Accessing custom properties within subflow in the template module

[cryogenicminer]

Scenario:

I make a subflow and add a custom string property labeled "text".

Inside a function, I can use env.get("prefixText") to find the property value. What I want is to use it within a template function something like this:

{{flow.text}} This is after the text.

There is some stuff that seems unclear to me in the documentation for the mustache temple node.
Thank you!

[knolleary]

Hi @cryogenicminer - welcome to the forum!

The subflow properties are exposed as environment variables. You should be able to use {{env.text}} to access the value.

[cryogenicminer]

Thanks knollary! I tried to put that in directly, and I must not understand exactly still. Here is my test setup:

=> timestamp ---> Subflow 1 ---> msg.payload

Inside the subflow is:

input --> template ---> output 1

The subflow properties look like this:

And the template is setup to pull that "text" property which should read something like: "TIME 1669676644053"

But, I can not for the life of me figure out how to get it to show the contents of the property. Thank you for looking at it What am I missing?

[Colin]

Select the node where you use the subflow, Export it to the clipboard using CTRL+E (or via the menus) and paste it here, using the </> button in the forum entry window when you paste it in. Then we will be able to better see what you are doing.

[cryogenicminer]

Ah, my bad. That was in the formatting section of the forum guidelines.

[
    {
        "id": "7c820e03dbb518ae",
        "type": "subflow",
        "name": "Subflow 1",
        "info": "",
        "category": "",
        "in": [
            {
                "x": 40,
                "y": 40,
                "wires": [
                    {
                        "id": "41763aa8f5bade9b"
                    }
                ]
            }
        ],
        "out": [
            {
                "x": 280,
                "y": 40,
                "wires": [
                    {
                        "id": "41763aa8f5bade9b",
                        "port": 0
                    }
                ]
            }
        ],
        "env": [
            {
                "name": "text",
                "type": "env",
                "value": "Time is"
            }
        ],
        "meta": {},
        "color": "#DDAA99"
    },
    {
        "id": "41763aa8f5bade9b",
        "type": "template",
        "z": "7c820e03dbb518ae",
        "name": "",
        "field": "payload",
        "fieldType": "msg",
        "format": "handlebars",
        "syntax": "mustache",
        "template": "{{env.text}} {{payload}}",
        "output": "str",
        "x": 160,
        "y": 40,
        "wires": [
            []
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "e672d6322ed2b137",
        "type": "tab",
        "label": "Flow 1",
        "disabled": false,
        "info": ""
    },
    {
        "id": "aae8d4d14b1494c8",
        "type": "inject",
        "z": "e672d6322ed2b137",
        "name": "",
        "props": [
            {
                "p": "payload"
            }
        ],
        "repeat": "",
        "crontab": "",
        "once": false,
        "onceDelay": 0.1,
        "topic": "",
        "payloadType": "date",
        "x": 160,
        "y": 40,
        "wires": [
            [
                "e811c22e2fb928d5"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "e811c22e2fb928d5",
        "type": "subflow:7c820e03dbb518ae",
        "z": "e672d6322ed2b137",
        "name": "",
        "env": [
            {
                "name": "text",
                "value": "TIME",
                "type": "str"
            }
        ],
        "x": 320,
        "y": 40,
        "wires": [
            [
                "5521b6e122c9cedf"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "5521b6e122c9cedf",
        "type": "debug",
        "z": "e672d6322ed2b137",
        "name": "",
        "active": true,
        "tosidebar": true,
        "console": false,
        "tostatus": false,
        "complete": "false",
        "statusVal": "",
        "statusType": "auto",
        "x": 490,
        "y": 40,
        "wires": []
    }
]

[Colin]

That works for me

What do you see when you run it?

What versions of node-red (see the bottom of the dropdown menu) and nodejs (run command node -v, assuming you are not using Docker) to find out.

[cryogenicminer]

Huh... I just copied what I published here on the forum and re-imported it. Ran it and does not pull the env value example: 1669751683715

Node-red: 2.0.5
Node: v14.20.1

Oh, and yes, I am not using docker.

[Colin]

Can you upgrade to node red 3?

[knolleary]

Support for env in the template node was added in Node-RED 3.0

If you aren't able to upgrade, an alternative is to use a Change node before the Template node to set a message property to the env var value, and then reference that message property in the Template.

[cryogenicminer]

Ohhh! ok. It's in a prod environment so I will upgrade, but it will be a while. In the meantime, I will make a cascade of Change nodes or use a Function node to do that. Thanks, you guys are the best!