# EXPORTING flows - compact vs formatted

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/exporting-flows-compact-vs-formatted/66830>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [24 August 2022 05:12 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/exporting-flows-compact-vs-formatted/66830 "2022-08-24T05:12:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Trying\_to\_learn](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/trying_to_learn/32/28400_2.png) [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)\
**Post date:** [24 August 2022 05:12 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/exporting-flows-compact-vs-formatted/66830/1 "2022-08-24T05:12:12Z")

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NR 2.1.4 (in this example).  
Ubuntu "old" 21.0.4.

When I usually `export` and paste it is in compact.  
Now - recently - it has changed to `formatted`.  
Which is fine for the mechanics of moving stuff between machines, but when posting it takes up a lot of screen space.  
(No big deal)

But **WHY** it is doing this when I don't remember changing anything to set `formatted` as the default.

Thanks.

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**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [24 August 2022 06:08 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/exporting-flows-compact-vs-formatted/66830/2 "2022-08-24T06:08:49Z")

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It is determined by the flowFilePretty (or something similar, I can't remember exactly) setting in settings.js

Personally I would like the format for export always to default to compressed._emphasized text_

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Trying\_to\_learn](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/trying_to_learn/32/28400_2.png) [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)\
**Post date:** [24 August 2022 21:44 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/exporting-flows-compact-vs-formatted/66830/4 "2022-08-24T21:44:02Z")

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Thanks.  
Now I know I'll try to remember it for next time. 😉

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [7 September 2022 21:44 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/exporting-flows-compact-vs-formatted/66830/5 "2022-09-07T21:44:44Z")

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