# Formalising reusable functions with autocompletion, parameter hints, click-through-navigation

**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/formalising-reusable-functions-with-autocompletion-parameter-hints-click-through-navigation/101645
**Category:** Core Development
**Created:** [15 August 2026 13:14 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/formalising-reusable-functions-with-autocompletion-parameter-hints-click-through-navigation/101645 "2026-08-15T13:14:03Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 16

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### Author: ![TotallyInformation](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/totallyinformation/32/31_2.png) [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)
#### Post date: [16 August 2026 14:41 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/formalising-reusable-functions-with-autocompletion-parameter-hints-click-through-navigation/101645/16 "2026-08-16T14:41:38Z")

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> [@Steve-Mcl](#):
>
> `npm run dev`

Been so long since I ran a default Node-RED install that I completely forgot that it would use my default `~/.node-red` settings folder. I've no idea what is in that! Needless to say, it really didn't like it.

I have to say that I don't believe that the dev run should use default config?

```bash
npm run dev -- --userDir ./data

```

Automatically creates the data sub-folder and uses it to create a new config.

But that still fails if you are already running Node-RED on the default port of course!

Unfortunately, Windows cannot set an immediate environment variable like you can on Linux/Mac (e.g. `PORT 1990 npm run dev -- --userDir ./data`), instead you have to use something like: `$env:PORT="3000"; npm run dev -- --userDir ./data; Remove-Item Env:\PORT` The chance of remembering that is virtually NIL.

Possible request incoming for something that might fix that issue. I have some code that auto-selects a free port.

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