node-red-contrib-join-wait 0.6.0 → 0.6.2

package/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -4,178 +4,174 @@ All notable changes to this project are documented in this file.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/).
 
+## [0.6.2] - 2026-05-09
+
+### Fixed
+
+- **Open example flows button** was a no-op. Now invokes
+  `core:show-examples-import-dialog` directly, opening the dialog as a
+  modal above the edit tray.
+- **Wait paths editableList overlapped the form rows below it** for
+  long lists. Resized via the canonical Node-RED pattern (numeric
+  height + `oneditresize` filling the tray, no upper clamp); re-flows
+  on the Advanced `<details>` toggle.
+- **Persist store admin call** now prefixes `RED.settings.apiRootUrl`,
+  so it works under a custom `httpAdminRoot` or behind a reverse
+  proxy.
+- **Help text** no longer references the file-based persistence path
+  removed in 0.6.0; corrected to describe the context-store backend.
+
+### Added
+
+- **Bulk paste in path lists** — paste newline-separated text into any
+  Wait paths or Reset paths row to fill the row + append one row per
+  remaining line.
+- **Richer inline validation** — output preview reflects
+  `pathTopicType` and shows repeat counts as `path_1 (×2): …`;
+  duplicate Reset paths and overlap between Wait/Reset paths are
+  flagged inline; Timeout accepts fractional values.
+- Tests for the `/join-wait/stores` admin endpoint and drift fences
+  in `editor_spec.js` so the help text never re-acquires legacy keys.
+
+### Changed
+
+- Persist store row hides when Preserve queue is off; output-preview
+  and Advanced summary use Node-RED CSS variables (theme-aware);
+  Timeout field widths cleaned up.
+
+## [0.6.1] - 2026-05-08
+
+### Fixed
+
+- Shipped example flows wouldn't import — inject nodes were missing
+  the standard top-level `topic`, `payload`, `repeat`, `crontab`,
+  `once`, and `onceDelay` fields. All five examples regenerated in
+  the canonical inject format.
+- First attempt at fixing the **Open example flows** button (closed
+  the edit tray before invoking the import dialog) — didn't reliably
+  surface; see 0.6.2 for the working fix.
+
 ## [0.6.0] - 2026-05-08
 
 ### Added
 
-- **Modern Node-RED `(msg, send, done)` input handler signature.** The
-  runtime now gets a proper `done()` / `done(err)` signal for every
-  message — meaningful for async-message tracking and graceful
-  shutdown. The async input handler previously relied on auto-completion,
-  which fired before any awaited work resolved.
-- **Smarter status indicator.** A single-group node shows progress toward
-  completion (e.g. `2/3 received`) rather than the raw queue depth.
-  Multi-group nodes still show aggregate counts.
-- Two more shipped example flows: `04-regex.json` (regex path matching)
-  and `05-exact-order.json` (exact-order with a repeated step).
-- **Editor UX overhaul.** Wait paths and reset paths now use Node-RED's
-  `editableList` widget — add/remove/reorder rows instead of typing JSON
-  arrays into a text box. Each row now validates inline (empty / invalid
-  regex are flagged red with a tooltip). Pressing <kbd>Enter</kbd> in a
-  row adds the next one.
-- **Persist store as a dropdown.** A new `/join-wait/stores` admin route
-  exposes the configured context stores; the editor populates the
-  Persist store field as a `<select>` showing each store's resolved
-  module (e.g. `file (localfilesystem)`). Eliminates typos and surfaces
-  available stores.
-- **Tooltips on every field label.** Hover-discoverable explanations
-  (`title` attributes) for every form row.
-- **Inline output-shape preview.** Under Wait paths, a small monospace
-  line shows what the merged success message looks like
-  (`→ msg.topic = { path_1: …, path_2: … }`), updating as the list
-  changes.
-- **Smart timeout warning.** When the resolved timeout is under 50 ms,
-  a yellow tip surfaces the README guidance about padding evaluation
-  overhead.
-- **Inline jsonata validation on Group by.** When the field type is
-  `jsonata`, the expression is parsed at edit-time and the field marks
-  invalid before the first message even arrives.
-- **Quick "Open example flows" button** in the editor opens the import
-  dialog directly.
-- Path-row placeholders changed from generic `path name` to a worked
-  example (`e.g. sensor_1`, `e.g. abort`) so empty rows hint at intent.
-- **Status-indicator error states.** Validation, regex compile, and
-  correlator-evaluation failures now show a red ring on the node with a
-  short reason in addition to the usual `node.error` log entry.
-- **Unhandled-rejection guard** around the async input handler so a future
-  bug or upstream throw can't escape without being logged.
-- End-to-end smoke test for **all five** shipped example flows, plus a
-  static config-shape sanity test on `join-wait.html` to catch drift
-  between the editor defaults and the runtime fields.
-- **Advanced settings** are collapsed under a single `<details>` group so
-  the editor presents the common options first.
-- **`msg.reset`** — sending `msg.reset = true` silently drains the queue
-  for the current correlation group with no output.
-- **`node.status()`** indicator showing the number of queued messages.
-- **Examples** — the package now ships three ready-made flows
-  (`Quickstart`, `Correlation`, `Reset paths`) discoverable via
-  **Menu → Import → Examples → join-wait**.
-- **Per-instance persistence store** — new `Persist store` field selects a
-  named context store from `settings.js` for restart-survival.
-- Unit-test specs for the `lib/config`, `lib/matcher`, and `lib/persist`
-  modules.
+- **Modern `(msg, send, done)` input handler** — proper async-message
+  tracking and graceful shutdown (the old auto-completion fired
+  before awaited work resolved).
+- **Editor UX overhaul** — Wait paths and Reset paths now use
+  `editableList` (add/remove/reorder rows; inline validation for
+  empty rows + invalid regex; Enter adds the next). Inline output
+  preview, smart short-timeout warning, jsonata-validity check on
+  Group by, tooltips on every label, an **Open example flows**
+  shortcut, and an **Advanced** collapsible. Field labels renamed
+  for clarity.
+- **Persist store dropdown** — new `/join-wait/stores` admin route
+  exposes the configured context stores; the editor renders a typo-proof
+  `<select>`.
+- **Smarter `node.status()`** — single-group nodes show progress
+  (`2/3 received`); validation / regex-compile / correlator-evaluation
+  failures show a red ring with a short reason.
+- **Five shipped example flows** — Quickstart, Correlation, Reset,
+  Regex, Exact order — discoverable via **Menu → Import → Examples
+  → join-wait**.
+- **`msg.reset`** silently drains the queue for the current
+  correlation group.
 
 ### Changed
 
-- **Renames for clarity.** Internal-only — config keys and runtime
-  behavior are unchanged for existing flows. `node.paths` → `node.queues`;
-  `node.topic` / `node.topicType` → `node.correlator` /
-  `node.correlatorType`; `node.pathTopic` / `node.pathTopicType` →
-  `node.pathField` / `node.pathFieldType`; `node.disableComplete` →
-  `node.ignoreMsgComplete`; `node.persistOnRestart` → `node.persistQueue`;
-  `node.firstMsg` → `node.useFirstAsBase`. The `clearQueue*` family →
-  `dropQueue` / `flushQueueAsExpired` / `flushOnMsgComplete` /
-  `flushTimedOutEntries` / `flushTrailingEntries`. Magic
-  `'_join-wait-node'` → `DEFAULT_GROUP` constant. `pickArrayOverride` →
-  `arrayOrFallback`.
-- **`drainQueue` now takes an options object** (`{ sendExpired,
-expireByTime, keep }`) instead of three positional booleans + a count.
-- **`findAllPaths{AnyOrder,ExactOrder}` return shape** changed from
-  `null | number` to `{ matched: true } | { matched: false, keep: number }`
-  for self-documenting call sites. Lib functions are not part of the
-  public API.
-- **`asBool()` helper** accepts both `'true'`/`'false'` strings (from the
-  HTML `<select>`) and real booleans (programmatic flow construction).
-  Removes a class of subtle defaults-bug for non-editor-built flows.
-- **`countPathsAnyOrder`** now uses a `Set` to track used indices
-  (O(1) check vs the previous O(n) `Array.indexOf`).
-- **Comment around `flushOnMsgComplete`** documents the deliberately
-  partial behavior: `msg.complete` short-circuits a partial queue but
-  never overrides a successful match.
-- **`node:` prefix on core imports** in test files (`node:fs`,
-  `node:os`, `node:path`).
-- **Expired output now uses the configured `Path field`** for the merged
-  data (matching the success output). Previously hardcoded to `msg.paths`
-  even when a different `pathTopic` was configured. Existing flows that
-  use the default `paths` setting see no change.
-- **Persistence rewritten on top of Node-RED's context store** (replacing
-  the `node-persist` singleton, which raced when multiple `join-wait` nodes
-  were deployed in the same flow). Default in-memory store keeps queues
-  across deploys; a configured persistent store keeps them across full
-  restarts.
-- **`Preserve queue` defaults to on** for new nodes. Partial joins now
-  survive a redeploy out of the box. Existing 0.5.x flows keep their
-  original `persistOnRestart: false` until re-saved.
-- **`Persist store` is no longer required** for restart persistence.
-  If `localfilesystem` (or similar) is set as the **default** context
-  store in `settings.js`, every join-wait node uses it automatically.
-- **Auto-pick of a persistent named store.** When `Preserve queue` is
-  on, `Persist store` is empty, and the configured default store is
-  memory, the node auto-selects the first non-memory named store from
-  `settings.js` (with a `node.log` line so it's discoverable). If the
-  user has both `default: memory` and (say) `file: localfilesystem`
-  configured, they get restart persistence for free without setting
-  `Persist store` on every node. Setting `Persist store` explicitly
-  always wins.
-- **British → American spellings.** `normalisePaths` → `normalizePaths`,
-  `serialisable` → `serializable`, `behaviour` → `behavior` in code +
-  docs for consistency with the wider JS / npm ecosystem.
-- **`msg.pathsToWait`, `msg.pathsToExpire`, `msg.useRegex` are now one-shot
-  overrides** — they apply only to the current message instead of
-  permanently mutating the node's stored config.
-- **Code split** into `lib/config.js`, `lib/matcher.js`, and `lib/persist.js`
-  — `join-wait.js` is now a thin orchestrator. The input handler is broken
-  into discrete named phases for readability.
-- **`mapPayload` no longer mutates the caller's `pathTopic` object** —
-  incoming messages are left untouched.
-- **jsonata bumped to v2** (`evaluate()` is now properly awaited).
-- **Node-RED bumped to ≥ 3.0**, **Node.js ≥ 18**.
-- **`engines.node`, `files`** added to `package.json`; deprecated
-  `licenses` array removed.
-- Source labels in the editor renamed for clarity:
-    - "Paths topic" → **Path field**
-    - "Paths (Wait)" / "Paths (Expire)" → **Wait paths** / **Reset paths**
-    - "Sequence order" → **Match order**
-    - "Base message" → **Output base**
-    - "Merged data" → **Merge values**
-- README rewritten — quickstart first, technical details after.
+- **Persistence rewritten on top of Node-RED's context store**,
+  replacing the `node-persist` singleton (which raced when multiple
+  `join-wait` nodes shared the flow). Default in-memory store keeps
+  queues across deploys; a configured persistent store keeps them
+  across full restarts. **Preserve queue** defaults to on; the node
+  auto-picks the first persistent named store when the default is
+  memory.
+- **`msg.pathsToWait`, `msg.pathsToExpire`, `msg.useRegex`** are now
+  one-shot overrides — they apply only to the current message
+  instead of permanently mutating the node's stored config.
+- **Expired output uses the configured Path field** for the merged
+  data (matched the success output). Previously hardcoded to
+  `msg.paths`.
+- **Code split** into `lib/config.js`, `lib/matcher.js`,
+  `lib/persist.js`; `findAllPaths{AnyOrder,ExactOrder}` return a
+  `{matched, keep}` shape; `drainQueue` takes options; internal
+  renames for clarity (config keys unchanged for back-compat).
+- jsonata bumped to v2 (proper async `evaluate()`); Node-RED ≥ 3.0,
+  Node.js ≥ 20.
 
 ### Fixed
 
-- **`node.error` / `node.warn` second argument now correctly passes the
-  originating `msg`** (was wrongly passed as `[msg, null]`, a 2-output
-  send array, since 0.5.x). Catch nodes downstream now receive the real
-  message instead of an array.
-- **Close handler always calls `done`**, even when the context-store
-  write rejects, so a transient persistence failure can't hold up
-  Node-RED shutdown.
-- Empty `<b></b>` tag in the help text.
-- Stale `ignoreUnmatched` references in older example flows.
+- `node.error` / `node.warn` correctly pass the originating `msg`
+  (previously passed as `[msg, null]` since 0.5.x — Catch nodes
+  downstream now receive the real message).
+- Close handler always calls `done` even when the context-store
+  write rejects, so persistence failures don't hold up shutdown.
+- `mapPayload` no longer mutates the caller's `pathTopic` object.
 - Possible race when multiple `join-wait` nodes shared the global
-  `node-persist` singleton (now uses an isolated context-store entry per
+  `node-persist` singleton (now an isolated context-store entry per
   node).
 
 ### Tooling
 
-- GitHub Actions CI replaces Travis (matrix on Node 20/22/24, publishing
-  on Node 24). CI + release now live in a single workflow; the publish
-  job is gated by `needs: [quality, test]` so a tag push only ships once
-  lint, format, spellcheck, and the full test matrix have all passed.
-- Workflow steps pinned to current `actions/checkout@v6`,
-  `actions/setup-node@v6`, `actions/upload-artifact@v6`.
-- `prettier --check` enforced in CI to catch unformatted files.
-- `engines.node` bumped to `>=20` (Node 18 EOL'd 2025-04-30).
-- Automated npm publish workflow with provenance on tag push.
-- Dependabot configured for monthly npm + GitHub Actions updates.
-- ESLint upgraded to v9 with flat config (`eslint.config.js`).
-- Prettier upgraded to v3.
-- Coverage moved from `nyc` to `c8` (native V8 coverage).
-- Spellcheck moved from the unmaintained `markdown-spellcheck` to `cspell`.
-- `node-red-node-test-helper` bumped from 0.2.x to 0.3.6.
-- Test suite expanded from 32 to 97 cases — including dedicated specs
-  for each `lib/` module, the editor HTML, and end-to-end runs of every
-  shipped example flow.
-
-## [0.5.3] and earlier
-
-See the [git log](https://github.com/dxdc/node-red-contrib-join-wait/commits/master).
+- GitHub Actions CI replaces Travis (matrix on Node 20/22/24);
+  publish job gated on lint + format + spellcheck + test matrix.
+  ESLint v9 (flat config), Prettier v3, c8 (replaces nyc), cspell
+  (replaces `markdown-spellcheck`); Dependabot for monthly npm + GHA
+  updates. Test suite expanded from 32 to 102 cases.
+
+## [0.5.3] - 2021-10-31
+
+- Update dependencies.
+
+## [0.5.2] - 2021-02-02
+
+- Retain state across restart
+  ([#7](https://github.com/dxdc/node-red-contrib-join-wait/issues/7)).
+
+## [0.5.1] - 2021-01-05
+
+- More automated testing and code coverage.
+
+## [0.5.0] - 2020-12-17
+
+- Expire earlier for "any order" mode
+  ([#4](https://github.com/dxdc/node-red-contrib-join-wait/issues/4)).
+
+## [0.4.5] - 2020-12-15
+
+- Add automated tests; address several minor issues uncovered by
+  testing; refactoring and readability changes.
+
+## [0.4.0] - 2020-12-14
+
+- Reworked logic for exact-order mode
+  ([#1](https://github.com/dxdc/node-red-contrib-join-wait/issues/1)).
+- Support for duplicate path names
+  ([#2](https://github.com/dxdc/node-red-contrib-join-wait/issues/2)).
+- Show all unmatched paths with individual warnings.
+- Minor changes to config UI and defaults.
+
+## [0.3.5] - 2020-05-26
+
+- Enforce unique path names.
+- Regex-based path matching.
+
+## [0.3.4] - 2020-01-17
+
+- Don't reuse the `msg` variable.
+
+## [0.3.3] - 2020-01-17
+
+- Fix bug with paths / `clearTimeout`.
+- Minor code optimizations; add Example 3 to documentation.
+
+## [0.3.2] - 2020-01-16
+
+- `msg.complete` handling.
+- `timeoutUnits` in settings.
+- `ignoreUnmatched` paths option in settings.
+- Updated documentation.
+
+## [0.3.0] - 2020-01-14
+
+- Initial release.

package/README.md

@@ -61,6 +61,11 @@ you want to wait for. That's it.
 > Looking for a working flow? After install, open
 > **Menu → Import → Examples → join-wait** for ready-made flows.
 
+> **Tip:** in the **Wait paths** / **Reset paths** lists you can press
+> <kbd>Enter</kbd> in a row to add the next one, and paste newline-separated
+> text into any row to fill the current row and append the rest as new
+> rows — handy for seeding a list from a spreadsheet column or a debug log.
+
 ## How it works
 
 ```

package/examples/01-quickstart.json

@@ -11,7 +11,15 @@
         "type": "inject",
         "z": "qs-tab",
         "name": "path_1",
-        "props": [{ "p": "topic", "v": "path_1", "vt": "str" }, { "p": "payload", "v": "hello-1", "vt": "str" }],
+        "props": [
+            { "p": "topic", "vt": "str" },
+            { "p": "payload", "v": "hello-1", "vt": "str" }
+        ],
+        "repeat": "",
+        "crontab": "",
+        "once": false,
+        "onceDelay": "",
+        "topic": "path_1",
         "x": 130,
         "y": 100,
         "wires": [["qs-jw"]]
@@ -21,7 +29,15 @@
         "type": "inject",
         "z": "qs-tab",
         "name": "path_2",
-        "props": [{ "p": "topic", "v": "path_2", "vt": "str" }, { "p": "payload", "v": "hello-2", "vt": "str" }],
+        "props": [
+            { "p": "topic", "vt": "str" },
+            { "p": "payload", "v": "hello-2", "vt": "str" }
+        ],
+        "repeat": "",
+        "crontab": "",
+        "once": false,
+        "onceDelay": "",
+        "topic": "path_2",
         "x": 130,
         "y": 160,
         "wires": [["qs-jw"]]

package/examples/02-correlation.json

@@ -12,6 +12,11 @@
         "z": "corr-tab",
         "name": "split flow",
         "props": [{ "p": "payload", "v": "{}", "vt": "json" }],
+        "repeat": "",
+        "crontab": "",
+        "once": false,
+        "onceDelay": "",
+        "topic": "",
         "x": 120,
         "y": 130,
         "wires": [["corr-set1", "corr-delay", "corr-set3"]]
@@ -22,6 +27,11 @@
         "z": "corr-tab",
         "name": "topic = path_1",
         "rules": [{ "t": "set", "p": "topic", "pt": "msg", "to": "path_1", "tot": "str" }],
+        "action": "",
+        "property": "",
+        "from": "",
+        "to": "",
+        "reg": false,
         "x": 320,
         "y": 80,
         "wires": [["corr-jw"]]
@@ -34,6 +44,15 @@
         "pauseType": "delay",
         "timeout": "1",
         "timeoutUnits": "seconds",
+        "rate": "1",
+        "nbRateUnits": "1",
+        "rateUnits": "second",
+        "randomFirst": "1",
+        "randomLast": "5",
+        "randomUnits": "seconds",
+        "drop": false,
+        "allowrate": false,
+        "outputs": 1,
         "x": 320,
         "y": 130,
         "wires": [["corr-set2"]]
@@ -44,6 +63,11 @@
         "z": "corr-tab",
         "name": "topic = path_2",
         "rules": [{ "t": "set", "p": "topic", "pt": "msg", "to": "path_2", "tot": "str" }],
+        "action": "",
+        "property": "",
+        "from": "",
+        "to": "",
+        "reg": false,
         "x": 480,
         "y": 130,
         "wires": [["corr-jw"]]
@@ -54,6 +78,11 @@
         "z": "corr-tab",
         "name": "topic = path_3",
         "rules": [{ "t": "set", "p": "topic", "pt": "msg", "to": "path_3", "tot": "str" }],
+        "action": "",
+        "property": "",
+        "from": "",
+        "to": "",
+        "reg": false,
         "x": 320,
         "y": 180,
         "wires": [["corr-jw"]]

package/examples/03-reset.json

@@ -11,7 +11,12 @@
         "type": "inject",
         "z": "rst-tab",
         "name": "path_1",
-        "props": [{ "p": "topic", "v": "path_1", "vt": "str" }],
+        "props": [{ "p": "topic", "vt": "str" }],
+        "repeat": "",
+        "crontab": "",
+        "once": false,
+        "onceDelay": "",
+        "topic": "path_1",
         "x": 130,
         "y": 80,
         "wires": [["rst-jw"]]
@@ -21,7 +26,12 @@
         "type": "inject",
         "z": "rst-tab",
         "name": "path_2",
-        "props": [{ "p": "topic", "v": "path_2", "vt": "str" }],
+        "props": [{ "p": "topic", "vt": "str" }],
+        "repeat": "",
+        "crontab": "",
+        "once": false,
+        "onceDelay": "",
+        "topic": "path_2",
         "x": 130,
         "y": 130,
         "wires": [["rst-jw"]]
@@ -31,7 +41,12 @@
         "type": "inject",
         "z": "rst-tab",
         "name": "reset",
-        "props": [{ "p": "topic", "v": "abort", "vt": "str" }],
+        "props": [{ "p": "topic", "vt": "str" }],
+        "repeat": "",
+        "crontab": "",
+        "once": false,
+        "onceDelay": "",
+        "topic": "abort",
         "x": 130,
         "y": 200,
         "wires": [["rst-jw"]]

package/examples/04-regex.json

@@ -12,9 +12,14 @@
         "z": "rx-tab",
         "name": "sensor_a",
         "props": [
-            { "p": "topic", "v": "sensor_a", "vt": "str" },
+            { "p": "topic", "vt": "str" },
             { "p": "payload", "v": "42", "vt": "num" }
         ],
+        "repeat": "",
+        "crontab": "",
+        "once": false,
+        "onceDelay": "",
+        "topic": "sensor_a",
         "x": 130,
         "y": 80,
         "wires": [["rx-jw"]]
@@ -25,9 +30,14 @@
         "z": "rx-tab",
         "name": "heartbeat",
         "props": [
-            { "p": "topic", "v": "heartbeat", "vt": "str" },
+            { "p": "topic", "vt": "str" },
             { "p": "payload", "v": "ok", "vt": "str" }
         ],
+        "repeat": "",
+        "crontab": "",
+        "once": false,
+        "onceDelay": "",
+        "topic": "heartbeat",
         "x": 130,
         "y": 140,
         "wires": [["rx-jw"]]

package/examples/05-exact-order.json

@@ -11,7 +11,12 @@
         "type": "inject",
         "z": "eo-tab",
         "name": "start",
-        "props": [{ "p": "topic", "v": "start", "vt": "str" }],
+        "props": [{ "p": "topic", "vt": "str" }],
+        "repeat": "",
+        "crontab": "",
+        "once": false,
+        "onceDelay": "",
+        "topic": "start",
         "x": 130,
         "y": 80,
         "wires": [["eo-jw"]]
@@ -21,7 +26,12 @@
         "type": "inject",
         "z": "eo-tab",
         "name": "work",
-        "props": [{ "p": "topic", "v": "work", "vt": "str" }],
+        "props": [{ "p": "topic", "vt": "str" }],
+        "repeat": "",
+        "crontab": "",
+        "once": false,
+        "onceDelay": "",
+        "topic": "work",
         "x": 130,
         "y": 130,
         "wires": [["eo-jw"]]
@@ -31,7 +41,12 @@
         "type": "inject",
         "z": "eo-tab",
         "name": "end",
-        "props": [{ "p": "topic", "v": "end", "vt": "str" }],
+        "props": [{ "p": "topic", "vt": "str" }],
+        "repeat": "",
+        "crontab": "",
+        "once": false,
+        "onceDelay": "",
+        "topic": "end",
         "x": 130,
         "y": 180,
         "wires": [["eo-jw"]]

package/join-wait.html

@@ -15,8 +15,10 @@
         or an object with multiple keys.
     </div>
 
-    <div class="form-row">
+    <div class="form-row" style="margin-bottom:4px">
         <label title="Path names to wait for; repeat an entry to require it n times."><i class="fa fa-code-fork"></i> Wait paths</label>
+    </div>
+    <div class="form-row node-input-paths-container-row">
         <ol id="node-input-paths-container"></ol>
     </div>
     <div class="form-tips" style="margin-bottom:6px">
@@ -24,12 +26,12 @@
         merged success output. Press <kbd>Enter</kbd> in a row to add the
         next one. Repeat an entry to require n-of-the-same.
     </div>
-    <div class="form-tips" id="join-wait-output-preview" style="margin-bottom:12px; font-family:monospace; color:#888"></div>
+    <div class="form-tips" id="join-wait-output-preview" style="margin-bottom:12px; font-family:var(--red-ui-monospace-font, monospace)"></div>
 
     <div class="form-row">
         <label for="node-input-timeout" title="How long all wait paths have to arrive before the queue is expired."><i class="fa fa-clock-o"></i> Timeout</label>
-        <input type="text" id="node-input-timeout" style="text-align:end; width:100px !important" placeholder="15">
-        <select id="node-input-timeoutUnits" style="width:200px !important">
+        <input type="text" id="node-input-timeout" style="text-align:end; width:90px" placeholder="15">
+        <select id="node-input-timeoutUnits" style="width:160px; margin-left:5px">
             <option value="1">Milliseconds</option>
             <option value="1000">Seconds</option>
             <option value="60000">Minutes</option>
@@ -37,11 +39,13 @@
             <option value="86400000">Days</option>
         </select>
     </div>
-    <div class="form-tips" id="join-wait-timeout-hint" style="margin-bottom:12px; color:#b07b00; display:none"></div>
+    <div class="form-tips" id="join-wait-timeout-hint" style="margin-bottom:12px; color:#b07b00; display:none">
+        <i class="fa fa-exclamation-triangle"></i> <span></span>
+    </div>
 
     <div class="form-row">
         <label for="node-input-exactOrder" title="Any order (default) or strict sequence."><i class="fa fa-sort"></i> Match order</label>
-        <select id="node-input-exactOrder" style="width:70%; margin-right:5px;">
+        <select id="node-input-exactOrder" style="width:70%">
             <option value="false">Any order</option>
             <option value="true">Exact order</option>
         </select>
@@ -64,11 +68,13 @@
         </button>
     </div>
 
-    <details style="margin-top:14px">
-    <summary style="cursor:pointer; font-weight:bold; padding:6px 0">Advanced</summary>
+    <details class="join-wait-advanced" style="margin-top:14px">
+    <summary style="cursor:pointer; font-weight:bold; padding:6px 0; color:var(--red-ui-header-text-color, inherit)">Advanced</summary>
 
-    <div class="form-row" style="margin-top:10px">
+    <div class="form-row" style="margin-top:10px; margin-bottom:4px">
         <label title="Paths that immediately drain the queue to the expired output."><i class="fa fa-times-circle-o"></i> Reset paths</label>
+    </div>
+    <div class="form-row node-input-pathsToExpire-container-row">
         <ol id="node-input-pathsToExpire-container"></ol>
     </div>
     <div class="form-tips" style="margin-bottom:12px">
@@ -78,7 +84,7 @@
 
     <div class="form-row">
         <label for="node-input-firstMsg" title="Use the first or last message in the matched window as the base of the merged output."><i class="fa fa-comments-o"></i> Output base</label>
-        <select id="node-input-firstMsg" style="width:70%; margin-right:5px;">
+        <select id="node-input-firstMsg" style="width:70%">
             <option value="true">First received message</option>
             <option value="false">Last received message</option>
         </select>
@@ -86,7 +92,7 @@
 
     <div class="form-row">
         <label for="node-input-mapPayload" title="Keep the original Path-field values, or overwrite each with that message's payload."><i class="fa fa-arrow-right"></i> Merge values</label>
-        <select id="node-input-mapPayload" style="width:70%; margin-right:5px;">
+        <select id="node-input-mapPayload" style="width:70%">
             <option value="false">Original Path field values</option>
             <option value="true">Each msg.payload</option>
         </select>
@@ -116,13 +122,13 @@
         <label for="node-input-persistOnRestart" style="width:auto">Preserve queue across deploys / restarts</label>
     </div>
 
-    <div class="form-row">
+    <div class="form-row" id="join-wait-persist-store-row">
         <label for="node-input-persistStore" title="Override the context store used to persist the queue."><i class="fa fa-database"></i> Persist store</label>
-        <select id="node-input-persistStore" style="width:70%; margin-right:5px;">
+        <select id="node-input-persistStore" style="width:70%">
             <option value="">(default context store)</option>
         </select>
     </div>
-    <div class="form-tips" style="margin-bottom:12px">
+    <div class="form-tips" id="join-wait-persist-store-tip" style="margin-bottom:12px">
         Override the context store this node uses. Leave on default — set
         the default to a persistent store (e.g. <code>localfilesystem</code>)
         in <code>settings.js</code> and every join-wait node automatically
@@ -133,6 +139,48 @@
 
 <script type="text/javascript">
     (function () {
+        // Form-element selectors gathered in one place. Keeps the rest
+        // of the IIFE free of stringly-typed `#node-input-*` lookups
+        // and makes the editor surface auditable at a glance — every
+        // hook into the dialog is listed here.
+        var SEL = {
+            pathField: '#node-input-pathTopic',
+            pathFieldType: '#node-input-pathTopicType',
+            correlator: '#node-input-correlationTopic',
+            correlatorType: '#node-input-correlationTopicType',
+            timeout: '#node-input-timeout',
+            timeoutUnits: '#node-input-timeoutUnits',
+            useRegex: '#node-input-useRegex',
+            persistOnRestart: '#node-input-persistOnRestart',
+            persistStore: '#node-input-persistStore',
+            outputPreview: '#join-wait-output-preview',
+            timeoutHint: '#join-wait-timeout-hint',
+            examplesButton: '#join-wait-open-examples',
+            persistStoreRow: '#join-wait-persist-store-row',
+            persistStoreTip: '#join-wait-persist-store-tip',
+            dialogForm: '#dialog-form',
+            advancedDetails: '#dialog-form details',
+        };
+        // editableList wrapper IDs (no leading '#'); consumers either
+        // pass them to readEditableList or interpolate `#` themselves.
+        var LIST_ID = {
+            paths: 'node-input-paths-container',
+            expire: 'node-input-pathsToExpire-container',
+        };
+        function listInputs(id) {
+            return $('#' + id + ' input[type=text]');
+        }
+        // Read the typed-input pair behind the Path field — name + type.
+        // Used wherever both halves are needed together (currently the
+        // output preview); centralising it avoids drift between the two
+        // selectors.
+        function readPathField() {
+            return {
+                name: $(SEL.pathField).val() || 'topic',
+                type: $(SEL.pathFieldType).val() || 'msg',
+            };
+        }
+
         function arrayValidator(allowEmpty, requireUnique) {
             return function (v) {
                 // Accept legacy JSON-string format too, for back-compat with old flows.
@@ -191,25 +239,82 @@
             input.attr('title', ok ? '' : message || '');
         }
 
-        function validateRow(input) {
-            var $useRegex = $('#node-input-useRegex');
-            var v = String(input.val() || '');
-            if (v === '') {
+        // Single-row validation: empty / invalid regex. List-level
+        // checks (uniqueness, cross-list overlap) live in validateAllRows
+        // because they need both lists' current values in scope.
+        function validateRow(input, ownValues, otherValues, opts) {
+            var requireUnique = opts && opts.requireUnique;
+            var otherListLabel = (opts && opts.otherListLabel) || '';
+            var value = String(input.val() || '');
+            if (value === '') {
                 setRowValid(input, false, 'path name cannot be empty');
                 return false;
             }
-            if ($useRegex.is(':checked') && !isValidRegex(v)) {
+            if ($(SEL.useRegex).is(':checked') && !isValidRegex(value)) {
                 setRowValid(input, false, 'invalid regular expression');
                 return false;
             }
+            if (
+                requireUnique &&
+                ownValues &&
+                ownValues.filter(function (x) {
+                    return x === value;
+                }).length > 1
+            ) {
+                setRowValid(input, false, 'duplicate entry — must be unique');
+                return false;
+            }
+            if (otherValues && otherValues.indexOf(value) !== -1) {
+                setRowValid(
+                    input,
+                    false,
+                    '"' + value + '" is also in ' + otherListLabel + " — paths shouldn't overlap",
+                );
+                return false;
+            }
             setRowValid(input, true);
             return true;
         }
 
+        // Re-validate every row in both editableLists. Called whenever
+        // any row changes, the regex toggle flips, or rows are added /
+        // removed — so duplicate and cross-list overlap warnings are
+        // always in sync with the current state.
+        function validateAllRows() {
+            var $paths = listInputs(LIST_ID.paths);
+            var $expire = listInputs(LIST_ID.expire);
+            var pathValues = $paths
+                .map(function () {
+                    return String($(this).val() || '');
+                })
+                .get();
+            var expireValues = $expire
+                .map(function () {
+                    return String($(this).val() || '');
+                })
+                .get();
+            $paths.each(function () {
+                validateRow($(this), pathValues, expireValues, {
+                    requireUnique: false,
+                    otherListLabel: 'Reset paths',
+                });
+            });
+            $expire.each(function () {
+                validateRow($(this), expireValues, pathValues, {
+                    requireUnique: true,
+                    otherListLabel: 'Wait paths',
+                });
+            });
+        }
+
         function initEditableList(containerId, items, opts) {
             var $container = $('#' + containerId);
-            $container.css({ 'min-height': '100px' });
             var placeholder = (opts && opts.placeholder) || 'e.g. sensor_1';
+            // A numeric height makes editableList scroll its items
+            // internally past the limit — without it (height:'auto'), a
+            // long list grows the wrapper and visually overlaps the form
+            // rows that follow. The actual height is recomputed in
+            // oneditresize to fill the available tray space.
             $container.editableList({
                 addItem: function (row, index, data) {
                     var value = (data && data.value) || '';
@@ -220,7 +325,7 @@
                         style: 'width:100%',
                     }).val(value);
                     input.on('input change blur', function () {
-                        validateRow(input);
+                        validateAllRows();
                         if (opts && opts.onChange) opts.onChange();
                     });
                     // Pressing Enter in a row adds the next one.
@@ -234,16 +339,44 @@
                             }, 0);
                         }
                     });
+                    // Bulk-paste: paste newline-separated text into any
+                    // row to fill the current row + add a new row per
+                    // remaining line. Whitespace-only and empty lines
+                    // are dropped. Single-line pastes fall through to
+                    // the browser's default paste handling.
+                    input.on('paste', function (e) {
+                        var clip = (e.originalEvent || e).clipboardData;
+                        if (!clip) return;
+                        var text = clip.getData('text');
+                        if (!text || !/[\r\n]/.test(text)) return;
+                        var lines = text
+                            .split(/\r?\n/)
+                            .map(function (s) {
+                                return s.trim();
+                            })
+                            .filter(function (s) {
+                                return s.length > 0;
+                            });
+                        if (lines.length === 0) return;
+                        e.preventDefault();
+                        input.val(lines[0]);
+                        for (var i = 1; i < lines.length; i++) {
+                            $container.editableList('addItem', { value: lines[i] });
+                        }
+                        validateAllRows();
+                        if (opts && opts.onChange) opts.onChange();
+                    });
                     row.append(input);
-                    validateRow(input);
+                    validateAllRows();
                     if (opts && opts.onChange) opts.onChange();
                 },
                 removeItem: function () {
+                    validateAllRows();
                     if (opts && opts.onChange) opts.onChange();
                 },
                 removable: true,
                 sortable: true,
-                height: 'auto',
+                height: (opts && opts.height) || 200,
             });
             (items || []).forEach(function (v) {
                 $container.editableList('addItem', { value: v });
@@ -252,14 +385,7 @@
 
         // Re-validate every editableList row when the regex toggle flips.
         function rebindRegexValidation() {
-            $('#node-input-useRegex').on('change', function () {
-                $(
-                    '#node-input-paths-container input[type=text], ' +
-                        '#node-input-pathsToExpire-container input[type=text]',
-                ).each(function () {
-                    validateRow($(this));
-                });
-            });
+            $(SEL.useRegex).on('change', validateAllRows);
         }
 
         function readEditableList(containerId) {
@@ -287,50 +413,58 @@
             return [];
         }
 
-        // Render a tiny preview of what msg.<pathField> looks like on the
-        // success output, derived from the current Wait paths list.
+        // Render a tiny preview of what the path-field property looks
+        // like on the success output, derived from the current Wait paths
+        // list. Prefix matches the typed-input type so flow/global don't
+        // mis-render as msg. Repeated entries surface as `(×n)` so the
+        // n-of-the-same semantic is visible.
         function updateOutputPreview() {
-            var paths = readEditableList('node-input-paths-container');
-            var unique = [];
+            var paths = readEditableList(LIST_ID.paths);
+            var counts = Object.create(null);
+            var order = [];
             paths.forEach(function (p) {
-                if (unique.indexOf(p) === -1) unique.push(p);
+                if (counts[p] === undefined) order.push(p);
+                counts[p] = (counts[p] || 0) + 1;
             });
-            var pathField = $('#node-input-pathTopic').val() || 'topic';
-            var $tip = $('#join-wait-output-preview');
-            if (unique.length === 0) {
+            var field = readPathField();
+            var $tip = $(SEL.outputPreview);
+            if (order.length === 0) {
                 $tip.text('');
                 return;
             }
-            var entries = unique.slice(0, 4).map(function (p) {
-                return p + ': …';
+            var entries = order.slice(0, 4).map(function (p) {
+                return counts[p] > 1 ? p + ' (×' + counts[p] + '): …' : p + ': …';
             });
-            if (unique.length > 4) entries.push('…');
-            $tip.text('→ msg.' + pathField + ' = { ' + entries.join(', ') + ' }');
+            if (order.length > 4) entries.push('…');
+            $tip.text('→ ' + field.type + '.' + field.name + ' = { ' + entries.join(', ') + ' }');
         }
 
         // Warn when the resolved timeout is impractically short (the README
         // recommends padding ~5–10 ms for evaluation overhead).
         function updateTimeoutHint() {
-            var t = Number($('#node-input-timeout').val()) || 0;
-            var u = Number($('#node-input-timeoutUnits').val()) || 1;
+            var t = Number($(SEL.timeout).val()) || 0;
+            var u = Number($(SEL.timeoutUnits).val()) || 1;
             var ms = t * u;
-            var $hint = $('#join-wait-timeout-hint');
+            var $hint = $(SEL.timeoutHint);
             if (ms > 0 && ms < 50) {
-                $hint.text('Very short — pad ~10 ms to leave room for evaluation overhead.').show();
+                $hint.find('span').text('Very short — pad ~10 ms to leave room for evaluation overhead.');
+                $hint.show();
             } else {
                 $hint.hide();
             }
         }
 
         // Populate the Persist store <select> from the runtime via our
-        // /join-wait/stores admin route. Falls back gracefully if the route
-        // is unreachable or returns nothing useful.
+        // /join-wait/stores admin route. apiRootUrl prefixes the call so
+        // it resolves correctly under custom httpAdminRoot / reverse
+        // proxies; falls back to the bare relative URL on older
+        // Node-RED versions where the setting isn't exposed.
         function populatePersistStores(currentValue) {
-            var $sel = $('#node-input-persistStore');
-            $.getJSON('join-wait/stores')
+            var $sel = $(SEL.persistStore);
+            var base = (RED.settings && RED.settings.apiRootUrl) || '';
+            $.getJSON(base + 'join-wait/stores')
                 .done(function (stores) {
-                    if (!Array.isArray(stores) || stores.length === 0) return;
-                    stores.forEach(function (s) {
+                    (Array.isArray(stores) ? stores : []).forEach(function (s) {
                         if (s.name === 'default') return; // already represented as the blank option
                         var label = s.module ? s.name + ' (' + s.module + ')' : s.name;
                         $('<option/>').val(s.name).text(label).appendTo($sel);
@@ -346,16 +480,52 @@
                     $sel.val(currentValue || '');
                 })
                 .fail(function () {
-                    // Admin route not reachable — leave the select with just
-                    // its default option.
+                    // Admin route not reachable. Preserve the saved
+                    // value as an explicit option so the dropdown doesn't
+                    // silently overwrite persistStore with '' on save.
+                    if (currentValue) {
+                        $('<option/>')
+                            .val(currentValue)
+                            .text(currentValue + ' (stores list unavailable)')
+                            .appendTo($sel);
+                        $sel.val(currentValue);
+                    }
                 });
         }
 
+        // Last `size` handed to oneditresize. Cached so the <details>
+        // toggle handler can re-run the resize math without waiting for
+        // the next tray drag.
+        var lastTraySize = null;
+
+        // Stretch the Wait paths editableList to fill the tray. Mirrors
+        // the pattern in Node-RED core (switch/change/httprequest):
+        // subtract every other row's outer height from the tray height
+        // and give the remainder to the list. The :visible filter mirrors
+        // httprequest so hidden rows (e.g. timeout-hint) are skipped
+        // explicitly. No upper clamp — when the user drags the tray
+        // taller they want to see more rows.
+        function resizePathsList() {
+            var $form = $(SEL.dialogForm);
+            if (!$form.length || !lastTraySize || !lastTraySize.height) return;
+            var height = lastTraySize.height;
+            $form.children(':not(.node-input-paths-container-row)').each(function () {
+                var $r = $(this);
+                if ($r.is(':visible')) height -= $r.outerHeight(true) || 0;
+            });
+            height -= 12; // breathing room for margins/padding the loop misses
+            if (height < 140) height = 140;
+            $('#' + LIST_ID.paths).editableList('height', height);
+        }
+
         function openExamplesDialog() {
-            // Open the import dialog; the user picks Examples → join-wait.
-            // RED.actions exposes core actions across recent Node-RED versions.
+            // The import dialog opens as a modal above the edit tray, so
+            // the user can pick a flow and on close return to this edit
+            // dialog with in-flight edits intact. The earlier approach of
+            // closing the tray first was unreliable (close-callback drops
+            // when stack races editor teardown).
             if (RED.actions && typeof RED.actions.invoke === 'function') {
-                RED.actions.invoke('core:show-import-dialog');
+                RED.actions.invoke('core:show-examples-import-dialog');
             }
         }
 
@@ -402,14 +572,14 @@
                 return this.name ? 'node_label_italic' : '';
             },
             oneditprepare: function () {
-                $('#node-input-pathTopic').typedInput({
+                $(SEL.pathField).typedInput({
                     default: this.pathTopicType || 'msg',
-                    typeField: $('#node-input-pathTopicType'),
+                    typeField: $(SEL.pathFieldType),
                     types: ['msg', 'flow', 'global'],
                 });
-                $('#node-input-correlationTopic').typedInput({
+                $(SEL.correlator).typedInput({
                     default: this.correlationTopicType || 'undefined',
-                    typeField: $('#node-input-correlationTopicType'),
+                    typeField: $(SEL.correlatorType),
                     types: [
                         { value: 'undefined', label: RED._('common.type.undefined'), hasValue: false },
                         'msg',
@@ -418,34 +588,57 @@
                         'jsonata',
                     ],
                 });
-                $('#node-input-timeout').spinner({ min: 1 });
+                // Spinner accepts decimals (1.5 seconds, 0.25 hours, …)
+                // — the runtime multiplies the value by the unit factor,
+                // so fractional units are valid. step:1 keeps the up/down
+                // arrows snappy for the common integer case.
+                $(SEL.timeout).spinner({ min: 0.001, step: 1, numberFormat: 'n' });
 
-                initEditableList('node-input-paths-container', toArray(this.paths), {
+                initEditableList(LIST_ID.paths, toArray(this.paths), {
                     placeholder: 'e.g. sensor_1',
                     onChange: updateOutputPreview,
+                    height: 200,
                 });
-                initEditableList('node-input-pathsToExpire-container', toArray(this.pathsToExpire), {
+                initEditableList(LIST_ID.expire, toArray(this.pathsToExpire), {
                     placeholder: 'e.g. abort',
+                    height: 140,
                 });
                 rebindRegexValidation();
 
-                $('#node-input-pathTopic').on('change input', updateOutputPreview);
+                $(SEL.pathField).on('change input', updateOutputPreview);
                 updateOutputPreview();
 
-                $('#node-input-timeout, #node-input-timeoutUnits').on('change input', updateTimeoutHint);
+                $(SEL.timeout + ', ' + SEL.timeoutUnits).on('change input', updateTimeoutHint);
                 updateTimeoutHint();
 
                 populatePersistStores(this.persistStore);
 
-                $('#join-wait-open-examples').on('click', openExamplesDialog);
+                // Hide the Persist store row when Preserve queue is off —
+                // the override is meaningless without persistence enabled.
+                var $persistRow = $(SEL.persistStoreRow + ', ' + SEL.persistStoreTip);
+                function syncPersistStoreVisibility() {
+                    $persistRow.toggle($(SEL.persistOnRestart).is(':checked'));
+                    resizePathsList();
+                }
+                $(SEL.persistOnRestart).on('change', syncPersistStoreVisibility);
+                syncPersistStoreVisibility();
+
+                $(SEL.examplesButton).on('click', openExamplesDialog);
+
+                // Re-run the editableList resize math when Advanced is
+                // expanded/collapsed — oneditresize only fires on tray
+                // drag, so without this the Wait paths list keeps the
+                // height it had before the toggle and doesn't reclaim
+                // (or yield) space.
+                $(SEL.advancedDetails).on('toggle', resizePathsList);
             },
             oneditsave: function () {
-                this.paths = readEditableList('node-input-paths-container');
-                this.pathsToExpire = readEditableList('node-input-pathsToExpire-container');
+                this.paths = readEditableList(LIST_ID.paths);
+                this.pathsToExpire = readEditableList(LIST_ID.expire);
             },
-            oneditresize: function () {
-                $('#node-input-paths-container').css('min-height', '100px');
-                $('#node-input-pathsToExpire-container').css('min-height', '60px');
+            oneditresize: function (size) {
+                lastTraySize = size;
+                resizePathsList();
             },
         });
     })();
@@ -541,8 +734,12 @@
         is kept in the merged output.</li>
         <li>Pad <b>Timeout</b> with a small overhead (~5–10&nbsp;ms) for
         evaluation time when working with very short windows.</li>
-        <li>When <b>Preserve queue</b> is on, the queue is saved to a JSON
-        file under <code>{userDir}/join-wait/{nodeId}.json</code> on close
-        and reloaded on next start.</li>
+        <li>When <b>Preserve queue</b> is on, the queue is written to the
+        node's context on close (and reloaded on the next start). With
+        the default in-memory store this only survives a redeploy; for
+        full restart persistence, point <b>Persist store</b> at a
+        store backed by <code>localfilesystem</code> (or any persistent
+        module) configured under <code>contextStorage</code> in
+        <code>settings.js</code>.</li>
     </ul>
 </script>

package/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
     "name": "node-red-contrib-join-wait",
-    "version": "0.6.0",
+    "version": "0.6.2",
     "description": "Node-RED node that joins related messages across multiple paths within a time window — with exact-order matching, regex paths, correlation grouping, reset paths, and queue persistence. Coordinate parallel flows, synchronize events, and debounce sensors.",
     "author": "Daniel Caspi <dan@element26.net>",
     "license": "MIT",