# Sort msg.payload Arrays into sections

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/sort-msg-payload-arrays-into-sections/17418>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [1 November 2019 15:06 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/sort-msg-payload-arrays-into-sections/17418 "2019-11-01T15:06:24Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Navybrandon](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/navybrandon/32/13021_2.png) [@Navybrandon](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Navybrandon)\
**Post date:** [1 November 2019 15:06 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/sort-msg-payload-arrays-into-sections/17418/1 "2019-11-01T15:06:24Z")

</div>

Hello Everyone,

Thanks in advance for everyone that helps here!

Issue: I have msg.payload1.value.values that has over 100 arrays. I am wondering how to I output the data in sections like node red does? See pic below. My end goal is to have this data display in the dashboard in blocks of 10.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/2X/6/66fbb13fd1c2ab81ea41181d1cb5e5f1436b4a40.png)  
 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/2X/b/bb4cbc4e32d635f0662f5eac6a38712ac347df96.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [1 November 2019 15:19 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/sort-msg-payload-arrays-into-sections/17418/2 "2019-11-01T15:19:40Z")

</div>

You can use the counter in a for loop to jump to the next "chunck" of the array and slice it:

Example

```auto
//example payload
[{"value":1},{"value":5},{"value":3},{"value":8},{"value":11},{"value":722}]

```

in function node

```auto

m = msg.payload
let i,j,t,c=2; // c = chunk/split by

for (i=0,j=m.length; i<j; i+=c) {
    t = m.slice(i,i+c);
    node.send({payload:t})
}

```

Output

```auto
msg.payload
[{"value":1},{"value":5}]
....
```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Navybrandon](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/navybrandon/32/13021_2.png) [@Navybrandon](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Navybrandon)\
**Post date:** [1 November 2019 15:43 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/sort-msg-payload-arrays-into-sections/17418/3 "2019-11-01T15:43:17Z")

</div>

Thank you bakman2,

But when I run this in the function i get an error stating length is undefined.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/2X/a/ae0771f11dfa08ae9d0c6fe71331cbfa8b2633dc.png)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![meeki007](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/meeki007/32/12499_2.png) [@meeki007](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/meeki007)\
**Post date:** [1 November 2019 15:45 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/sort-msg-payload-arrays-into-sections/17418/4 "2019-11-01T15:45:36Z")

</div>

Please see:

[array.map](https://dev.to/sarah_chima/the-javascript-array-map-method-44m0)

also threads I've written that use the array.map method that might help you.

[Populate data from database into Dropdownlist](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/populate-data-from-database-into-dropdownlist/15944)

[Help with my flow: generating an email from array](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/help-with-my-flow-generating-an-email-from-array/17346)

I am now working on a solution for you. ...... I've become the array.map guy........lord help me

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Navybrandon](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/navybrandon/32/13021_2.png) [@Navybrandon](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Navybrandon)\
**Post date:** [1 November 2019 15:53 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/sort-msg-payload-arrays-into-sections/17418/5 "2019-11-01T15:53:33Z")

</div>

meeki007

this is awesome this is what i was looking for! Sorry i missed this how to earlier when i searched. love the ui dropdown as well that's where i was heading. But when i tested the flow i got an error saying msg.payload.map is not a function.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![hotNipi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/hotnipi/32/383_2.png) [@hotNipi](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/hotNipi)\
**Post date:** [1 November 2019 15:53 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/sort-msg-payload-arrays-into-sections/17418/6 "2019-11-01T15:53:35Z")

</div>

If you really have this line in your function

```auto
m = msg.payload

```

Then there is no variable named m declared and you cant ask value of the `.length` property from not declared thing.  
To do it properly it needs to be

```auto
let m = msg.payload

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Navybrandon](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/navybrandon/32/13021_2.png) [@Navybrandon](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Navybrandon)\
**Post date:** [1 November 2019 15:56 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/sort-msg-payload-arrays-into-sections/17418/7 "2019-11-01T15:56:44Z")

</div>

even after adding let to the function, it still does not understand m.length of undefined.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![hotNipi](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/hotnipi/32/383_2.png) [@hotNipi](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/hotNipi)\
**Post date:** [1 November 2019 15:58 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/sort-msg-payload-arrays-into-sections/17418/8 "2019-11-01T15:58:23Z")

</div>

> [@Navybrandon](#):
>
> msg.payload.map is not a function

But what is in the `msg.payload` ?  
Do this in first line

```auto
node.warn('this is payload:'+msg.payload)

```

And see debug tab

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [1 November 2019 16:05 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/sort-msg-payload-arrays-into-sections/17418/9 "2019-11-01T16:05:09Z")

</div>

It was an example.

Your payload is: `msg.payload1.value.values`

> To do it properly it needs to be

You don't "need" to define variables in javascript

---

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**Author:** ![Navybrandon](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/navybrandon/32/13021_2.png) [@Navybrandon](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Navybrandon)\
**Post date:** [1 November 2019 16:08 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/sort-msg-payload-arrays-into-sections/17418/10 "2019-11-01T16:08:58Z")

</div>

right I ran the function with msg.payload1.value.values and got the error.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![meeki007](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/meeki007/32/12499_2.png) [@meeki007](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/meeki007)\
**Post date:** [1 November 2019 16:09 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/sort-msg-payload-arrays-into-sections/17418/11 "2019-11-01T16:09:39Z")

</div>

@Navybrandon

Hang in there I'm working on helping you out right now.

It may take me an hour but I have the rest of the day off and I will not leave you hanging on this. Its become my goal to teach all my favourite method in JS

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [1 November 2019 16:10 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/sort-msg-payload-arrays-into-sections/17418/12 "2019-11-01T16:10:21Z")

</div>

You will have to redefine the values to the values of your array ofcourse.

---

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**Author:** ![Navybrandon](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/navybrandon/32/13021_2.png) [@Navybrandon](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Navybrandon)\
**Post date:** [1 November 2019 16:12 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/sort-msg-payload-arrays-into-sections/17418/13 "2019-11-01T16:12:03Z")

</div>

bakman2

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/2X/6/632616a3fbe6c9ed49ee661298b990c0656e9632.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Navybrandon](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/navybrandon/32/13021_2.png) [@Navybrandon](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Navybrandon)\
**Post date:** [1 November 2019 16:13 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/sort-msg-payload-arrays-into-sections/17418/14 "2019-11-01T16:13:03Z")

</div>

meeki007

I look forward in studying with you Jedi master lol

again thank you!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [1 November 2019 16:13 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/sort-msg-payload-arrays-into-sections/17418/15 "2019-11-01T16:13:44Z")

</div>

So what does your function look like ?

And show the actual values in your array objects.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Navybrandon](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/navybrandon/32/13021_2.png) [@Navybrandon](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Navybrandon)\
**Post date:** [1 November 2019 16:14 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/sort-msg-payload-arrays-into-sections/17418/16 "2019-11-01T16:14:08Z")

</div>

@meeki007 would you like me to dump the msg.payload into a log so you can import it?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Navybrandon](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/navybrandon/32/13021_2.png) [@Navybrandon](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Navybrandon)\
**Post date:** [1 November 2019 16:14 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/sort-msg-payload-arrays-into-sections/17418/17 "2019-11-01T16:14:53Z")

</div>

@bakman2  
 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/2X/3/31cf74a2829b785e1ddf9480c78f5d1fbfdae48e.png)  
 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/2X/d/d7dd601a7ecf9186d3ea5b73d2556e059524438b.png)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Navybrandon](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/navybrandon/32/13021_2.png) [@Navybrandon](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Navybrandon)\
**Post date:** [1 November 2019 16:15 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/sort-msg-payload-arrays-into-sections/17418/18 "2019-11-01T16:15:30Z")

</div>

Also note the amount of arrays will vary as well.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**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:** [1 November 2019 16:16 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/sort-msg-payload-arrays-into-sections/17418/19 "2019-11-01T16:16:00Z")

</div>

Exactly, that won't work.

Show your msg.payload  
in text (or attachment) please not screenshots

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Navybrandon](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/navybrandon/32/13021_2.png) [@Navybrandon](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Navybrandon)\
**Post date:** [1 November 2019 16:16 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/sort-msg-payload-arrays-into-sections/17418/20 "2019-11-01T16:16:52Z")

</div>

{"\_msgid":"dbce60bc.4e4f8","ip":"192.168.1.41","socketid":"WGjF2ePV6s8lOw4XAAAA","Bacnet":"532897","payload":"","payload1":{"value":{"len":644,"objectId":{"type":8,"instance":532897},"property":{"id":76,"index":4294967295},"values":[{"type":12,"value":{"type":8,"instance":532897}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001542}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001587}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001589}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001591}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001593}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001594}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001595}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001597}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001598}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001599}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001600}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001601}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001602}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001603}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001606}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001607}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001608}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001609}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001610}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001613}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001614}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001615}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001617}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001621}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001625}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001627}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001629}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3001633}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002186}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002188}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002194}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002199}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002200}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002201}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002202}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002203}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002204}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002393}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002394}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002395}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002397}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002401}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002404}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002405}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002406}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002408}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002409}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002410}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002412}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002416}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002481}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002482}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002484}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002485}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002488}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002490}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002491}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3002493}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3003932}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3003933}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3003936}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3003937}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3003943}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3003944}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3003946}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3003948}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3003949}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3003950}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":2,"instance":3004089}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":5,"instance":3002205}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":16,"instance":3001584}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3001539}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3001540}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3001543}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3001544}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3001545}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3001546}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3001596}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3001605}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3001611}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3001616}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3001620}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3001622}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3001624}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3001626}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3001628}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3001630}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3001631}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3001632}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3002185}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3002187}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3002189}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3002192}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3002195}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3002196}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3002197}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3002392}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3002398}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3002402}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3002403}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3002476}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3002477}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3002483}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3002486}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3002487}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3002489}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3003916}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3003917}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3003918}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3003919}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3003920}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3003921}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3003934}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3003935}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3003938}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3003939}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3003940}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3003941}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3003942}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3003945}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":19,"instance":3003947}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":20,"instance":3000005}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":20,"instance":3001649}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":20,"instance":3001650}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":20,"instance":3002181}},{"type":12,"value":{"type":20,"instance":3002497}}]}}}

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