# Can not get externalModules to work

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-not-get-externalmodules-to-work/84944>\
**Category:** General\
**Tags:** docker\
**Created:** [26 January 2024 14:11 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-not-get-externalmodules-to-work/84944 "2024-01-26T14:11:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![helander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@helander](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/helander)\
**Post date:** [26 January 2024 16:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-not-get-externalmodules-to-work/84944/21 "2024-01-26T16:40:45Z")

</div>

The pallet manager has a selection box with a single alternative (.. Community catalogue). How do you do to add other alternatives? Is there somewhere an example of how to do this?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![marcus-j-davies](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/marcus-j-davies/32/103435_2.png) [@marcus-j-davies](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/marcus-j-davies)\
**Post date:** [26 January 2024 16:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-not-get-externalmodules-to-work/84944/22 "2024-01-26T16:40:59Z")

</div>

Modules which are not Node RED modules - will not show up in the pallette, as they are not designed to act as a Node in the editor.

The pallette only shows Modules which are actually Nodes for Node RED

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![marcus-j-davies](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/marcus-j-davies/32/103435_2.png) [@marcus-j-davies](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/marcus-j-davies)\
**Post date:** [26 January 2024 16:41 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-not-get-externalmodules-to-work/84944/23 "2024-01-26T16:41:34Z")

</div>

> [@helander](#):
>
> The pallet manager has a selection box with a single alternative (.. Community catalogue). How do you do to add other alternatives? Is there somewhere an example of how to do this?

One for @knolleary

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![knolleary](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/knolleary/32/3_2.png) [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)\
**Post date:** [26 January 2024 16:48 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-not-get-externalmodules-to-work/84944/24 "2024-01-26T16:48:29Z")

</div>

@helander it largely depends on what your expectation here is.

The only place the `externalModules` functionality is really exposed in the editor is in the Function node where you can add additional 'vanilla' node.js modules into the Function node.

That doesn't require any changes to the default `externalModules` settings in the settings file.

In terms of the Palette Manager - that is used to install Node-RED modules. The default catalogue comes from `flows.nodered.org`. It is possible to add other catalogues of nodes - for example, we at FlowFuse produce a custom catalog of 'approved' nodes. I'm not aware of any publicly hosted alternative catalogs of nodes.

In terms of how additional catalogues get added, that is done via the `palette.catalogues` property in the settings file (which isn't present in the default file). You can see an example on this page in the docs - [Configuration : Node-RED](https://nodered.org/docs/user-guide/runtime/configuration) (search for `catalogues`). But as I said, without an actual catalogue URL to add, there isn't a lot for you there.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![helander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@helander](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/helander)\
**Post date:** [26 January 2024 16:50 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-not-get-externalmodules-to-work/84944/25 "2024-01-26T16:50:51Z")

</div>

I created my own package @helander/quine-mccluskey-js and when I try to use it in the function node, it says that the module is not allowed. What does this mean? Does it have wrong content or is it not located in the proper place? Where should it be located?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [26 January 2024 16:52 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-not-get-externalmodules-to-work/84944/26 "2024-01-26T16:52:22Z")

</div>

> [@helander](#):
>
> The pallet manager has a selection box with a single alternative (.. Community catalogue).

Can you show us a screenshot of what you see when you select Manage Palette from the menu? You can paste an image here directly.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![helander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@helander](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/helander)\
**Post date:** [26 January 2024 16:52 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-not-get-externalmodules-to-work/84944/27 "2024-01-26T16:52:24Z")

</div>

Thanks for the clarifications 😀

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![helander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/65b543/32.png) [@helander](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/helander)\
**Post date:** [26 January 2024 16:54 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-not-get-externalmodules-to-work/84944/28 "2024-01-26T16:54:11Z")

</div>

I think the clarifications from @knolleary made things clear for me …

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [25 April 2024 16:54 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-not-get-externalmodules-to-work/84944/29 "2024-04-25T16:54:27Z")

</div>

Closed on 25 April 2024 16:54 UTC

This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.

[Previous page](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/can-not-get-externalmodules-to-work/84944.md?page=1)