# Having trouble parsing this message
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171
**Category:** General
**Created:** [29 August 2020 04:01 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171 "2020-08-29T04:01:37Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 04:01 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/1 "2020-08-29T04:01:38Z")
I have an `exec` node running some code.
I connect to the `return code` output. (The bottom one)
This is the message coming out:
```auto
{"topic":"DO_THIS","qos":2,"retain":false,"_msgid":"755998b4.052328","payload":{"code":0}}
```
I open the `payload` part and copy the value. I'm guessing it is `0`.
But when I paste it I get:
`0` but it isn't quite that easy.
I put that into a `switch` node and it never gets through.
Wondering what is going on, I copy the value and paste it.
# Things get weird now.
Screen shot time.
This is an arbitrary `function` node.
Note where the cursor is.
So then I press _paste_ and this is what I get:
Somehow there is a _carriage return_ built into what I copied.
I'm confused.
What is going on?
---
### Author:  [@bakman2](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/bakman2)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 05:16 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/2 "2020-08-29T05:16:49Z")
I can reproduce. It only happens if i copy the value from the debug window or click copy value. If another source is used (vscode/sublime), it does not happen.
There might be an special hidden character. (i couldn't find it).
---
### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 05:26 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/3 "2020-08-29T05:26:49Z")
Phew. It isn't just me.
Ok. Not a big deal. I will work around the problem.
Appreciated you validating it wasn't me doing something stupid.
---
### Author:  [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 07:05 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/4 "2020-08-29T07:05:37Z")
> [@Trying\_to\_learn](#):
>
> I put that into a `switch` node and it never gets through.
That suggests you did not do it correctly. Show us what you tried.
---
### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 07:07 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/5 "2020-08-29T07:07:25Z")
_show_?
I have the `debug` node, expand the tree to see what I want to get, click on the clipboard icon.
It says `copied to clip board`.
I then pate it in the `function` node at the end of the line and the `0` from the clipboard is at the start of the line.
---
### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 07:38 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/6 "2020-08-29T07:38:09Z")
Doesnt happen in Chrome on Windows - might be a browser or OS thing?
I tried with the debug set to show msg.payload AND showing full message - same result.
---
### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 07:39 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/7 "2020-08-29T07:39:03Z")
(How are you doing this _magic_?) 😉
Screen recordings.
---
### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 07:43 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/8 "2020-08-29T07:43:29Z")
sharex (windows only)
> **[ShareX - Screen capture, file sharing and productivity tool](https://getsharex.com/)**
>
> ShareX is a free and open source program that lets you capture or record any area of your screen and share it with a single press of a key. It also allows uploading images, text or other types of files to many supported destinations you can choose...
For linux, there is **peek** and others though not as feature rich as sharex
---
### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 07:46 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/9 "2020-08-29T07:46:42Z")
Ah, windows.
Not much good for Ubuntu.
Ok, I have word around it by changing the `==` to `contains`.
That works.
---
### Author:  [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 07:55 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/10 "2020-08-29T07:55:06Z")
> [@Trying\_to\_learn](#):
>
> _show_ ?
You said you tried it in a Switch node but it didn't work, but you haven't showed us what you tried in the switch node. Then you went on to talk about a function node problem.
---
### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 07:57 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/11 "2020-08-29T07:57:47Z")
Originally the node was like this:
```auto
[{"id":"7f0765ad.dfa1f4","type":"switch","z":"5b95490e.a46ab8","name":"Ok/Error","property":"payload.code","propertyType":"msg","rules":[{"t":"eq","v":"0","vt":"num"},{"t":"eq","v":"127","vt":"num"}],"checkall":"true","repair":false,"outputs":2,"x":1610,"y":690,"wires":[["4fd1597d.7d477"],["9c0f56c2.186e9"]]}]
```
But works when it is set as:
```auto
[{"id":"7f0765ad.dfa1f4","type":"switch","z":"5b95490e.a46ab8","name":"Ok/Error","property":"payload.code","propertyType":"msg","rules":[{"t":"cont","v":"0","vt":"num"},{"t":"cont","v":"127","vt":"num"}],"checkall":"true","repair":false,"outputs":2,"x":1610,"y":690,"wires":[["4fd1597d.7d477"],["9c0f56c2.186e9"]]}]
```
So I was just curious why the payload isn't as I am copying from the `debug` node.
I only went into the `function` node to paste the copied `msg.payload` to see what node-red thinks of it.
---
### Author:  [@UnborN](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/UnborN)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 08:10 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/12 "2020-08-29T08:10:56Z")
== is working for me.
besides if you put contains not only 0 will pass but 10 , 2022 etc whatever contains zero and that may not be what you want.
you sure you are setting **msg.payload.code** in the switch node ? and not simply msg.payload ?
---
### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 08:19 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/13 "2020-08-29T08:19:38Z")
Yes, I am sure that is the message structure.
Alas it is an artefact of my early `MQTT` stuff.
It is the output of an `exec` node. It only really puts out `0` for good, and `127` for errors.
That is all I want to get from the output.
---
### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 08:21 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/14 "2020-08-29T08:21:38Z")
I think you're on to something.
The fact Andrew states he solved it by using `contains` instead of `==` suggest he was comparing to string `0` not number `0`
> [@Trying\_to\_learn](#):
>
> Ok, I have word around it by changing the `==` to `contains` .
Not that it should matter but `payload.code` is definitely a number so your example would be the correct solution.
---
### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 08:23 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/15 "2020-08-29T08:23:56Z")
I was suspicious that it was a text, which also lead me to paste it in a `function` node.
When it was pasted in the node, it was orange so I take it that it is a number.
---
### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 08:26 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/16 "2020-08-29T08:26:23Z")
> [@Trying\_to\_learn](#):
>
> When it was pasted in the node, it was orange so I take it that it is a number.
More like...
---
### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 08:29 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/17 "2020-08-29T08:29:22Z")
Ok. I was talking about the `0` to the left of `this is just some text`.
But yes: correct.
---
### Author:  [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 08:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/18 "2020-08-29T08:40:22Z")
Is this from o/p 3 of a switch node?
Is the exec node feeding direct into the switch node or is there anything at all in between?
Can you show us the config of the exec node? I want to try and replicate the problem.
I don't even know what "contains" means if the type is number.
---
### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 08:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/19 "2020-08-29T08:40:53Z")
> [@Trying\_to\_learn](#):
>
> Ok. I was talking about the `0` to the left of `this is just some text` .
Yes, but you copied that from the debug
A `0` in the JS editor is a number because it has no quotes.
The debug does not copy `"` quotes so a string `"0"` zero would copy and paste as `0`
In other words, pasting the value means nothing - how its presented in the object is what matters.
in other words, it IS / WAS a number so use the `==` number in the switch (not contains)
---
### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 08:42 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/20 "2020-08-29T08:42:19Z")
No, via a `delay` node set to delay the message for `5` seconds.
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