# Help array: need to put an array in an array

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-array-need-to-put-an-array-in-an-array/44922>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [29 April 2021 09:59 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-array-need-to-put-an-array-in-an-array/44922 "2021-04-29T09:59:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![AxelD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b77776/32.png) [@AxelD](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/AxelD)\
**Post date:** [29 April 2021 09:59 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-array-need-to-put-an-array-in-an-array/44922/1 "2021-04-29T09:59:52Z")

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Hey guys!

I need some help. In the first payload there is an array of data and I want to write a function that puts that array one step further.

Now it is msg.payload[] ==\> I want it to be msg.payload.metadata[]

Can you help me?

Thanks!

 ![afbeelding](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/9/2/92ccc8ee35e1afbbdfaab9d9691ab4288117ae3d.png)  
 ![afbeelding](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/e/c/ec506edc924d64996d13e59b8e9a9ccc60747fc3.png)

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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:** [29 April 2021 10:02 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-array-need-to-put-an-array-in-an-array/44922/2 "2021-04-29T10:02:52Z")

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use a function node...

```auto
var arr = msg.payload; //store a ref to the array in "arr" temporarily 
msg.payload = {}; //make msg.payload an (empty) object
msg.payload.metadata = arr; //store "arr" in msg.payload.metadata
return msg; //return the msg to next node

```

↑ deliberately verbose for readability ↑

You can also do this with a change node & probably other ways too.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![AxelD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b77776/32.png) [@AxelD](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/AxelD)\
**Post date:** [29 April 2021 10:06 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-array-need-to-put-an-array-in-an-array/44922/3 "2021-04-29T10:06:08Z")

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Thank you, it worked!

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<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:** [13 May 2021 10:07 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-array-need-to-put-an-array-in-an-array/44922/4 "2021-05-13T10:07:07Z")

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