Trouble Registering Custom Node

General
1

I have created a custom node .js and .html file along with a package.json empty file.

I execute npm init in the directory that contains the file and it creates the package.json as required.
Next I run npm install in the same directory and it runs, no errors indicated.
Next I shutdown Node Red and then restart it.

I refresh my Node Red page in the browser, but my custom node does not show up!

Also, I am running my Node Red on W10.

Any suggestions?

2

do you have the nodes registered in the package.json as per docs? https://nodered.org/docs/creating-nodes/first-node#package-json

3

In what directory have you done all of that?

4

My directory is .node-red\nodes\ss-modify-point-value

my package.json
{
"name": "ss-modify-point-value",
"version": "1.0.0",
"description": "",
"main": "ss-modify-point-value.js",
"scripts": {
"test": "echo "Error: no test specified" && exit 1"
},
"author": "",
"license": "ISC",
"node-red": {
"nodes": {
"ss-modify-point-value": "ss-modify-point-value.js"
}
}
}

Does this help?

5

Hi @tcontrada

as a side note, when sharing code of any sort, it helps to format it properly - this post explains how/why: How to share code or flow json

The .node-red/nodes directory is used to load local nodes that are not packaged as a module - so the package.json is ignored and it will load any .js/.html file pair it can find.

Are there any error messages in the log when you start Node-RED related to your node?

6

That's the funny thing, is that there are no errors in the Node Red console when starting. Here is the start message: There is a Warning message, but not sure if it's important?

Welcome to Node-RED

21 Feb 17:36:52 - [info] Node-RED version: v0.19.5
21 Feb 17:36:52 - [info] Node.js version: v10.13.0
21 Feb 17:36:52 - [info] Windows_NT 10.0.17134 x64 LE
21 Feb 17:36:53 - [info] Loading palette nodes
21 Feb 17:36:56 - [info] Dashboard version 2.13.2 started at /ui
21 Feb 17:36:56 - [warn] rpi-gpio : Raspberry Pi specific node set inactive
21 Feb 17:36:57 - [warn] ------------------------------------------------------
21 Feb 17:36:57 - [warn] [node-red/tail] Not currently supported on Windows.
21 Feb 17:36:57 - [warn] [node-red/ss-modify-point-value] Type already registered
21 Feb 17:36:57 - [warn] [ss-modify-point-value/ss-modify-point-value] Type already registered
21 Feb 17:36:57 - [warn] ------------------------------------------------------
21 Feb 17:36:57 - [info] Settings file : \Users\tcontrada.node-red\settings.js
21 Feb 17:36:57 - [info] Context store : 'default' [module=memory]
21 Feb 17:36:57 - [info] User directory : \Users\tcontrada.node-red
21 Feb 17:36:57 - [warn] Projects disabled : editorTheme.projects.enabled=false
21 Feb 17:36:57 - [info] Flows file : \Users\tcontrada.node-red\flows_TCONTRADALABLT.json
21 Feb 17:36:57 - [info] Server now running at http://127.0.0.1:1880/
21 Feb 17:36:57 - [warn]

Your flow credentials file is encrypted using a system-generated key.

If the system-generated key is lost for any reason, your credentials
file will not be recoverable, you will have to delete it and re-enter
your credentials.

You should set your own key using the 'credentialSecret' option in
your settings file. Node-RED will then re-encrypt your credentials
file using your chosen key the next time you deploy a change.

21 Feb 17:36:57 - [info] Starting flows
21 Feb 17:36:57 - [info] Started flows
21 Feb 17:36:57 - [info] serial port COM5 opened at 115200 baud 8N1
21 Feb 17:36:57 - [info] serial port COM16 opened at 115200 baud 8N1
21 Feb 17:36:57 - [info] serial port COM13 opened at 115200 baud 8N1
21 Feb 17:36:57 - [info] serial port COM14 opened at 115200 baud 8N1

7

No, those warnings are exactly why your nodes don't show up. It could be because you have the package.json file there - as I said, you shouldn't add one under the nodes directory.

More commonly, you'd use npm link or similar to 'install' the nodes under .node-red/node_modules as if they were 'real' node modules.

8

Hi Nick,

At this point I am really confused. I have placed my .js and .html files in .node-red\nodes\ss-modify-point-value folder. I deleted the files from the .node-red\node_modules folder.

So as you say Node Red should pick up my files in the .node-red\nodes\ss-modify-point-value folder.

But, I am still getting a Warning message saying [warn] [node-red/ss-modify-point-value] Type already registered.

What should I try now?

Thanks...

9

Have a look in the file .node-red/.config.json for any mention of your nodes. That will tell you where the runtime has found them and may help clarify it for you.

As I mentioned before, I'd recommend packaging them as proper node modules and using npm link (as described in the docs) to install them under .node-red/node_modules and not just place the files under ~/.node-red/nodes.

10

So use this method?

On Windows with older versions of npm, use mklink instead:

cd C:\Users\my_name\.node_red
mklink /D node_modules\node-red-contrib-example-lower-case C:\Users\my_name\Documents\GitHub\node-red-contrib-example-lower-case

Where do I put my .js and .html files, in node_modules/my-custom-node ?

11

another way is to put your .js and .html AND package.json (with the node-red entry specifying your nodes) into a folder, lets say /home/user/nodeBla/my-custom-node

Then you goto your node-red user directory and run npm install /home/user/nodeBla/my-custom-node

This will do something similar to npm link, but a little bit easier to work with. Refer to the npm documentation for details.

Oh, I just read that you are using an old version of npm, it could be that the method I described does not work then....

12

More issues:

If I try to use link I get the following message:
'link' is not recognized as an internal or external command,
operable program or batch file.

If I try to use mklink I get the following message:
You do not have sufficient privilege to perform this operation.

I do have admin rights on this PC as well.

So now what?

13

I also always do it the way @cinhcet suggests ... manually use npm install to point to a directory where I have a .js .html and package.json files (that is in my development directory away from main Node-RED install tree)

2 Likes
14

I am trying very hard to make this work. What bothers me is a month ago I was able to create custom nodes without difficulty, but now, for some reason I am having issues.

So when I run the npm install I get the following output:
npm WARN JSON.parse Failed to parse json
npm WARN JSON.parse Unexpected end of JSON input while parsing near ''

+ red-contrib-modify-point-value@1.0.0
added 3 packages and updated 1 package in 3.47s

When I restart Node Red I get the following Warning:
[warn] [red-contrib-modify-point-value/ss-modify-point-value] Type already registered

The node does not show up on the palette.

15

show your package.json here. Please use tripple backticks as described here How to share code or flow json

16 
{
  "name": "red-contrib-modify-point-value",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "",
  "main": "ss-modify-point-value.js",
  "scripts": {
    "test": "echo \"Error: no test specified\" && exit 1"
  },
  "node-red" : {
        "nodes": {
            "ss-modify-point-value": "ss-modify-point-value.js"
        }
    },
  "author": "",
  "license": "ISC"
}