# Fine tune a "function" node

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fine-tune-a-function-node/369>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [24 May 2018 19:50 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fine-tune-a-function-node/369 "2018-05-24T19:50:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 18\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![fritserasmus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/fritserasmus/32/274_2.png) [@fritserasmus](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/fritserasmus)\
**Post date:** [24 May 2018 19:50 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fine-tune-a-function-node/369/1 "2018-05-24T19:50:27Z")

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I am trying to create an INSERT SQL script when reading are sent to the MQTT server.  
I am 99% done just sit with two " both sides of the message that I am unable to get rid of.

This is a shortened version of my code but it will suffice.

How do I get rid of the two " s

Code:

```
topic = msg.topic;

temp = msg.payload

// string1:
string1 = ("INSERT INTO `temperatures`(`source`, `read_date`, `create_date`, `reading`)");

// string2
string2 = (" VALUES (");

// string3
string3 = ("'boiler1','");

msg.payload = string1 + string2 + string3

return msg;

```

Results: Included are the two " - in front of the INSERT and after boiler1’

“INSERT INTO `temperatures`(`source`, `read_date`, `create_date`, `reading`) VALUES (‘boiler1’”

Thanks for helping out.

Rgds

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**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:** [24 May 2018 20:31 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fine-tune-a-function-node/369/2 "2018-05-24T20:31:15Z")

</div>

Where are you seeing the ‘extra’ double quotes?

If it is the Debug sidebar, those quotes are there to show you it is displaying a string - they are not part of the string itself.

FYI, you don’t need to wrap your strings in brackets:

```auto
var string1 = "INSERT INTO... ... ";

```

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<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:** [24 May 2018 20:33 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fine-tune-a-function-node/369/3 "2018-05-24T20:33:02Z")

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Are you sure that the additional quotes are actually there? If you think so then please export a small flow (inject -\> function -\> debug) that demonstrates this.

You don’t need the parentheses round the strings but I don’t think that is the cause of the problem.

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**Author:** ![fritserasmus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/fritserasmus/32/274_2.png) [@fritserasmus](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/fritserasmus)\
**Post date:** [25 May 2018 05:49 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fine-tune-a-function-node/369/4 "2018-05-25T05:49:21Z")

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Thanks for your prompt reply, but allow me to post all detail:

Debug:

 ![Snippet%20from%20Node-RED%202](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/e4b6dc17feebf6e52968d2e13a72e82ba637c9e2.PNG)

> topic = msg.topic;
> 
> temp = msg.payload
> 
> string1 = "INSERT INTO `temperatures`(`source`, `read_date`, `create_date`, `reading`)"; // string1:
> 
> string2 = (" VALUES ("); // string2
> 
> string3 = ("'boiler1','"); // string3
> 
> d= new Date(), //string4 construct and format a date timestamp from now()
> 
> string4 =  
> [d.getFullYear(),  
> d.getMonth()+1,  
> d.getDate()  
> ].join('-') + ' ' +
> 
> [d.getHours(),  
> d.getMinutes(),  
> d.getSeconds()].join(':');
> 
> string5 = ("',CURRENT\_TIMESTAMP,"); // string5
> 
> string6 = (temp); // string6
> 
> string7 = (")"); //string7
> 
> msg.payload = string1 + string2 + string3 + string4 + string5 + string6 + string7 // Concatenate strings
> 
> return msg;

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<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:** [25 May 2018 07:28 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fine-tune-a-function-node/369/5 "2018-05-25T07:28:23Z")

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I don’t use the mariadb node, but I imagine it is similar to other db nodes in that the query has to be in the topic and not in the payload. Note that the error shows the string that you have in the topic.

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**Author:** ![fritserasmus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/fritserasmus/32/274_2.png) [@fritserasmus](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/fritserasmus)\
**Post date:** [25 May 2018 08:25 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fine-tune-a-function-node/369/6 "2018-05-25T08:25:53Z")

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Colin,  
Thank you for taking time to reply, but could you please give me some pointers what to change, as I have no idea where to change and what to do to fix this issue.  
Frits

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**Author:** ![dceejay](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/dceejay/32/38_2.png) [@dceejay](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dceejay)\
**Post date:** [25 May 2018 08:31 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fine-tune-a-function-node/369/7 "2018-05-25T08:31:50Z")

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2nd last line of your function … instead of msg.payload = … msg.topic =

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![fritserasmus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/fritserasmus/32/274_2.png) [@fritserasmus](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/fritserasmus)\
**Post date:** [25 May 2018 12:22 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fine-tune-a-function-node/369/8 "2018-05-25T12:22:18Z")

</div>

![Snippet%20from%20Node-RED%203](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/47572b320264b21c896c5b0306592cc69b768201.PNG)

dceejay,

Maybe I am just do not have enough grey-matter.

After changing that to msg.topic =  
the error message is worse.

OR - Is there an easier way to insert data into MySQL?

Sorry bother you again!

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<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:** [25 May 2018 12:33 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fine-tune-a-function-node/369/9 "2018-05-25T12:33:35Z")

</div>

The error is fairly clear: `Table 'Temp_basic.temperatures' doesn't exist`

Have you created the table in the database already? You need to do that yourself for that sql insert statement to work.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![fritserasmus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/fritserasmus/32/274_2.png) [@fritserasmus](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/fritserasmus)\
**Post date:** [25 May 2018 13:00 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fine-tune-a-function-node/369/10 "2018-05-25T13:00:22Z")

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> [@knolleary](#):
>
> temperatures

I have created the database yes, but with all my experimenting I did not have the correct table in the database I as trying to INSERT. ☹

Thanks for the help.

Node-RED is now inserting data into the database perfectly!!!!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![fritserasmus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/fritserasmus/32/274_2.png) [@fritserasmus](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/fritserasmus)\
**Post date:** [26 May 2018 16:41 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fine-tune-a-function-node/369/11 "2018-05-26T16:41:24Z")

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So I was extremely exited to be able to INSERT records from a temperature sensor...so exited I went and bought three more Node-MCU Arduinos with sensors as I eventually want to monitor temperatures of three boilers.

The issue I now have is that I have two flows: if I connect any of the two it updates the database just fine, but as soon as I connect BOTH none works.

So I changed the topic to two completely different topics, thinking that would help, but still does not work .

(P.s.: The arduinos both open a WiFi connection and keep it open as I want to update temperature readings every 500 milliseconds - I am not sure if that MIGHT cause the issue- but I doubt it)

By the way, we call a boiler a geyser, in case someone do not understand my naming convention:  
attached is a snippet of the flow.

Herewith the json:

> [{"id":"163a4d52.990043","type":"mqtt in","z":"170d5f99.154f1","name":"","topic":"/18561/geyser1/temp","qos":"2","broker":"93155540.4d2f18","x":120,"y":260,"wires":[["e9b7f867.539dd8","bcb382bc.f8333"]]},{"id":"efe8311.4ce8dd","type":"debug","z":"170d5f99.154f1","name":"Time Temp","active":true,"tosidebar":true,"console":true,"tostatus":true,"complete":"payload","x":550,"y":120,"wires":},{"id":"e9b7f867.539dd8","type":"function","z":"170d5f99.154f1","name":"Add Time","func":"topic = msg.topic;\n\ntemp = msg.payload\n\n//construct and format a date timestamp from now()\nd= new Date(),\n\ndformat = \n[d.getFullYear(),\nd.getMonth()+1,\nd.getDate()\n].join('/') + ',' +\n\n[d.getHours(),\nd.getMinutes(),\nd.getSeconds()].join(':');\n\n//Replace message payload\n\nmsg.payload = dformat + "," + temp\n\nreturn msg;\n","outputs":1,"noerr":0,"x":340,"y":120,"wires":[]},{"id":"bcb382bc.f8333","type":"function","z":"170d5f99.154f1","name":"Create SQL INSERT ","func":"topic = msg.topic;\n\ntemp = msg.payload\n\nstring1 = "INSERT INTO `temperatures`(`source`, `read_date`, `create_date`, `reading`)"; // string1:\n\nstring2 = (" VALUES ("); // string2\n\nstring3 = ("'geyser1','"); // string3\n\nd= new Date(), //string4 construct and format a date timestamp from now()\n\nstring4 = \n[d.getFullYear(),\nd.getMonth()+1,\nd.getDate()\n].join('-') + ' ' +\n\n[d.getHours(),\nd.getMinutes(),\nd.getSeconds()].join(':');\n\nstring5 = ("',CURRENT\_TIMESTAMP,"); // string5\n\nstring6 = (temp); // string6\n\nstring7 = (")"); //string7\n\nmsg.topic = string1 + string2 + string3 + string4 + string5 + string6 + string7 // Concatenate strings\n\nreturn msg;\n","outputs":1,"noerr":0,"x":360,"y":260,"wires":[["8ef6462.54138b8"]]},{"id":"8ef6462.54138b8","type":"mysql","z":"170d5f99.154f1","mydb":"b5034bb3.da6df8","name":"Geyser1","x":600,"y":280,"wires":[]},{"id":"14753a1a.d5a916","type":"mqtt in","z":"170d5f99.154f1","name":"","topic":"/18562/geyser2/temp","qos":"2","broker":"93155540.4d2f18","x":120,"y":320,"wires":[["b068cc8a.7192b","47b6f46a.1cb52c"]]},{"id":"f6440d1.00c68f","type":"debug","z":"170d5f99.154f1","name":"Time Temp","active":true,"tosidebar":true,"console":true,"tostatus":true,"complete":"payload","x":570,"y":400,"wires":},{"id":"b068cc8a.7192b","type":"function","z":"170d5f99.154f1","name":"Add Time","func":"topic = msg.topic;\n\ntemp = msg.payload\n\n//construct and format a date timestamp from now()\nd= new Date(),\n\ndformat = \n[d.getFullYear(),\nd.getMonth()+1,\nd.getDate()\n].join('/') + ',' +\n\n[d.getHours(),\nd.getMinutes(),\nd.getSeconds()].join(':');\n\n//Replace message payload\n\nmsg.payload = dformat + "," + temp\n\nreturn msg;\n","outputs":1,"noerr":0,"x":340,"y":480,"wires":[]},{"id":"47b6f46a.1cb52c","type":"function","z":"170d5f99.154f1","name":"Create SQL INSERT ","func":"topic = msg.topic;\n\ntemp = msg.payload\n\nstring1 = "INSERT INTO `temperatures`(`source`, `read_date`, `create_date`, `reading`)"; // string1:\n\nstring2 = (" VALUES ("); // string2\n\nstring3 = ("'geyser2','"); // string3\n\nd= new Date(), //string4 construct and format a date timestamp from now()\n\nstring4 = \n[d.getFullYear(),\nd.getMonth()+1,\nd.getDate()\n].join('-') + ' ' +\n\n[d.getHours(),\nd.getMinutes(),\nd.getSeconds()].join(':');\n\nstring5 = ("',CURRENT\_TIMESTAMP,"); // string5\n\nstring6 = (temp); // string6\n\nstring7 = (")"); //string7\n\nmsg.topic = string1 + string2 + string3 + string4 + string5 + string6 + string7 // Concatenate strings\n\nreturn msg;\n","outputs":1,"noerr":0,"x":360,"y":320,"wires":[["8ef6462.54138b8"]]},{"id":"93155540.4d2f18","type":"mqtt-broker","z":"","name":"MQTTonUBUNTU","broker":"192.168.1.110","port":"1883","clientid":"","usetls":false,"compatmode":true,"keepalive":"30","cleansession":true,"birthTopic":"","birthQos":"1","birthPayload":"","closeTopic":"","closePayload":"","willTopic":"","willQos":"0","willPayload":""},{"id":"b5034bb3.da6df8","type":"MySQLdatabase","z":"170d5f99.154f1","host":"127.0.0.1","port":"3306","db":"Temp\_Basic","tz":""}]

Any suggestions how I can fix it would be greatly appreciated.

 ![Snippet%20from%20Node-RED%204](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/54af57628489ab1b6dd8b84b391b9616f02896d7.PNG)Frits

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<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:** [27 May 2018 11:49 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fine-tune-a-function-node/369/12 "2018-05-27T11:49:35Z")

</div>

> [@fritserasmus](#):
>
> The issue I now have is that I have two flows: if I connect any of the two it updates the database just fine, but as soon as I connect BOTH none works.

Are you getting any error messages? try adding a 'catch' node attached to a debug (complete msg object' and see what you get

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![fritserasmus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/fritserasmus/32/274_2.png) [@fritserasmus](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/fritserasmus)\
**Post date:** [27 May 2018 16:27 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fine-tune-a-function-node/369/13 "2018-05-27T16:27:09Z")

</div>

I have established that it is NOT Node-RED related, but rather the Arduino that does not connect to the WiFi when another one is already connected.

I will pursue the solution there.

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<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:** [27 May 2018 16:44 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fine-tune-a-function-node/369/14 "2018-05-27T16:44:25Z")

</div>

Have you possibly set fixed ip addresses in the arduinos, with the same ip for both?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dceejay](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/dceejay/32/38_2.png) [@dceejay](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dceejay)\
**Post date:** [27 May 2018 17:22 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fine-tune-a-function-node/369/15 "2018-05-27T17:22:19Z")

</div>

or the same MQTT clientID ? - they must be unique or the second will knock the first off the network - that will then try to reconnect and knock off the second etc…

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![fritserasmus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/fritserasmus/32/274_2.png) [@fritserasmus](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/fritserasmus)\
**Post date:** [8 August 2018 10:51 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fine-tune-a-function-node/369/16 "2018-08-08T10:51:37Z")

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@dceejay, that was what I had wrong.

Its now fixed, but two specific ardino's still just stop sending data.

Still trying to figure out what the issue is

`

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![fritserasmus](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/fritserasmus/32/274_2.png) [@fritserasmus](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/fritserasmus)\
**Post date:** [29 April 2020 16:04 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fine-tune-a-function-node/369/17 "2020-04-29T16:04:31Z")

</div>

Just wanted to report back on the solution:

So instead of rebooting these arduinos with the temperature sensors I flashed the ESP8266's with Tasmota.  
Currently I am running 4 of them and they just happily report every 5 minutes

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<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:** [13 May 2020 16:04 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fine-tune-a-function-node/369/18 "2020-05-13T16:04:39Z")

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