# Layout order in subflows

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/layout-order-in-subflows/80253>\
**Category:** General\
**Tags:** node-red-dashboard\
**Created:** [2 August 2023 08:53 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/layout-order-in-subflows/80253 "2023-08-02T08:53:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Elena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Elena](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Elena)\
**Post date:** [2 August 2023 08:53 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/layout-order-in-subflows/80253/1 "2023-08-02T08:53:23Z")

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Hello,  
I have created a dashboard with a "text" node and a "text Input" node. The text is set by one function and another function processes the data from "text input". I want to create a subflow with text and text input, because I need this combination 20x.  
The problem is in the layout, I can't put the text input directly after the text and this combination 20x.  
node-red layout set text, text,.... text input, text input,....  
Is there a way to make the layout follow the required order?  
Does anyone have an idea how to solve this?  
Thanks a lot  
Elena

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**Author:** ![zenofmud](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/zenofmud/32/316_2.png) [@zenofmud](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/zenofmud)\
**Post date:** [2 August 2023 10:04 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/layout-order-in-subflows/80253/2 "2023-08-02T10:04:20Z")

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If I understand correctly, you have a ui-text node being fed data from somewhere and a ui-text-input node sending data somewhere else.

Read this thread for more information:

> [@Issue with Dashboard UI. Generating UI elements with subflows](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/issue-with-dashboard-ui-generating-ui-elements-with-subflows/71862):
>
> Using latest versions. I have a subflow that generates UI elements for a device. heartbeat and relay status for some reason aren't displayed like the others. I can't figure out what is causing this. Each variable type has its own group in the same tab. Layout schemes appear identical to the other nodes. If i import the ui nodes themselves to a fresh nodered, put them in a subflow and create instances, it displays it properly. [ { "id": "67e6135eefb495ae", …

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**Author:** ![DiverRich](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/diverrich/32/64523_2.png) [@DiverRich](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/DiverRich)\
**Post date:** [2 August 2023 13:36 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/layout-order-in-subflows/80253/3 "2023-08-02T13:36:32Z")

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I'm not 100% sure I understand your question. Can you give a bit more detail on what you're trying to do with the text? Are you examining a specific set of 20 possible inputs? Or do you just need to examine all 20 in a particular order? Or something else?

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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:** [2 August 2023 14:42 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/layout-order-in-subflows/80253/4 "2023-08-02T14:42:14Z")

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Using dashboard ui elements inside subflows is not supported. There is no way to control the order.

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**Author:** ![Elena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Elena](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Elena)\
**Post date:** [3 August 2023 08:02 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/layout-order-in-subflows/80253/5 "2023-08-03T08:02:49Z")

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Good morning 🙂  
I have an array of 20 text messages and their associated values. The text is passed as msg.payload to the node text and the node input text should display the default value.  
It should be this order:  
text: input text  
text: input text  
text: input text

currently node-red displays it like this:  
text text  
text text...  
input text input text  
input text....

I just didn't find an example with subflows and text nodes/input nodes.  
The approach of @zenofmud is interesting, as I can assign the text-nodes to one group and the input text-nodes to another group, if I create a subflow out of it and then copy it 20x, it will indeed show up like that and the text/text input combo is also correct (so far).  
Thanks a lot for your help!

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [2 October 2023 08:03 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/layout-order-in-subflows/80253/6 "2023-10-02T08:03:42Z")

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