# Display number WHEN click on button

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/display-number-when-click-on-button/61026>\
**Category:** Share Your Nodes\
**Tags:** function-node\
**Created:** [9 April 2022 12:35 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/display-number-when-click-on-button/61026 "2022-04-09T12:35:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 13\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![emnabk\_12](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/emnabk_12/32/59752_2.png) [@emnabk\_12](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/emnabk_12)\
**Post date:** [9 April 2022 12:35 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/display-number-when-click-on-button/61026/1 "2022-04-09T12:35:12Z")

</div>

Hi, I want to display an entered number on text ONLY WHEN I click on the button, do I have to use the function node? It did'nt work

 ![Screenshot 2022-04-09 133314](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/6/8/68eb31b679daaeef9a472cd9be2b276e714435ee.png)

```auto
[
    {
        "id": "496670a68851d55b",
        "type": "ui_button",
        "z": "70c25f2d579744c7",
        "name": "",
        "group": "461e2ece4e14a1f0",
        "order": 2,
        "width": 0,
        "height": 0,
        "passthru": false,
        "label": "button",
        "tooltip": "",
        "color": "",
        "bgcolor": "",
        "className": "",
        "icon": "",
        "payload": "OK",
        "payloadType": "str",
        "topic": "b",
        "topicType": "str",
        "x": 110,
        "y": 220,
        "wires": [
            [
                "aff2e90292aa288f"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "b8f19620b704f38f",
        "type": "ui_text",
        "z": "70c25f2d579744c7",
        "group": "461e2ece4e14a1f0",
        "order": 2,
        "width": 0,
        "height": 0,
        "name": "",
        "label": "text",
        "format": "{{msg.payload}}",
        "layout": "row-spread",
        "className": "",
        "x": 590,
        "y": 320,
        "wires": []
    },
    {
        "id": "9f9380053f8d3a5c",
        "type": "ui_text_input",
        "z": "70c25f2d579744c7",
        "name": "",
        "label": "",
        "tooltip": "",
        "group": "461e2ece4e14a1f0",
        "order": 1,
        "width": 0,
        "height": 0,
        "passthru": true,
        "mode": "number",
        "delay": 300,
        "topic": "a",
        "sendOnBlur": true,
        "topicType": "str",
        "x": 130,
        "y": 340,
        "wires": [
            [
                "aff2e90292aa288f"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "1f986cdba2ce2069",
        "type": "debug",
        "z": "70c25f2d579744c7",
        "name": "",
        "active": true,
        "tosidebar": true,
        "console": false,
        "tostatus": false,
        "complete": "false",
        "statusVal": "",
        "statusType": "auto",
        "x": 570,
        "y": 260,
        "wires": []
    },
    {
        "id": "aff2e90292aa288f",
        "type": "function",
        "z": "70c25f2d579744c7",
        "name": "",
        "func": "if (msg.payload.b === \"OK\") {\n msg.payload = msg.payload.a\n}\nreturn msg;",
        "outputs": 1,
        "noerr": 0,
        "initialize": "",
        "finalize": "",
        "libs": [],
        "x": 340,
        "y": 280,
        "wires": [
            [
                "1f986cdba2ce2069",
                "b8f19620b704f38f"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "461e2ece4e14a1f0",
        "type": "ui_group",
        "name": "Group 1",
        "tab": "ea5e7575d0f9638f",
        "order": 1,
        "disp": true,
        "width": 6
    },
    {
        "id": "ea5e7575d0f9638f",
        "type": "ui_tab",
        "name": "Tab 6",
        "icon": "dashboard",
        "order": 6
    }
]

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![zenofmud](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/zenofmud/32/316_2.png) [@zenofmud](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/zenofmud)\
**Post date:** [9 April 2022 12:42 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/display-number-when-click-on-button/61026/2 "2022-04-09T12:42:35Z")

</div>

Do you mean you don't want the data you enter in the 'number input' node to show up in the `ui-text` node until you press the button? Why not use the `ui-form` node in place of those two nodes?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![E1cid](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/e1cid/32/77971_2.png) [@E1cid](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/E1cid)\
**Post date:** [9 April 2022 12:46 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/display-number-when-click-on-button/61026/3 "2022-04-09T12:46:12Z")

</div>

Or try something like this

```auto
[{"id":"496670a68851d55b","type":"ui_button","z":"bf9e1e33.030598","name":"","group":"461e2ece4e14a1f0","order":2,"width":0,"height":0,"passthru":false,"label":"button","tooltip":"","color":"","bgcolor":"","className":"","icon":"","payload":"OK","payloadType":"str","topic":"b","topicType":"str","x":120,"y":860,"wires":[["8229ccaf.327b18"]]},{"id":"8229ccaf.327b18","type":"change","z":"bf9e1e33.030598","name":"","rules":[{"t":"set","p":"complete","pt":"msg","to":"true","tot":"bool"}],"action":"","property":"","from":"","to":"","reg":false,"x":320,"y":860,"wires":[["76160ac1.36c53c"]]},{"id":"76160ac1.36c53c","type":"join","z":"bf9e1e33.030598","name":"","mode":"custom","build":"object","property":"payload","propertyType":"msg","key":"topic","joiner":"\\n","joinerType":"str","accumulate":false,"timeout":"","count":"","reduceRight":false,"reduceExp":"","reduceInit":"","reduceInitType":"","reduceFixup":"","x":340,"y":960,"wires":[["b8f19620b704f38f","1f986cdba2ce2069"]]},{"id":"9f9380053f8d3a5c","type":"ui_text_input","z":"bf9e1e33.030598","name":"","label":"","tooltip":"","group":"461e2ece4e14a1f0","order":1,"width":0,"height":0,"passthru":true,"mode":"number","delay":300,"topic":"a","sendOnBlur":true,"className":"","topicType":"str","x":140,"y":980,"wires":[["76160ac1.36c53c"]]},{"id":"b8f19620b704f38f","type":"ui_text","z":"bf9e1e33.030598","group":"461e2ece4e14a1f0","order":2,"width":0,"height":0,"name":"","label":"text","format":"{{msg.payload.a}}","layout":"row-spread","className":"","x":600,"y":960,"wires":[]},{"id":"1f986cdba2ce2069","type":"debug","z":"bf9e1e33.030598","name":"","active":true,"tosidebar":true,"console":false,"tostatus":false,"complete":"false","statusVal":"","statusType":"auto","x":580,"y":900,"wires":[]},{"id":"461e2ece4e14a1f0","type":"ui_group","name":"Group 1","tab":"ea5e7575d0f9638f","order":1,"disp":true,"width":6},{"id":"ea5e7575d0f9638f","type":"ui_tab","name":"Tab 6","icon":"dashboard","order":6}]

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jbudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5f8ce5/32.png) [@jbudd](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/jbudd)\
**Post date:** [9 April 2022 12:58 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/display-number-when-click-on-button/61026/4 "2022-04-09T12:58:41Z")

</div>

Also I think you misunderstand Node-red in a couple of ways.

1 If you entered a value 42 to your Number Input node, that value is passed as msg.payload to the function node and **then it is gone**. It does not sit there waiting for you to use it.

 ![Untitled 1](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/9/1/91f789b9fd33794ef05b247e762511afbbecc0e4.jpeg)

When the button is pressed, it sends a new message with payload "OK" to the function.

If you want to do something with 42 when the button is pressed, you either have to store the value somehow (context variables) or else use a Join node to combine 42 and OK into the same message.

2 Your number input and button set msg.topic "a" and "b" so a message arrives at the function something like this  
`{ topic: "a", payload: 42 }`  
or  
`{ topic: "b", payload: "OK" }`

But in your function you are trying to use them as msg.payload.a or msg.payload.b. That is wrong. The only data items avaliable are msg.payload and msg.topic.

3 Finally, the `return msg;` in your function is outside the if() block so it will **always** send a message of some sort to te text widget and dbug.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![emnabk\_12](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/emnabk_12/32/59752_2.png) [@emnabk\_12](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/emnabk_12)\
**Post date:** [9 April 2022 13:22 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/display-number-when-click-on-button/61026/5 "2022-04-09T13:22:11Z")

</div>

Ok so the `return msg;` should always be inside the if()?

And If I want to obtain the value of an entering node(that doesn't have a fixed value like the input text or mqtt in) in the function node, what do I do?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jbudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5f8ce5/32.png) [@jbudd](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/jbudd)\
**Post date:** [9 April 2022 13:31 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/display-number-when-click-on-button/61026/6 "2022-04-09T13:31:20Z")

</div>

> [@emnabk\_12](#):
>
> Ok so the `return msg;` should always be inside the if()?

No, it entirely depends on the circumstances.  
In this case, @E1cid's solution does not use a function node at all, instead he has a Join node to combine the two inputs into a single message.payload `{ "a":16, "b":"OK"}` which he can then access as msg.payload.a

> [@emnabk\_12](#):
>
> And If I want to obtain the value of an entering node(that doesn't have a fixed value like the input text or mqtt in) in the function node,

Sorry, I don't understand "an entering node".

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![emnabk\_12](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/emnabk_12/32/59752_2.png) [@emnabk\_12](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/emnabk_12)\
**Post date:** [9 April 2022 16:49 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/display-number-when-click-on-button/61026/7 "2022-04-09T16:49:47Z")

</div>

@E1cid I tried the same thing but with "mqtt in" instead of text input, and gauge instead of text output, and I set the join node to count: 2 and ticked "and every subsequent message" , Why do you think it didn't work?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![E1cid](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/e1cid/32/77971_2.png) [@E1cid](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/E1cid)\
**Post date:** [9 April 2022 17:20 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/display-number-when-click-on-button/61026/8 "2022-04-09T17:20:57Z")

</div>

Not sure without info.  
please supply the mqtt input message and the flow.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![emnabk\_12](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/emnabk_12/32/59752_2.png) [@emnabk\_12](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/emnabk_12)\
**Post date:** [9 April 2022 17:29 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/display-number-when-click-on-button/61026/9 "2022-04-09T17:29:00Z")

</div>

Here:

```auto
[
    {
        "id": "03dfac8f382b7b7b",
        "type": "ui_button",
        "z": "45090b294412914b",
        "name": "",
        "group": "461e2ece4e14a1f0",
        "order": 2,
        "width": 0,
        "height": 0,
        "passthru": false,
        "label": "button",
        "tooltip": "",
        "color": "",
        "bgcolor": "",
        "className": "",
        "icon": "",
        "payload": "OK",
        "payloadType": "str",
        "topic": "b",
        "topicType": "str",
        "x": 290,
        "y": 180,
        "wires": [
            [
                "8229ccaf.327b18"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "8229ccaf.327b18",
        "type": "change",
        "z": "45090b294412914b",
        "name": "",
        "rules": [
            {
                "t": "set",
                "p": "complete",
                "pt": "msg",
                "to": "true",
                "tot": "bool"
            }
        ],
        "action": "",
        "property": "",
        "from": "",
        "to": "",
        "reg": false,
        "x": 490,
        "y": 180,
        "wires": [
            [
                "76160ac1.36c53c"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "76160ac1.36c53c",
        "type": "join",
        "z": "45090b294412914b",
        "name": "",
        "mode": "custom",
        "build": "object",
        "property": "payload",
        "propertyType": "msg",
        "key": "topic",
        "joiner": "\\n",
        "joinerType": "str",
        "accumulate": false,
        "timeout": "",
        "count": "",
        "reduceRight": false,
        "reduceExp": "",
        "reduceInit": "",
        "reduceInitType": "",
        "reduceFixup": "",
        "x": 510,
        "y": 280,
        "wires": [
            [
                "69ace1ccc28c8128",
                "71118f51d8a7a028"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "69ace1ccc28c8128",
        "type": "debug",
        "z": "45090b294412914b",
        "name": "",
        "active": true,
        "tosidebar": true,
        "console": false,
        "tostatus": false,
        "complete": "false",
        "statusVal": "",
        "statusType": "auto",
        "x": 750,
        "y": 220,
        "wires": []
    },
    {
        "id": "6576d137dcc723f1",
        "type": "mqtt in",
        "z": "45090b294412914b",
        "name": "",
        "topic": "",
        "qos": "2",
        "datatype": "auto",
        "nl": false,
        "rap": true,
        "rh": 0,
        "x": 290,
        "y": 300,
        "wires": [
            [
                "76160ac1.36c53c"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "71118f51d8a7a028",
        "type": "ui_gauge",
        "z": "45090b294412914b",
        "name": "",
        "order": 0,
        "width": 0,
        "height": 0,
        "gtype": "gage",
        "title": "gauge",
        "label": "units",
        "format": "{{value}}",
        "min": 0,
        "max": 10,
        "colors": [
            "#00B500",
            "#E6E600",
            "#CA3838"
        ],
        "seg1": "",
        "seg2": "",
        "className": "",
        "x": 760,
        "y": 300,
        "wires": []
    },
    {
        "id": "461e2ece4e14a1f0",
        "type": "ui_group",
        "name": "Group 1",
        "tab": "ea5e7575d0f9638f",
        "order": 1,
        "disp": true,
        "width": 6
    },
    {
        "id": "ea5e7575d0f9638f",
        "type": "ui_tab",
        "name": "Tab 6",
        "icon": "dashboard",
        "order": 6
    }
]

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![E1cid](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/e1cid/32/77971_2.png) [@E1cid](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/E1cid)\
**Post date:** [9 April 2022 17:36 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/display-number-when-click-on-button/61026/10 "2022-04-09T17:36:12Z")

</div>

there is no topic in your mqtt node, and you have not set gauge value format to  
`{{msg.poyload.what_ever_mqtt_topic_is}}`

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![emnabk\_12](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/emnabk_12/32/59752_2.png) [@emnabk\_12](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/emnabk_12)\
**Post date:** [9 April 2022 17:46 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/display-number-when-click-on-button/61026/11 "2022-04-09T17:46:10Z")

</div>

when I wire the mqtt in with gauge directly the values diplay correctly with the value format `{{value}}`

Is it because of the added nodes (join) and (change) that I have to set it to `{{msg.payload."topic"}}` ?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![E1cid](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/e1cid/32/77971_2.png) [@E1cid](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/E1cid)\
**Post date:** [9 April 2022 17:55 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/display-number-when-click-on-button/61026/12 "2022-04-09T17:55:35Z")

</div>

Yes @jbudd explained above the join moves msg.payload from the mqtt node to msg.payload.the\_mqtt\_topic. So you have to tell the gauge node where the value is.

---

<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:** [23 April 2022 17:55 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/display-number-when-click-on-button/61026/13 "2022-04-23T17:55:59Z")

</div>

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