# Custom node appearance and event handlers. Proof on concept: Inline Gauge

**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/custom-node-appearance-and-event-handlers-proof-on-concept-inline-gauge/83001
**Category:** Core Development
**Tags:** ui-widgets
**Created:** [18 November 2023 23:47 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/custom-node-appearance-and-event-handlers-proof-on-concept-inline-gauge/83001 "2023-11-18T23:47:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 8

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### Author: ![BartButenaers](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/bartbutenaers/32/10476_2.png) [@BartButenaers](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/BartButenaers)
#### Post date: [19 November 2023 17:37 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/custom-node-appearance-and-event-handlers-proof-on-concept-inline-gauge/83001/8 "2023-11-19T17:37:44Z")

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> [@Steve-Mcl](#):
>
> but it is my understand that the issue is more that there was never any design and discussion on formalising an API in the core for permitting these kind of visual customisations.

Hey Steve,  
A bit of delay here. While I was writing my feedback this morning, suddenly I realized that the familly around me had other plans 😉

Ah that would be good news. From the discussions in the past I had concluded that it was not only due to a missing API, but that it was not the intention to develop an API. But then I need to start polishing my knowledge of the english language. Case closed then...

> [@Steve-Mcl](#):
>
> Typically, if a forum discussion around a core feature request heads in the right direction, the op would be invited to open a design discussion

Yes I totally agree that a good discussion here is very useful. Since the demo from @johnebgood already shows different ways demonstrated to achieve it. Hopefully a decent design agreement will be born here...

> [@dceejay](#):
>
> I don't think we ever disallowed people installing " these ugly horrible looking nodes and mess up their user interfaces "

Evening Dave,  
I really need to start polishing my English. I didn't mean that anybody would prohibit me from using these fancy styled nodes. I meant that it would be nice if we could have a way to develop such nodes in a standard way in the future, without having to bang our heads against the wall and invent some hacks that might be broken in the future. And if that standard way of working has some limitations, that doesn't matter to me: I think it is better to have a standard way of doing this, instead of having nothing at all. Then at least of all of these fancy nodes at least would have a bit of similar look and feel. Otherwise it indeed might look very quickly amateurish.

> [@dceejay](#):
>
> If someone does want to create a node that does that it is up to them - eg see @Steve-Mcl's [Image tools](https://flows.nodered.org/node/node-red-contrib-image-tools) or Mike's [Data View tool](https://flows.nodered.org/node/node-red-contrib-data-view)

Yes completely true. But a wise man ever [told](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-contrib-data-view/38086/3) - at the moment Mike's node was released - that we would have to use it at our one risk 😉. Such a way of working is not really fun for developers, because you spend your free time hoping that you have made something that will last long...

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