node-red-contrib-modbus-modpackqt 3.3.6 → 3.3.8

package/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -4,6 +4,29 @@ All notable changes to **node-red-contrib-modbus-modpackqt** are documented
 here. This project follows [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/) — pin a
 major version (`^2.0.0`) in production.
 
+## [3.3.8] — 2026-05-10
+
+### Changed
+
+- **Plain-language labels in master nodes.** The dropdown that selects a
+  config is now labelled **Target Device** (was "Runtime") in master-read,
+  master-write, and master-probe, with clearer helper text.
+- **Config dialog: "Device" section renamed to "Target Device".**
+- **Config dialog: Host field renamed to "IP Address"** with an example
+  placeholder (`e.g. 192.168.1.10`) and an inline hint explaining what to
+  enter. Port and Unit ID placeholders also clarified.
+
+## [3.3.7] — 2026-05-10
+
+### Added
+
+- **Slave Write** now has a **Quantity** field — fixes how many registers
+  the node writes. Payload arrays longer than this are truncated; shorter
+  ones are padded with the last value (or 0 if empty).
+- **Slave Write** now has an **Update Interval (ms)** field — when set,
+  the node re-writes the most recently received `msg.payload` at this
+  interval. Useful for keeping a value fresh against external readers.
+
 ## [3.3.6] — 2026-05-10
 
 ### Added

package/README.md

@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ By [ModPackQT](https://modpackqt.com).
 - **Modbus master** — read (FC1–FC4) and write (FC5/FC6/FC15/FC16) over **TCP** or **RTU (serial)**
 - **Embedded Modbus TCP slave server** — push values from any flow, let PLCs / SCADA / HMIs read them
 - **Passive traffic monitor** — see every Modbus op (timing, values, errors) in real time
-- **Optional cloud profile pickers** *(v3.2.0)* — paste your ModPackQT Account Key into the runtime config and master / probe nodes show a dropdown of your saved Modbus profiles. No more retyping IPs across nodes.
+- **Cloud profile pickers** — paste your ModPackQT Account Key into the runtime config and a **My Connections** dropdown loads your saved devices, auto-filling host / port / unit. The slave server node has a matching **My Slaves** picker. No more retyping IPs across nodes.
 - **Outputs raw register values** — pair with [`node-red-contrib-bytes-modpackqt`](https://www.npmjs.com/package/node-red-contrib-bytes-modpackqt) to decode int / float / string / bitmask
 - **Zero external dependencies** — Modbus runs inside the Node-RED process
 

package/nodes/lib/probe-runtime.js

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 const http = require('http');
 const { URL } = require('url');
 
-const PALETTE_VERSION = '3.3.6';
+const PALETTE_VERSION = '3.3.8';
 const DEFAULT_PORT = parseInt(process.env.MODPACKQT_PROBE_PORT, 10) || 8502;
 const BIND_HOST    = process.env.MODPACKQT_PROBE_HOST || '127.0.0.1';
 const PORT_RETRY   = 5;

package/nodes/modpackqt-config.html

@@ -127,18 +127,21 @@
     Picks a saved connection from modpackqt.com — auto-fills Host, Port, and Unit ID below.
   </div>
 
-  <h4 style="margin-top:18px">Device</h4>
+  <h4 style="margin-top:18px">Target Device</h4>
   <div class="form-row modpackqt-tcp-only">
-    <label for="node-config-input-targetHost"><i class="fa fa-plug"></i> Host</label>
-    <input type="text" id="node-config-input-targetHost" placeholder="Modbus device IP/hostname">
+    <label for="node-config-input-targetHost"><i class="fa fa-plug"></i> IP Address</label>
+    <input type="text" id="node-config-input-targetHost" placeholder="e.g. 192.168.1.10 — IP/hostname of the Modbus device">
+  </div>
+  <div class="form-tips modpackqt-tcp-only" style="font-size:11px;color:#6b7280;margin:-8px 0 12px 105px">
+    The IP address (or hostname) of the target Modbus device on your network.
   </div>
   <div class="form-row modpackqt-tcp-only">
     <label for="node-config-input-targetPort"><i class="fa fa-hashtag"></i> Port</label>
-    <input type="number" id="node-config-input-targetPort" min="1" max="65535" placeholder="502">
+    <input type="number" id="node-config-input-targetPort" min="1" max="65535" placeholder="502 (Modbus TCP default)">
   </div>
   <div class="form-row">
     <label for="node-config-input-unitId"><i class="fa fa-id-card"></i> Unit ID</label>
-    <input type="number" id="node-config-input-unitId" min="1" max="247" placeholder="1">
+    <input type="number" id="node-config-input-unitId" min="1" max="247" placeholder="1 (slave address on the bus)">
   </div>
 
   <h4 style="margin-top:18px">Transport</h4>

package/nodes/modpackqt-master-probe.html

@@ -56,11 +56,11 @@
     <input type="text" id="node-input-name" placeholder="(optional, e.g. Inverter A)">
   </div>
   <div class="form-row">
-    <label for="node-input-server"><i class="fa fa-cog"></i> Runtime</label>
+    <label for="node-input-server"><i class="fa fa-plug"></i> Target Device</label>
     <input type="text" id="node-input-server">
   </div>
   <div class="form-tips" style="font-size:11px;color:#6b7280;margin:-8px 0 12px 105px">
-    The runtime config carries the device target — the probe deep-links the web tester to it.
+    Pick the Modbus device this probe should attach to — the web tester deep-links to it.
   </div>
 
   <div class="form-row">

package/nodes/modpackqt-master-read.html

@@ -31,11 +31,11 @@
     <input type="text" id="node-input-name" placeholder="Name">
   </div>
   <div class="form-row">
-    <label for="node-input-server"><i class="fa fa-cog"></i> Runtime</label>
+    <label for="node-input-server"><i class="fa fa-plug"></i> Target Device</label>
     <input type="text" id="node-input-server">
   </div>
   <div class="form-tips" style="font-size:11px;color:#6b7280;margin:-8px 0 12px 105px">
-    The runtime config carries Host / Port / Unit. To talk to a different device, create another runtime config (pencil → +).
+    Pick the Modbus device this node should read from. Each target device carries its own Host / Port / Unit ID — to talk to a different device, click the pencil → + to add one.
   </div>
 
   <div class="form-row">

package/nodes/modpackqt-master-write.html

@@ -27,11 +27,11 @@
     <input type="text" id="node-input-name" placeholder="Name">
   </div>
   <div class="form-row">
-    <label for="node-input-server"><i class="fa fa-cog"></i> Runtime</label>
+    <label for="node-input-server"><i class="fa fa-plug"></i> Target Device</label>
     <input type="text" id="node-input-server">
   </div>
   <div class="form-tips" style="font-size:11px;color:#6b7280;margin:-8px 0 12px 105px">
-    The runtime config carries Host / Port / Unit. To talk to a different device, create another runtime config (pencil → +).
+    Pick the Modbus device this node should write to. Each target device carries its own Host / Port / Unit ID — to talk to a different device, click the pencil → + to add one.
   </div>
 
   <div class="form-row">

package/nodes/modpackqt-slave-write.html

@@ -3,10 +3,12 @@
     category: 'ModPackQT',
     color: '#15803d',
     defaults: {
-      name:          { value: '' },
-      slaveServerId: { value: '' },   // ID of a modpackqt-slave-server node on the canvas
-      registerType:  { value: 'holding', required: true },
-      address:       { value: 0, required: true, validate: RED.validators.number() }
+      name:           { value: '' },
+      slaveServerId:  { value: '' },   // ID of a modpackqt-slave-server node on the canvas
+      registerType:   { value: 'holding', required: true },
+      address:        { value: 0, required: true, validate: RED.validators.number() },
+      quantity:       { value: 1, required: true, validate: RED.validators.number() },
+      updateInterval: { value: 0, validate: RED.validators.number() }
     },
     inputs: 1,
     outputs: 1,
@@ -53,6 +55,22 @@
     <label for="node-input-address"><i class="fa fa-map-marker"></i> Start Address</label>
     <input type="number" id="node-input-address" min="0" max="65535" placeholder="0">
   </div>
+  <div class="form-row">
+    <label for="node-input-quantity"><i class="fa fa-sort-numeric-asc"></i> Quantity</label>
+    <input type="number" id="node-input-quantity" min="1" max="125" placeholder="1">
+  </div>
+  <div class="form-tips" style="font-size:11px;color:#6b7280;margin:-8px 0 12px 105px">
+    Number of registers to write. Payload arrays longer than this are truncated;
+    shorter ones are padded with the last value (or 0 if empty).
+  </div>
+  <div class="form-row">
+    <label for="node-input-updateInterval"><i class="fa fa-clock-o"></i> Update Interval (ms)</label>
+    <input type="number" id="node-input-updateInterval" min="0" placeholder="0 = trigger only">
+  </div>
+  <div class="form-tips" style="font-size:11px;color:#6b7280;margin:-8px 0 12px 105px">
+    If &gt; 0, re-writes the most recently received <code>msg.payload</code> at this
+    interval — useful for keeping a value fresh against external readers.
+  </div>
   <div class="form-tips">
     Pushes values into the slave server's register store. External Modbus masters
     connecting to that port will read whatever you last wrote.

package/nodes/modpackqt-slave-write.js

@@ -7,37 +7,67 @@ module.exports = function (RED) {
     RED.nodes.createNode(this, config);
     const node = this;
 
-    node.registerType = config.registerType || 'holding';
-    node.address      = parseInt(config.address, 10) || 0;
+    node.registerType   = config.registerType || 'holding';
+    node.address        = parseInt(config.address,        10) || 0;
+    node.quantity       = parseInt(config.quantity,       10) || 1;
+    node.updateInterval = parseInt(config.updateInterval, 10) || 0;
 
     function getSlave() {
       return RED.nodes.getNode(config.slaveServerId);
     }
 
-    node.on('input', function (msg) {
+    let lastValues = null;       // last array we wrote, used by the update timer
+    let lastAddress = node.address;
+    let lastRegisterType = node.registerType;
+    let timer = null;
+
+    function shapePayload(raw, registerType) {
+      const isBool = (registerType === 'coils' || registerType === 'discrete');
+      let arr;
+      if (Array.isArray(raw)) {
+        arr = raw.map((v) => isBool ? Boolean(v) : parseInt(v, 10));
+      } else {
+        arr = [isBool ? Boolean(raw) : parseInt(raw, 10)];
+      }
+      if (!isBool && arr.some((v) => isNaN(v))) {
+        throw new Error(`Invalid payload — expected number or array, got: ${JSON.stringify(raw)}`);
+      }
+      // Pad / truncate to node.quantity
+      if (arr.length > node.quantity) {
+        arr = arr.slice(0, node.quantity);
+      } else if (arr.length < node.quantity) {
+        const filler = arr.length ? arr[arr.length - 1] : (isBool ? false : 0);
+        while (arr.length < node.quantity) arr.push(filler);
+      }
+      return arr;
+    }
+
+    function writeOnce(values, registerType, address, msg) {
       const slave = getSlave();
       if (!slave || !slave.slaveEnabled) {
         node.status({ fill: 'red', shape: 'ring', text: 'no slave server' });
-        node.error('No slave server selected or it is not running.', msg);
-        return;
+        node.error('No slave server selected or it is not running.', msg || {});
+        return false;
       }
+      slave.slaveSet(registerType, address, values);
+      const now = new Date().toLocaleTimeString();
+      node.status({ fill: 'green', shape: 'dot', text: `wrote ${values.length} → ${registerType} @${address} · ${now}` });
+      return true;
+    }
+
+    node.on('input', function (msg) {
       try {
         let raw = msg.payload;
         if (typeof raw === 'string') {
           try { raw = JSON.parse(raw); } catch (_) { raw = Number(raw); }
         }
         const registerType = msg.registerType || node.registerType;
-        const isBool = (registerType === 'coils' || registerType === 'discrete');
-        const values = Array.isArray(raw)
-          ? raw.map((v) => isBool ? Boolean(v) : parseInt(v, 10))
-          : [isBool ? Boolean(raw) : parseInt(raw, 10)];
-        if (!isBool && values.some((v) => isNaN(v))) {
-          throw new Error(`Invalid payload — expected number or array, got: ${JSON.stringify(msg.payload)}`);
-        }
         const address = msg.address !== undefined ? parseInt(msg.address, 10) : node.address;
-        slave.slaveSet(registerType, address, values);
-        const now = new Date().toLocaleTimeString();
-        node.status({ fill: 'green', shape: 'dot', text: `wrote ${values.length} → ${registerType} @${address} · ${now}` });
+        const values = shapePayload(raw, registerType);
+        if (!writeOnce(values, registerType, address, msg)) return;
+        lastValues = values;
+        lastAddress = address;
+        lastRegisterType = registerType;
         msg.success = true;
         msg.valuesWritten = values;
         node.send(msg);
@@ -46,6 +76,18 @@ module.exports = function (RED) {
         node.error(err.message, msg);
       }
     });
+
+    if (node.updateInterval > 0) {
+      timer = setInterval(() => {
+        if (!lastValues) return; // nothing received yet
+        try { writeOnce(lastValues, lastRegisterType, lastAddress, null); }
+        catch (err) { node.status({ fill: 'red', shape: 'dot', text: err.message.slice(0, 60) }); }
+      }, node.updateInterval);
+    }
+
+    node.on('close', function () {
+      if (timer) clearInterval(timer);
+    });
   }
   RED.nodes.registerType('modpackqt-slave-write', ModPackQTSlaveWriteNode);
 };

package/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "node-red-contrib-modbus-modpackqt",
-  "version": "3.3.6",
+  "version": "3.3.8",
   "description": "Modbus commissioning, testing & analysis tools for Node-RED. Embedded Modbus TCP/RTU master + slave server, FC1/FC2/FC3/FC4 reads, FC5/FC6/FC15/FC16 writes, built-in slave register store, and a passive traffic monitor for debugging. 100% free, MIT, no usage limits. By ModPackQT — open the matching web console at modpackqt.com for register decoding, simulation and AI assistance.",
   "keywords": [
     "node-red",