# Help with setTimeout and ClearTimeout
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-settimeout-and-cleartimeout/64651
**Category:** General
**Created:** [3 July 2022 21:17 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-settimeout-and-cleartimeout/64651 "2022-07-03T21:17:22Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@amkochaki](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/amkochaki)
#### Post date: [3 July 2022 21:17 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-settimeout-and-cleartimeout/64651/1 "2022-07-03T21:17:22Z")
Hey guys.
I’m learning node red, I’m pretty basic in programming, but I’ve already managed to do some cool things. I’m trying to do something with my occupancy sensors I have them all over the house.
I created a subflow with two functions, turn the light on and another function turn off the light this worked but now I’m trying to determine a time for the lamps to turn off I’m having a lot of difficulties in the function to turn off the light (turn\_of).
It has several conditionals in it, my biggest problem is resetting the time to turn off the lamp when the presence sensor is activated. What I need is this to reset the time to turn off the lamp every time the presence sensor goes on. Can someone help me? That is my funcion turn\_off:
```auto
if((msg.payload === "on"))
{
clearTimeout(setar);
node.send({payload:false}); //{payload:false}
}
if((msg.payload === "off"))
{
if((entities[grupo].state === "on") && (entities[sensor].state === "on") )
{
setar = setTimeout(function(){
msg.payload = {
domain: "light",
service: "turn_off",
data: {
entity_id: [grupo],
}
};
node.send(msg);
},
meutempo);
}
}
return null;
```
and this is my subflow:
If anyone can help me I would greatly appreciate it.
---
### Author:  [@E1cid](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/E1cid)
#### Post date: [3 July 2022 21:31 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-settimeout-and-cleartimeout/64651/2 "2022-07-03T21:31:01Z")
> [@amkochaki](#):
>
> `setar`
`setar` does not exist the next time the function is called, try saving it to context to retrieve it next time the function is called and msg.payload === on, then delete it from context.
---
### Author:  [@amkochaki](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/amkochaki)
#### Post date: [3 July 2022 22:12 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-settimeout-and-cleartimeout/64651/3 "2022-07-03T22:12:04Z")
I thought that defining it as a variable would do. Likewise I'm still pretty bad at node red and programming. You could help me as if I were a 6 year old. A lot of things I don't understand, I read a lot about it but I still haven't been able to develop
---
### Author:  [@zenofmud](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/zenofmud)
#### Post date: [3 July 2022 22:14 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-settimeout-and-cleartimeout/64651/4 "2022-07-03T22:14:27Z")
I recommend watching this playlist: [Node-RED Essentials](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyNBB9VCLmo1hyO-4fIZ08gqFcXBkHy-6). The videos are done by the developers of node-red. They're nice & short and to the point. You will understand a whole lot more in about 1 hour. A small investment for a lot of gain.
---
### Author:  [@amkochaki](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/amkochaki)
#### Post date: [3 July 2022 22:29 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-settimeout-and-cleartimeout/64651/5 "2022-07-03T22:29:21Z")
Thanks for the tip, I watched the videos, but I still have some difficulties
---
### Author:  [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)
#### Post date: [3 July 2022 22:46 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-settimeout-and-cleartimeout/64651/6 "2022-07-03T22:46:39Z")
You might be better off using the trigger node for now and saving the function node approach for when you have a bit more experience with JavaScript/Node.js.
The trigger node lets you trigger a second msg after a set time delay.
---
### Author:  [@amkochaki](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/amkochaki)
#### Post date: [3 July 2022 22:55 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-settimeout-and-cleartimeout/64651/7 "2022-07-03T22:55:10Z")
I have an automation where any user can change the times and senors according to the needs of each one at each moment. The problem with the trigger number is that I don't know how to use an input\_number as the time to trigger or turn off a device.
---
### Author:  [@craigcurtin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/craigcurtin)
#### Post date: [3 July 2022 23:36 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-settimeout-and-cleartimeout/64651/8 "2022-07-03T23:36:24Z")
Can i suggest you watch this video on YT - the guys is all across HA and pretty good on NR and he is doing somethign very similar to what you want to do in one of the advanced options
[ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBUAUdLkYJM)
Craig
---
### Author:  [@amkochaki](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/amkochaki)
#### Post date: [3 July 2022 23:36 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-settimeout-and-cleartimeout/64651/9 "2022-07-03T23:36:45Z")
Thank you for everyone's suggestion, especially the one from @E1cid, it enlightened me a lot, I modified the function and it now seems to be working. The first tests are ok. If anyone has any more tips or finds any errors I would appreciate it. Because I still have many doubts. Below is how the function of the node.
```auto
const entities = global.get('homeassistant').homeAssistant.states;
var grupo = env.get("grupo");
var sensor = env.get("sensor");
var tempo = env.get("tempo");
var mytime = (entities[tempo].state * 1000 *60)
function desligarFunction(){
msg.payload = {
domain: "light",
service: "turn_off",
data: {
entity_id: [grupo],
}
};
node.send(msg);
}
function setarFunction() {
let setar = setTimeout(desligarFunction, mytime);
context.set('mem',setar);
}
function ResetFunction() {
let setar = context.get('mem');
clearTimeout(setar);
node.send({payload:false});
}
if((msg.payload === "on"))
{
ResetFunction(); //{payload:false}
}
if((msg.payload === "off"))
{
if((entities[grupo].state === "on") && (entities[sensor].state === "on") )
{
setarFunction();
}
}
return null;
```
---
### Author:  [@amkochaki](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/amkochaki)
#### Post date: [4 July 2022 00:07 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-settimeout-and-cleartimeout/64651/10 "2022-07-04T00:07:07Z")
@craigcurtin thank for this link. Very Nice!!
---
### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [2 September 2022 00:07 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-settimeout-and-cleartimeout/64651/11 "2022-09-02T00:07:12Z")
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