# Function-node access to a global-function in Settings.js
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/function-node-access-to-a-global-function-in-settings-js/82791
**Category:** General
**Created:** [11 November 2023 21:16 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/function-node-access-to-a-global-function-in-settings-js/82791 "2023-11-11T21:16:03Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@xytsrm](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/xytsrm)
#### Post date: [11 November 2023 21:16 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/function-node-access-to-a-global-function-in-settings-js/82791/1 "2023-11-11T21:16:03Z")
I'm trying to access a global function I created in the Settings.js file.
I placed my function "testGlobalFunction" in Settings.js under "functionGlobalContext:":
```auto
functionGlobalContext: {
// os:require('os'),
global.testGlobalFunction = function(){
let x = {payload:'Returned Value'}
return x;
}
},
```
Then I restarted Node.js.
In the Function-node I tried several ways to access it;
```auto
var testGlobalFunction=global.get('testGlobalFunction')
var x= global.testGlobalFunction()
node.warn(x)
return x;
```
Or
```auto
var x= global.testGlobalFunction()
node.warn(x)
return x;
```
and using the settings to import module 'testGlobalFunction()'.
In each case I get an error saying that it can't find the function.
What am I doing wrong?
---
### Author:  [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)
#### Post date: [11 November 2023 23:52 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/function-node-access-to-a-global-function-in-settings-js/82791/2 "2023-11-11T23:52:36Z")
> [@xytsrm](#):
>
> `global.testGlobalFunction`
That property only refers to global storage so you don't need to repeat it. It should just be `testGlobalFunction`
---
### Author:  [@xytsrm](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/xytsrm)
#### Post date: [12 November 2023 00:08 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/function-node-access-to-a-global-function-in-settings-js/82791/3 "2023-11-12T00:08:43Z")
Are you referring to the "global.testGlobalFunction" in the Settings.js, or the reference in the Function-Node?
UPDATE: I have tried every combination; with and without "global." and I still get Function not found.
---
### Author:  [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)
#### Post date: [12 November 2023 02:25 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/function-node-access-to-a-global-function-in-settings-js/82791/4 "2023-11-12T02:25:07Z")
```auto
functionGlobalContext: {
testGlobalFunction = function(){
let x = {payload:'Returned Value'}
return x;
}
},
```
```auto
const testGlobalFunction = global.get('testGlobalFunction')
const x = testGlobalFunction()
node.warn(x)
return x;
```
---
### Author:  [@xytsrm](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/xytsrm)
#### Post date: [12 November 2023 02:41 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/function-node-access-to-a-global-function-in-settings-js/82791/5 "2023-11-12T02:41:52Z")
This is the code I have in the settings.js file:
```auto
functionGlobalContext: {
// os:require('os'),
testGlobalFunction = function(){
let x = {payload:'Returned Value'}
return x;
}
},
```
I believe I have it exactly as you specified, but the Node.js server fails to start. The cmd window pops-up and then immediately closes.
Even though it was commented out; I removed " // os:require('os'),"; it made no difference; the server won't run.
UPDATE: If I comment-out the function code the Node.js server runs again.
---
### Author:  [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)
#### Post date: [12 November 2023 12:41 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/function-node-access-to-a-global-function-in-settings-js/82791/6 "2023-11-12T12:41:31Z")
Did you look in your log?
```auto
0|Node-RED | Error loading settings file: D:\src\nr\data\settings.js
0|Node-RED | D:\src\nr\data\settings.js:899
0|Node-RED | testGlobalFunction = function(){
0|Node-RED | SyntaxError: Invalid shorthand property initializer
0|Node-RED | at internalCompileFunction (node:internal/vm:73:18)
0|Node-RED | at wrapSafe (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1178:20)
0|Node-RED | at Module._compile (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1220:27)
0|Node-RED | at Module._extensions..js (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1310:10)
0|Node-RED | at Module.load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1119:32)
0|Node-RED | at Module._load (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:960:12)
0|Node-RED | at Module.require (node:internal/modules/cjs/loader:1143:19)
0|Node-RED | at Hook._require.Module.require (C:\Users\julia\AppData\Roaming\npm\node_modules\pm2\node_modules\require-in-the-middle\index.js:101:39)
0|Node-RED | at require (node:internal/modules/cjs/helpers:121:18)
0|Node-RED | at Object. (D:\src\nr\node_modules\node-red\red.js:140:20)
```
```auto
testGlobalFunction: function() {
let x = { payload: 'Returned Value' }
return x
},
```
Corrected version. Note the `:` instead of the `=`.
---
### Author:  [@xytsrm](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/xytsrm)
#### Post date: [12 November 2023 13:41 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/function-node-access-to-a-global-function-in-settings-js/82791/7 "2023-11-12T13:41:50Z")
Well that little ":" certainly makes a difference; everything works now.
Regarding the log-file; where is it? There're no logs in the .node-red folder, or in Program Files. The only log files I've found are in npm-cache, buried in appdata, and they are not the node-red logs.
BTW: thanks for catching the error.
Also, will a function placed in settings.js be able to access suncalc, for example:
```auto
var gate
var location = { latitude: 40.392, longitude: -74.1843 };
var times = suncalc.getTimes(new Date(), location.latitude, location.longitude);
gate = {
sunrise: times.sunrise.getTime(),
sunset: times.sunset.getTime(),
now: new Date().getTime()}
```
I import using the function-node setting; how do I import it just using java-script?
I've tried:
```auto
const suncalc = require('suncalc');
```
Says 'require' undefined
and
```auto
import suncalc from 'suncalc';
```
Says: Cannot use import statement outside a module
Neither seem to resolve 'suncalc'
ALL TESTING BEING DONE IN A FUNCTION-NODE: NOT IN SETTING.JS.
---
### Author:  [@xytsrm](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/xytsrm)
#### Post date: [12 November 2023 16:01 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/function-node-access-to-a-global-function-in-settings-js/82791/8 "2023-11-12T16:01:53Z")
Question RESOLVED:
```auto
const suncalc = require('suncalc');
```
This code does not work in a function-node, BUT, it does work in the settings.js file.
I'm able to access the suncalc data from any function-node.
---
### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [26 November 2023 16:02 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/function-node-access-to-a-global-function-in-settings-js/82791/9 "2023-11-26T16:02:18Z")
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