# Using a dashboard switch node to activate motor/step counter
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/using-a-dashboard-switch-node-to-activate-motor-step-counter/96261
**Category:** General
**Tags:** node-red-dashboard
**Created:** [26 March 2025 00:22 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/using-a-dashboard-switch-node-to-activate-motor-step-counter/96261 "2025-03-26T00:22:59Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@RGGabe](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/RGGabe)
#### Post date: [26 March 2025 00:22 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/using-a-dashboard-switch-node-to-activate-motor-step-counter/96261/1 "2025-03-26T00:22:59Z")
I am trying to use a switch node on the dashboard and turn my stepper motor on and off. When I do implement a switch node, it sends through a boolean instead of the diameter value which is needed to determine the direction of the motor when it moves. I also want this switch to activate the counter so that both the motor and step counter activate simultaneously. How do I do this while maintaining the diameter value read from the serial port?
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### Author:  [@zenofmud](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/zenofmud)
#### Post date: [26 March 2025 09:55 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/using-a-dashboard-switch-node-to-activate-motor-step-counter/96261/2 "2025-03-26T09:55:41Z")
@RGGabe welcome to the forum!
1. what version of NR are you using?
2. When you say 'dashboard' I think you are referring to the flow editor...correct?
3. add a debug node (set to display the complete map object) to the output of the `MoveMoterCode` function node and run a test. Copy the output and put it in a reply.
There’s a great page in the docs ([Working with messages : Node-RED](https://nodered.org/docs/user-guide/messages)) that will explain how to use the debug panel to find the right path/value for any data item.
Pay particular attention to the part about the buttons that appear under your mouse pointer when you over hover a debug message property in the sidebar.
1. Also export your flow and paste it in a response so people can see what you are doing.
In order to make code readable and usable it is necessary to surround your code with three backticks (also known as a left quote or backquote `````)
````auto
```
code goes here
```
````
You can edit and correct your post by clicking the pencil ✏ icon.
See this post for more details - [How to share code or flow json](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-share-code-or-flow-json/506)
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### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [26 March 2025 10:25 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/using-a-dashboard-switch-node-to-activate-motor-step-counter/96261/3 "2025-03-26T10:25:40Z")
I suspect you need to _interrupt signals being sent to your stepper_ when your dashboard toggle switch is "off" right?
Use Context to set a flag that you can then use to enable/disable messages passing to the stepper.
e.g.
#### flow 1
`toggle` --\> `change` node (set `flow.enable`)
#### flow 2
data --\> `switch` (is `flow.enable` true?) --\> stepper nodes
* * *
### Context
> **[Working with context : Node-RED](https://nodered.org/docs/user-guide/context)**
### Beginner help
I recommend watching this playlist: [Node-RED Essentials](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLyNBB9VCLmo1hyO-4fIZ08gqFcXBkHy-6). The videos are done by the developers of node-red. They're nice & short and to the point. You will understand a whole lot more in about 1 hour. A small investment for a lot of gain.
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### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [24 June 2025 10:26 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/using-a-dashboard-switch-node-to-activate-motor-step-counter/96261/4 "2025-06-24T10:26:31Z")
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