Disable wires/connections between nodes

Core Development Feature Requests
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1

I would also like to bring back into focus a feature that was discussed in a 2022 forum thread: namely the ability to enable or disable a wire. In that discussion, it was mentioned that such a feature would require changes to the flow file format, which is why it was not pursued at the time. However, given its usefulness for debugging and maintaining complex flows, I would like to raise this request again and highlight its continued relevance.

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2

Yeah, the best I could manage was to put a junction node in the middle and disable that. Not ideal, but a workaround nonetheless.

3

Honestly that was going to be my recommendation, to put a disable node of sorts inbetween. I wonder - would be creating a passthrough node that could be disabled be a "good enough" solution in this case?

4

That's indeed a workaround, thank you! And with cmd + delete the connection remains intact. But it's extra clicks and "fiddling"

5

That is exactly what a Junction node is, no need to create a new node type.

6

Hi @rko
I do hear what you are saying, and kind of feel your pain.

But I feel there is an easier solution.

So let's break down what you want to do.

You have two nodes connected with a wire and you want to disable it.

Now, there are two reasons I see for wanting to do this.
1 - you want to work on the node sending the message.
(or)
2 - you are wanting to isolate the receiving node as it will/could have more than 1 input wire.

So, my solution

For option 1:
Disable the node receiving the message/s.
(That is the easiest.)

For option 2:
The second node has multiple inputs and - I'm guessing you want to isolate other wires going to it.
So basically you disable the other nodes that are sending the messages.

Would either of those work?

7

I agree, I could just see the counterpoint that not having something named and clear would make managing complex flows annoying to some specific types of developers/users.

8

so something like this:

Screen Recording 2025-12-04 at 11.27.32

select existing wire, insert junction, disable junction - done

for extra bonus points, add a menu options "disable wire" that does those three steps in one! :wink:

EDIT: I'm not saying this is the perfect solution, especially as extra and unnecessary junction nodes are created, but it's a solution that works today.

1 Like
9

Omg .. I did not know that - so sorry for bothering you guys!

Edit: Somehow, I cannot mark this post as solved.

10

There is also the fan node.

Sometimes handy to use.
node-red-contrib-fan

11

Possibly because it is a core development request.
It can't be SOLVED.

:person_shrugging:

12

Feature request can't be solved? :upside_down_face:

13

Well, they are a request.

Not a Problem.....

That's my perspective on how it works.
(Though I know I have been wrong before) :wink:

14

It should really be a Problem is Unproblemitised, so that a Feature Request becomes Unrequestirised.

And a general Topic is Untopicised - far simpler than these two different words idiomie!

15

I've got 99 problems but this thread certainly isn't one as it's a request.

1 Like
16

And if we keep replying, it will never be shut!

Screenshot 2025-12-04 at 16.22.46

17

"solving" now enabled
(it just wasn't set on this sub-category)

18

Thank you, I can sleep again :rofl:

2 Likes