Flows not importing correctly between machines

[Trying_to_learn]

(Also partly DASHBOARD as well, but....)

As you may have seen I have been working on a dashboard recently for "machine health".

I got the layout nice and was happy.

I exported it and then imported it on another machine.
Ok, one was a RPI 2 and the new one is a RPz.

The screens are different.
Why? How?

I'm looking into it, but just to put it out there.

Good: (Original machine)

Bad: (New machine)

Here is what I have found so far:

Is this a problem/bug?
No spacer on the second one.

This is done by:

export - to clipboard - whole flow
import - from clipboard

in the menu

[craigcurtin]

Same versions of everything ?? i.e. Dashboard and NR ?

With all your recent dramas it is a fair chance their are some differences

Also i assume (but would like to confim) - the client where the browser is running is the same machine each time

[Trying_to_learn]

(Weird, I didn't get a notification of your reply)

Source machine specs:
Dashboard: 2.15.5
NR: 0.20.5
Machine:

pi@BedPi:~ $ sysinfo
Raspberry Pi 2 Model B Rev 1.1

PRETTY_NAME="Raspbian GNU/Linux 9 (stretch)"
NAME="Raspbian GNU/Linux"
VERSION_ID="9"
VERSION="9 (stretch)"
ID=raspbian
ID_LIKE=debian
HOME_URL="http://www.raspbian.org/"
SUPPORT_URL="http://www.raspbian.org/RaspbianForums"
BUG_REPORT_URL="http://www.raspbian.org/RaspbianBugs"

Raspberry Pi reference 2017-09-07
Generated using pi-gen, https://github.com/RPi-Distro/pi-gen, 496e41575eeb9fa13f394ffb407b7bc1d00b21c2, stage5
pi@BedPi:~ $ 

Destination:
Dashboard: 2.16.2
NR: 0.20.5
Machine:

pi@TelePi:~ $ sysinfo
Raspberry Pi Zero W Rev 1.1

PRETTY_NAME="Raspbian GNU/Linux 9 (stretch)"
NAME="Raspbian GNU/Linux"
VERSION_ID="9"
VERSION="9 (stretch)"
ID=raspbian
ID_LIKE=debian
HOME_URL="http://www.raspbian.org/"
SUPPORT_URL="http://www.raspbian.org/RaspbianForums"
BUG_REPORT_URL="http://www.raspbian.org/RaspbianBugs"

Raspberry Pi reference 2017-09-07
Generated using pi-gen, https://github.com/RPi-Distro/pi-gen, 496e41575eeb9fa13f394ffb407b7bc1d00b21c2, stage5
pi@TelePi:~ $ 

The destination is newer/later than the source.

The last bit:
Yes, I am viewing both remote machines from the one machine.

[craigcurtin]

Corect me if i am wrong - wasn't 2.16 of the Dashboard where they introduced the new visual placement mode (presumably as a long term replacement for spacers) - could this have some effect ?

I think it would be worthwhile duplicating the SD card (as a backup) and then upgrading the Dashboard on the donor machine

Craig

[Trying_to_learn]

Well, ok. I'll indulge you on that idea of the versions.

However, if the source is 2.15.5 has a spacer in its layout and I import it to 2.16.2 which is later on.

Shouldn't it work? (Backwards compatible)

It isn't that I am taking a dashboard from 2.16.2 and importing it to 2.15.5.
Which I would understand if the new dashboard threw a hissy fit.

So why can't 2.16.2 understand a 2.15.5 one?

I don't mind updating. But it seems weird.

[craigcurtin]

I am not saying that is the issue - but it is an obvious point of difference between the two machines that directly impacts the Dashboard (presumably you have checked that the nodes being used are the same versions)

As an easy to address test, duplicaitng the SD card and trying an update of the dashboard would seem to me to be the quickest way to isolate this from the variables

Craig

[Trying_to_learn]

I updated the dashboard on the source machine.

Both 2.16.2

Both machines NR 0.25.0

For the sake of the exercise I renamed the ORIGINAL flow Machine_Health_x and exported it to the clipboard, and renamed it back to normal.

On the destination machine (which is now updated. ssh'ed to it and node-red-stop node-red-start. I prefer that to node-red-restart only that I see things happening better.)

Imported the flow.

SAME.

I was going to export the spacer but obviously that's never going to be done.

Standby for another test scenario shortly.

Pics to show:
No comments this time.

[Trying_to_learn]

For another test I made a whole new flow.

See pics.

Not rocket science.

See the space in the picture.

Now when I import it to the other machine

This is the clipboard

[{"id":"7df28960.69c3f","type":"tab","label":"Flow 1","disabled":false,"info":""},{"id":"7f04e85f.dc9a5","type":"comment","z":"7df28960.69c3f","name":"TEST FLOW","info":"","x":260,"y":80,"wires":[]},{"id":"eb42e04.dd725a","type":"ui_button","z":"7df28960.69c3f","name":"","group":"6d1158d6.a6ee18","order":1,"width":"3","height":"1","passthru":false,"label":"button","tooltip":"","color":"","bgcolor":"","icon":"","payload":"HELLO","payloadType":"str","topic":"","x":170,"y":190,"wires":[["3bc6e6fa.99a0ba"]]},{"id":"3bc6e6fa.99a0ba","type":"ui_text","z":"7df28960.69c3f","group":"6d1158d6.a6ee18","order":3,"width":"3","height":"1","name":"","label":"text","format":"{{msg.payload}}","layout":"row-spread","x":340,"y":190,"wires":[]},{"id":"6d1158d6.a6ee18","type":"ui_group","z":"","name":"Group 1","tab":"a2899bec.f8999","order":1,"disp":true,"width":"12","collapse":false},{"id":"a2899bec.f8999","type":"ui_tab","z":"","name":"TEST","icon":"dashboard","order":6,"disabled":false,"hidden":false}]

The spacer isn't there - to the best of my knowledge.

[craigcurtin]

Dumb question - have you tried to flush your browsers cache ?

[Trying_to_learn]

Good question. I've fallen for that before.
And points for checking.

Sorry, I'm not trying to be difficult. Flushing the cache is a good suggestion. But is/would PRIVATE BROWSING be just as good?

The RPI's are password locked for editing and as they are my machines, I don't have the passwords handy. (Don't go there please.)

I opened a PRIVATE window on my NUC.
Loaded NR edit and imported the flow to the NUC's NR.
No spacer node listed.

Out of interest, do you get the spacer if you import the flow?

[krambriw]

I tried the import, no spacer

[Trying_to_learn]

Thank you! @krambriw
It isn't me going mad.