# 🎉 Node-RED 1.3.0-beta.1 released

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-1-3-0-beta-1-released/41960>\
**Category:** News\
**Created:** [3 March 2021 14:51 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-1-3-0-beta-1-released/41960 "2021-03-03T14:51:03Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 15\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![bakman2](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/bakman2/32/6207_2.png) [@bakman2](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/bakman2)\
**Post date:** [4 March 2021 09:23 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-1-3-0-beta-1-released/41960/21 "2021-03-04T09:23:52Z")

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Thanks @knolleary and all contributors, what a massive update.

For the `functionExternalModules` - what is the reason for the typed input field (and not just a string) ?  
How are the modules getting updated and/or can specific versions be specified ?

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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:** [4 March 2021 09:27 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-1-3-0-beta-1-released/41960/22 "2021-03-04T09:27:36Z")

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> [@bakman2](#):
>
> For the `functionExternalModules` - what is the reason for the typed input field (and not just a string) ?

The TypedInput will be populated with a list of the modules already used by all Function nodes - so if you want to use the same module in multiple nodes, you don't have to type it in each time, you can just select it from the list.

You can specify a version using `foo@1.2.3`. However, we cannot handle the case if you have two function nodes that require different versions of the same module.

In this version, you'll need to fall back to the command-line to update modules. They get installed under `~/.node-red/externalModules/`. There was original a plan to have lots of buttons in the UI to let you update/remove/install extra modules, but it needed more work to get the APIs right.

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**Author:** ![bakman2](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/bakman2/32/6207_2.png) [@bakman2](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/bakman2)\
**Post date:** [4 March 2021 09:29 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-1-3-0-beta-1-released/41960/23 "2021-03-04T09:29:46Z")

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> you don't have to type it in each time, you can just select it from the list.

awesome, thanks.

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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:** [4 March 2021 10:46 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-1-3-0-beta-1-released/41960/24 "2021-03-04T10:46:26Z")

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> [@UnborN](#):
>
> Firefox v.86

Thanks for reporting the issue. I have recreated and pushed a fix.

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**Author:** ![dudleyjosh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/dudleyjosh/32/105799_2.png) [@dudleyjosh](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dudleyjosh)\
**Post date:** [4 March 2021 15:08 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-1-3-0-beta-1-released/41960/25 "2021-03-04T15:08:57Z")

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I checked the browser console for errors related to the issue I am having with `functionExternalModules`... there were no errors so this is still a mystery. 🧐

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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:** [4 March 2021 15:11 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-1-3-0-beta-1-released/41960/26 "2021-03-04T15:11:23Z")

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Were the elements present in the dom? (See my earlier posts)

Did you check the classes against the elements? (See my earlier posts)

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**Author:** ![UnborN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/4491bb/32.png) [@UnborN](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/UnborN)\
**Post date:** [4 March 2021 15:22 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-1-3-0-beta-1-released/41960/27 "2021-03-04T15:22:31Z")

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also while you are at it .. what does this return in the browser's console ? true / false ?  
`RED.settings.functionExternalModules`

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**Author:** ![dudleyjosh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/dudleyjosh/32/105799_2.png) [@dudleyjosh](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dudleyjosh)\
**Post date:** [4 March 2021 15:35 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-1-3-0-beta-1-released/41960/28 "2021-03-04T15:35:46Z")

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It returns `false`... but it is definitely set to `true` in the `settings.js` file as shown in one of my earlier posts?

![Screen Shot 2021-03-04 at 10.33.47](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/4/3/435ef2f42a8992edad8930203485c64dbf25247a.png)

I manually set it from the console and that makes it work correctly... but I have no idea why it isn't loading `functionExternalModules` from the `settings.js` file correctly.

![Screen Shot 2021-03-04 at 10.43.45](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/8/a/8a84307930eb6455dad56dbe5cd49310eccf3981.png)

I've now installed Node-RED v1.3 beta on 4 separate computers, updated the `settings.js` file with `functionExternalModules: true,`and it works as expected on all of them except my primary work computer?

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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:** [4 March 2021 15:46 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-1-3-0-beta-1-released/41960/29 "2021-03-04T15:46:10Z")

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> [@dudleyjosh](#):
>
> It returns `false` ... but it is definitely set to `true` in the `settings.js`

That tells us that whatever is happening here, is happing in the runtime side.

It is very strange because nothing in the runtime will override that value if it has been set in the settings file.

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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:** [4 March 2021 15:51 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-1-3-0-beta-1-released/41960/30 "2021-03-04T15:51:44Z")

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Edit the line in settings.js so that it becomes invalid javascript and make sure the node-red will not start - that will confirm the line is being seen. If that seems ok then delete and retype the line in case there is an unprintable character causing confusion.

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**Author:** ![dudleyjosh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/dudleyjosh/32/105799_2.png) [@dudleyjosh](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dudleyjosh)\
**Post date:** [4 March 2021 16:01 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-1-3-0-beta-1-released/41960/31 "2021-03-04T16:01:07Z")

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@knolleary the good news is that we can stop chasing this as I stumbled upon the issue and it had nothing to do with Node-RED (yeah)... but now I have a bizarre mystery for myself.

After @Colin suggested editing `setting.js` to make it invalid, I opened it with just the simple TextEdit app and I discovered the `functionExternalModules: true,` line wasn't in there at all. So I closed it and opened it with the BBEdit app that I often use for basic text editing and it was there????

I simply forced another save from BBEdit and then launched Node-RED again and it worked as expected.

I have no clue what bizarre state that file was in... but it is working now.

Thanks for all of the help from everyone.

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**Author:** ![dudleyjosh](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/dudleyjosh/32/105799_2.png) [@dudleyjosh](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dudleyjosh)\
**Post date:** [4 March 2021 16:05 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-1-3-0-beta-1-released/41960/32 "2021-03-04T16:05:09Z")

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@Steve-Mcl the mystery has been solved... Thanks for your help.

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**Author:** ![mbonani](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/mbonani/32/10631_2.png) [@mbonani](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/mbonani)\
**Post date:** [11 March 2021 00:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-1-3-0-beta-1-released/41960/33 "2021-03-11T00:40:50Z")

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I published the second BETA version of the themes.

- [dark](https://github.com/node-red-contrib-themes/dark/tree/dev) ​- `npm install @node-red-contrib-themes/dark@next`
- [midnight-red](https://github.com/node-red-contrib-themes/midnight-red/tree/dev) ​- `npm install @node-red-contrib-themes/midnight-red@next`
- [oled](https://github.com/node-red-contrib-themes/oled/tree/dev) ​- `npm install @node-red-contrib-themes/oled@next`
- [solarized-dark](https://github.com/node-red-contrib-themes/solarized-dark/tree/dev) ​- `npm install @node-red-contrib-themes/solarized-dark@next`
- [solarized-light](https://github.com/node-red-contrib-themes/solarized-light/tree/dev) ​- `npm install @node-red-contrib-themes/solarized-light@next`

Please report any issues in the theme repository on GitHub. Links above.

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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:** [29 March 2021 20:55 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-1-3-0-beta-1-released/41960/35 "2021-03-29T20:55:33Z")

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Bumping this thread to say, we'll be published Node-RED 1.3.0 in the next week. If you've been meaning to try out the beta, but not got there yet, you've not got long left.

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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:** [28 May 2021 20:56 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/node-red-1-3-0-beta-1-released/41960/36 "2021-05-28T20:56:30Z")

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