# Possible defect: Subflow Categories with '#' in name - cannot delete

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/possible-defect-subflow-categories-with-in-name-cannot-delete/27398>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [27 May 2020 23:52 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/possible-defect-subflow-categories-with-in-name-cannot-delete/27398 "2020-05-27T23:52:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![PaulKeates1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/97f17d/32.png) [@PaulKeates1](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/PaulKeates1)\
**Post date:** [27 May 2020 23:52 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/possible-defect-subflow-categories-with-in-name-cannot-delete/27398/1 "2020-05-27T23:52:59Z")

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Hi,

I want to see if anyone else can recreate this. I believe it is an issue but maybe just my installation.

I created a new Subflow category (Edit Properties | Categories) called ' **Data Blocks #States**'. Note the hash sign - I think that is the issue. I added a couple of subflows to this new category but it did not really display properly - everything after 'Data Blocks' was missing in the title. Looked like it treated the '#' as a terminator or something.

So - I thought I'd delete that 'bad' category.

Normally, once you delete / remove the last subflow from a category the category automatically disappears. Now, no matter what I do, I cannot get it to disappear. I think it is invisible and subflows are still 'in' that category.

The category does not appear in the list on the left-nav menu (true - so it 'looks' like it was deleted).  
But when using the 'Appearance' control page the item is still there:

 ![image](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/3X/8/8/88707f1d3ba344765e365352ecb03c0e159371c7.png)

BTW: the 'Done' red button does not work either - you HAVE to click 'Cancel' to get out of this screen.

Perhaps someone could let me know which file to edit to clean up this extraneous category?

I tried enabling 'PalleteCategories' in settings.js - no improvement. Forcing it to 'paletteCategories: ,' did nothing either.

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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:** [28 May 2020 00:46 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/possible-defect-subflow-categories-with-in-name-cannot-delete/27398/2 "2020-05-28T00:46:35Z")

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> [@PaulKeates1](#):
>
> but it did not really display properly

where isn't it displaying properly?

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**Author:** ![PaulKeates1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/97f17d/32.png) [@PaulKeates1](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/PaulKeates1)\
**Post date:** [28 May 2020 00:53 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/possible-defect-subflow-categories-with-in-name-cannot-delete/27398/3 "2020-05-28T00:53:59Z")

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Hi,

I don't know if it is poor form to reply to myself...

I solved the issue.

Edit the 'flow.json' file (of your project) and search for occurrences of the problematic entry (in this case: "Data Blocks" and all occurrences with the "#" character. Replace with something with something.

Reload your project. Fixed it.

I think there is a limitation of using any special character in this feature. Tried brackets "( )" and this seemed problematic as well.

Cheers,

Paul

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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:** [28 May 2020 00:58 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/possible-defect-subflow-categories-with-in-name-cannot-delete/27398/4 "2020-05-28T00:58:05Z")

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Ha, that was just what I was going to tell you to do!

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**Author:** ![PaulKeates1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/97f17d/32.png) [@PaulKeates1](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/PaulKeates1)\
**Post date:** [28 May 2020 01:22 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/possible-defect-subflow-categories-with-in-name-cannot-delete/27398/5 "2020-05-28T01:22:13Z")

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Hi zenofmud,

Glad to hear from you - I've seen your name in multiple places all over Node-RED.

Glad my feeble brain was able to solve something even if it took a couple of hours.

I appreciate the response and wish you well.

Cheers,

Paul

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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:** [27 July 2020 01:22 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/possible-defect-subflow-categories-with-in-name-cannot-delete/27398/6 "2020-07-27T01:22:17Z")

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