# TCP port field error when defined as a variable
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/tcp-port-field-error-when-defined-as-a-variable/96168
**Category:** General
**Created:** [22 March 2025 05:47 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/tcp-port-field-error-when-defined-as-a-variable/96168 "2025-03-22T05:47:38Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@JonnyTech](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/JonnyTech)
#### Post date: [22 March 2025 05:47 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/tcp-port-field-error-when-defined-as-a-variable/96168/1 "2025-03-22T05:47:38Z")
In my flow properties I set some environment variables (strings):
device-ip = 10.10.10.10
device-port = 12345
Then I add a TCP request node and set its properties:
Server = ${device-ip}
Port = ${device-port}
(There are reasons for this which I won't get into now)
This works correctly, but the port field generates an error every time that I deploy (The workspace contains some nodes that are not properly configured).
How can I ignore the error seeing as it works as expected?
Node-RED v4.0.9
---
### Author:  [@JonnyTech](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/JonnyTech)
#### Post date: [26 March 2025 10:41 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/tcp-port-field-error-when-defined-as-a-variable/96168/2 "2025-03-26T10:41:05Z")
Can someone who is familiar with the node-red source code point me towards the relevant section where the fields are checked at the deploy stage, so that I can create a pull request to make the "port" field behave the same as the "server" field, thus eliminating this annoying bogus error message.
---
### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [26 March 2025 10:59 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/tcp-port-field-error-when-defined-as-a-variable/96168/3 "2025-03-26T10:59:58Z")
>
---
### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [26 March 2025 11:02 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/tcp-port-field-error-when-defined-as-a-variable/96168/4 "2025-03-26T11:02:10Z")
Before raising a PR, please [raise an issue](https://github.com/node-red/node-red/issues/new/choose) and provide all the necessary info (and demo flow) (and potentially a gif or short video that demonstrates what you are seeing).
---
### Author:  [@JonnyTech](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/JonnyTech)
#### Post date: [26 March 2025 17:59 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/tcp-port-field-error-when-defined-as-a-variable/96168/5 "2025-03-26T17:59:51Z")
Done: [issue #5093](https://github.com/node-red/node-red/issues/5093)
---
### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [26 March 2025 18:07 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/tcp-port-field-error-when-defined-as-a-variable/96168/6 "2025-03-26T18:07:51Z")
Thanks.
I replied to your issue:
> FWIW, It's generally considered best practice to stick to uppercase letters and underscores.
>
> REF: [Environment Variables](https://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/basedefs/V1_chap08.html)
>
> In fact, if you defined your env vars in the more traditional way (e.g. `TCP_PORT`) this does not happen
>
> [](https://private-user-images.githubusercontent.com/44235289/427162555-5cdb80c0-2494-4b2e-b4ec-9184d480e4fb.png?jwt=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.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.k9jOKGXXWW1Lnt5Sz6DCir6Y5LLcEC-shgOquokfL0M)
So you can move forwards today if you wish.
The fact Node-RED correctly evaluates `tcp-ip` today means the likely fix is to improve the numeric validator.
---
### Author:  [@JonnyTech](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/JonnyTech)
#### Post date: [26 March 2025 18:26 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/tcp-port-field-error-when-defined-as-a-variable/96168/7 "2025-03-26T18:26:44Z")
Thank you @Steve-Mcl - I really appreciate your time and advice.
---
### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [24 June 2025 18:27 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/tcp-port-field-error-when-defined-as-a-variable/96168/8 "2025-06-24T18:27:32Z")
This topic was automatically closed 90 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.