# Setup node variables in function node on start
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/setup-node-variables-in-function-node-on-start/55984
**Category:** General
**Created:** [2 January 2022 07:30 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/setup-node-variables-in-function-node-on-start/55984 "2022-01-02T07:30:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@BartButenaers](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/BartButenaers)
#### Post date: [2 January 2022 07:30 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/setup-node-variables-in-function-node-on-start/55984/1 "2022-01-02T07:30:07Z")
Hi folks,
My first question in 2022, and it is a noob level one. First time that I use the "On start" tabsheet in the function node...
All my code in the "On start" tabsheet is executed correctly, but when I add this:
```auto
node.workers = [];
```
And I use that node variable in my "On message" tabsheet:
```auto
node.workers.push(...);
```
Then I get `"TypeError: Cannot read property 'push' of undefined"` in my Debug sidebar.
I suppose it is something ridiculous, but can't see it. When I debug the code, the `node` variable is nicely available and I can use it here e.g. to show an initial node status.
Thanks!!!
Bart
---
### Author:  [@BartButenaers](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/BartButenaers)
#### Post date: [2 January 2022 07:41 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/setup-node-variables-in-function-node-on-start/55984/2 "2022-01-02T07:41:28Z")
Hmm, don't think it has anything to do with my startup tabsheet.
1. For the first message that I inject, an element is added correctly to my array:
2. When I inject another message my array is undefined again:
I am ready for the madhouse at the moment...
---
### Author:  [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)
#### Post date: [2 January 2022 09:02 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/setup-node-variables-in-function-node-on-start/55984/3 "2022-01-02T09:02:28Z")
Use `context` not `node` to store values across different calls to the function
---
### Author:  [@BartButenaers](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/BartButenaers)
#### Post date: [2 January 2022 09:06 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/setup-node-variables-in-function-node-on-start/55984/4 "2022-01-02T09:06:14Z")
Thanks Nick!
Not sure how I could have overlooked that ...
---
### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [16 January 2022 09:06 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/setup-node-variables-in-function-node-on-start/55984/5 "2022-01-16T09:06:34Z")
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