# 🎉 Node-RED 0.19 released

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-0-19-released/2267>\
**Category:** News\
**Created:** [14 August 2018 09:46 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-0-19-released/2267 "2018-08-14T09:46:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 18\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![TotallyInformation](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/totallyinformation/32/31_2.png) [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)\
**Post date:** [15 August 2018 16:09 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-0-19-released/2267/41 "2018-08-15T16:09:06Z")

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> [@davidcgu](#):
>
> I will try to look deeper to see if I'm able to find something but I'm almost sure that I'm not trying to store any object.

If that list is part of your object, you have a property called "return" which is a reserved word in JavaScript so I wonder if that could be it?

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**Author:** ![TotallyInformation](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/totallyinformation/32/31_2.png) [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)\
**Post date:** [15 August 2018 16:19 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-0-19-released/2267/42 "2018-08-15T16:19:53Z")

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> [@knolleary](#):
>
> use either `default` or `memoryOnly` as the store name argument

Thanks Nick.

Just to note that, if you switch the settings for a variable from file store to memory store, the file version remains, the only way currently to delete that is to edit or delete the store file. Both will be shown in the context browser.

This could very easily become confusing since different nodes might end up using different versions of the same variable name. Something to keep an eye on.

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**Author:** ![davidcgu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@davidcgu](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/davidcgu)\
**Post date:** [15 August 2018 16:32 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-0-19-released/2267/43 "2018-08-15T16:32:14Z")

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Bad news, I have tried to renane this variable but still failing.

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**Author:** ![tilleul](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/tilleul/32/78_2.png) [@tilleul](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/tilleul)\
**Post date:** [16 August 2018 13:48 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-0-19-released/2267/44 "2018-08-16T13:48:15Z")

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@knolleary I've been playing with the new context storage feature and it's really nice.  
Maybe the docs should be more clear: we don't have to name the first storage `default` , we can name it anything like `test` or `myStorage` and it will become the de facto default storage. Any additional storage will have to be specifically named to be accessed.

However, a problem occurs when you use two or more storages of the same type. `memory` storages are considered as being different "memories" which is ok but that's not the case for `localfilesystem` storages: the data is saved in only one file (one per context type) while their current memory counter-part are saved in different places. Let me explain.  
Let's say I have two `localfilesystem` storages named `fs1` and `fs2`. Each has a global data named `myData`.

A function node with  
`global.set("myData", true, "fs1");` will store `myData: true` in `fs1` while  
`global.set("myData", false, "fs2");` will store `myData: false` in `fs2`.

The new context-browser feature (a very nice touch !) will show that the memory version of `fs1` has `myData: true` while `fs2` has `myData: false`. But those storages share the same json file and so a Node-RED restart will read back `myData: false` for `fs1` and `fs2` storages.

I also noticed that the write operation to a `localfilesystem` storage is slightly delayed (10-15 seconds ?) meaning that data might be "lost" if the Node-RED process is interrupted (willingly or not) before it had time to write the data in file (I'm on Win10 here). I supposed that's per design, but it might be worth mentioning in the docs as well.

I like the fact that you updated the TypedInput with a dropdown to select the storage but IMHO it should display the storage name as well even when the dropdown is not expanded.

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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:** [16 August 2018 13:51 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-0-19-released/2267/45 "2018-08-16T13:51:40Z")

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@tilleul thanks for the feedback.

The documentation for the localfilesystem store is here: [https://nodered.org/docs/api/context/store/localfilesystem](https://nodered.org/docs/api/context/store/localfilesystem)

It describes how to configure where the store writes its data, its the caching behaviour and how to configure the flush time.

Will look at how to draw more attention to this from elsewhere in the docs.

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**Author:** ![tilleul](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/tilleul/32/78_2.png) [@tilleul](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/tilleul)\
**Post date:** [16 August 2018 14:14 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-0-19-released/2267/46 "2018-08-16T14:14:59Z")

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@knolleary wow ! sorry I missed that information ! You've really thought of everything ! 👍

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**Author:** ![tilleul](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/tilleul/32/78_2.png) [@tilleul](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/tilleul)\
**Post date:** [16 August 2018 15:42 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-0-19-released/2267/47 "2018-08-16T15:42:48Z")

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@knolleary I have a small (?) suggestion/feature request regarding context storage.  
Would you consider adding a fourth parameter to the asynchronous `get` function of the contexts ? This 4th parameter, only useful with `file` storage (for now ?) would force a refresh/file read of the context. Let me explain.

With that brand-new context storage, Node-RED now has an effective albeit simple mini-database system. For large amounts of data, they're might be more powerful/adequate solutions like mysql etc but for small amounts, the context storage seems enough.

Up until now, I was more-or-less replicating this behaviour with the various available nodes: a WATCH node to watch a json file for changes, then upon a change a FILE READ node is triggered, then a JSON node to parse the data, and then storing all this in the global (memory) context. Every time the json file was modified (either by Node-RED or **another** process), it would be read again, the data would be extracted and stored in the global context. Whenever I wanted to use the data in Node-RED, it was already in memory in the global context.

What's great with the `file` storage is that it is read at the start of NR without having to configure any node and that it can cache its data in memory, which is fast. The only thing that seems to be missing is forcing a context file re-read when a change in the file is detected (or when any other event happens).

I'm suggesting a 4th parameter but it could be of course something else, maybe a real `refresh()` method ?

Or maybe my suggestion does not raise any interest, which is also fine 😉

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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:** [16 August 2018 16:07 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-0-19-released/2267/48 "2018-08-16T16:07:05Z")

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The only thing writing to change the file should be Node-RED... the context is cached in memory and only flushed every 30secs (by default) - or on close - so may not be consistent with what is on disk at all times. Reloading the whole file every time there is a change seems like an awful lot of potentially slow IO to me.

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**Author:** ![tilleul](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/tilleul/32/78_2.png) [@tilleul](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/tilleul)\
**Post date:** [16 August 2018 16:22 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-0-19-released/2267/49 "2018-08-16T16:22:42Z")

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@dceejay I understand your concern but as I said, it would not be for real-time data processing, more for config files etc. The new context storage feature allows to separate memory context and file context and allows multiple file context working together: we could have a "classic" (Im already calling it a "classic" !) 30secs-cached file context alongside zero seconds cached contexts.

I simply see the new feature as a way to easy read/write config files ... config files containing data I would store in NR context in the end anyway after having read them...

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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:** [16 August 2018 16:35 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-0-19-released/2267/50 "2018-08-16T16:35:19Z")

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I think the point is why would you ever want to re-read the file? The latest values of the context variables is always available without re-reading it.

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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:** [16 August 2018 16:43 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-0-19-released/2267/51 "2018-08-16T16:43:57Z")

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@tilleul there is already the option to disable the caching - so it has to re-read the file every time you do a get. So you could create a store in that mode just for your infrequently-read config values.

**But** the exact format the localfilesystem plugin uses to store context to disk should **not** be assumed. It may change (and automatically migrate) as we find ways to optimise the operations it does. It should **not** be used as a generic way to read/write arbitrary JSON files.

The context api is generic, intended for different implementations to be plugged into it. We wouldn't add an extra argument to the api just for the convenience of one store.

The full design of the context api includes a not-yet implemented 'run' function that can be used to invoke named commands on the store. This was originally envisaged as a way for a store to support atomic actions on values - for example redis has various `incr` commands that atomically increase the value of an integer... so you would be able to do something like: `flow.run('myRedisStore','myKey','incr')` (pseudo code... we haven't designed the api to that level of detail yet). These commands would _not_ be portable between different stores, but I could imagine, if the need really did arise, to have a `sync` command available on the file store to ensure any pending writes have been written at that point and a `load` command to refresh the local cache.

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**Author:** ![tilleul](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/tilleul/32/78_2.png) [@tilleul](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/tilleul)\
**Post date:** [16 August 2018 16:49 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-0-19-released/2267/52 "2018-08-16T16:49:32Z")

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Ok I understand, thanks for taking the time to reply 🙂

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**Author:** ![doccirrus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@doccirrus](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/doccirrus)\
**Post date:** [8 January 2019 11:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-0-19-released/2267/53 "2019-01-08T11:40:06Z")

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After updating node-red to 0.19, context tab shows all the values present in "functionGlobalContext" like ports, username, password in UI.  
I do not want anyone to see the config details. Failing to disable it.  
Is there a way to disable the context tab in UI or configure "functionGlobalContext" ?

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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:** [8 January 2019 12:15 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-0-19-released/2267/54 "2019-01-08T12:15:57Z")

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Hi @doccirrus - no, there is no way to stop that currently - the only option would be to ensure you have secured the editor to prevent unauthorised access.

But I think you've raised a requirement here we hadn't considered. I'll put something on the backlog and see what we could do for 0.20.

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**Author:** ![doccirrus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@doccirrus](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/doccirrus)\
**Post date:** [8 January 2019 15:12 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-0-19-released/2267/55 "2019-01-08T15:12:02Z")

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Thank you. But there should be a provision to disable it. Because all the global variables used are exposed.

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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:** [8 January 2019 16:08 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-0-19-released/2267/56 "2019-01-08T16:08:25Z")

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Indeed - hence going on the backlog to fix. Credentials should of course not be passed around within the global context, as any other node could grab them.

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**Author:** ![doccirrus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/8797f3/32.png) [@doccirrus](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/doccirrus)\
**Post date:** [9 January 2019 09:54 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-0-19-released/2267/57 "2019-01-09T09:54:47Z")

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Yes agreed. But do not want params like url, port numbers etc to be exposed.  
Thank you.

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**Author:** ![TotallyInformation](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/totallyinformation/32/31_2.png) [@TotallyInformation](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/TotallyInformation)\
**Post date:** [10 January 2019 09:28 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-0-19-released/2267/58 "2019-01-10T09:28:22Z")

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I think there is a contrib node that lets you put data into the credentials store and pull them into a msg so you don't need to put them into global variables.

[Previous page](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-0-19-released/2267.md?page=2)