# Help text for config nodes

**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-text-for-config-nodes/30009
**Category:** Developing Nodes
**Created:** [13 July 2020 16:22 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-text-for-config-nodes/30009 "2020-07-13T16:22:06Z")
**Posts on this page:** 16
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)
#### Post date: [13 July 2020 16:22 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-text-for-config-nodes/30009/1 "2020-07-13T16:22:06Z")

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For the first time I am creating a node that uses a config node and realise that config nodes appear never to have help text associated with them. Is that just the way it is or can I attach help text to a config node?

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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: [13 July 2020 16:30 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-text-for-config-nodes/30009/2 "2020-07-13T16:30:43Z")

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Sure they can have help - all of mine do

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/c/0/c09661287b4e463deaffe8746e87b8dfff08c9d8.png)

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/0/3/03ec6472191e78e4599db24be1127cfa1eea5780.png)

just make sure you set the `data-help-name`  
`<script type="text/html" data-help-name="MSSQL-CN">`

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### Author: ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)
#### Post date: [13 July 2020 16:41 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-text-for-config-nodes/30009/3 "2020-07-13T16:41:40Z")

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Oh, yes. I see my confusion. It doesn't automatically show the help when I start editing the config node. I have to explicitly show it. Does it show automatically for you?

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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: [13 July 2020 16:51 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-text-for-config-nodes/30009/4 "2020-07-13T16:51:18Z")

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when I start editing a config node - the help shows without doing anything special (like when you select a node on the editor)

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### Author: ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)
#### Post date: [13 July 2020 19:09 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-text-for-config-nodes/30009/5 "2020-07-13T19:09:49Z")

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> [@Steve-Mcl](#):
>
> when I start editing a config node - the help shows without doing anything special

Are you editing it by clicking the pencil in the parent node's config window?

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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: [13 July 2020 19:22 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-text-for-config-nodes/30009/6 "2020-07-13T19:22:02Z")

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Yes, I should have been clearer. After clicking the pencil & entering config node editing, I see the help info.

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### Author: ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)
#### Post date: [13 July 2020 19:54 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-text-for-config-nodes/30009/7 "2020-07-13T19:54:27Z")

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The plot thickens. What version of node-red are you using? Testing it with mqtt nodes on 1.0.3, when I click the pencil it switches to the config node help, but on 1.1.2 it isn't doing that, it stays on the mqtt in (or out) help page.  
I don't see any errors in the developer console.

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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: [13 July 2020 20:02 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-text-for-config-nodes/30009/8 "2020-07-13T20:02:30Z")

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When I replied, I was on 1.0.4 & a 0.20.7 version Colin.

Are you saying latest versions, that doesn't work?

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### Author: ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)
#### Post date: [13 July 2020 20:17 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-text-for-config-nodes/30009/9 "2020-07-13T20:17:45Z")

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Yes, for me the latest version does not show the config node help when you click the pencil in (for example) an mqtt node.  
It would be good if someone else could confirm this.

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### Author: ![Buckskin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Buckskin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Buckskin)
#### Post date: [13 July 2020 22:57 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-text-for-config-nodes/30009/10 "2020-07-13T22:57:58Z")

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It does the same for me. I have to select the mqtt-broker in the drop down node list before the broker help is shown.

Has Steve-Mcl changed his sidebar layout because he has Node Help in the Info tab

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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: [13 July 2020 23:18 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-text-for-config-nodes/30009/11 "2020-07-13T23:18:15Z")

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> [@Buckskin](#):
>
> Has Steve-Mcl changed his sidebar layout because he has Node Help in the Info tab

No, this is where it was displayed pre v1.1.0

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### Author: ![dceejay](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/dceejay/32/38_2.png) [@dceejay](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dceejay)
#### Post date: [14 July 2020 06:06 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-text-for-config-nodes/30009/12 "2020-07-14T06:06:19Z")

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See the blog re 1.1 release [https://nodered.org/blog/2020/06/30/version-1-1-released#new-help-sidebar](https://nodered.org/blog/2020/06/30/version-1-1-released#new-help-sidebar)

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)
#### Post date: [14 July 2020 07:06 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-text-for-config-nodes/30009/13 "2020-07-14T07:06:58Z")

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> [@dceejay](#):
>
> See the blog re 1.1 release

The issue here is that it doesn't show the help page for a config node when entering that node's setup dialog. So, for example, double clicking an MQTT In node opens the node's setup dialog and shows the help for MQTT In. Clicking the pencil to open the config node does _not_ show the config node's help. On previous versions of node-red clicking the pencil did switch the help page. Should I raise an issue?

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### Author: ![knolleary](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/knolleary/32/3_2.png) [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)
#### Post date: [14 July 2020 07:30 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-text-for-config-nodes/30009/14 "2020-07-14T07:30:06Z")

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> [@Colin](#):
>
> Should I raise an issue?

Yes please

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)
#### Post date: [14 July 2020 08:07 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-text-for-config-nodes/30009/15 "2020-07-14T08:07:19Z")

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Done

> <https://github.com/node-red/node-red/issues/2652>
>
> What are the steps to reproduce?
> Open the Help tab in right hand pane.
> Using MQTT In node as an example, double click...

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)
#### Post date: [12 September 2020 08:07 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-text-for-config-nodes/30009/16 "2020-09-12T08:07:26Z")

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