MacOS26: Node-RED flows file not found after upgrade

General
1

Hello:

I just upgraded to MacOS 26 and now when I launch Node-RED, it starts with an empty flows file. I can see the original flows file in the .node-red folder but it seems to be creating a new one and I don't know what the file name or location is.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

2

I had changed the DNS server on my Mac because of issues with the AT&T DNS server over the past couple of weeks. Deleting the Google DNS servers and defaulting to the AT&T DNS server seems to have fixed the issue.

Can anyone explain why this happened? I fixed it but now I'm worried that I may face issues with my live server (RPi5) since I changed the DNS server there as well (it seems to be working fine so far :crossed_fingers:t3:).

3

where do you launch the Node-red server process from? by default it reads the flows file (or creates it) in the current directory, unless pointed to another location (in settings.js or as a command-line argument).

4

I start Node-RED from Terminal (it's my local laptop). I haven't changed anything in settings.js. My flow file is named (default name) "flows_MacBookPro.attlocal.net.json". I'm not entirely sure why changing the dns server would get it to work again....

5

I don't see any obvious reason for a change of DNS server to result in Node-red using a different flows file.

If you start Node-red with node-red-start it should find the existing flows file, either ~/.node-red/flows.json or whatever file is specified in ~/.node-red/settings.js

If however you start it with node-red start, when you first Deploy it creates an empty file called start.json.
This glitch could easily be fixed but just in case there's someone out there whose flow file is already called start.json it won't be.

My Pies running Node-red have IP addresses reserved in the network DNS server, usually the router. I have to replicate this if I change the DNS server - to Pihole for instance - otherwise I could end up connecting to a different instance of Node-red than I want.

I don't do Apple but that looks like the old style flows file, flows_hostname.json,
Current Node-red installations on a Pi default to flows.json.

6

I think this may be a Mac thing? My RPi files have the flows.json naming convention..

7

from which directory? the one where your flows file resides?