# Function problem

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/function-problem/61170>\
**Category:** General\
**Tags:** function-node\
**Created:** [12 April 2022 11:35 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/function-problem/61170 "2022-04-12T11:35:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rubenbraekman](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/rubenbraekman/32/58663_2.png) [@rubenbraekman](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/rubenbraekman)\
**Post date:** [12 April 2022 11:35 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/function-problem/61170/1 "2022-04-12T11:35:00Z")

</div>

Hello, a noob here, I'm trying to create a function that outputs a true or false depending on the situation.

When the number is positive the output has to be false and when the number is negative the output has to be true.

I get "Function tried to send a message of type number" as output.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/6/d/6ddd72f5e9e8d9ab7acf3dc70354cea0ca81bba3.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [12 April 2022 11:39 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/function-problem/61170/2 "2022-04-12T11:39:17Z")

</div>

`return msg;`

  

> The function must always return a msg object.

[https://nodered.org/docs/user-guide/writing-functions#writing-a-function](https://nodered.org/docs/user-guide/writing-functions#writing-a-function)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rubenbraekman](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/rubenbraekman/32/58663_2.png) [@rubenbraekman](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/rubenbraekman)\
**Post date:** [12 April 2022 11:45 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/function-problem/61170/4 "2022-04-12T11:45:09Z")

</div>

Now it outputs the same number as the input.

 ![Knipsel](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/3/b/3b4f15cbfe8156d1a5ed20b0c1e053abc824e6ce.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [12 April 2022 11:47 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/function-problem/61170/5 "2022-04-12T11:47:59Z")

</div>

`msg.payload = true`

`msg.payload = false`

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![softy2k](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/softy2k/32/23707_2.png) [@softy2k](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/softy2k)\
**Post date:** [12 April 2022 11:48 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/function-problem/61170/6 "2022-04-12T11:48:19Z")

</div>

`msg.payload = true` , NOT `msg.payload === true`  
Same for false

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jbudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5f8ce5/32.png) [@jbudd](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/jbudd)\
**Post date:** [12 April 2022 11:53 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/function-problem/61170/7 "2022-04-12T11:53:05Z")

</div>

One = is an assignment `msg.payload = "hello"` (Make payload equal hello)  
Two or three = is a comparison : `msg.payload === "hello"` (Does payload equal hello?)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rubenbraekman](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/rubenbraekman/32/58663_2.png) [@rubenbraekman](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/rubenbraekman)\
**Post date:** [12 April 2022 11:54 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/function-problem/61170/8 "2022-04-12T11:54:41Z")

</div>

Thanks for helping a beginner steve, that worked.

---

<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:** [26 April 2022 11:54 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/function-problem/61170/9 "2022-04-26T11:54:50Z")

</div>

This topic was automatically closed 14 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.