# Help with weird messages in the wrong place

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-weird-messages-in-the-wrong-place/74150>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [25 January 2023 05:11 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-weird-messages-in-the-wrong-place/74150 "2023-01-25T05:11:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Trying\_to\_learn](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/trying_to_learn/32/28400_2.png) [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)\
**Post date:** [25 January 2023 05:11 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-weird-messages-in-the-wrong-place/74150/1 "2023-01-25T05:11:05Z")

</div>

I had the code and so decided to put it in a `subflow`.  
Ok: It isn't perfect. (There: I said it.) 😉

But I am not getting what is going on.

This is the crux of it, and here's how it is supposed to work:  
Online - the `button` is active(ated) and usable. It should show OFF (red and up)  
Offline - the `button` should be `disabled` and have a `ban` icon over it.  
Instead it is `disabled` but showing `OFF` condition.

What I've done and why I am here:  
Populating it with `debug` nodes I am seeing incorrect messages being sent.

Code:

```auto
[{"id":"94cf2ea396e5b6f6","type":"subflow","name":"MQTT Button Toggle","info":"# 2023 01 25\nControl MQTT devices (power points)\nwith this node.\n\n`Button` node MUST have `topic` set to include\nthe device's name. eg: `A1/button`\nand the payload MUST be `X`\n\nSet the `Device Name` to (eg) `A1` to\ncontrol `A1` device.\n","category":"","in":[{"x":70,"y":160,"wires":[{"id":"7207fbe19cc07923"}]}],"out":[{"x":990,"y":200,"wires":[{"id":"66fb54e88f4acb8d","port":0}]},{"x":1190,"y":160,"wires":[{"id":"27d2dd9a875ab1a5","port":0}]},{"x":1020,"y":60,"wires":[{"id":"bdb2c46daf62b36f","port":0}]},{"x":500,"y":50,"wires":[{"id":"4788b5265af1d45a","port":0}]},{"x":470,"y":260,"wires":[{"id":"4788b5265af1d45a","port":1}]},{"x":350,"y":30,"wires":[{"id":"541720ad73579447","port":0}]}],"env":[{"name":"DN","type":"str","value":"","ui":{"label":{"en-US":"Device Name"},"type":"input","opts":{"types":["str"]}}}],"meta":{},"color":"#DDAA99","inputLabels":["MQTT (tele and LWT) and button input"],"outputLabels":["Back to `button` input","MQTT output","OFF icon","Online","Offline","Power message"],"status":{"x":1070,"y":270,"wires":[{"id":"45a85f7621f5c28f","port":0}]}},{"id":"541720ad73579447","type":"switch","z":"94cf2ea396e5b6f6","name":"what message?","property":"topic","propertyType":"msg","rules":[{"t":"cont","v":"/stat/POWER","vt":"env"},{"t":"cont","v":"/tele/LWT","vt":"str"},{"t":"cont","v":"button","vt":"str"}],"checkall":"true","repair":false,"outputs":3,"x":195,"y":160,"wires":[["61843ca1684f9f9d"],["4788b5265af1d45a"],["5b8cd9fe254ea8d1"]],"l":false},{"id":"61843ca1684f9f9d","type":"delay","z":"94cf2ea396e5b6f6","name":"Delay","pauseType":"delay","timeout":"200","timeoutUnits":"milliseconds","rate":"1","nbRateUnits":"1","rateUnits":"second","randomFirst":"1","randomLast":"5","randomUnits":"seconds","drop":false,"allowrate":false,"outputs":1,"x":320,"y":80,"wires":[["bdb2c46daf62b36f"]]},{"id":"6d4704f6fc9b98be","type":"change","z":"94cf2ea396e5b6f6","name":"RESET","rules":[{"t":"set","p":"payload","pt":"msg","to":"RESET","tot":"str"}],"action":"","property":"","from":"","to":"","reg":false,"x":330,"y":120,"wires":[["bdb2c46daf62b36f"]]},{"id":"4788b5265af1d45a","type":"switch","z":"94cf2ea396e5b6f6","name":"LWT","property":"payload","propertyType":"msg","rules":[{"t":"eq","v":"Online","vt":"str"},{"t":"eq","v":"Offline","vt":"str"}],"checkall":"true","repair":false,"outputs":2,"x":320,"y":160,"wires":[["6d4704f6fc9b98be","bc2aabd04561d534"],["6a82c12953657965"]]},{"id":"6a82c12953657965","type":"function","z":"94cf2ea396e5b6f6","name":"BAN","func":"msg = {icon: '<font color = \"red\"><i class=\"fa fa-ban fa-3x\"></i></font>'};\nreturn msg;","outputs":1,"noerr":0,"x":320,"y":200,"wires":[["8dc8a0dd2b669ae3"]]},{"id":"bc2aabd04561d534","type":"change","z":"94cf2ea396e5b6f6","name":"Enable","rules":[{"t":"set","p":"enabled","pt":"msg","to":"true","tot":"bool"},{"t":"set","p":"ARLEC-1","pt":"flow","to":"ONLINE","tot":"str"},{"t":"delete","p":"payload","pt":"msg"}],"action":"","property":"","from":"","to":"","reg":false,"x":520,"y":160,"wires":[["66fb54e88f4acb8d"]]},{"id":"bdb2c46daf62b36f","type":"function","z":"94cf2ea396e5b6f6","name":"Set state","func":"let device = msg.topic.split(\"/\");\n//node.warn(\"Device \" + device[0]);\n//node.warn(\"Payload \" + msg.payload);\n\nif (msg.payload == \"RESET\")\n{\n let state = context.get(device[0]);\n if (state === 0)\n {\n //\n msg= {\"icon\": '<font color = \"red\"><i class=\"fa fa-toggle-on fa-rotate-270 fa-3x\"></i></font>',\"background\":\"black\"};\n return msg;\n }\n //\n}\nif (msg.payload == \"ON\")\n{\n msg = { \"icon\": '<font color = \"lime\"><i class=\"fa fa-toggle-on fa-rotate-90 fa-3x\"></i></font>', \"background\": \"black\" };\n context.set(\"STATE\",1);\n context.set(device[0],1);\n} else\n{\n msg = { \"icon\": '<font color = \"red\"><i class=\"fa fa-toggle-on fa-rotate-270 fa-3x\"></i></font>', \"background\": \"black\" };\n context.set(\"STATE\",0);\n context.set(device[0], 1);\n}\nreturn msg;\n","outputs":1,"noerr":0,"initialize":"","finalize":"","libs":[],"x":520,"y":120,"wires":[["66fb54e88f4acb8d"]]},{"id":"8dc8a0dd2b669ae3","type":"change","z":"94cf2ea396e5b6f6","name":"Disable","rules":[{"t":"set","p":"enabled","pt":"msg","to":"false","tot":"bool"},{"t":"set","p":"ARLEC-1","pt":"flow","to":"OFFLINE","tot":"str"},{"t":"delete","p":"payload","pt":"msg"}],"action":"","property":"","from":"","to":"","reg":false,"x":520,"y":200,"wires":[["66fb54e88f4acb8d"]]},{"id":"5b8cd9fe254ea8d1","type":"function","z":"94cf2ea396e5b6f6","name":"Button control","func":"let msg1 = {};\n\nlet x = msg.payload;\nlet counter = context.get(\"counter\") || 0;\nif (x == \"X\")\n{\n counter = (counter + 1) % 2;\n context.set(\"counter\",counter);\n if (counter === 0)\n {\n //\n msg.payload = \"OFF\";\n msg1 = {\"icon\": '<font color = \"orangered\"><i class=\"fa fa-toggle-on fa-rotate-270 fa-3x\"></i></font>',\"background\":\"black\"};\n\n } else\n {\n //\n msg.payload = \"ON\";\n msg1 = {\"icon\": '<font color = \"orangered\"><i class=\"fa fa-toggle-on fa-rotate-90 fa-3x\"></i></font>',\"backgound\":\"black\"};\n }\n}\nif (x == \"ON\")\n{\n // Force power ON\n msg.payload = \"ON\";\n msg1 = { \"icon\": '<font color = \"orangered\"><i class=\"fa fa-toggle-on fa-rotate-90 fa-3x\"></i></font>', \"backgound\": \"black\" };\n context.set(\"counter\",1);\n}\nif (x == \"OFF\")\n{\n // Force power OFF\n msg.payload = \"OFF\";\n msg1 = { \"icon\": '<font color = \"orangered\"><i class=\"fa fa-toggle-on fa-rotate-90 fa-3x\"></i></font>', \"backgound\": \"black\" };\n context.set(\"counter\",0);\n}\n\nreturn [msg,msg1];","outputs":2,"noerr":0,"initialize":"","finalize":"","libs":[],"x":750,"y":120,"wires":[["4f29a481b6f0d0e3"],["66fb54e88f4acb8d"]]},{"id":"4f29a481b6f0d0e3","type":"delay","z":"94cf2ea396e5b6f6","name":"Delay","pauseType":"delay","timeout":"100","timeoutUnits":"milliseconds","rate":"1","nbRateUnits":"1","rateUnits":"second","randomFirst":"1","randomLast":"5","randomUnits":"seconds","drop":false,"outputs":1,"x":1040,"y":120,"wires":[["27d2dd9a875ab1a5"]]},{"id":"27d2dd9a875ab1a5","type":"change","z":"94cf2ea396e5b6f6","name":"#1","rules":[{"t":"set","p":"topic","pt":"msg","to":"DN","tot":"env"},{"t":"set","p":"topic","pt":"msg","to":"topic&'/cmnd/power1'","tot":"jsonata"}],"action":"","property":"","from":"","to":"","reg":false,"x":1040,"y":160,"wires":[[]]},{"id":"7207fbe19cc07923","type":"switch","z":"94cf2ea396e5b6f6","name":"Only for this device","property":"topic","propertyType":"msg","rules":[{"t":"cont","v":"DN","vt":"env"}],"checkall":"true","repair":false,"outputs":1,"x":135,"y":160,"wires":[["541720ad73579447"]],"l":false},{"id":"0ae8f43ccf9a1016","type":"function","z":"94cf2ea396e5b6f6","d":true,"name":"Identify","func":"return msg;","outputs":1,"noerr":0,"initialize":"// Code added here will be run once\n// whenever the node is started.\nnode.warn(env.get(\"DN\"));\n","finalize":"","libs":[],"x":720,"y":270,"wires":[[]]},{"id":"45a85f7621f5c28f","type":"status","z":"94cf2ea396e5b6f6","name":"","scope":["0ae8f43ccf9a1016"],"x":860,"y":270,"wires":[[]]},{"id":"66fb54e88f4acb8d","type":"junction","z":"94cf2ea396e5b6f6","x":680,"y":200,"wires":[[]]},{"id":"f29f3ae3ad90c065","type":"subflow:94cf2ea396e5b6f6","z":"26262ba1.62dcbc","name":"","env":[{"name":"DN","value":"A1","type":"str"},{"name":"Device name","value":"A1","type":"str"}],"x":490,"y":4450,"wires":[["9ba2764071e69ef2","09bbf34582385e2b"],["9dda7b6776cbfe6e"],["d3e03c085bc82f40"],["117134ce1596018c"],["c1ca608c59f2d129"],["1e958047459a73c3"]]},{"id":"a360d4423ef1ec6c","type":"junction","z":"26262ba1.62dcbc","x":330,"y":4450,"wires":[["f29f3ae3ad90c065","d03d156fa9522ca9"]]},{"id":"9ba2764071e69ef2","type":"ui_button","z":"26262ba1.62dcbc","name":"A1","group":"5dde4bf66eb38aa1","order":0,"width":"1","height":"1","passthru":false,"label":"{{msg.icon}}","tooltip":"","color":"","bgcolor":"{{msg.background}}","className":"","icon":"","payload":"X","payloadType":"str","topic":"A1/button","topicType":"str","x":760,"y":4420,"wires":[["c2f5a62f6628cf5f"]]},{"id":"09bbf34582385e2b","type":"debug","z":"26262ba1.62dcbc","name":"To button","active":true,"tosidebar":true,"console":false,"tostatus":false,"complete":"true","targetType":"full","statusVal":"","statusType":"auto","x":770,"y":4340,"wires":[]},{"id":"d3e03c085bc82f40","type":"trigger","z":"26262ba1.62dcbc","name":"","op1":"1","op2":"0","op1type":"str","op2type":"str","duration":"2","extend":false,"overrideDelay":false,"units":"s","reset":"","bytopic":"all","topic":"topic","outputs":1,"x":770,"y":4530,"wires":[[]]},{"id":"117134ce1596018c","type":"debug","z":"26262ba1.62dcbc","name":"ONLINE","active":true,"tosidebar":true,"console":false,"tostatus":false,"complete":"payload","targetType":"msg","statusVal":"","statusType":"auto","x":770,"y":4570,"wires":[]},{"id":"c1ca608c59f2d129","type":"debug","z":"26262ba1.62dcbc","name":"OFFLINE","active":true,"tosidebar":true,"console":false,"tostatus":false,"complete":"payload","targetType":"msg","statusVal":"","statusType":"auto","x":770,"y":4610,"wires":[]},{"id":"1e958047459a73c3","type":"debug","z":"26262ba1.62dcbc","name":"Power message","active":true,"tosidebar":true,"console":false,"tostatus":false,"complete":"payload","targetType":"msg","statusVal":"","statusType":"auto","x":790,"y":4650,"wires":[]},{"id":"61ee633777cbbe4d","type":"link in","z":"26262ba1.62dcbc","name":"Button","links":["c2f5a62f6628cf5f"],"x":265,"y":4490,"wires":[["a360d4423ef1ec6c"]]},{"id":"e56d8c944518c96b","type":"inject","z":"26262ba1.62dcbc","name":"Offline","props":[{"p":"payload"},{"p":"topic","vt":"str"}],"repeat":"","crontab":"","once":false,"onceDelay":0.1,"topic":"A1/tele/LWT","payload":"Offline","payloadType":"str","x":230,"y":4530,"wires":[["a360d4423ef1ec6c"]]},{"id":"836617ea351143cb","type":"inject","z":"26262ba1.62dcbc","name":"Online","props":[{"p":"payload"},{"p":"topic","vt":"str"}],"repeat":"","crontab":"","once":false,"onceDelay":0.1,"topic":"A1/tele/LWT","payload":"Online","payloadType":"str","x":230,"y":4570,"wires":[["a360d4423ef1ec6c"]]},{"id":"d03d156fa9522ca9","type":"debug","z":"26262ba1.62dcbc","name":"Going IN","active":true,"tosidebar":true,"console":false,"tostatus":false,"complete":"true","targetType":"full","statusVal":"","statusType":"auto","x":430,"y":4350,"wires":[]},{"id":"c2f5a62f6628cf5f","type":"link out","z":"26262ba1.62dcbc","name":"Button","mode":"link","links":["61ee633777cbbe4d"],"x":855,"y":4420,"wires":[]},{"id":"c42bfcfaec6f1e40","type":"inject","z":"26262ba1.62dcbc","name":"Button","props":[{"p":"payload"},{"p":"topic","vt":"str"}],"repeat":"","crontab":"","once":false,"onceDelay":0.1,"topic":"A1/button","payload":"X","payloadType":"str","x":760,"y":4380,"wires":[["c2f5a62f6628cf5f"]]},{"id":"5dde4bf66eb38aa1","type":"ui_group","name":"A(1-4) Sockets","tab":"aa487daa.33c1c","order":9,"disp":true,"width":"4","collapse":false,"className":""},{"id":"aa487daa.33c1c","type":"ui_tab","name":"Real_World_Control","icon":"dashboard","order":3,"disabled":false,"hidden":false}]

```

# OH!

You may need to set the properties of the `subflow` properties to `A1` for the `Device Name`.

 ![Screenshot from 2023-01-25 15-53-31](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/b/1/b18e8db56106a92cd677e172d460ffbcbc75a50c.png)

I press the `offline` node.  
You see the `offline` message (green) going in.  
(Blue) you see what is being sent to the button. (Hang on before asking)  
But the RED message **should not** happen/be sent.  
**Note here** That `red` message I showed in the above picture is from OUTPUT 6!

Why?  
(Inside the subflow)

 ![Screenshot from 2023-01-25 15-57-51](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/5/6/568feec41cba06c60dca991bc0d611d30866239d.png)

The `going in` message has a `topic` of `A1/tele/LWT`  
So in the `switch` node it should to go output #2 -- yes?

Let's look at it a bit more.

 ![Screenshot from 2023-01-25 16-07-56](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/c/1/c1e1b9bec4324ea9ba4c4b53b72da7f2e5f097c2.png)

Output #6 is connected to the **FIRST** output of the `switch` node, and we've just looked and that output is ONLY if the `topic` **contains** `/stat/POWER`.  
And you can see that the message being sent in did NOT have that in the topic.

So why/how does it happen?

I'm stumped here and this is where I am at.

Thanks in advance.

## BTW

I have this in a flow and it works.  
If I put it in the `subflow`: It fails how I described.  
Ok, correction:  
It is nearly the same.  
In the main flow there aren't the two `switch` nodes.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ralphwetzel](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/ralphwetzel/32/53713_2.png) [@ralphwetzel](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/ralphwetzel)\
**Post date:** [25 January 2023 06:54 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-weird-messages-in-the-wrong-place/74150/2 "2023-01-25T06:54:31Z")

</div>

![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/4/1/41e3e72292b0bc4fa9d76bd16b42c0d38acc19c8.png)

You see the `$` as type marker next to `/stat/POWER` - defining this as an `$env` variable? I'd need to check what the runtime does in case this doesn't exist - guessing that it doesn't.  
To fix, I propose to change the type to `<string>` as in the next rows of the switch node config.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Trying\_to\_learn](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/trying_to_learn/32/28400_2.png) [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)\
**Post date:** [25 January 2023 06:55 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-weird-messages-in-the-wrong-place/74150/3 "2023-01-25T06:55:57Z")

</div>

Thanks.

I think that is because I was trying other things before I got to that and forgot to change it back to `text`.

I think I had _Confirmation bias_ when looking at it.

# THANKS again.

---

<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:** [8 February 2023 06:56 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-weird-messages-in-the-wrong-place/74150/4 "2023-02-08T06:56:32Z")

</div>

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