# Subflow help. What's what?
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/subflow-help-whats-what/96214
**Category:** General
**Created:** [24 March 2025 11:39 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/subflow-help-whats-what/96214 "2025-03-24T11:39:29Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [24 March 2025 11:39 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/subflow-help-whats-what/96214/1 "2025-03-24T11:39:29Z")
Sorry folks, my brain is on holidays again.
What are the two things I'm pointing at?
And, I'm wanting to set a value (WaitTime) in the subflow, and have it parsed by a node.
This is what I can scrape from previous askings of what/how to do it.
But that _fails_.
I have it set to `1` (1 minute) and it fails after 16 seconds.
When I click on the _second_ button, I get an `environment` list, but none are set.
Which is what I thought I did in the `edit subflow details` part.
But that is appearing in the `properties` tab instead.
Yes, I'm confused.
Please.
Someone.
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### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [24 March 2025 11:58 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/subflow-help-whats-what/96214/2 "2025-03-24T11:58:25Z")
`$globalget` gets values from global context. It has nothing to do with env vars at all.
> [@Trying\_to\_learn](#):
>
> What are the two things I'm pointing at?
If you want to use the env var named `WaitTime` then set msg.delay to value of $.WaitTime then do the multiplication on the next line in the change node.
Your arrows have no heads.
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### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [24 March 2025 12:02 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/subflow-help-whats-what/96214/3 "2025-03-24T12:02:58Z")
Yeah, as I said: the brain is on holiday. 😉
I think I have worked out the problem, but.... there's another one behind the answer.
Trying to not make too much of a mess of this thread:
Can you explain the difference between those two _tabs_? The _cog_ and the _menu_ icons.
What is what? And how do I use their entries in the subflow?
I get the idea I can set _values_ (variables) used in the subflow and I define their values in the subflow's node.
Global, flow, I get. Sorry.
I seem to be missing something here.
Hope you can help.
Thanks.
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### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [24 March 2025 12:07 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/subflow-help-whats-what/96214/4 "2025-03-24T12:07:46Z")
Items under the cog are what you pre-defined in the subflow template
Items under the env var list are freeform.
They are both accessed inside the subflow using either `$.name` or `env.get('name')`
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### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [24 March 2025 12:18 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/subflow-help-whats-what/96214/5 "2025-03-24T12:18:10Z")
Indulge my stupidity,
Ok, the cog ones are FIXED.... `const` - if you will.
the others...... That does me.
(to digress back to the original problem)
I was trying the `J:` trick I was shown for `change` nodes - and the like.
`J: `
_ARGH_..... brain failure. - again!.
I got the value needed and did the _maths_ in the next (function) node.
So back at the user end of things, I double click on the `subflow` and I get the two options for _FIXED_ and _variable_ .... variables.
Clicking on the cog - keeping it for this subflow - I get my `WaitTime` field.
But then if I click on the second one I get a blank screen titled _environment variables_......
😕 Where does this fit in to the subflow's world?
Again: Sorry. It is not fun having a brain that when you ask it a question, one time you get a reply with useful stuff. The next time - same question - you get back either a blank or rubbish.
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### Author:  [@bakman2](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/bakman2)
#### Post date: [24 March 2025 13:09 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/subflow-help-whats-what/96214/6 "2025-03-24T13:09:54Z")
What is `$globalget` ?
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### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [24 March 2025 13:12 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/subflow-help-whats-what/96214/7 "2025-03-24T13:12:52Z")
Thanks.
I worked that bit out and _cheated_ by doing some of it in the next `function` node.
Where I'm now kinda stuck is what this _second_ tab is on the `subflow` which shows/lists _variables_ for the subflow.
So I'm at the top level of the editor. So where/how do these variables come into working with the subflow's code?
As opposed to the ones defined in the `cog` tab. (Which I do understand.) (or I hope I do)
😉
What's the `environment variable` one for?
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### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [22 June 2025 13:13 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/subflow-help-whats-what/96214/8 "2025-06-22T13:13:17Z")
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