@omidteimoori/node-red-object-explorer

A custom Node-RED node for exploring JavaScript objects from msg, flow, and global context.

It helps users inspect nested data, discover available variables, return keys, values, or both, and prepare results for later logic or dropdown-style UI usage.

Links

• GitHub: https://github.com/omidteimoori/node-red-object-explorer
• npm: https://www.npmjs.com/package/@omidteimoori/node-red-object-explorer
• Package name: @omidteimoori/node-red-object-explorer

Features

• Explore objects from:
  • msg
  • flow
  • global
• Resolve nested paths such as:
  • payload
  • payload.fields
  • variables.devices[0].topics
  • items[0].name
• Return:
  • direct keys
  • deep keys
  • direct values
  • deep values
  • key/value pairs
  • matching keys
  • matching values
  • matching key/value pairs
• Search by partial or exact key/path match
• Support arrays and nested objects
• Safe handling for missing paths, null, undefined, and circular references
• Optional second output for diagnostics

Installation

Install the package in the Node-RED user directory:

cd ~/.node-red
npm install @omidteimoori/node-red-object-explorer

Then restart Node-RED and refresh the editor.

Supported Versions

• Node-RED: >=3.0.0
• Node.js: >=16.0.0

Usage

1. Open the Node-RED editor
2. Drag the object explorer node into a flow
3. Choose the source:
   • msg
   • flow
   • global
4. Enter the path to explore
5. Choose the mode
6. Choose the output format
7. Optionally enter a search term

Example Flow

The package includes a small example flow in the examples folder. In Node-RED, open the import menu and look under the Examples section for Basic Object Exploration.

Modes

• direct_keys Returns the immediate child keys of the selected object
• deep_keys Returns all nested keys below the selected object
• direct_values Returns the immediate child values
• deep_values Returns all nested values
• key_value_pairs Returns keys and values together
• matching_keys Returns keys or paths that match the search term
• matching_values Returns values under matching keys
• matching_key_value_pairs Returns matching paths, keys, and values together

Output

The node writes the main result to msg.payload.

It also sets:

• msg.count
• msg.sourcePath
• msg.searchTerm
• msg.mode

Output 1

Main result data.

Output 2

Diagnostic status data for:

• success
• no-match
• error cases

This can be useful for debug panels, status handling, or logging.

Example Use Cases

Get direct keys from msg.payload

• Source: msg
• Path: payload
• Mode: direct_keys

Example result:

[
  "device1",
  "device2"
]

Get nested values under msg.payload

• Source: msg
• Path: payload
• Mode: deep_values

Get all packet objects below msg.payload

• Source: msg
• Path: payload
• Mode: matching_values
• Search: packet
• Recursive: true
• Exact match: true

Example result:

[
  {
    "packet1": 1,
    "packet2": 2
  },
  {
    "packetX1": "Y1",
    "packetX2": "Y2"
  }
]

Build dropdown options from nested keys

• Source: msg
• Path: payload.fields
• Mode: deep_keys
• Output: dropdown_options
• Selected item: path

Example result:

[
  {
    "label": "msg.payload.fields.temperature.value",
    "value": "msg.payload.fields.temperature.value"
  },
  {
    "label": "msg.payload.fields.temperature.updatedAt",
    "value": "msg.payload.fields.temperature.updatedAt"
  }
]

Notes

• The node is designed to help users explore unknown or deeply nested structures without writing repeated Function node code.
• If a path does not exist, the node does not crash. It sends a diagnostic message to the second output.
• Arrays are supported when Include arrays is enabled.

Related

• Node-RED
• GitHub Repository
• npm Package

Author

Developed by Omid Teimoori

MIT License