@manny-est/node-red-flowpilot 0.2.2 → 0.3.0

package/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+# Changelog
+
+All notable changes to FlowPilot are documented here.
+
+## [0.3.0] - 2026-06-23
+
+### Added
+- `/feedback` slash command — links to the repo and issue tracker, with a note on what makes a good bug report.
+- Temperature setting now has an explanatory hint (closes #3).
+- Request timeout is now configurable in Settings → Behavior, instead of a hardcoded 180000ms (closes #2).
+- "Preview JSON" / "Preview debug" links — show the exact node JSON or debug payload a request will send, for diagnosing "did the AI actually get this" confusion.
+- Inline feedback on the Save settings button ("Settings saved." / "No changes to save." / validation errors).
+- Declared Node-RED 5.x as tested/supported (previously only the `>=4.0.0` floor was documented).
+- Redaction opt-out toggle in Settings → Context & Safety (redaction is on by default; disabling it requires checking a box and typing "disable redaction" to confirm). Intended for local/private AI setups. Node-RED's own credentials field is still always dropped either way. The secrets-warning badge in the status strip turns red with a stronger tooltip while redaction is off.
+
+### Changed
+- The "Provider settings... stored locally..." banner now only shows inside the Providers section, not across the whole Settings panel.
+
+### Fixed
+- Debug messages attached as context were truncated to 500 characters at capture time — before being attached — which could cut a value mid-JSON and make it look like the AI ignored the attached data. Raised to 20,000 characters for what's actually sent (the debug-log list preview stays short).
+- The streaming "Cruising…" indicator never visibly appeared during streaming Chat/Generate/Document/Modify — it was converted into an empty bubble in the same tick it was created, before the request even went out (closes #4).
+- Generate would sometimes produce nodes with no `"wires"` connecting them, landing disconnected on the canvas. Added a worked example to the generation prompt (smaller/local models follow concrete examples more reliably than prose rules) and a visible warning in the review panel when a generated flow has zero connections.
+- When redaction was off, FlowPilot's chat replies implied it could "re-enable redaction" itself if asked — it has no such ability (no tool/function gives it write access to settings). Clarified the context note so it correctly tells the user to use the Settings panel instead of offering to do it for them.
+
+## [0.2.2] - 2026-06-15
+
+### Fixed
+- Raw `fetch()` calls (chat/generate/document/modify streaming) were missing the `Authorization` header that jQuery's `$.ajax` gets automatically from the Node-RED editor, causing 401s on instances with `adminAuth` enabled.
+- Dark themes: the prompt box and settings inputs used a non-existent CSS variable (`--red-ui-form-input-text-color`) and always fell back to a hardcoded dark color, making text unreadable against a dark background.
+
+## [0.2.1] - 2026-06-15
+
+Initial public release — published to npm and listed on the Node-RED Flow Library.

package/README.md

@@ -74,6 +74,10 @@ See the [User Guide](USER-GUIDE.md#privacy-and-safety) for the full details.
   safely, FlowPilot asks ONE question instead of guessing.
 - **Streaming replies** — optional SSE streaming for chat responses.
 
+## Requirements
+
+Node-RED 4.x and 5.x, tested. Node.js 16+.
+
 ## Install in a local Node-RED user directory
 
 From your Node-RED user directory:

package/flowpilot.html

@@ -21,6 +21,12 @@
     // user's thresholds and suppression preference without refetching.
     var currentSettings = {};
 
+    // JSON snapshot of collectSettings() as of the last load/save, used by
+    // the explicit Save button to tell "no changes" from "saved" without
+    // hitting the backend for a no-op write.
+    var savedSettingsSnapshot = null;
+    var saveStatusTimer = null;
+
     // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
     // Identifies this conversation for server-side transcript
     // persistence (chats/<conversationId>.jsonl). Kept in sessionStorage so
@@ -112,7 +118,14 @@
     // the name-based check. Structural data (numbers, booleans, short
     // strings, object/array shape) passes through untouched, preserving
     // diagnostic value.
+    //
+    // currentSettings.redactionEnabled defaults true (settings.json default,
+    // and an empty {} before settings ever load) — explicitly opting OUT via
+    // the type-to-confirm Settings toggle is required to disable this. The
+    // Node-RED credentials field is a SEPARATE, always-on mechanism (dropped
+    // entirely in sanitizeNode's INTERNAL_FIELDS) and is unaffected either way.
     function redactDebugValue(value, key) {
+        if (currentSettings.redactionEnabled === false) { return value; }
         if (typeof value === "string") {
             var kind = matchSecretValue(value);
             if (kind) { return "[redacted: " + kind + ", " + value.length + " chars]"; }
@@ -150,7 +163,14 @@
     // request is sent.
     // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
     var DEBUG_BUFFER_MAX = 50;
-    var DEBUG_VALUE_MAX_CHARS = 500;
+    // Two different caps for two different jobs. PREVIEW is just for the
+    // scannable debug-log list (many short entries). SEND is what actually
+    // gets attached/transmitted — much higher, because a value truncated
+    // mid-JSON at 500 chars (e.g. cut inside a string or property name) can
+    // arrive at the model as malformed JSON, which looks indistinguishable
+    // from "the model ignored the attached data".
+    var DEBUG_VALUE_PREVIEW_MAX_CHARS = 500;
+    var DEBUG_VALUE_SEND_MAX_CHARS = 20000;
     var debugMessageBuffer = [];
     var attachedDebugMessages = [];
     var nextDebugMessageId = 1;
@@ -179,12 +199,18 @@
         if (!msg) { return; }
         var redactedValue = redactDebugValue(msg.msg, undefined);
         var redactedTopic = redactDebugValue(msg.topic || "", undefined);
+        var stringified = stringifyDebugValue(redactedValue);
         var entry = {
             id: nextDebugMessageId++,
             timestamp: Date.now(),
             name: msg.name || msg.id || "(unnamed node)",
             topic: redactedTopic,
-            value: truncateForDebug(stringifyDebugValue(redactedValue), DEBUG_VALUE_MAX_CHARS)
+            // previewValue: short, for the scannable debug-log list only.
+            // value: the much-less-truncated version that actually gets
+            // attached/sent and shown by "Preview debug" — never the raw
+            // unredacted value either way.
+            previewValue: truncateForDebug(stringified, DEBUG_VALUE_PREVIEW_MAX_CHARS),
+            value: truncateForDebug(stringified, DEBUG_VALUE_SEND_MAX_CHARS)
         };
         debugMessageBuffer.push(entry);
         if (debugMessageBuffer.length > DEBUG_BUFFER_MAX) {
@@ -192,6 +218,14 @@
         }
     }
 
+    // The exact shape sent to the backend (and shown by "Preview debug") —
+    // excludes previewValue, which exists only for the debug-log list.
+    function buildDebugMessagesForSend() {
+        return attachedDebugMessages.map(function (m) {
+            return { id: m.id, timestamp: m.timestamp, name: m.name, topic: m.topic, value: m.value };
+        });
+    }
+
     // Merges any attached debug messages into a request's context object —
     // called right after collectSelectionContext() in send/generate/
     // documentFlow/modifyFlow. Leaves context untouched (including null) when
@@ -199,7 +233,7 @@
     function attachDebugContext(context) {
         if (!attachedDebugMessages.length) { return context; }
         context = context || { nodes: [], connections: {} };
-        return Object.assign({}, context, { debugMessages: attachedDebugMessages.slice() });
+        return Object.assign({}, context, { debugMessages: buildDebugMessagesForSend() });
     }
 
     // Updates the "🐛 N debug message(s) attached" indicator in the context
@@ -214,6 +248,12 @@
         $status.removeClass("fp-hidden").empty();
         var n = attachedDebugMessages.length;
         $status.append(document.createTextNode("🐛 " + n + " debug message" + (n === 1 ? "" : "s") + " attached "));
+        var $preview = $("<a>").attr("href", "#").text("preview").attr("title", "Show the exact debug payload that will be sent");
+        $preview.on("click", function (ev) {
+            ev.preventDefault();
+            showJsonPreview("Debug payload preview — exactly what will be sent", buildDebugMessagesForSend());
+        });
+        $status.append($preview).append(document.createTextNode(" "));
         var $clear = $("<a>").attr("href", "#").text("✕").attr("title", "Remove all attached debug messages");
         $clear.on("click", function (ev) {
             ev.preventDefault();
@@ -223,6 +263,29 @@
         $status.append($clear);
     }
 
+    // Diagnostic tool: dumps `data` as a fenced JSON code block into the chat
+    // thread (UI-only — never added to conversationHistory). Lets the user
+    // see exactly what a request would carry, instead of guessing whether
+    // the model received it or silently ignored it.
+    function showJsonPreview(title, data) {
+        addMessage("assistant", "**" + title + "**\n\n```json\n" + JSON.stringify(data, null, 2) + "\n```");
+    }
+
+    // Resolves the node-selection context that would actually be sent right
+    // now: the live canvas selection, or (while an Execute action is armed
+    // with nothing currently selected) the pinned selection from when it was
+    // armed. Used by "Preview JSON" so it can never show different context
+    // than what Send actually uses.
+    function resolveCurrentSelectionContext() {
+        var sel = (RED.view && RED.view.selection) ? RED.view.selection() : null;
+        var liveCount = (sel && sel.nodes) ? sel.nodes.length : 0;
+        if (liveCount > 0) { return collectSelectionContext(); }
+        if (armedExecuteAction && pinnedSelectionIds) {
+            return collectSelectionContext(pinnedSelectionIds);
+        }
+        return null;
+    }
+
     function getHistoryMaxExchanges() {
         var n = Number(currentSettings.historyMaxExchanges);
         return (isFinite(n) && n >= 0) ? n : 10;
@@ -812,7 +875,7 @@
             var when = new Date(entry.timestamp).toLocaleTimeString();
             var meta = when + " · " + entry.name + (entry.topic ? " · topic: " + entry.topic : "");
             $("<div>").addClass("fp-recall-meta").text(meta).appendTo($item);
-            $("<div>").addClass("fp-recall-text").text(entry.value).appendTo($item);
+            $("<div>").addClass("fp-recall-text").text(entry.previewValue).appendTo($item);
 
             var already = !!attachedIds[entry.id];
             var $use = $("<button>").addClass("fp-recall-use red-ui-button red-ui-button-small")
@@ -1118,7 +1181,9 @@
         el("#fp-high-tokens").val(settings.contextHighTokens || 8000);
         el("#fp-history-max").val(settings.historyMaxExchanges !== undefined ? settings.historyMaxExchanges : 10);
         el("#fp-streaming-enabled").prop("checked", !!settings.streamingEnabled);
+        el("#fp-request-timeout").val(Math.round((settings.requestTimeoutMs !== undefined ? settings.requestTimeoutMs : 180000) / 1000));
         el("#fp-suppress-warnings").prop("checked", !!settings.suppressContextWarnings);
+        el("#fp-redaction-disabled").prop("checked", settings.redactionEnabled === false);
 
         // The dev/test banner is part of the warning set the user can silence
         // via the type-to-confirm acknowledgement.
@@ -1137,6 +1202,24 @@
             ? (ap.providerName + " / " + ap.model)
             : ((ap ? ap.providerName : "Provider") + ": model not configured");
         el("#fp-provider-status").text("Provider: " + providerText);
+
+        // Anchor point for "no changes to save" detection — this is the form
+        // state as of the last successful load/save.
+        savedSettingsSnapshot = JSON.stringify(collectSettings());
+    }
+
+    // Shows a short-lived status message next to the Save settings button.
+    // Only used for that explicit, user-initiated action — the many internal
+    // saveSettings() calls (Pre-flight check, Refresh models, custom intent
+    // add/remove) have their own dedicated feedback elsewhere and would just
+    // add noise here.
+    function showSaveStatus(text, isError) {
+        var $status = el("#fp-save-status");
+        clearTimeout(saveStatusTimer);
+        $status.text(text).toggleClass("fp-save-status-error", !!isError).removeClass("fp-hidden");
+        saveStatusTimer = setTimeout(function () {
+            $status.addClass("fp-hidden");
+        }, 4000);
     }
 
     // Read the form's provider fields back into the active provider profile.
@@ -1159,12 +1242,23 @@
         var typed = (el("#fp-suppress-confirm").val() || "").trim();
         var suppress = wantSuppress && typed === "I understand the risk";
 
+        // Same type-to-confirm gate as suppressContextWarnings above, and for
+        // the same reason: the confirm box is never pre-filled from settings,
+        // so disabling redaction stays off unless re-confirmed on every save —
+        // "off-able, not off-by-accident".
+        var wantRedactionOff = el("#fp-redaction-disabled").prop("checked");
+        var redactionTyped = (el("#fp-redaction-confirm").val() || "").trim();
+        var redactionEnabled = !(wantRedactionOff && redactionTyped === "disable redaction");
+
         // Fold the form's provider fields back into the active profile first.
         captureProviderFields();
 
         var historyMax = Number(el("#fp-history-max").val());
         if (!isFinite(historyMax) || historyMax < 0) { historyMax = 10; }
 
+        var requestTimeoutSec = Number(el("#fp-request-timeout").val());
+        if (!isFinite(requestTimeoutSec) || requestTimeoutSec < 5) { requestTimeoutSec = 180; }
+
         return {
             providers: providersList(),
             activeProviderId: currentSettings.activeProviderId,
@@ -1173,7 +1267,9 @@
             contextHighTokens: Number(el("#fp-high-tokens").val() || 8000),
             historyMaxExchanges: historyMax,
             streamingEnabled: el("#fp-streaming-enabled").prop("checked"),
+            requestTimeoutMs: Math.round(requestTimeoutSec * 1000),
             suppressContextWarnings: suppress,
+            redactionEnabled: redactionEnabled,
             customIntents: Array.isArray(currentSettings.customIntents)
                 ? currentSettings.customIntents : []
         };
@@ -1305,7 +1401,11 @@
         });
     }
 
-    function saveSettings(callback) {
+    // `announce` is true only for the explicit Save settings button — the
+    // many internal callers (Pre-flight check, Refresh models, custom intent
+    // add/remove) save as a side effect of some other action and already
+    // have their own feedback, so they stay silent here.
+    function saveSettings(callback, announce) {
         var payload = collectSettings();
         var list = payload.providers || [];
 
@@ -1316,7 +1416,9 @@
         });
         if (noUrl.length) {
             var urlNames = noUrl.map(function (p) { return p.providerName || "(unnamed)"; }).join(", ");
-            addMessage("error", "Cannot save: these provider(s) need a Base URL: " + urlNames + ".");
+            var noUrlMsg = "Cannot save: these provider(s) need a Base URL: " + urlNames + ".";
+            addMessage("error", noUrlMsg);
+            if (announce) { showSaveStatus(noUrlMsg, true); }
             showSettings();
             return;
         }
@@ -1329,7 +1431,9 @@
             return !p.providerName || !String(p.providerName).trim();
         });
         if (blankName.length) {
-            addMessage("error", "Cannot save: every provider needs a name.");
+            var blankNameMsg = "Cannot save: every provider needs a name.";
+            addMessage("error", blankNameMsg);
+            if (announce) { showSaveStatus(blankNameMsg, true); }
             showSettings();
             return;
         }
@@ -1343,18 +1447,29 @@
             seen[key] = true;
         });
         if (dupes.length) {
-            addMessage("error", "Cannot save: provider names must be unique. Duplicate: " + dupes.join(", ") + ".");
+            var dupesMsg = "Cannot save: provider names must be unique. Duplicate: " + dupes.join(", ") + ".";
+            addMessage("error", dupesMsg);
+            if (announce) { showSaveStatus(dupesMsg, true); }
             showSettings();
             return;
         }
 
+        // Nothing changed since the last load/save — skip the round trip.
+        if (announce && savedSettingsSnapshot !== null && JSON.stringify(payload) === savedSettingsSnapshot) {
+            showSaveStatus("No changes to save.");
+            if (callback) { callback(); }
+            return;
+        }
+
         ajaxJson("POST", "flowpilot/settings", payload, function (data) {
             fillSettings(data);
             addMessage("assistant", "Settings saved.");
+            if (announce) { showSaveStatus("Settings saved."); }
             updateSelectionStatus();
             if (callback) { callback(); }
         }, function (msg) {
             addMessage("error", "Unable to save FlowPilot settings: " + msg);
+            if (announce) { showSaveStatus("Unable to save: " + msg, true); }
         });
     }
 
@@ -1391,7 +1506,8 @@
             // way to reason about (or fix) auth configuration while protecting
             // nothing. Real credential VALUES are already excluded entirely via
             // INTERNAL_FIELDS.credentials.
-            if (SECRET_KEY.test(k) && typeof v === "string" && v.length > SECRET_NAME_MIN_LEN) {
+            if (currentSettings.redactionEnabled !== false &&
+                    SECRET_KEY.test(k) && typeof v === "string" && v.length > SECRET_NAME_MIN_LEN) {
                 out[k] = "[redacted: secret field, " + v.length + " chars]";
                 return;
             }
@@ -1794,13 +1910,16 @@
                    .addClass("fp-has-selection");
         }
 
-        // Size line: selection context + conversation history —
-        // whichever of the two apply right now.
+        el("#fp-preview-nodes").toggleClass("fp-hidden", count === 0);
+
+        // Size line: selection context + attached debug messages +
+        // conversation history.
         var contextTokens = liveCount > 0 ? estimateTokens(collectSelectionContext())
             : pinnedContext ? estimateTokens(pinnedContext) : 0;
+        var debugTokens = attachedDebugMessages.length ? estimateTokens(buildDebugMessagesForSend()) : 0;
         var historyPayload = buildHistoryPayload();
         var historyTokens = estimateTokens(historyPayload.messages);
-        var tokens = contextTokens + historyTokens;
+        var tokens = contextTokens + debugTokens + historyTokens;
 
         if (tokens === 0) {
             $size.text("").addClass("fp-hidden");
@@ -1810,6 +1929,7 @@
 
             var parts = [];
             if (contextTokens) { parts.push("context ~" + contextTokens.toLocaleString()); }
+            if (debugTokens) { parts.push("debug ~" + debugTokens.toLocaleString()); }
             if (historyTokens) {
                 parts.push("history ~" + historyTokens.toLocaleString() +
                     (historyPayload.truncated ? " (earlier messages omitted)" : ""));
@@ -1831,11 +1951,17 @@
         }
 
         // Secrets reminder (suppressible) — only relevant when a selection is
-        // attached as context.
-        if (count === 0 || currentSettings.suppressContextWarnings) {
+        // attached as context. When redaction is actually OFF, this can't be
+        // suppressed and gets a starker tooltip — at that point the warning is
+        // no longer "just in case", it's literally true.
+        var redactionOff = currentSettings.redactionEnabled === false;
+        if (count === 0 || (currentSettings.suppressContextWarnings && !redactionOff)) {
             $secrets.addClass("fp-hidden");
         } else {
-            $secrets.removeClass("fp-hidden");
+            $secrets.removeClass("fp-hidden").toggleClass("fp-secrets-status-off", redactionOff);
+            $secrets.attr("title", redactionOff
+                ? "Redaction is OFF — secret-shaped values are sent as-is, unredacted. Don't send credentials or proprietary data unless you trust this AI provider."
+                : "Context may include node config and code. Don't send credentials or proprietary data. Local/private AI recommended.");
         }
     }
 
@@ -1907,7 +2033,8 @@
         "- `/history` — open the Flight log (past conversations)\n" +
         "- `/settings` — open the Hangar (providers, behavior, safety)\n\n" +
         "Typing a shortcut with extra text, e.g. `/modify add a debug node`, switches mode and leaves the rest in the box so you can review before sending.\n\n" +
-        "- `/demo` — load a sample Generate request (a dad joke flow) into the compose box\n\n" +
+        "- `/demo` — load a sample Generate request (a dad joke flow) into the compose box\n" +
+        "- `/feedback` — bug report / feature request info\n\n" +
         "### Also worth knowing\n\n" +
         "- Action chips (paper-plane buttons) offer a one-click follow-up — review and send, nothing fires automatically.\n" +
         "- When I ask a clarifying question, I'll often offer quick-reply buttons (plus \"Other\" for your own answer) — clicking one sends it right away.\n" +
@@ -1919,6 +2046,17 @@
     // with a small, fast-to-generate flow.
     var DEMO_PROMPT = "Using an online dad joke API (e.g. https://icanhazdadjoke.com/ with an \"Accept: application/json\" header), make an API call for a dad joke when triggered by an inject node. Set the node's status to show the joke text, and wire a debug node to output the joke itself.";
 
+    // /feedback: links back to the repo/issues, shown entirely client-side.
+    var FEEDBACK_TEXT = "## Thanks for flying with FlowPilot\n\n" +
+        "Bug? Rough edge? Idea for a feature? I'd love to hear about it — the " +
+        "human crew reads every report.\n\n" +
+        "- **Report an issue**: https://github.com/manny-est/flowpilot/issues\n" +
+        "- **Browse the repo**: https://github.com/manny-est/flowpilot\n\n" +
+        "A good report travels light but packs the essentials: your Node-RED " +
+        "version, the provider/model you're flying with, and the steps to " +
+        "reproduce. That's usually enough to get a fix off the ground.\n\n" +
+        "Safe travels.";
+
     var demoTypeTimer = null;
 
     // Streams `text` into the prompt box a few characters at a time, as if
@@ -2002,6 +2140,10 @@
                     el("#fp-send").addClass("fp-send-breathe");
                 });
                 break;
+            case "/feedback":
+                addMessage("assistant", FEEDBACK_TEXT);
+                if ($promptBox.length) { $promptBox.val(""); }
+                break;
             default:
                 addMessage("assistant", "Unrecognized command `" + command + "`. Type `/help` for the full list.");
                 if ($promptBox.length) { $promptBox.val(""); }
@@ -2276,21 +2418,24 @@
 
     // Streaming chat. Posts with stream:true and reads the
     // SSE response body incrementally via fetch's ReadableStream. The
-    // bouncing "pending" indicator (already in the DOM from showPending) is
-    // converted in place into the assistant bubble and filled in as chunks
+    // bouncing "pending" indicator (already in the DOM from showPending)
+    // stays up until the first real delta arrives, then ensureBubble()
+    // swaps it for the assistant bubble that gets filled in as chunks
     // arrive — generate/modify/document never call this; their JSON envelope
     // can't be rendered until complete.
     function sendChatStream(payload) {
         var $box = el("#fp-messages");
         if (!$box.length) { return; }
 
-        var $msg = $box.find("#fp-pending");
+        // Bug #4: this used to grab the just-shown #fp-pending indicator and
+        // convert it into an empty bubble right here, synchronously, before
+        // fetch() even started — so the dots were destroyed in the same tick
+        // they were created and never got a chance to render. $msg/$text now
+        // start null and ensureBubble() (below) does the conversion lazily,
+        // on the FIRST actual delta — the dots stay visible for the entire
+        // wait until real content starts arriving.
+        var $msg = null;
         var $text = null;
-        if ($msg.length) {
-            $msg.removeAttr("id").empty();
-            $("<div>").addClass("fp-label").text("FLOWPILOT").appendTo($msg);
-            $text = $("<div>").addClass("fp-md").appendTo($msg);
-        }
 
         var fullText = "";
         var finalData = null;
@@ -2674,13 +2819,10 @@
         var $box = el("#fp-messages");
         if (!$box.length) { return; }
 
-        var $msg = $box.find("#fp-pending");
+        // See the matching comment in sendChatStream — same fix, same bug
+        // (#4): don't pre-convert #fp-pending before any data has arrived.
+        var $msg = null;
         var $text = null;
-        if ($msg.length) {
-            $msg.removeAttr("id").empty();
-            $("<div>").addClass("fp-label").text("FLOWPILOT").appendTo($msg);
-            $text = $("<div>").addClass("fp-md").appendTo($msg);
-        }
 
         var extractor = createExplanationExtractor();
         var finalData = null;
@@ -3968,6 +4110,7 @@
         var summary = [];
         var typeWarnings = [];
         var brokenWires = [];
+        var realWireCount = 0;
 
         nodes.forEach(function (n) {
             if (!n || !n.id || !n.type) { return; }
@@ -3984,12 +4127,22 @@
                 (Array.isArray(port) ? port : []).forEach(function (targetId) {
                     if (!ids[targetId]) {
                         brokenWires.push({ from: n.id, type: n.type, target: targetId });
+                    } else {
+                        realWireCount++;
                     }
                 });
             });
         });
 
-        return { summary: summary, typeWarnings: typeWarnings, brokenWires: brokenWires };
+        // A multi-node flow with zero connections anywhere is almost always
+        // a generation slip (the model omitted "wires" on every node) rather
+        // than something the user actually wanted — flag it, but don't
+        // block import; a handful of genuinely independent nodes is rare
+        // but not impossible.
+        var nonCommentCount = nodes.filter(function (n) { return n && n.type !== "comment"; }).length;
+        var noConnections = nonCommentCount > 1 && realWireCount === 0;
+
+        return { summary: summary, typeWarnings: typeWarnings, brokenWires: brokenWires, noConnections: noConnections };
     }
 
     // The generation prompt deliberately omits x/y ("the editor assigns those
@@ -4299,6 +4452,14 @@
             $list.append($li);
         });
 
+        if (v.noConnections) {
+            var $wireWarn = $("<div>").addClass("fp-warning fp-review-warning").appendTo($summaryPanel);
+            $("<strong>").text("⚠ These nodes aren't wired to each other.").appendTo($wireWarn);
+            $("<div>").text("None of the " + nodes.length + " generated nodes connect to one another — " +
+                "they'll land on the canvas disconnected. You can wire them manually, or ask FlowPilot " +
+                "to regenerate.").appendTo($wireWarn);
+        }
+
         if (v.typeWarnings.length) {
             var $warn = $("<div>").addClass("fp-warning fp-review-warning").appendTo($summaryPanel);
             $("<strong>").text("Type warnings — review before adding:").appendTo($warn);
@@ -4423,6 +4584,7 @@
                 '      </div>' +
                 '      <div class="fp-status-strip">' +
                 '        <span id="fp-selection-status" class="fp-selection-status">No nodes selected</span>' +
+                '        <a href="#" id="fp-preview-nodes" class="fp-preview-link fp-hidden" title="Show the exact sanitized node JSON that will be sent">Preview JSON</a>' +
                 '        <span id="fp-size-status" class="fp-size-status fp-hidden"></span>' +
                 '        <span id="fp-secrets-status" class="fp-secrets-status fp-hidden" title="Context may include node config and code. Don\'t send credentials or proprietary data. Local/private AI recommended.">⚠</span>' +
                 '        <span id="fp-debug-status" class="fp-debug-status fp-hidden"></span>' +
@@ -4435,14 +4597,14 @@
                 '  </div>' +
 
                 '  <div id="fp-settings-panel" class="fp-panel fp-hidden">' +
-                '    <div class="fp-warning">' +
-                '      <strong>Provider settings.</strong><br>' +
-                '      Stored locally under the Node-RED user directory in <code>flowpilot/settings.json</code>.' +
-                '    </div>' +
                 '    <div class="fp-form">' +
 
                 '      <details class="fp-settings-group" open>' +
                 '      <summary title="Hangar — where your AI providers are configured">Providers</summary>' +
+                '      <div class="fp-warning">' +
+                '        <strong>Provider settings.</strong><br>' +
+                '        Stored locally under the Node-RED user directory in <code>flowpilot/settings.json</code>.' +
+                '      </div>' +
                 '      <label>Active provider</label>' +
                 '      <select id="fp-provider-select"></select>' +
                 '      <div class="fp-provider-actions">' +
@@ -4461,6 +4623,9 @@
                 '      <div id="fp-models-hint" class="fp-consent-hint fp-hidden"></div>' +
                 '      <label>Temperature</label>' +
                 '      <input id="fp-temperature" type="number" min="0" max="2" step="0.1" placeholder="0.2">' +
+                '      <div class="fp-consent-hint">Controls randomness. Lower (e.g. 0.2) is more ' +
+                '        focused and consistent; higher is more creative and varied. 0.2 is a good ' +
+                '        default for flow generation.</div>' +
                 '      <div class="fp-settings-actions">' +
                 '        <button id="fp-test-provider" class="red-ui-button" type="button" title="Pre-flight check — save and send a quick test to this provider">Pre-flight check</button>' +
                 '        <button id="fp-refresh-models" class="red-ui-button" type="button" title="Save settings, then fetch this provider\'s model list via GET /v1/models">Refresh models</button>' +
@@ -4489,6 +4654,13 @@
                 '      <div class="fp-consent-hint">Only applies to chat replies — Generate, ' +
                 '        Document, and Modify always wait for the full response.</div>' +
 
+                '      <div class="fp-settings-section">Request timeout</div>' +
+                '      <label>Give up after (seconds)</label>' +
+                '      <input id="fp-request-timeout" type="number" min="5" step="5" placeholder="180">' +
+                '      <div class="fp-consent-hint">How long to wait for a provider response before ' +
+                '        giving up. Raise this if you\'re running a large local model on slow hardware ' +
+                '        (e.g. Ollama without a GPU) and seeing timeout errors.</div>' +
+
                 '      <div class="fp-settings-section">Custom intent buttons</div>' +
                 '      <div class="fp-consent-hint">Add your own one-click prompt buttons. ' +
                 '        They appear next to the built-in ones above the prompt.</div>' +
@@ -4519,10 +4691,25 @@
                 '        <strong>I understand the risk</strong> below. ' +
                 '        Anything you send may leave this Node-RED instance.</div>' +
                 '      <input id="fp-suppress-confirm" type="text" placeholder="Type: I understand the risk">' +
+
+                '      <div class="fp-settings-section">Redaction</div>' +
+                '      <label class="fp-checkbox-row">' +
+                '        <input id="fp-redaction-disabled" type="checkbox"> ' +
+                '        Disable secret-shaped-value redaction' +
+                '      </label>' +
+                '      <div class="fp-consent-hint">By default, values that look like secrets ' +
+                '        (passwords, tokens, API keys) are replaced with a placeholder before sending. ' +
+                '        This opt-out is intended for environments using local or private AIs. Debug ' +
+                '        nodes and context may share confidential data, including secret keys, and ' +
+                '        credentials. Use at your own risk! Node-RED\'s own credential store is never ' +
+                '        sent either way. To disable, check the box and type ' +
+                '        <strong>disable redaction</strong> below.</div>' +
+                '      <input id="fp-redaction-confirm" type="text" placeholder="Type: disable redaction">' +
                 '      </details>' +
 
                 '      <div class="fp-settings-actions">' +
                 '        <button id="fp-save-settings" class="red-ui-button red-ui-button-primary" type="button">Save settings</button>' +
+                '        <span id="fp-save-status" class="fp-save-status fp-hidden"></span>' +
                 '      </div>' +
                 '    </div>' +
                 '  </div>' +
@@ -4560,6 +4747,10 @@
             content.find("#fp-clear-chat").on("click", clearChat);
             content.find("#fp-recall").on("click", recallSearch);
             content.find("#fp-debug-log").on("click", showDebugMessages);
+            content.find("#fp-preview-nodes").on("click", function (ev) {
+                ev.preventDefault();
+                showJsonPreview("Node JSON preview — exactly what will be sent", resolveCurrentSelectionContext());
+            });
 
             // Subscribe once to the same RED.comms "debug" topic the built-in
             // Debug sidebar uses, to buffer recent messages locally for
@@ -4614,7 +4805,7 @@
             });
 
             content.find("#fp-save-settings").on("click", function () {
-                saveSettings();
+                saveSettings(null, true);
             });
             content.find("#fp-add-intent").on("click", function () {
                 addCustomIntent();
@@ -5402,6 +5593,12 @@
     flex: 0 0 auto;
 }
 
+.fp-secrets-status-off {
+    background: rgba(192, 57, 43, 0.18);
+    border-color: rgba(192, 57, 43, 0.6);
+    color: #c0392b;
+}
+
 .fp-debug-status {
     font-size: 12px;
     color: var(--red-ui-secondary-text-color, #888);
@@ -5419,6 +5616,16 @@
     text-decoration: underline;
 }
 
+.fp-preview-link {
+    font-size: 12px;
+    color: var(--red-ui-secondary-text-color, #888);
+    text-decoration: none;
+}
+
+.fp-preview-link:hover {
+    text-decoration: underline;
+}
+
 .fp-settings-section {
     margin-top: 18px;
     padding-top: 12px;
@@ -5588,6 +5795,16 @@
     gap: 8px;
 }
 
+.fp-save-status {
+    font-size: 12px;
+    align-self: center;
+    color: var(--red-ui-secondary-text-color, #888);
+}
+
+.fp-save-status-error {
+    color: #c0392b;
+}
+
 .fp-form {
     flex: 1;
     overflow-y: auto;

package/flowpilot.js

@@ -406,7 +406,7 @@ module.exports = function flowPilotRuntime(RED) {
   // Returns null when there's no selection — used by both /chat and
   // /generate so the two describe context identically and never drift.
   // ---------------------------------------------------------------------
-  function describeSelectionContext(context) {
+  function describeSelectionContext(context, redactionEnabled) {
     const nodes = context && Array.isArray(context.nodes) ? context.nodes : [];
     const debugMessages = context && Array.isArray(context.debugMessages) ? context.debugMessages : [];
     if (nodes.length === 0 && debugMessages.length === 0) { return null; }
@@ -416,10 +416,26 @@ module.exports = function flowPilotRuntime(RED) {
     const perNode = Array.isArray(connections.perNode) ? connections.perNode : [];
     const subFlowCount = (typeof connections.subFlowCount === "number") ? connections.subFlowCount : 0;
 
+    // Node-RED's own credential store (config node "credentials" fields) is
+    // dropped by the frontend's sanitizer unconditionally — that part never
+    // changes. redactionEnabled only controls the SEPARATE secret-shaped-value
+    // scrubbing (password/token/apiKey-looking fields elsewhere in a node's
+    // config) — tell the model the truth about which protection is active.
+    const credentialNote = redactionEnabled === false
+      ? "Redaction is OFF for this session — context may contain sensitive " +
+        "values the user chose to share (e.g. embedded API keys or tokens); " +
+        "handle carefully and never volunteer them. Node-RED's separate " +
+        "credential store is still never included. This is a setting in the " +
+        "editor's FlowPilot Settings panel (Context & Safety section) — you " +
+        "have no ability to read, change, or report on it beyond this note; " +
+        "if the user wants to turn it back on, tell them to uncheck it there " +
+        "(it requires re-confirming a type-to-confirm phrase, by design)."
+      : "This is sanitized configuration; credentials are redacted.";
+
     let content = "";
     if (nodes.length > 0) {
       content += "The user has selected the following Node-RED nodes as context. " +
-                "This is sanitized configuration; credentials are redacted.\n\n" +
+                credentialNote + "\n\n" +
                 "Nodes:\n```json\n" + JSON.stringify(nodes) + "\n```";
       if (edges.length > 0) {
         content += "\n\nConnections — directed edges by node id (a node's wires " +
@@ -464,7 +480,7 @@ module.exports = function flowPilotRuntime(RED) {
     const settings = storage.getSettings();
     const activeProvider = storage.getActiveProvider(settings);
 
-    const described = describeSelectionContext(context);
+    const described = describeSelectionContext(context, settings.redactionEnabled);
     const messages = buildMessages(
       settings.systemPrompt || "You are FlowPilot, a Node-RED development assistant.",
       history, historyTruncated, described, prompt
@@ -501,7 +517,7 @@ module.exports = function flowPilotRuntime(RED) {
     const settings = storage.getSettings();
     const activeProvider = storage.getActiveProvider(settings);
 
-    const described = describeSelectionContext(context);
+    const described = describeSelectionContext(context, settings.redactionEnabled);
     const messages = buildMessages(
       settings.systemPrompt || "You are FlowPilot, a Node-RED development assistant.",
       history, historyTruncated, described, prompt
@@ -735,7 +751,7 @@ module.exports = function flowPilotRuntime(RED) {
 
       if (mode !== "chat") {
         const context = req.body.context;
-        const described = describeSelectionContext(context);
+        const described = describeSelectionContext(context, settings.redactionEnabled);
         const generated = processGenerationContent(result.content || "", result, messages, mode, described, activeProvider);
         recordTranscriptTurn(req.body.conversationId, mode, req.body.prompt || null, transcriptTextFromGenerationResult(generated));
         const finalize = (mode === "modify")
@@ -954,7 +970,7 @@ module.exports = function flowPilotRuntime(RED) {
   function buildGenerationContext(systemPrompt, userPrompt, context, history, historyTruncated) {
     const settings = storage.getSettings();
     const activeProvider = storage.getActiveProvider(settings);
-    const described = describeSelectionContext(context);
+    const described = describeSelectionContext(context, settings.redactionEnabled);
     const messages = buildMessages(systemPrompt, history, historyTruncated, described, userPrompt);
     return { activeProvider, described, messages };
   }
@@ -1558,7 +1574,7 @@ module.exports = function flowPilotRuntime(RED) {
 
   RED.httpAdmin.post("/flowpilot/document", RED.auth.needsPermission("settings.write"), async function (req, res) {
     const context = req.body && req.body.context;
-    const described = describeSelectionContext(context);
+    const described = describeSelectionContext(context, storage.getSettings().redactionEnabled);
 
     if (!described) {
       return res.status(400).json({ error: "Select the node(s) you want documented first." });
@@ -1598,7 +1614,7 @@ module.exports = function flowPilotRuntime(RED) {
 
   RED.httpAdmin.post("/flowpilot/modify", RED.auth.needsPermission("settings.write"), async function (req, res) {
     const context = req.body && req.body.context;
-    const described = describeSelectionContext(context);
+    const described = describeSelectionContext(context, storage.getSettings().redactionEnabled);
 
     if (!described) {
       return res.status(400).json({ error: "Select the node(s) you want to modify first." });

package/lib/generation-system-prompt.js

@@ -43,12 +43,23 @@ Respond with a SINGLE JSON object and nothing else — no markdown code fences,
 Rules for the "flow" array:
 - It is a standard Node-RED flow array, the same format produced by the editor's Export. Each element is a node object.
 - Every node needs a unique "id" (a short random-looking hex string), a "type", and the fields that type requires.
-- Use "wires" to connect nodes: wires is an array (one entry per output port), each entry an array of target node ids. A node with no outputs (e.g. debug) has wires: [].
+- EVERY node object MUST include a "wires" array — this is not optional and is never omitted, even for the first node in the chain or one with no outgoing connection. "wires" is one entry per output port, each entry an array of target node ids. A node with no outgoing connection (e.g. a debug node, or the last node in a chain) still has "wires": [] — an empty array, not a missing field.
 - All wire targets must reference ids that exist within this flow array.
 - Do NOT include "x"/"y" coordinates or a "z" (tab) id — the editor assigns those on import. Omitting them is fine.
 - Do NOT include a node of type "tab" or "subflow" in "flow" — these represent editor workspaces/containers, not importable nodes, and including one will not behave as a grouping mechanism. To label or group related nodes, use "comment" nodes as section headers instead.
 - Comment nodes (type: "comment") are passive annotations and do not pass messages — their "wires" array MUST be empty ([]). Never wire a comment node to or from any other node.
 
+Example — three nodes chained inject -> function -> debug, showing "wires" on every single node including the first and last:
+{
+  "explanation": "An inject node triggers a function that doubles its input, then a debug node logs the result.",
+  "flow": [
+    {"id": "n1", "type": "inject", "name": "Start", "props": [{"p":"payload"}], "repeat": "", "crontab": "", "once": false, "onceDelay": 0.1, "topic": "", "payload": "5", "payloadType": "num", "wires": [["n2"]]},
+    {"id": "n2", "type": "function", "name": "Double", "func": "msg.payload = msg.payload * 2;\\nreturn msg;", "outputs": 1, "wires": [["n3"]]},
+    {"id": "n3", "type": "debug", "name": "Result", "active": true, "tosidebar": true, "wires": []}
+  ]
+}
+Notice "n1" (the very first node, nothing wires INTO it) still has its own "wires" array out to "n2", and "n3" (the last node, nothing downstream) still has an explicit "wires": [] rather than omitting the field. Every node you generate follows this same shape — a flow where any node is missing "wires" entirely will import with that node completely disconnected.
+
 Node type rules:
 - STRONGLY PREFER core nodes: inject, debug, function, change, switch, template, http in/out/request, mqtt in/out, link in/out, comment, junction, complete, catch, status, split, join, sort, batch, delay, trigger, range, csv, html, json, xml, yaml, file, exec, tcp/udp.
 - Only use a non-core (contrib) node type if the user EXPLICITLY names it. Custom nodes are often unmaintained and may not be installed; core nodes are stable across versions.

package/lib/provider-openai-compatible.js

@@ -48,8 +48,9 @@ function postJson(urlString, headers, body, timeoutMs) {
     });
 
     req.on("error", reject);
-    req.setTimeout(timeoutMs || 180000, () => {
-      req.destroy(new Error(`Provider request timed out after ${timeoutMs || 180000}ms`));
+    const effectiveTimeoutMs = timeoutMs || 180000;
+    req.setTimeout(effectiveTimeoutMs, () => {
+      req.destroy(new Error(`Provider request timed out after ${effectiveTimeoutMs}ms — increase the request timeout in Settings → Behavior for slower hardware.`));
     });
 
     req.write(payload);
@@ -100,8 +101,9 @@ function getJson(urlString, headers, timeoutMs) {
     });
 
     req.on("error", reject);
-    req.setTimeout(timeoutMs || 30000, () => {
-      req.destroy(new Error(`Provider request timed out after ${timeoutMs || 30000}ms`));
+    const effectiveTimeoutMs = timeoutMs || 30000;
+    req.setTimeout(effectiveTimeoutMs, () => {
+      req.destroy(new Error(`Provider request timed out after ${effectiveTimeoutMs}ms — increase the request timeout in Settings → Behavior for slower hardware.`));
     });
 
     req.end();
@@ -127,7 +129,7 @@ async function listModels(settings) {
   }
 
   try {
-    const response = await getJson(`${baseUrl}/v1/models`, headers, 30000);
+    const response = await getJson(`${baseUrl}/v1/models`, headers, settings.requestTimeoutMs || 30000);
     const data = response && Array.isArray(response.data) ? response.data : [];
     const models = data
       .map(function (m) { return m && m.id; })
@@ -169,7 +171,7 @@ async function chat(settings, messages, options) {
   }
 
   const startedAt = Date.now();
-  const response = await postJson(`${baseUrl}/v1/chat/completions`, headers, body, 180000);
+  const response = await postJson(`${baseUrl}/v1/chat/completions`, headers, body, settings.requestTimeoutMs || 180000);
   const totalMs = Date.now() - startedAt;
 
   const message = response && response.choices && response.choices[0] && response.choices[0].message;
@@ -275,8 +277,9 @@ function postStream(urlString, headers, body, timeoutMs, onDelta) {
     });
 
     req.on("error", reject);
-    req.setTimeout(timeoutMs || 180000, () => {
-      req.destroy(new Error(`Provider request timed out after ${timeoutMs || 180000}ms`));
+    const effectiveTimeoutMs = timeoutMs || 180000;
+    req.setTimeout(effectiveTimeoutMs, () => {
+      req.destroy(new Error(`Provider request timed out after ${effectiveTimeoutMs}ms — increase the request timeout in Settings → Behavior for slower hardware.`));
     });
 
     req.write(payload);
@@ -306,7 +309,7 @@ async function chatStream(settings, messages, onDelta) {
     temperature,
     stream: true,
     stream_options: { include_usage: true }
-  }, 180000, onDelta);
+  }, settings.requestTimeoutMs || 180000, onDelta);
 
   return {
     content: result.content || "",
@@ -359,7 +362,7 @@ async function probeTools(settings) {
       tool_choice: "auto",
       temperature: 0,
       stream: false
-    }, 30000);
+    }, settings.requestTimeoutMs || 30000);
 
     const message = response && response.choices && response.choices[0] && response.choices[0].message;
     const toolCalls = message && Array.isArray(message.tool_calls) ? message.tool_calls : [];

package/lib/storage.js

@@ -45,9 +45,20 @@ function createStorage(userDir) {
     // includes as history with each request. Older turns are dropped
     // client-side and the model is told when that happened.
     historyMaxExchanges: 10,
+    // How long to wait for a provider response before giving up. Slow local
+    // hardware (e.g. Ollama on a big model with no GPU) can take much longer
+    // than cloud providers; users on that hardware raise this in Behavior
+    // settings rather than living with a hardcoded ceiling.
+    requestTimeoutMs: 180000,
     // Lets the user silence the recurring secrets/size reminder bar after
     // typing an explicit acknowledgement in settings.
     suppressContextWarnings: false,
+    // Secret-shaped-value scrubbing (password/token/apiKey-looking fields in
+    // node config and debug output) — on by default. Local/private-AI users
+    // can turn it off via a separate type-to-confirm gate in Settings; the
+    // dedicated Node-RED credentials field is dropped by the frontend
+    // regardless of this setting, via a different, always-on mechanism.
+    redactionEnabled: true,
     // User-defined intent buttons: array of { label, text }.
     customIntents: [],
     systemPrompt: require("./default-system-prompt")
@@ -100,12 +111,19 @@ function createStorage(userDir) {
     return parsed;
   }
 
-  // Returns the currently active provider profile (or the first, or a default).
+  // Returns the currently active provider profile (or the first, or a
+  // default), with the app-level requestTimeoutMs folded in. Every
+  // provider.chat/chatStream/listModels/probeTools call takes this object as
+  // its `settings` argument, so merging the timeout in here is what threads
+  // it through all of them without touching each call site.
   function getActiveProvider(settings) {
     const list = Array.isArray(settings.providers) ? settings.providers : [];
-    if (!list.length) { return defaultProvider(); }
-    const found = list.filter(function (p) { return p.id === settings.activeProviderId; })[0];
-    return found || list[0];
+    const base = list.length
+      ? (list.filter(function (p) { return p.id === settings.activeProviderId; })[0] || list[0])
+      : defaultProvider();
+    const requestTimeoutMs = settings.requestTimeoutMs !== undefined
+      ? settings.requestTimeoutMs : defaultSettings.requestTimeoutMs;
+    return Object.assign({}, base, { requestTimeoutMs: requestTimeoutMs });
   }
 
   function init() {

package/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@manny-est/node-red-flowpilot",
-  "version": "0.2.2",
+  "version": "0.3.0",
   "description": "FlowPilot for Node-RED - an AI-powered development assistant sidebar",
   "main": "flowpilot.js",
   "keywords": [
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
     "README.md",
     "USER-GUIDE.md",
     "PROJECT-OVERVIEW.md",
+    "CHANGELOG.md",
     "LICENSE"
   ]
 }