Exec node with "timedatectl" call started to return a buffer instead of string

General
1

Hi all,

I'm facing a super weird issue. I'm using an exec node with a "timedatectl" call, but suddenly it started to return a buffer instead of string.

Because of that, I can't use any JSONata expression anymore since my payload is a buffer and not a string.

Do you have any idea as to how to change the exec node payload output back to a string instead of a buffer ?

2

Could you post an example of what your doing with the exec node?

And maybe some info what a "timedatectl" call is

And OS info would be handy as well

4

Can you post whole of that flow and not just the last node please :slight_smile:

5

Oooops my bad !

[
    {
        "id": "d6cd57fac03f2437",
        "type": "tab",
        "label": "Flow 1",
        "disabled": false,
        "info": "",
        "env": []
    },
    {
        "id": "64889f2be479953a",
        "type": "exec",
        "z": "d6cd57fac03f2437",
        "command": "timedatectl status",
        "addpay": "",
        "append": "",
        "useSpawn": "false",
        "timer": "",
        "winHide": false,
        "oldrc": false,
        "name": "",
        "x": 710,
        "y": 280,
        "wires": [
            [
                "dee75bd8f498bd95"
            ],
            [],
            []
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "547181a76e756d21",
        "type": "inject",
        "z": "d6cd57fac03f2437",
        "name": "",
        "props": [
            {
                "p": "payload"
            },
            {
                "p": "topic",
                "vt": "str"
            }
        ],
        "repeat": "",
        "crontab": "",
        "once": false,
        "onceDelay": 0.1,
        "topic": "",
        "payload": "",
        "payloadType": "date",
        "x": 500,
        "y": 280,
        "wires": [
            [
                "64889f2be479953a"
            ]
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "dee75bd8f498bd95",
        "type": "switch",
        "z": "d6cd57fac03f2437",
        "name": "",
        "property": "payload",
        "propertyType": "msg",
        "rules": [
            {
                "t": "cont",
                "v": "Local time:",
                "vt": "str"
            },
            {
                "t": "cont",
                "v": "Universal time:",
                "vt": "str"
            },
            {
                "t": "cont",
                "v": "RTC time:",
                "vt": "str"
            },
            {
                "t": "cont",
                "v": "Time zone:",
                "vt": "str"
            },
            {
                "t": "cont",
                "v": "NTP synchronized:",
                "vt": "str"
            },
            {
                "t": "cont",
                "v": "NTP enabled:",
                "vt": "str"
            },
            {
                "t": "cont",
                "v": "RTC in local TZ:",
                "vt": "str"
            }
        ],
        "checkall": "true",
        "repair": false,
        "outputs": 7,
        "x": 930,
        "y": 280,
        "wires": [
            [
                "9c38b86ef7bc180c",
                "4b6de73a7bb007d1"
            ],
            [],
            [],
            [],
            [],
            [],
            []
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "9c38b86ef7bc180c",
        "type": "change",
        "z": "d6cd57fac03f2437",
        "name": "Create JSON Payload",
        "rules": [
            {
                "t": "set",
                "p": "ntp",
                "pt": "msg",
                "to": "{\t    \"localTime\" : $substringAfter(msg.payload,'Local time: ')\t}",
                "tot": "jsonata"
            }
        ],
        "action": "",
        "property": "",
        "from": "",
        "to": "",
        "reg": false,
        "x": 1260,
        "y": 240,
        "wires": [
            []
        ]
    },
    {
        "id": "4b6de73a7bb007d1",
        "type": "debug",
        "z": "d6cd57fac03f2437",
        "name": "",
        "active": true,
        "tosidebar": true,
        "console": false,
        "tostatus": false,
        "complete": "false",
        "statusVal": "",
        "statusType": "auto",
        "x": 1080,
        "y": 160,
        "wires": []
    }
]
6

Your flow works for me on RPiOS. The output from the change node seems to be identical to the input though.

Since the exec node (for me) returns a single, multiline, string, the switch node sends the whole payload to each output.

If I undertand what you are trying to achieve, inserting a split node after the exec breaks the string up into individual lines which are then routed correctly by the switch. The change still does nothing.

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7

Unfortunately, that command doesn't work on my Pi so can't test further
image
Sorry for wrong pic 1st time!

But I'd just consider switching NR/computer off and on again to just make sure its just not got upset!

9

Sorry, I lost you...

Indeed the exec node will return a single, multiline, string.

Do you mean to say that at the end of each line, there is no carriage return \n ?

10

No. I should have posted the output I get from the exec node:

               Local time: Wed 2021-12-01 09:41:57 GMT
           Universal time: Wed 2021-12-01 09:41:57 UTC
                 RTC time: n/a
                Time zone: Europe/London (GMT, +0000)
System clock synchronized: yes
              NTP service: active
          RTC in local TZ: no

What do you mean by "it started to return a buffer instead of a string"?
You should have posted the output you get from the exec node...

12

:rofl:

Best thread so far today :slight_smile:

13

Hahaha I don't know how I should take it... :sweat_smile:

14

Meant in purely nice way - we've all done such things :slight_smile:

Well I have anyway :slight_smile:

1 Like
15

Reminds me of the old joke about whether we are running UNIX or Unix or unix....

16

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