# How to open a NR Project from local source

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-open-a-nr-project-from-local-source/83478>\
**Category:** General\
**Tags:** docker\
**Created:** [6 December 2023 19:52 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-open-a-nr-project-from-local-source/83478 "2023-12-06T19:52:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![novski](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/novski/32/23243_2.png) [@novski](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/novski)\
**Post date:** [6 December 2023 19:52 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-open-a-nr-project-from-local-source/83478/1 "2023-12-06T19:52:13Z")

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I try to open a local copy of a Git hosted project that has these four files:  
_flows\_cred.json_  
_flows.json_  
_package.json_  
_Readme.md_  
I have a macOS and normally test things in docker.  
So I found [this related description](https://github.com/node-red/node-red-docker/blob/master/README.md#startup) but if I add the path to my flows.json file it starts NR but with an empty workspace not the one in the flows.json.  
This is my path:  
`docker run -it -p 1881:1880 -e FLOWS=~/Downloads/project-master/flows.json -v node_red_data:/data nodered/node-red`  
How can I look into a project that I copy locally?

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**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:** [6 December 2023 19:57 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-open-a-nr-project-from-local-source/83478/2 "2023-12-06T19:57:52Z")

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> [@novski](#):
>
> FLOWS=~/Downloads/project-master/flows.json

`FLOWS` will refer to something inside the container - not your computer.

You will need to research how to make other directory available to the container and then you can point FLOWS at the mapped location.

Alternatively, without docker, this is as simple as setting `-u` to the directory containing flows e.g.

```auto
node-red -u ~/Downloads/project-master/

```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![novski](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/novski/32/23243_2.png) [@novski](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/novski)\
**Post date:** [7 December 2023 09:41 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-open-a-nr-project-from-local-source/83478/3 "2023-12-07T09:41:40Z")

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> [@Steve-Mcl](#):
>
> You will need to research how to make other directory available to the container and then you can point FLOWS at the mapped location.

That would be the solution, i think.

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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 February 2024 09:41 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/how-to-open-a-nr-project-from-local-source/83478/4 "2024-02-05T09:41:46Z")

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