From d5034210ed667357f205db4ea4bcd15ba0d1df81 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: John Ogle <john@ogle.fyi>
Date: Sat, 25 Oct 2025 22:23:04 -0700
Subject: [PATCH] Try using an external counter

---
 multi_press_action.yaml | 57 ++++++++++++++++++++++-------------------
 1 file changed, 31 insertions(+), 26 deletions(-)

diff --git a/multi_press_action.yaml b/multi_press_action.yaml
index 80b514d..333ed1e 100644
--- a/multi_press_action.yaml
+++ b/multi_press_action.yaml
@@ -9,6 +9,14 @@ blueprint:
       selector:
         entity: {}
 
+    press_counter:
+      name: Multi-Press Counter
+      description: House-wide counter helper for tracking presses (create counter.multi_press_counter)
+      default: counter.multi_press_counter
+      selector:
+        entity:
+          domain: counter
+
     time_window:
       name: Time Window
       description: Maximum time between presses (in seconds)
@@ -55,7 +63,7 @@ blueprint:
       selector:
         action: {}
 
-mode: single
+mode: restart
 max_exceeded: silent
 
 trigger:
@@ -64,59 +72,56 @@ trigger:
 
 action:
   - variables:
-      press_count: 1
       time_window: !input time_window
       immediate: !input immediate_single_press
-      trigger_entity: !input trigger_entity
-      initial_last_changed: "{{ states[trigger_entity].last_changed }}"
+      counter_entity: !input press_counter
+
+  # Increment the counter (each restart = new press)
+  - action: counter.increment
+    target:
+      entity_id: !input press_counter
 
   # Execute single press immediately if enabled
   - if:
       - condition: template
-        value_template: "{{ immediate }}"
+        value_template: "{{ immediate and states(counter_entity) | int == 1 }}"
     then:
       - choose:
           - conditions: []
             sequence: !input single_press_action
 
-  # Wait for additional presses by monitoring last_changed
-  - repeat:
-      while:
-        - condition: template
-          value_template: "{{ press_count < 4 }}"
-      sequence:
-        - wait_template: "{{ states[trigger_entity].last_changed != initial_last_changed }}"
-          timeout:
-            seconds: "{{ time_window }}"
-          continue_on_timeout: true
+  # Wait for the time window to see if more presses come
+  - delay:
+      seconds: "{{ time_window }}"
 
-        - if:
-            - condition: template
-              value_template: "{{ not wait.completed }}"
-          then:
-            - variables:
-                press_count: "{{ press_count + 1 }}"
-                initial_last_changed: "{{ states[trigger_entity].last_changed }}"
+  # Get final press count and execute appropriate action
+  - variables:
+      final_count: "{{ states(counter_entity) | int }}"
+
+  # Reset counter before executing actions
+  - action: counter.reset
+    target:
+      entity_id: !input press_counter
 
   # Execute action based on final press count
   - choose:
       # Only run single press if NOT immediate (delayed mode)
       - conditions:
           - condition: template
-            value_template: "{{ press_count == 1 and not immediate }}"
+            value_template: "{{ final_count == 1 and not immediate }}"
         sequence: !input single_press_action
 
       - conditions:
           - condition: template
-            value_template: "{{ press_count == 2 }}"
+            value_template: "{{ final_count == 2 }}"
         sequence: !input double_press_action
 
       - conditions:
           - condition: template
-            value_template: "{{ press_count == 3 }}"
+            value_template: "{{ final_count == 3 }}"
         sequence: !input triple_press_action
 
       - conditions:
           - condition: template
-            value_template: "{{ press_count == 4 }}"
+            value_template: "{{ final_count >= 4 }}"
         sequence: !input quad_press_action