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Reusing Section Parts

Reusing items with same_as

The same_as option lets you reuse an earlier item from the same section.

This is useful when multiple items share the same configuration, but only differ in a few fields. Instead of repeating the full configuration, define one base item and reuse it.

YAML itself does not provide this kind of item reuse. The card resolves same_as during config setup. Internally, every reused item becomes a complete item before rendering.

Basic example

hlines:
  - id: first
    xpos: 50
    ypos: 64
    length: 85
    styles:
      - stroke: var(--disabled-text-color)

  - id: second
    same_as: first
    ypos: 75

  - id: third
    same_as: first
    ypos: 86

This means:

Item Description
first Full base item
second Copies first, but overrides ypos
third Copies first, but overrides ypos

Internally this becomes:

hlines:
  - id: first
    xpos: 50
    ypos: 64
    length: 85
    styles:
      - stroke: var(--disabled-text-color)

  - id: second
    xpos: 50
    ypos: 75
    length: 85
    styles:
      - stroke: var(--disabled-text-color)

  - id: third
    xpos: 50
    ypos: 86
    length: 85
    styles:
      - stroke: var(--disabled-text-color)

Auto-generated ids

If no id is defined, the card assigns one automatically based on the item index.

hlines:
  - xpos: 50
    ypos: 64
    length: 85

  - same_as: 0
    ypos: 75

  - same_as: 0
    ypos: 86

This is resolved as if the config had these ids:

hlines:
  - id: "0"
    xpos: 50
    ypos: 64
    length: 85

  - id: "1"
    same_as: 0
    ypos: 75

  - id: "2"
    same_as: 0
    ypos: 86

same_as: 0 and same_as: "0" both refer to the item with id "0".

Overriding fields

A reused item can override any field from the base item.

circles:
  - id: base
    xpos: 50
    ypos: 50
    radius: 40
    styles:
      - fill: none
      - stroke: red

  - id: smaller
    same_as: base
    radius: 30
    styles:
      - fill: none
      - stroke: blue

The smaller circle copies xpos and ypos from base, but changes radius and styles.

Delta fields

For numeric values, you can use delta fields.

Delta fields use this pattern:

same_as_d<field>: <number>

The delta is added to the inherited value.

Delta field Target field Meaning
same_as_dxpos xpos Add to inherited xpos
same_as_dypos ypos Add to inherited ypos
same_as_dlength length Add to inherited length
same_as_dradius radius Add to inherited radius

Example:

hlines:
  - id: first
    xpos: 50
    ypos: 64
    length: 85

  - id: second
    same_as: first
    same_as_dypos: 11

  - id: third
    same_as: first
    same_as_dypos: 22

Result:

Item Resulting ypos
first 64
second 75
third 86

Generic delta fields

Delta fields are generic.

This means same_as_d can be used with any numeric field that exists on the reused item. 

circles:
  - id: outer
    xpos: 50
    ypos: 50
    radius: 40

  - id: inner
    same_as: outer
    same_as_dradius: -5

Result: 

circles:
  - id: outer
    xpos: 50
    ypos: 50
    radius: 40

  - id: inner
    xpos: 50
    ypos: 50
    radius: 35
Another example: 
hlines:
  - id: base
    xpos: 50
    ypos: 64
    length: 85

  - id: shorter
    same_as: base
    same_as_dlength: -10
Result: 
hlines:
  - id: base
    xpos: 50
    ypos: 64
    length: 85

  - id: shorter
    xpos: 50
    ypos: 64
    length: 75
Chained reuse

A reused item can itself be reused by a later item.

hlines:
  - id: first
    xpos: 50
    ypos: 64
    length: 85

  - id: second
    same_as: first
    same_as_dypos: 11

  - id: third
    same_as: second
    same_as_dypos: 11
This means:

second = first + 11
third  = second + 11

Result:

Item Resulting ypos
first 64
second 75
third 86

Reusing the same base item

Instead of chaining, you can also reuse the same base item multiple times.

hlines:
  - id: first
    xpos: 50
    ypos: 64
    length: 85

  - id: second
    same_as: first
    same_as_dypos: 11

  - id: third
    same_as: first
    same_as_dypos: 22
This means: 
second = first + 11
third  = first + 22

Combining same_as with calc()

Delta fields can also use static calc() expressions. 

hlines:
  - id: first
    xpos: 50
    ypos: 64
    length: calc(4 * 20 + 5)

  - id: second
    same_as: first
    same_as_dypos: calc(1 * 11)

  - id: third
    same_as: first
    same_as_dypos: calc(2 * 11)

Item Calculation Result
first length: calc(4 * 20 + 5) length: 85
second 64 + calc(1 * 11) ypos: 75
third 64 + calc(2 * 11) ypos: 86

Supported sections

same_as can be used in layout item sections such as:

Section Example use
horseshoes Reuse horseshoe settings
states Reuse state text positions/styles
names Reuse name label positions/styles
areas Reuse area definitions
circles Reuse circle positions/styles
hlines Reuse horizontal line settings
vlines Reuse vertical line settings
icons Reuse icon positions/styles

Rules

Rule Description
Same section only same_as can only refer to an item in the same section.
Earlier items only same_as can only refer to an earlier item in the list.
Id-based lookup same_as refers to an item id.
Auto ids If no id is defined, the item index is used as string id.
Overrides are allowed Fields on the reused item override fields from the base item.
Delta fields are static same_as_d... values must resolve to numbers during config setup.
Templates are not allowed in delta fields Runtime templates are not valid for same_as_d....