# VCGENCMD node, funny output/

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/vcgencmd-node-funny-output/26400>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [10 May 2020 02:21 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/vcgencmd-node-funny-output/26400 "2020-05-10T02:21:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 16\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Trying\_to\_learn](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/trying_to_learn/32/28400_2.png) [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2020 02:21 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/vcgencmd-node-funny-output/26400/1 "2020-05-10T02:21:57Z")

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I have the `node-red-contrib-vcgencmd` node installed.

Now and then when working on/in the machine I am getting this:

`Previous vcgencmd command hasn't finished yet`

Two message when I get one input signal.

Basic flow:

`clock source` --- `vcgencmd` -- other nodes.

Anyone?

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**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2020 05:55 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/vcgencmd-node-funny-output/26400/2 "2020-05-10T05:55:29Z")

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How often are you running it?

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**Author:** ![Trying\_to\_learn](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/trying_to_learn/32/28400_2.png) [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2020 05:56 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/vcgencmd-node-funny-output/26400/3 "2020-05-10T05:56:48Z")

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Every 30 seconds.

But sometimes it does it quite happily.

But if I do something in `CSS` no where close to it: every 30 seconds I get the message.  
I think it happens if there is a problem with the `CSS`.

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**Author:** ![Steve-Mcl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/steve-mcl/32/4826_2.png) [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2020 06:29 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/vcgencmd-node-funny-output/26400/4 "2020-05-10T06:29:10Z")

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Node JS is single threaded. You might me causing a delay or stressing the processor causing things to bunch up or slow down.

Why do you run that CMD every 30s?

Put debug node before this CMD, are you seeing timestamp variations (ie not spaced by 30s)?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Trying\_to\_learn](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/trying_to_learn/32/28400_2.png) [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2020 06:32 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/vcgencmd-node-funny-output/26400/5 "2020-05-10T06:32:27Z")

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Machine health checks.

The CPU load is showing about 3% load (and that is up on what it is showing)

So really I don't think that is an issue.

I shall have to further look into it, but alas not now.

I am still swamped with `CSS buttons` and getting them all happily working.  
I think that is going to be a long time yet.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2020 08:08 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/vcgencmd-node-funny-output/26400/6 "2020-05-10T08:08:45Z")

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Put a debug node showing the input to the vcgencmd node and check there is not some circumstance causing it to be called more often that you think.  
Another possibility is that you are using the command somewhere else, either in another flow in node-red or outside node-red.

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**Author:** ![Trying\_to\_learn](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/trying_to_learn/32/28400_2.png) [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2020 08:21 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/vcgencmd-node-funny-output/26400/7 "2020-05-10T08:21:17Z")

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> [@Colin](#):
>
> Another possibility is that you are using the command somewhere else, either in another flow in node-red or outside node-red.

Well, I will admit I am using it in two places on the same machine.

I may have to optimise it so it is only used once.

# However:

All things being good, I don't get outputs.  
When I am playing with `CSS` stuff on another page (yeah: `CSS` is omni-present) and nothing to do with that part of the flow, I get two messages (one for each instance of the node) every 30 seconds.

This could be good for me in that if there are no _spurious_ messages, I know the `CSS` is good. But I don't think that should be used as a measure.  
😉

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Steve-Mcl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/steve-mcl/32/4826_2.png) [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2020 08:26 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/vcgencmd-node-funny-output/26400/8 "2020-05-10T08:26:09Z")

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How are you deploying the CSS changes? Full? Flow? Or changed nodes?

If full or flow then you might be re-triggering the command.

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**Author:** ![Trying\_to\_learn](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/trying_to_learn/32/28400_2.png) [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2020 08:27 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/vcgencmd-node-funny-output/26400/9 "2020-05-10T08:27:56Z")

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`Modified nodes`.

These are remote machines who I don't want to _stress_ with constant `full flow` deploys.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2020 09:13 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/vcgencmd-node-funny-output/26400/10 "2020-05-10T09:13:30Z")

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Temporarily disable one of them (remove the input wire) and see if that fixes it. Almost certainly something you are doing with the css/deploy is accidentally synchronising them.

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**Author:** ![Trying\_to\_learn](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/trying_to_learn/32/28400_2.png) [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2020 09:19 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/vcgencmd-node-funny-output/26400/11 "2020-05-10T09:19:36Z")

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I shall try to remember to do it when I get time.

Just now I'm still up to my _nipples_ in `CSS` buttons on another machine.  
When it gets to my ankles I may look at it.

Same as the `MQTT` messages and just having a high level topic compared to a fuller topic and who gets the message (or spits it out) when the machine is turned on.

That is also **pending further investigation**. ☹

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2020 09:21 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/vcgencmd-node-funny-output/26400/12 "2020-05-10T09:21:13Z")

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> [@Trying\_to\_learn](#):
>
> I shall try to remember to do it when I get time.

It is better not to ask for help on a problem unless you intend to follow through on the suggestions. Otherwise we are all wasting our time.

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**Author:** ![Trying\_to\_learn](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/trying_to_learn/32/28400_2.png) [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2020 09:27 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/vcgencmd-node-funny-output/26400/13 "2020-05-10T09:27:24Z")

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Yes, I agree with that, but it is/was a problem that hit me _blind side_.  
I wanted to ask if anyone else has seen it and a _simple_ solution.

Seems there isn't.

It would appear it needs a lot of work to resolve. Well, more than I can afford at this point in time.

So, be it I ask now or in the future - if I haven't forgotten - is a bit academic.  
I do agree that it may be better. But on another point of view: I need to ask it now while I can think of it and assign priority to it according to how _easy_ it is to fix.

## Edit

I am asking because I **don't** know what the problem is or how easy.  
If I knew it was going to be that difficult at the start, I may not have asked.  
But at that point (in the past) I didn't know, so I couldn't know it was going to be that difficult.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2020 10:37 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/vcgencmd-node-funny-output/26400/14 "2020-05-10T10:37:06Z")

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> [@Trying\_to\_learn](#):
>
> It would appear it needs a lot of work to resolve.

It isn't a lot of work to disable one of the nodes and see if that fixes it. If it does then you know the cause of the problem and you can prioritise the work to fix it.

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**Author:** ![Trying\_to\_learn](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/trying_to_learn/32/28400_2.png) [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2020 10:39 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/vcgencmd-node-funny-output/26400/15 "2020-05-10T10:39:23Z")

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It is a lot of work that I have to disable the node, then started editing the `CSS` to invoke the problem again.

As I don't remember what I did/was doing with the `CSS` stuff.... It is an unknown path.

I can't afford the time. For now I am on a bit of a roll with getting buttons working and don't want to lose the momentum I have.

The problem isn't always there. It only happens after I edited a `CSS` button else where on the flow.

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [24 May 2020 10:39 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/vcgencmd-node-funny-output/26400/16 "2020-05-24T10:39:34Z")

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