# Can a Change node access its own context?
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-a-change-node-access-its-own-context/80342
**Category:** General
**Created:** [5 August 2023 22:22 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-a-change-node-access-its-own-context/80342 "2023-08-05T22:22:20Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@AndreKR](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/AndreKR)
#### Post date: [5 August 2023 22:22 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-a-change-node-access-its-own-context/80342/1 "2023-08-05T22:22:20Z")
In the configuration of the _Change_ node I can access flow and global context by choosing `flow.` or `global.` from the dropdown.
But can it not access its own context? There is no `context.` in the dropdown.
For example I if I want to compare a value with the value from the previous message I could load the value of the previous message from a context field and then put the value from the current message into the context field. There's no need to have this in flow context, node-local context would be sufficient.
---
### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [5 August 2023 22:48 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-a-change-node-access-its-own-context/80342/2 "2023-08-05T22:48:25Z")
I think you may need to use a `function` node for that.
Eg:
```auto
let old = context.get("OLD") || null;
let new = msg.payload;
if (old == new)
{
// do your stuff here as they are different.
}
else
{
// They are different
context.set("old",new);
return;
}
```
That is a BASIC (and long) version of what I believe you are trying to do.
Oh, somewhere in there you need to `return msg`.
I don't know what you want to do so have left that part out.
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### Author:  [@cymplecy](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/cymplecy)
#### Post date: [6 August 2023 08:14 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-a-change-node-access-its-own-context/80342/3 "2023-08-06T08:14:36Z")
I and others have raised this feature request in the past and I think Nick is quite happy for someone to come up with a PR to implement it
But it's not a priority for the core team
> [@AndreKR](#):
>
> For example I if I want to compare a value with the value from the previous message
There is this often missed feature in the switch node
> [@\[Feature Request\]Let change nodes access local context](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/feature-request-let-change-nodes-access-local-context/29491/12):
>
> The switch node can already compare to previous value...
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### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [20 August 2023 08:14 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-a-change-node-access-its-own-context/80342/4 "2023-08-20T08:14:56Z")
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