# Flow disappeared but still working

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flow-disappeared-but-still-working/25043>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [17 April 2020 23:43 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flow-disappeared-but-still-working/25043 "2020-04-17T23:43:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 17\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![zenofmud](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/zenofmud/32/316_2.png) [@zenofmud](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/zenofmud)\
**Post date:** [18 April 2020 10:06 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flow-disappeared-but-still-working/25043/22 "2020-04-18T10:06:26Z")

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Yes the tabs at the top of the screen

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**Author:** ![diaz\_1988](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@diaz\_1988](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/diaz_1988)\
**Post date:** [18 April 2020 10:13 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flow-disappeared-but-still-working/25043/23 "2020-04-18T10:13:04Z")

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Thats what i am saying that "light" tab dissapeared but from ui i can still use the buttons-switches and the automation proccesss is still working (lights working from ui buttons etc.) i cant find where this tab has gone .

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**Author:** ![zenofmud](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/zenofmud/32/316_2.png) [@zenofmud](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/zenofmud)\
**Post date:** [18 April 2020 10:24 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flow-disappeared-but-still-working/25043/24 "2020-04-18T10:24:30Z")

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Ahh it would have saved time if you had said the `tab` was missing. (vocabulary in communicating is important)

If you haven't done any deploys since you first encountered the issue you might be able to retreive the backup of the entire flow (the term `flow` is over loaded because it can be a string of nodes or the complete collection of nodes/tabs)

What platform are you running on/ If it is a Pi, open a terminal window and issue a

```auto
cd $HOME/.node-red

```

then

```auto
ls -al

```

and you should see a file `flows_somename.json` and one called `flows_somename.json.backup` if the dates are different and the size is different you can copy the backup one to a new name (flow\_newname.json) and try starting NR using that flow name.

```auto
node-red flow_newname.json

```

and see if the tab is in that flow.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![diaz\_1988](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@diaz\_1988](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/diaz_1988)\
**Post date:** [18 April 2020 10:36 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flow-disappeared-but-still-working/25043/25 "2020-04-18T10:36:26Z")

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The last deploy i made was yesterday when the problem occured . From that time the deploy button doesnt work .and i cant make a deploy . Although the  
flows\_nodered.json  
flows\_nodered.json.backup have the same date and the same size . The date is 18/4/20 so i guess the backup file includes the problem . . Anyway zenofmud thanks for your help and for your time no need to further waste time for this 🙂

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**Author:** ![diaz\_1988](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@diaz\_1988](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/diaz_1988)\
**Post date:** [18 April 2020 10:41 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flow-disappeared-but-still-working/25043/26 "2020-04-18T10:41:00Z")

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I m an electrical engineer with no programming backround and the problem is that even if i manage to set up something with NR if something go wrong i cant troubleshoot so i think its time to leave NR . This is sad for me cause i really like NR but it can expose me at any time 🙂

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**Author:** ![knolleary](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/knolleary/32/3_2.png) [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)\
**Post date:** [18 April 2020 17:38 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flow-disappeared-but-still-working/25043/27 "2020-04-18T17:38:02Z")

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Hi @diaz_1988

First thing to do is backup your flows and credentials files. They are in ~/.node-red/flows\_something.json and flows\_something-creds.json

Copy them somewhere safe outside of the .node-red directory.

Then we can start to understand what is going on.

You have said the deploy button doesn't work. What do you mean? What happens when you click it? Have you checked the browsers JavaScript console for any error messages?

To clarify your previous comments - do you mean that two tabs have disappeared from the workspace? And am I right in thinking those tabs include dashboard nodes that you can still see on the dashboard?  
If so, can you send me your flow file in a private message so I can take a look at it?

Also useful to know what versions of Node-RED and node.js you are using.

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**Author:** ![knolleary](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/knolleary/32/3_2.png) [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)\
**Post date:** [18 April 2020 18:14 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flow-disappeared-but-still-working/25043/28 "2020-04-18T18:14:05Z")

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> Yes i tried to import one sample flow which contained some nodes i already had installed and after that . The flow (maybe the correct word is the TAB as you said) dissapeared but its still working on the UI. Except that , after the last deployment the Deploy button doesnt work . I press it but nothing happen .

@diaz_1988 thanks for sharing the flow, I will take a look a bit later this evening.

You say the deploy button does nothing. Have you checked the browser JavaScript console for any errors?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![diaz\_1988](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@diaz\_1988](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/diaz_1988)\
**Post date:** [18 April 2020 18:22 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flow-disappeared-but-still-working/25043/29 "2020-04-18T18:22:41Z")

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red.min.js:16 Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property 'name' of undefined  
at m (red.min.js:16)  
at red.min.js:16  
at Object.eachConfig (red.min.js:16)  
at R (red.min.js:16)  
at HTMLAnchorElement. (red.min.js:16)  
at HTMLAnchorElement.dispatch (vendor.js:2)  
at HTMLAnchorElement.v.handle (vendor.js:2)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![diaz\_1988](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@diaz\_1988](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/diaz_1988)\
**Post date:** [18 April 2020 18:23 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flow-disappeared-but-still-working/25043/30 "2020-04-18T18:23:04Z")

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when i press deploy button

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![diaz\_1988](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@diaz\_1988](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/diaz_1988)\
**Post date:** [18 April 2020 18:24 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flow-disappeared-but-still-working/25043/31 "2020-04-18T18:24:37Z")

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red.min.js:16 Node added to unknown tab/subflow:

1. Object

2. x: 2090

3. y: 1280

4. z: 0

5. type: "ui\_switch"

6. inputLabels: undefined

7. outputLabels: undefined

8. icon: undefined

9. info: undefined

10. changed: false

11. \_config: {name: """", label: ""switch"", tooltip: """", group: ""4064bcff.9e2b44"", order: "12", …}

12. id: "5f31fcfc.052084"

13. \_def: {category: "dashboard", color: "rgb(176, 223, 227)", defaults: {…}, inputs: 1, outputs: 1, …}

14. inputs: 1

15. outputs: 1

16. name: ""

17. label: "switch"

18. tooltip: ""

19. group: "4064bcff.9e2b44"

20. order: 12

21. width: 0

22. height: 0

23. passthru: false

24. decouple: "true"

25. topic: ""

26. style: ""

27. onvalue: "true"

28. onvalueType: "bool"

29. onicon: ""

30. oncolor: ""

31. offvalue: "false"

32. offvalueType: "bool"

33. officon: ""

34. offcolor: ""

35. \_: ƒ ()

36. ports: [0]

37. dirty: true

38. valid: true

39. validationErrors: 

40. status: {}

41. dirtyStatus: true

42. **proto** : Object

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![diaz\_1988](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@diaz\_1988](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/diaz_1988)\
**Post date:** [18 April 2020 18:25 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flow-disappeared-but-still-working/25043/32 "2020-04-18T18:25:08Z")

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java window also includes many of this warnings

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![diaz\_1988](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@diaz\_1988](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/diaz_1988)\
**Post date:** [18 April 2020 21:54 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flow-disappeared-but-still-working/25043/33 "2020-04-18T21:54:30Z")

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Thank GOD @knolleary gave the solution .Thanks a lot @knolleary also @zenofmud .

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![knolleary](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/knolleary/32/3_2.png) [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)\
**Post date:** [18 April 2020 22:08 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flow-disappeared-but-still-working/25043/34 "2020-04-18T22:08:43Z")

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When I examined the flow json, a lot of the nodes had their `z` property set to `0` - which is invalid.

I manually added a new tab node to the json and updated all of the missing z values to point at its id.

We have seen this a very small number of times over the years, but never managed to recreate to figure out what causes it.

We've had an item on the backlog for a while now for the editor to handle recovering from this error, just not got around to implementing anything.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![diaz\_1988](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@diaz\_1988](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/diaz_1988)\
**Post date:** [18 April 2020 23:02 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flow-disappeared-but-still-working/25043/35 "2020-04-18T23:02:13Z")

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@Knolleary which way you suggest to recover since i cant deploy? I have to re install NR and then import the flow?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![knolleary](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/knolleary/32/3_2.png) [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)\
**Post date:** [18 April 2020 23:22 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flow-disappeared-but-still-working/25043/36 "2020-04-18T23:22:47Z")

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Copy the file I gave you to the flows file in .node-red and restart. That should solve the issues.

If after doing that your missing nodes are back, but you still can't deploy, please check the browser JavaScript console and share any errors you see there.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![diaz\_1988](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@diaz\_1988](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/diaz_1988)\
**Post date:** [21 April 2020 13:29 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flow-disappeared-but-still-working/25043/37 "2020-04-21T13:29:01Z")

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"Copy the file I gave you to the flows file in .node-red and restart. " Do you mean to import the flow from the import option on N.R or to copy this file from command line and then restart? can you pleaseeee suggest how to access flows file from command line

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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:** [5 May 2020 13:29 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flow-disappeared-but-still-working/25043/38 "2020-05-05T13:29:04Z")

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