# RED.\_() behaviour

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/red-behaviour/12946>\
**Category:** Core Development\
**Created:** [5 July 2019 09:11 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/red-behaviour/12946 "2019-07-05T09:11:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [5 July 2019 09:11 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/red-behaviour/12946/1 "2019-07-05T09:11:19Z")

</div>

Is there any particular reason why the definition of `RED._()` returns a `string` if `i18n` returned a `string` and will return the `key` sent to `i18n` in all other cases ? This prevents the use of `{returnObjects: true}` in `options` as documented here: [https://www.i18next.com/translation-function/objects-and-arrays](https://www.i18next.com/translation-function/objects-and-arrays)

If the key was not found, `i18n` will return the key anyway so I think maybe `RED._()` could be simplified from

```auto
RED["_"] = function() {
  var v = i18n.t.apply(null,arguments);
  if (typeof v === 'string') {
    return v;
  } else {
    return arguments[0];
  }
}

```

(as found here in lines 38-45: [https://github.com/node-red/node-red/blob/master/packages/node\_modules/%40node-red/editor-client/src/js/i18n.js](https://github.com/node-red/node-red/blob/master/packages/node_modules/%40node-red/editor-client/src/js/i18n.js))

to

```auto
RED["_"] = function() {
  return i18n.t.apply(null,arguments);
}

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [5 July 2019 09:52 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/red-behaviour/12946/2 "2019-07-05T09:52:36Z")

</div>

> [@tilleul](#):
>
> Is there any particular reason why the definition of `RED._()` returns a `string` if `i18n` returned a `string` and will return the `key` sent to `i18n` in all other cases ?

I can't remember the full details, but yes, this was a choice made.

There are places (such as node status) where we are given a string and we check to see if it is a message catalog id. If it isn't then we return the key. A problem happens when someone sends the status value that matches the first part of a message id, such as `debug`. This would return the complete object under `debug` in the catalog - which we don't want. So we only allow look up of absolute messages and don't set `returnObjects`.

Do you have a particular need to use that feature?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [5 July 2019 14:09 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/red-behaviour/12946/3 "2019-07-05T14:09:01Z")

</div>

In one of my custom nodes, I'm using an object to write text in the cells of a table (text is using locales of course). It was easier to have an object/array rather than a different i18n key for each cell. Hence my use of `returnObjects`. In the meantime I've used the `i18n.t()` function directly instead of `RED._()`. But I suppose this is discouraged as `RED._()` is the official way ?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [5 July 2019 14:37 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/red-behaviour/12946/4 "2019-07-05T14:37:49Z")

</div>

> [@tilleul](#):
>
> Hence my use of `returnObjects` . In the meantime I've used the `i18n.t()` function directly instead of `RED._()` . But I suppose this is discouraged as `RED._()` is the official way ?

We don't expose the i18n internals so I'm not sure how you are using `returnObjects` in your code.

`RED._()` is the only official function we provide to get messages from the catalog. The i18n library is an internal implementation detail.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [5 July 2019 14:59 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/red-behaviour/12946/5 "2019-07-05T14:59:37Z")

</div>

Mmmh ... `ì18n` is available in my browser's console that's why I'm using it instead of `RED._()` .. I assumed NR exposed it ... I'm embedding NR in my own app ... maybe I added i18n myself ? I don't remember doing that ... I should check where this comes from ...

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<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [5 July 2019 15:02 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/red-behaviour/12946/6 "2019-07-05T15:02:47Z")

</div>

`i18n` exposes itself on the global object, but that isn't intended for general use and nowhere in our docs is it highlighted

[https://nodered.org/docs/creating-nodes/i18n](https://nodered.org/docs/creating-nodes/i18n)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [5 July 2019 15:06 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/red-behaviour/12946/7 "2019-07-05T15:06:50Z")

</div>

Thanks for the explanation ! I'm not crazy after all 🙂 I can live with i18n for now, even though I'll have to be careful after updates ... any chance RED.\_() could implement a few features from the original i18n in the future ?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [5 July 2019 15:08 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/red-behaviour/12946/8 "2019-07-05T15:08:36Z")

</div>

> [@tilleul](#):
>
> any chance RED.\_() could implement a few features from the original i18n in the future ?

Its possible. But until today no-one has asked about it, so it has never been something on the backlog.