# 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:** 10
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 08:43 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/21 "2020-08-29T08:43:39Z")
> [@Colin](#):
>
> I don't even know what "contains" means if the type is number.
if the incoming value (e.g. ms.payload.code) is a number then it will get cast to a string for the `contains` operation
Simple answer - it IS a number in the debug output, use number type in the switch comparison value
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### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 08:43 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/22 "2020-08-29T08:43:53Z")
> [@Steve-Mcl](#):
>
> in other words, it IS / WAS a number so use the `==` number in the switch (not contains)
And when I do that, **nothing** goes through the `switch` node.
So I tried to work out what is/was going on.
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### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 08:45 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/23 "2020-08-29T08:45:34Z")
Try again - be certain to set the comparator to number type
the debug definitely shows a number.
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### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 08:45 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/24 "2020-08-29T08:45:44Z")
I am so nearly tempted to set up my camera and record the screen, but the file size would probably be too big and not really achieve much.
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### Author:  [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 08:45 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/25 "2020-08-29T08:45:50Z")
Can you post a flow of the exec node up to the failing switch node please?
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### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 08:49 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/26 "2020-08-29T08:49:39Z")
> [@Trying\_to\_learn](#):
>
> tempted to set up my camera and record the screen
No need - use [peek](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FmhvkYJqvM)
[install instructions](https://vitux.com/install-peek-animated-gif-recorder-on-ubuntu/)
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### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 08:50 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/27 "2020-08-29T08:50:29Z")
ARGH ARGH ARGH!
I don't know how or why, I did it for the sake of indulging you - though I have done it 3 times before - and now it works.
Sorry folks.
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### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 08:51 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/28 "2020-08-29T08:51:15Z")
You probably had the comparator set to string 🤷♂️
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### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [29 August 2020 08:52 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/29 "2020-08-29T08:52:52Z")
Can't say. It was set to number.
But I am not going to argue.
All I did then was change it form `contains` to `==`
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### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [12 September 2020 08:52 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/having-trouble-parsing-this-message/32171/30 "2020-09-12T08:52:53Z")
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