# Need assistance converting serial input buffer to numbers

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/need-assistance-converting-serial-input-buffer-to-numbers/43703>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [5 April 2021 12:05 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/need-assistance-converting-serial-input-buffer-to-numbers/43703 "2021-04-05T12:05:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![SplitSecComp](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/splitseccomp/32/39802_2.png) [@SplitSecComp](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/SplitSecComp)\
**Post date:** [6 April 2021 12:46 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/need-assistance-converting-serial-input-buffer-to-numbers/43703/21 "2021-04-06T12:46:25Z")

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![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/5/6/5632e3072e5cc623c206364d79c09339005a8faa.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:** [6 April 2021 13:52 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/need-assistance-converting-serial-input-buffer-to-numbers/43703/22 "2021-04-06T13:52:50Z")

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Why are you asking the serial node to break data up into lengths of 8 bytes when your specification states 13 byte values will be returned for a **252** request?

Something is a miss.

I suspect you need to send a character AFTER 252 (like a CR or LF or ETX)

Do you have a link to the documentation?

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**Author:** ![SplitSecComp](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/splitseccomp/32/39802_2.png) [@SplitSecComp](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/SplitSecComp)\
**Post date:** [6 April 2021 14:19 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/need-assistance-converting-serial-input-buffer-to-numbers/43703/23 "2021-04-06T14:19:18Z")

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Many thanks for all the help so far.

Documentation is very limited. What I send you above is all I have. The uart serial port is very basic an uses al the basic/standard setup and protocols I was told.

I think you are correct the data from the serial port is incorrect.

The reason I split it I was trying to split it from the serial port. That was before I was aware of the buffer parser 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:** [6 April 2021 16:16 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/need-assistance-converting-serial-input-buffer-to-numbers/43703/24 "2021-04-06T16:16:49Z")

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> [@SplitSecComp](#):
>
> I haven't used the buffer parser before and are battling to understand how it works and how to configure it. I don't understand what offset does?

Buffer parser tries to simplify a quite complex problem of turning a buffer of bytes into usable INTS, FLOATS, STRINGS etc.

The incoming buffer can be chopped and packaged up in a nice payload object (ideal for when you want all values in one place) OR multiple payloads with a topic (ideal for MQTT) OR multiple payloads from multiple outputs (ideal for routing messages)

Example...

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/1/6/16f346c34893b5b5858c9f943e049ad6c68b2e61.png)

> [@SplitSecComp](#):
>
> I don't understand what offset does?

Its in the help info, but here is a simple example...

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/7/0/70ce1a6fdda31f69be3bbf9bf866a4878d365c4c.png)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SplitSecComp](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/splitseccomp/32/39802_2.png) [@SplitSecComp](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/SplitSecComp)\
**Post date:** [6 April 2021 17:01 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/need-assistance-converting-serial-input-buffer-to-numbers/43703/25 "2021-04-06T17:01:21Z")

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Many thanks I really appreciate all your help.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SplitSecComp](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/splitseccomp/32/39802_2.png) [@SplitSecComp](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/SplitSecComp)\
**Post date:** [7 April 2021 09:37 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/need-assistance-converting-serial-input-buffer-to-numbers/43703/26 "2021-04-07T09:37:09Z")

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Hi Steve. I have managed to get the serial input data sorted. You were right 😃

Now i must just sort out the buffer parser.

Again many thanks.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/0/9/0998e135037dac65643ee1a20f8af69f2b3ddf6f.png)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [8 April 2021 08:00 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/need-assistance-converting-serial-input-buffer-to-numbers/43703/27 "2021-04-08T08:00:04Z")

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> [@SplitSecComp](#):
>
> Hi Steve. I have managed to get the serial input data sorted. You were right

I am always right sometimes 🙂

> [@SplitSecComp](#):
>
> Now i must just sort out the buffer parser.

It looks daunting but thats due to the task of number extraction and conversion and the billions of combinations possible. I like to think it simplifies things for users (once they get past the initial "what is all this" stage)

> [@SplitSecComp](#):
>
> Again many thanks

You're most welcome.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![SplitSecComp](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/splitseccomp/32/39802_2.png) [@SplitSecComp](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/SplitSecComp)\
**Post date:** [8 April 2021 09:08 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/need-assistance-converting-serial-input-buffer-to-numbers/43703/28 "2021-04-08T09:08:58Z")

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I managed to get it all working 👍

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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:** [7 June 2021 09:09 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/need-assistance-converting-serial-input-buffer-to-numbers/43703/29 "2021-06-07T09:09:31Z")

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