# \[FR / PR\] Click on id in debug panel highlights node or flow
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-pr-click-on-id-in-debug-panel-highlights-node-or-flow/82988
**Category:** General
**Created:** [18 November 2023 11:17 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-pr-click-on-id-in-debug-panel-highlights-node-or-flow/82988 "2023-11-18T11:17:37Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)
#### Post date: [18 November 2023 18:04 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-pr-click-on-id-in-debug-panel-highlights-node-or-flow/82988/21 "2023-11-18T18:04:17Z")
> [@ralphwetzel](#):
>
> Quite a strong argumentation given that you're "only skimming this thread". Feel invited to get presented the details, if you're interested...
No need to get personal.
From your own posts:
> [@ralphwetzel](#):
>
> No - as already explained.
> [@ralphwetzel](#):
>
> it's only checking properties of type string.
So it checks every property of type string (though you are proposing that only happens when the output is expanded).
It is still unnecessary.
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### Author:  [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)
#### Post date: [18 November 2023 18:15 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-pr-click-on-id-in-debug-panel-highlights-node-or-flow/82988/22 "2023-11-18T18:15:39Z")
If you have a code change to propose, please do raise it in a pr.
We can then review the specifics and consider any issues related to the actual working implementation.
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### Author:  [@jbudd](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/jbudd)
#### Post date: [18 November 2023 18:16 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-pr-click-on-id-in-debug-panel-highlights-node-or-flow/82988/23 "2023-11-18T18:16:26Z")
> [@ralphwetzel](#):
>
> Could you explain that? From what I read in the code base, I got the impression the ids used (e.g. for node and flow ids) are near-to-unique...
It just seems more elegant if the editor knows from the fieldname, let's say `msg._backlinks[]`, that it contains the id of a different item in the flows file.
In the same way the editor knows that the property `wires[]` in the flow contains ids of other flow items.
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### Author:  [@ralphwetzel](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/ralphwetzel)
#### Post date: [18 November 2023 20:27 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-pr-click-on-id-in-debug-panel-highlights-node-or-flow/82988/24 "2023-11-18T20:27:28Z")
> [@knolleary](#):
>
> If you have a code change to propose, please do raise it in a pr.
Done! 🎉
>
>
> \## Types of changes
> \- \[\] Bugfix (non-breaking change which fixes an issue)
> \- …\[x\] New feature (non-breaking change which adds functionality)
>
> \## Proposed changes
>
> As \[discussed in the forum\](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-pr-click-on-id-in-debug-panel-highlights-node-or-flow/82988/20), this PR adds the feature to highlight a node or flow when clicking in the debug panel on a value \`typeof string\`, that is identified as a node / flow id. The term \_node\_ here comprises all node types returned by \`RED.nodes.nodes(\)\`.
>
>
> !\[highlight\_node\](https://github.com/node-red/node-red/assets/16342003/74869903-b02c-46a9-8b56-044cb0acc4d1)
>
>
> This feature re-uses functionality already implemented and in use to highlight the emitting node of a debug message.
> As the elements used to display debug messages are only created on demand (toplevel or when expanded), this feature is as well only injected on demand.
>
> \## Checklist
>
>
> \- \[x\] I have read the \[contribution guidelines\](https://github.com/node-red/node-red/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md)
> \- \[x\] For non-bugfix PRs, I have discussed this change on the forum/slack team. 👍
> \- \[x\] I have run \`npm run test\` to verify the unit tests pass
> \- \[\] I have added suitable unit tests to cover the new/changed functionality
I welcome the review!
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### Author:  [@cymplecy](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/cymplecy)
#### Post date: [18 November 2023 21:13 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-pr-click-on-id-in-debug-panel-highlights-node-or-flow/82988/25 "2023-11-18T21:13:40Z")
I'm still confused as to how/why/what with this PR
Will the PR cause every debug message in the sidebar to have a monitoring property?
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### Author:  [@ralphwetzel](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/ralphwetzel)
#### Post date: [18 November 2023 21:46 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-pr-click-on-id-in-debug-panel-highlights-node-or-flow/82988/26 "2023-11-18T21:46:50Z")
> [@cymplecy](#):
>
> Will the PR cause every debug message in the sidebar to have a monitoring property?
No way! 🙂 Using the `monitoring` property was just to give an example of how this looks like.
The goal is that **if** there's a `string` in a debug message that represents the id of a node/flow (and it doesn't matter where this string / id comes from), you may click on this string and get a visual identification around the node/flow(tab) represented by this id / string.
Are you aware there's a _similar_ feature (already present) for `numbers`? Just click on any number in the debug panel...
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### Author:  [@cymplecy](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/cymplecy)
#### Post date: [18 November 2023 21:51 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-pr-click-on-id-in-debug-panel-highlights-node-or-flow/82988/27 "2023-11-18T21:51:35Z")
I'll have a sleep and see if it makes sense to me in the morning 🙂
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### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [17 January 2024 21:51 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-pr-click-on-id-in-debug-panel-highlights-node-or-flow/82988/28 "2024-01-17T21:51:45Z")
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