# Stack trace for SyntaxError hides the actual point of failure
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/stack-trace-for-syntaxerror-hides-the-actual-point-of-failure/50117
**Category:** General
**Created:** [24 August 2021 16:05 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/stack-trace-for-syntaxerror-hides-the-actual-point-of-failure/50117 "2021-08-24T16:05:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@lowlyocean](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/lowlyocean)
#### Post date: [24 August 2021 16:05 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/stack-trace-for-syntaxerror-hides-the-actual-point-of-failure/50117/1 "2021-08-24T16:05:48Z")
Hi all, I've reported [an issue](https://github.com/bbindreiter/node-red-contrib-alexa-remote2-applestrudel/issues/9) for node-red-contrib-alexa-remote2-applestrudel where Debug panel shows me a generic error "Invalid or unexpected token" which I'm not then able to trace back to point of failure.
Even if I add a print of the stacktrace to the relevant node, it looks like maybe [this aspect](https://github.com/nodejs/node/issues/11865) of NodeJS prevents me from getting a full trace.
What have you done in this case? Do I have any options here to try to investigate this error further?
```auto
Trace: Invalid or unexpected token
at nodeError (/var/www/.node-red/node_modules/node-red-contrib-alexa-remote2-applestrudel/lib/common.js:371:17)
at /var/www/.node-red/node_modules/node-red-contrib-alexa-remote2-applestrudel/lib/common.js:396:27
at processTicksAndRejections (internal/process/task_queues.js:95:5)
```
---
### Author:  [@lowlyocean](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/lowlyocean)
#### Post date: [24 August 2021 16:45 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/stack-trace-for-syntaxerror-hides-the-actual-point-of-failure/50117/2 "2021-08-24T16:45:44Z")
I found [this excellent suggestion](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-get-errors-exceptions-while-developing-custom-node/23830/3) about improved error tracing when loading Nodes themselves, but it turns out that loading the Node isn't when my issue happens.
By adding the following to _logging_ section of **settings.js** like this:
```auto
callstack: {
level: 'error',
metrics: false,
handler: function(conf) {
return function(msg) {
e = new Error();
console.error(e.stack);
// console.trace();
}
}
}
```
I was able to see this (still not far enough to find the underlying problem):
```auto
24 Aug 12:38:05 - [error] [alexa-remote-account:c969cb45.22f3d8] Invalid or unexpected token
Error
at LogHandler.handler (/var/www/.node-red/settings.js:256:25)
at LogHandler. (/usr/lib/node_modules/node-red/node_modules/@node-red/util/lib/log.js:66:18)
at LogHandler.emit (events.js:400:28)
at /usr/lib/node_modules/node-red/node_modules/@node-red/util/lib/log.js:160:21
at Array.forEach ()
at Object.log (/usr/lib/node_modules/node-red/node_modules/@node-red/util/lib/log.js:159:21)
at Object.log (/usr/lib/node_modules/node-red/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/index.js:739:19)
at Flow.log (/usr/lib/node_modules/node-red/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/flows/Flow.js:128:21)
at log_helper (/usr/lib/node_modules/node-red/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/nodes/Node.js:498:16)
at AlexaRemoteAccountNode.Node.error (/usr/lib/node_modules/node-red/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/nodes/Node.js:527:9)
```
But combining Bart's idea with the Node.js file mentioned in this last callstack, I was finally able to see where this cryptic error is raised by adding **console.error(msg)** above [this line](https://github.com/node-red/node-red/blob/master/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/nodes/Node.js#L526). Would be be helpful I think to add this as well as Bart's suggestion to the master branch.
---
### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [23 October 2021 16:46 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/stack-trace-for-syntaxerror-hides-the-actual-point-of-failure/50117/3 "2021-10-23T16:46:21Z")
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