# Facility to set admin password from interface

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/facility-to-set-admin-password-from-interface/45411>\
**Category:** Feature Requests\
**Created:** [10 May 2021 05:06 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/facility-to-set-admin-password-from-interface/45411 "2021-05-10T05:06:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![anakaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@anakaine](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/anakaine)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2021 05:06 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/facility-to-set-admin-password-from-interface/45411/1 "2021-05-10T05:06:04Z")

</div>

I'd like to suggest a facility to set an admin password from the front end.

I've recently been trying to deploy Node-Red via an AWS lightsail container (great, they handle nearly everything including readable endpoint addresses, SSL, etc). The issue is that the Node-Red docker container doesn't contain an active SSH client + text editor. I cannot remote into the alpine linux instance to modify a config file to set the password. I can't set the password from the front end. So, my only recourse is to build from scratch.

To be fair, I've tried docker desktop on 2 high end work centres and one laptop, with a variety of failure messages on each. I'll now be attempting to pull the docker image and rebuilt it at home, just so I can secure the workflow creation screen / settings screens.

There's a few old topics that want for this facility, eg:

> [@Password Change and Profile Facility and User Accounts](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/password-change-and-profile-facility-and-user-accounts/1974):
>
> I have Node-RED applications on CF Bluemix. I can create additional applications using ToolChain and Git. At the moment I create an application and then run it to configure with username and password. To change the password I need to set the environment variables. Is there a way to change this process to a standard login model? In most applications a user can create their account and set there password or reset it if they forget it. Also once logged-in they can access their profile page and re…

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Steve-Mcl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/steve-mcl/32/4826_2.png) [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2021 07:27 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/facility-to-set-admin-password-from-interface/45411/2 "2021-05-10T07:27:43Z")

</div>

> [@anakaine](#):
>
> So, my only recourse is to build from scratch

Not strictly true.

You could add a flow that reads your settings.js & presents it to an end point that provides a code editor for you edit and post back to your node-red instance where it can be saved. e.g...

The flow

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/e/c/ec21a8468e9737a94c107c2280b5736ff8c10835.png)

What you see when you access `http://IPorHOST:port/settings.js`

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/e/2/e2416df34ac0e3d0f5da2b23aef070be936a26dc.png)

The demo flow...

```auto
[{"id":"dcba6627.393f68","type":"http in","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"","url":"/settings.js","method":"get","upload":false,"swaggerDoc":"","x":460,"y":1640,"wires":[["b5c4e3f5.703f2"]]},{"id":"3abb312.de8d1ce","type":"template","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"","field":"payload","fieldType":"msg","format":"handlebars","syntax":"mustache","template":"<html>\n <head>\n <script src=\"https://unpkg.com/monaco-editor@0.23.0/min/vs/loader.js\"></script>\n <style>\n .editor{\n height: 90%;\n } \n </style>\n </head>\n <body>\n\n <div id=\"container\" class=\"editor\"></div>\n <button id='saveSettings' onclick=\"saveSettings()\">Save settings</button>\n \n <script>\n require.config({ paths: { 'vs': 'https://unpkg.com/monaco-editor@0.23.0/min/vs' }});\n window.MonacoEnvironment = { getWorkerUrl: () => proxy };\n var settings = {{{payload}}};\n let proxy = URL.createObjectURL(new Blob([`\n self.MonacoEnvironment = {\n baseUrl: 'https://unpkg.com/monaco-editor@0.23.0/min/'\n };\n importScripts('https://unpkg.com/monaco-editor@0.23.0/min/vs/base/worker/workerMain.js');\n `], { type: 'text/javascript' }));\n\n require([\"vs/editor/editor.main\"], function () {\n window.editor = monaco.editor.create(document.getElementById('container'), {\n value: settings.code,\n language: 'javascript',\n theme: 'vs-dark',\n scrollBeyondLastLine: true,\n roundedSelection: true,\n autoIndent: true,\n cursorStyle: \"line\",\n fontWeight: 400,\n automaticLayout: true\n });\n\n });\n function saveSettings() {\n let newSettings = window.editor.getValue();\n\n const data = { code: newSettings };\n\n fetch('/upsettings', {\n method: 'POST', // or 'PUT'\n headers: {\n 'Content-Type': 'application/json',\n },\n body: JSON.stringify(data),\n })\n .then(response => response.json())\n .then(data => {\n alert('Settings sent to node-red :)');\n })\n .catch((error) => {\n alert('Error:' + error.message); \n });\n\n console.log(newSettings);\n }\n </script>\n\n </body>\n</html>\n","output":"str","x":1240,"y":1640,"wires":[["1fa0de6f.8f7bb2"]]},{"id":"1fa0de6f.8f7bb2","type":"http response","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"","statusCode":"","headers":{"content-type":"text/html","Access-Control-Allow-Origin":"*"},"x":1370,"y":1640,"wires":[]},{"id":"b5c4e3f5.703f2","type":"file in","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"","filename":"settings.js","format":"utf8","chunk":false,"sendError":false,"encoding":"none","x":620,"y":1640,"wires":[["4c9dce0c.f807e"]]},{"id":"4c9dce0c.f807e","type":"change","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"","rules":[{"t":"set","p":"payload","pt":"msg","to":"{\t \"code\": payload\t}","tot":"jsonata"}],"action":"","property":"","from":"","to":"","reg":false,"x":960,"y":1640,"wires":[["eaaf7a35.9ceef8"]]},{"id":"eaaf7a35.9ceef8","type":"json","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"","property":"payload","action":"","pretty":false,"x":1110,"y":1640,"wires":[["3abb312.de8d1ce"]]},{"id":"d43c53d7.fe247","type":"http in","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"","url":"upsettings","method":"post","upload":false,"swaggerDoc":"","x":460,"y":1680,"wires":[["93673240.88549"]]},{"id":"d26fc95.3c58d38","type":"http response","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"","statusCode":"","headers":{},"x":1370,"y":1680,"wires":[]},{"id":"cc743046.c87b4","type":"function","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"replace me with a file out node to save settings","func":"\nreturn msg;","outputs":1,"noerr":0,"initialize":"","finalize":"","libs":[],"x":920,"y":1680,"wires":[["c98025ff.ed40e8"]]},{"id":"93673240.88549","type":"change","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"","rules":[{"t":"set","p":"payload","pt":"msg","to":"payload.code","tot":"msg"}],"action":"","property":"","from":"","to":"","reg":false,"x":640,"y":1680,"wires":[["cc743046.c87b4","52e16f44.3fd56"]]},{"id":"52e16f44.3fd56","type":"debug","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"","active":true,"tosidebar":true,"console":false,"tostatus":true,"complete":"payload","targetType":"msg","statusVal":"payload","statusType":"auto","x":850,"y":1720,"wires":[]},{"id":"c98025ff.ed40e8","type":"change","z":"553814a2.1248ec","name":"","rules":[{"t":"set","p":"payload","pt":"msg","to":"{}","tot":"json"}],"action":"","property":"","from":"","to":"","reg":false,"x":1200,"y":1680,"wires":[["d26fc95.3c58d38"]]}]

```

### NOTES

- Dont leave this code running once you have this set
- Any mistakes will cause node-red to not start
- Assumes settings.js is writable and persisted between reboots
- The editing browser needs internet access (for the editor CDN)
- I have deliberately NOT put the `file` out node in (for safety purposes) I'll leave that to you Mr Future Reader 🙂

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![anakaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@anakaine](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/anakaine)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2021 08:37 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/facility-to-set-admin-password-from-interface/45411/3 "2021-05-10T08:37:49Z")

</div>

Well now, I'm going to have to go and try this right away!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![anakaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@anakaine](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/anakaine)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2021 08:59 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/facility-to-set-admin-password-from-interface/45411/4 "2021-05-10T08:59:20Z")

</div>

Perhaps I'm missing something here @Steve-Mcl, when I import that demo flow on either my Win 10 (NR 1.1.2), or Docker (nodered/node-red:latest v1.3.4) Node-Red installs, visiting [http://localhost:1880](http://localhost:1880) works, but [http://localhost:1880/settings.js](http://localhost:1880/settings.js) just causes the page to hang/timeout. Just an infinite spinning wheel.

I have observed, however, that visiting [http://localhost:1880/settings](http://localhost:1880/settings) causes a json file to display which contains some settings, which is a little concerning.

Edit(s)  
On windows changing the input file to /.node-red/settings.js results in Error: Cannot get settings.js

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Steve-Mcl](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/steve-mcl/32/4826_2.png) [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2021 09:03 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/facility-to-set-admin-password-from-interface/45411/5 "2021-05-10T09:03:17Z")

</div>

> [@anakaine](#):
>
> but [http://localhost:1880/settings.js](http://localhost:1880/settings.js) just causes the page to hang/timeout. Just an infinite spinning wheel.

- does the computer where you are accessing this URL have internet access?
- attach a debug to the "file in" node - is it reading the settings.js file (you might need to put full path in e.g. `/some/path/settings.js` or `c:/users/user/.node-red/settings.js`)

> [@anakaine](#):
>
> I have observed, however, that visiting [http://localhost:1880/settings](http://localhost:1880/settings) causes a json file to display which contains some settings, which is a little concerning.

This is normal.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![anakaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@anakaine](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/anakaine)\
**Post date:** [10 May 2021 09:08 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/facility-to-set-admin-password-from-interface/45411/6 "2021-05-10T09:08:52Z")

</div>

I'm a potato. I changed it in the http-in, and not in the file-in.

The windows version is working. I just need to track down the file path for the docker image now.

Edit:  
Windows path with a default install /.node-red/settings.js  
Docker path with default install: /data/settings.js

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [9 July 2021 09:09 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/facility-to-set-admin-password-from-interface/45411/7 "2021-07-09T09:09:17Z")

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