When a user selects a new item, a state transition event is generated. This state event can be used in an `automation` trigger.

To enable this platform, add the following lines to your `configuration.yaml`:

```yaml
# Example configuration.yaml entry
input_select:
  who_cooks:
    name: Who cooks today
    options:
     - Paulus
     - Anne Therese
    initial: Anne Therese
    icon: mdi:panda
  living_room_preset:
    options:
      - Visitors
      - Visitors with kids
      - Home Alone
```

Configuration variables:

- **[alias]** (*Required*): Alias for the input.
- **name** (*Optional*): Friendly name of the input.
- **options** array: List of options to choose from
- **initial** (*Optional*): Initial value when Home Assistant starts.
- **icon** (*Optional*): Icon for entry.

Pick an icon that you can find on [materialdesignicons.com](https://materialdesignicons.com/) to use for your input and prefix the name with `mdi:`. For example `mdi:car`, `mdi:ambulance`, or  `mdi:motorbike`.

### {% linkable_title Services %}

This components provide three services to modify the state of the `input_select`:

- `input_select.select_option`: This can be used to select a specific option. The option is passed as `option` attribute in the service data.
- `input_select.select_previous`: Select the previous option.
- `input_select.select_next`: Select the next option.

The following example shows the usage of the `input_select.select_option` service in an automation:

```yaml
# Example configuration.yaml entry
automation:
  - alias: example automation
    trigger:
      platform: event
      event_type: MY_CUSTOM_EVENT
    action:
      - service: input_select.select_option
        data:
          entity_id: input_select.who_cooks
          option: Paulus
```

### {% linkable_title Scenes %}

To specify a target option in a [Scene](/components/scene/) you have to specify the target as `option` attribute:

```yaml
# Example configuration.yaml entry
scene:
  - name: Example1
    entities:
      input_select.who_cooks:
        option: Paulus
```

Example of `input_select` being used in a bidirectional manner, both being set by and controlled by an MQTT action in an automation.

```yaml
{% raw %}
# Example configuration.yaml entry using 'input_select' in an action in an automation
   
# Define input_select
input_select:
  thermostat_mode:
    name: Thermostat Mode
    options:
      - "auto"
      - "off"
      - "cool"
      - "heat"
    icon: mdi:target

# Automation.     
 # This automation script runs when a value is received via MQTT on retained topic: thermostatMode
 # It sets the value selector on the GUI. This selector also had its own automation when the value is changed.
- alias: Set Thermostat Mode Selector
  trigger:
    platform: mqtt
    topic: "thermostatMode"
   # entity_id: input_select.thermostat_mode
  action:
     service: input_select.select_option
     data_template:
      entity_id: input_select.thermostat_mode
      option: '{{ trigger.payload }}'

 # This automation script runs when the thermostat mode selector is changed.
 # It publishes its value to the same MQTT topic it is also subscribed to.
- alias: Set Thermostat Mode
  trigger:
    platform: state
    entity_id: input_select.thermostat_mode
  action:
    service: mqtt.publish
    data_template:
      topic: "thermostatMode"
      retain: true
      payload: '{{ states.input_select.thermostat_mode.state }}'
{% endraw %}
```