# FR: Use default node name for debug when name not specified

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-use-default-node-name-for-debug-when-name-not-specified/57300>\
**Category:** Feature Requests\
**Created:** [27 January 2022 01:08 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-use-default-node-name-for-debug-when-name-not-specified/57300 "2022-01-27T01:08:28Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![daxliniere](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/daxliniere/32/42187_2.png) [@daxliniere](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/daxliniere)\
**Post date:** [27 January 2022 01:08 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-use-default-node-name-for-debug-when-name-not-specified/57300/1 "2022-01-27T01:08:28Z")

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Rather than displaying the node ID in the list of debug messages, when a node does not have a name specified, default to using the node type as shown in the main routing window.

For example, the node name is Read File, so this should be shown in the debug message list instead of **node: 3342ca1cd3ad053f**.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/3/a/3ac50719fdb3b17eef48a707ad60e6e79c375406.png)

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**Author:** ![smanjunath211](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/smanjunath211/32/95742_2.png) [@smanjunath211](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/smanjunath211)\
**Post date:** [27 January 2022 05:47 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-use-default-node-name-for-debug-when-name-not-specified/57300/2 "2022-01-27T05:47:50Z")

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What if there are many such nodes ? then there will be more than one `read file` nodes in debug. am i wrong ?

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**Author:** ![daxliniere](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/daxliniere/32/42187_2.png) [@daxliniere](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/daxliniere)\
**Post date:** [27 January 2022 12:27 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-use-default-node-name-for-debug-when-name-not-specified/57300/3 "2022-01-27T12:27:38Z")

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Yes, that is correct @smanjunath211, you would need to mouse-over the debug message to know which `read file` node was which... however, at least you would know it was a `read file` node, because at the moment you would see `3342ca1cd3ad053f`. 🙂

This is also why I suggested adding some colour-coding to part of the message, but even without it, I think showing the node name would be an improvement.

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**Author:** ![Steve-Mcl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/steve-mcl/32/4826_2.png) [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)\
**Post date:** [27 January 2022 14:01 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-use-default-node-name-for-debug-when-name-not-specified/57300/5 "2022-01-27T14:01:21Z")

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If we were to change the debug to show the default node name you would then have no idea which of the nodes created the message. Often we have to copy the ID and use it in the search box.

In fairness I believe the correct answer is to name your nodes 🙂

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**Author:** ![smanjunath211](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/smanjunath211/32/95742_2.png) [@smanjunath211](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/smanjunath211)\
**Post date:** [27 January 2022 14:23 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-use-default-node-name-for-debug-when-name-not-specified/57300/6 "2022-01-27T14:23:40Z")

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I had raised a feature request some time ago to _Auto serialise_ (if that's a word) the debug nodes as soon as they are dragged on the editor tabs, so that if we need to , we can name them, else still by default they will have unique names. the same can be applied to other nodes as well i suppose. ?

> [@Auto-Name Debug Node with some serialization, with an option to override the name](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/auto-name-debug-node-with-some-serialization-with-an-option-to-override-the-name/53926):
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> When a debug node is drawn to the editor panel, it should automatically give a unique name to the Debug node like Debug 1, Debug 2, Debug 3, etc. instead of msg.payload for every debug node. (Similar to excel creating different worksheets with sheet1, sheet2 etc). if the user wants, he will rename the debug node to whatever he likes.

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**Author:** ![daxliniere](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/daxliniere/32/42187_2.png) [@daxliniere](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/daxliniere)\
**Post date:** [27 January 2022 17:55 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-use-default-node-name-for-debug-when-name-not-specified/57300/7 "2022-01-27T17:55:17Z")

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> [@Steve-Mcl](#):
>
> If we were to change the debug to show the default node name you would then have no idea which of the nodes created the message.

Hey Steve.  
Honestly, when I see `node:3342ca1cd3ad053f` I have equally no idea which node created the message without hovering over the message, so we're in no worse a position if that message field is populated with the node type when node name is blank. 🙂

> [@Steve-Mcl](#):
>
> In fairness I believe the correct answer is to name your nodes 🙂

True! But how many times have you quickly put together a flow to test something? Doesn't make sense to go through an label every node in those instances.

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [28 March 2022 17:55 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/fr-use-default-node-name-for-debug-when-name-not-specified/57300/8 "2022-03-28T17:55:51Z")

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