# Flows file name not set, generating name using hostname

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flows-file-name-not-set-generating-name-using-hostname/49296>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [4 August 2021 00:05 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flows-file-name-not-set-generating-name-using-hostname/49296 "2021-08-04T00:05:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![rajhi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dbc845/32.png) [@rajhi](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/rajhi)\
**Post date:** [4 August 2021 00:05 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flows-file-name-not-set-generating-name-using-hostname/49296/1 "2021-08-04T00:05:29Z")

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![Capture d’écran (2)](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/a/8/a88714e1c05fa7be76f2f378b83afdf798860e44.png)

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**Author:** ![LosinIt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@LosinIt](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/LosinIt)\
**Post date:** [4 August 2021 01:38 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flows-file-name-not-set-generating-name-using-hostname/49296/2 "2021-08-04T01:38:40Z")

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Did you use the suggested command? The line before the Windows prompt?

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**Author:** ![Gunner](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/gunner/32/43582_2.png) [@Gunner](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Gunner)\
**Post date:** [4 August 2021 05:03 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flows-file-name-not-set-generating-name-using-hostname/49296/3 "2021-08-04T05:03:32Z")

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What do you need help with, all I see is a screenshot without any context?

A warning is not an error. My startup says the same thing, and everything works fine for me. Is Node-Red not working for you?

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**Author:** ![rajhi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dbc845/32.png) [@rajhi](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/rajhi)\
**Post date:** [4 August 2021 20:01 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flows-file-name-not-set-generating-name-using-hostname/49296/4 "2021-08-04T20:01:20Z")

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Node red is not working with me

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**Author:** ![Gunner](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/gunner/32/43582_2.png) [@Gunner](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Gunner)\
**Post date:** [4 August 2021 20:08 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flows-file-name-not-set-generating-name-using-hostname/49296/5 "2021-08-04T20:08:12Z")

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Your screenshot shows differently.

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/e/1/e1dcbdd8feb69da1b2cc5d28a9128e10ba978c87.png)

Perhaps expand upon your parroted statement "not working for me" with details.

How have you tried accessing your node-red web page? (HINT use the URL the server is now running at).

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**Author:** ![rajhi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dbc845/32.png) [@rajhi](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/rajhi)\
**Post date:** [4 August 2021 20:18 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flows-file-name-not-set-generating-name-using-hostname/49296/6 "2021-08-04T20:18:19Z")

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it used to work without any issue, but unexpected update for my win10, after that it shows me this error

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**Author:** ![Gunner](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/gunner/32/43582_2.png) [@Gunner](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Gunner)\
**Post date:** [4 August 2021 20:26 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flows-file-name-not-set-generating-name-using-hostname/49296/7 "2021-08-04T20:26:30Z")

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> [@rajhi](#):
>
> it shows me this error

Again, a warning is not an error, I have the same one on my system (running on RPi).

Not that I clearly understand the warning 😊 but it doesn't appear to affect operation.

Perhaps you have some other issue with a flow?

Try starting in safe mode `node-red —safe`

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**Author:** ![dceejay](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/dceejay/32/38_2.png) [@dceejay](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dceejay)\
**Post date:** [4 August 2021 20:34 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flows-file-name-not-set-generating-name-using-hostname/49296/8 "2021-08-04T20:34:02Z")

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When you say it was working do you mean you had a working flow. And now it is blank ?  
Maybe the pc changed hostname or got a new hostname via dhcp. The warning message means that it couldn’t find its existing flow file so created a new one with that name, which would then be blank. If you did have a previous one it should still be there in your user directory as flows\_(something).json or indeed a backup.

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**Author:** ![rajhi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dbc845/32.png) [@rajhi](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/rajhi)\
**Post date:** [4 August 2021 20:56 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flows-file-name-not-set-generating-name-using-hostname/49296/9 "2021-08-04T20:56:34Z")

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It works thank u a lot 😍

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gunner](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/gunner/32/43582_2.png) [@Gunner](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Gunner)\
**Post date:** [4 August 2021 21:00 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flows-file-name-not-set-generating-name-using-hostname/49296/10 "2021-08-04T21:00:14Z")

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@dceejay The OP issue is apparently resolved, but your comment left me questioning this...

> [@dceejay](#):
>
> The warning message means that it couldn’t find its existing flow file so created a new one with that name

```auto
(node:22160) Warning: Setting the NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED environment variable to '0' makes TLS connections and HTTPS requests insecure by disabling certificate verification.

```

Is that what this warning actually means?? (Googling it seems unclear, but marks it as irrelevant) I am unaware of any missing or failed flows in my setup but I get the same message. I am fairly sure I have always seen it since day one with Node-Red.

And attempting to run any `node --trace-warnings` just seemed to drop me into a node.js editor...

```auto
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ node --trace-warnings
Welcome to Node.js v14.17.2.
Type ".help" for more information.
>

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dceejay](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/dceejay/32/38_2.png) [@dceejay](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dceejay)\
**Post date:** [4 August 2021 21:08 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flows-file-name-not-set-generating-name-using-hostname/49296/11 "2021-08-04T21:08:28Z")

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Sorry - I was referring to the no flow file set warning.  
I can’t recall which extra node sets that other flag to prompt that warning. Maybe the xmpp one ?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Gunner](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/gunner/32/43582_2.png) [@Gunner](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Gunner)\
**Post date:** [4 August 2021 21:10 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flows-file-name-not-set-generating-name-using-hostname/49296/12 "2021-08-04T21:10:49Z")

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Ah, got it... now ... it was hard to tell the exact issue from a single screenshot 😛

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![dceejay](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/dceejay/32/38_2.png) [@dceejay](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dceejay)\
**Post date:** [4 August 2021 21:14 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flows-file-name-not-set-generating-name-using-hostname/49296/13 "2021-08-04T21:14:14Z")

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Indeed, likewise, tricky to tell.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rajhi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dbc845/32.png) [@rajhi](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/rajhi)\
**Post date:** [5 August 2021 21:57 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flows-file-name-not-set-generating-name-using-hostname/49296/14 "2021-08-05T21:57:42Z")

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After using node red in safe mode some flows stoped and it says that i am not able to connect to the server .  
Any help?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jbudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5f8ce5/32.png) [@jbudd](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/jbudd)\
**Post date:** [5 August 2021 22:09 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flows-file-name-not-set-generating-name-using-hostname/49296/15 "2021-08-05T22:09:21Z")

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"some flows stoped"  
Which flows stopped? How do you know? Are there flows which have not stopped?

"it says that i am not able to connect to the server"  
What says you cannot connect? Is there an error message? **Precisely** what does it say?

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**Author:** ![Paul-Reed](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/paul-reed/32/66906_2.png) [@Paul-Reed](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Paul-Reed)\
**Post date:** [5 August 2021 22:11 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flows-file-name-not-set-generating-name-using-hostname/49296/16 "2021-08-05T22:11:04Z")

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Hi @rajhi  
I've changed the topic name from `I need help` to `Flows file name not set, generating name using hostname` so users will be able to find this in the future by searching the forum, if they have the same problem.

Paul  
Moderator

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rajhi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dbc845/32.png) [@rajhi](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/rajhi)\
**Post date:** [5 August 2021 22:23 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flows-file-name-not-set-generating-name-using-hostname/49296/18 "2021-08-05T22:23:32Z")

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flows stopped to connect to the server

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Paul-Reed](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/paul-reed/32/66906_2.png) [@Paul-Reed](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Paul-Reed)\
**Post date:** [5 August 2021 22:28 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flows-file-name-not-set-generating-name-using-hostname/49296/19 "2021-08-05T22:28:06Z")

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Don't worry, that is the message that you will get when you start node-RED in safe mode.  
Once you start node-RED normally, the message will be gone.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![rajhi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/dbc845/32.png) [@rajhi](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/rajhi)\
**Post date:** [5 August 2021 22:34 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flows-file-name-not-set-generating-name-using-hostname/49296/20 "2021-08-05T22:34:27Z")

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when i start using nod-red normally , i can not connect to the  
server

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Paul-Reed](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/paul-reed/32/66906_2.png) [@Paul-Reed](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Paul-Reed)\
**Post date:** [5 August 2021 22:39 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flows-file-name-not-set-generating-name-using-hostname/49296/21 "2021-08-05T22:39:52Z")

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When you start node-RED normally, can you copy & paste the log here (no screenshot)

[Next page](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/flows-file-name-not-set-generating-name-using-hostname/49296.md?page=2)