# Problem moving Flows between a Pi & Winbox

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-moving-flows-between-a-pi-winbox/35894>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [13 November 2020 22:04 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-moving-flows-between-a-pi-winbox/35894 "2020-11-13T22:04:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![RASelkirk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/raselkirk/32/57425_2.png) [@RASelkirk](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/RASelkirk)\
**Post date:** [14 November 2020 17:01 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-moving-flows-between-a-pi-winbox/35894/32 "2020-11-14T17:01:37Z")

</div>

I _think_ I might have found the problem. I've got "UI Builder" in my palette even though I've never used it. So, all my exports (from both machines) are not in ".node-red/lib/flows", but in ".node-red/lib/uitemplates. From the N-R export interface, I can't navigate up a level and the only folder showing is "local", which I'm guessing is "flows". I think I'll save these exports to the desktop, uninstall UI Builder, then move them back to the flows folder and see how it behaves.

Russ

```auto
pi@pigate:~ $ node-red-stop

Stop Node-RED
 
Use node-red-start to start Node-RED again
 
pi@pigate:~ $ node-red-start

Start Node-RED
 
Once Node-RED has started, point a browser at http://192.168.1.14:1880
On Pi Node-RED works better with the Firefox or Chrome browser
 
Use node-red-stop to stop Node-RED
Use node-red-start to start Node-RED again
Use node-red-log to view the recent log output
Use sudo systemctl enable nodered.service to autostart Node-RED at every boot
Use sudo systemctl disable nodered.service to disable autostart on boot
 
To find more nodes and example flows - go to http://flows.nodered.org
 
Starting as a systemd service.
Started Node-RED graphical event wiring tool.
14 Nov 09:34:51 - [info]
Welcome to Node-RED
===================
14 Nov 09:34:51 - [info] Node-RED version: v1.1.2
14 Nov 09:34:51 - [info] Node.js version: v12.18.2
14 Nov 09:34:51 - [info] Linux 4.14.79-v7+ arm LE
14 Nov 09:34:53 - [info] Loading palette nodes
14 Nov 09:34:58 - [info] +-----------------------------------------------------
14 Nov 09:34:58 - [info] | uibuilder initialised:
14 Nov 09:34:58 - [info] | root folder: /home/pi/.node-red/uibuilder
14 Nov 09:34:58 - [info] | version . .: 2.0.8
14 Nov 09:34:58 - [info] | packages . : vue,bootstrap,bootstrap-vue,jquery,socket.io
14 Nov 09:34:58 - [info] +-----------------------------------------------------
14 Nov 09:34:58 - [info] Dashboard version 2.23.0 started at /ui
14 Nov 09:34:58 - [info] Settings file : /home/pi/.node-red/settings.js
14 Nov 09:34:58 - [info] Context store : 'default' [module=memory]
14 Nov 09:34:58 - [info] User directory : /home/pi/.node-red
14 Nov 09:34:58 - [warn] Projects disabled : editorTheme.projects.enabled=false
14 Nov 09:34:58 - [info] Flows file : /home/pi/.node-red/flows_pigate.json
14 Nov 09:34:58 - [info] Server now running at http://127.0.0.1:1880/
14 Nov 09:34:58 - [info] Starting flows
14 Nov 09:34:59 - [info] Started flows
14 Nov 09:34:59 - [warn] [ui_svg_graphics:verClosed] The specified msg.topic is not supported
14 Nov 09:34:59 - [warn] [ui_svg_graphics:verOpen] The specified msg.topic is not supported

```

I see there are other responses, I'll have a look and post back

Russ

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RASelkirk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/raselkirk/32/57425_2.png) [@RASelkirk](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/RASelkirk)\
**Post date:** [14 November 2020 17:16 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-moving-flows-between-a-pi-winbox/35894/33 "2020-11-14T17:16:23Z")

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This about sums up all the other intermediate posts.

The problem was, my exports were going to "la la land" somewhere not in a place any other posters were aware of. I finally found them (I'll admit I'm not fluent at all in Linux) but it took awhile. In the meantime, I used copy/paste to keep these exports from disappearing for good.

All this was done under the assumption that once you do a deploy, there's no "undo" to get back to where you were?

I'm pretty new to N-R, so making big changes to a node or flow w/o having a "working copy" in reserve can be rather dangerous. In these cases, I would prefer to export, make changes in the N-R editor, hopefully not destroying my project, but if that happens, import the working node back in. I guess to people with vast knowledge of N-R, this all seems fruitless, but to a newb, it makes perfect sense.

Russ

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Colin](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/colin/32/17040_2.png) [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)\
**Post date:** [14 November 2020 17:27 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-moving-flows-between-a-pi-winbox/35894/34 "2020-11-14T17:27:50Z")

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Each time you deploy node red keeps a backup copy of the previous version (just one, not older ones). So if you realise you have just made a major mistake you can go back to that one, provided you don't deploy again. If your flows file is called `flows_xxx.json` then the backup is called `.flows_xxx.json.backup`. You would have to manually rename it and restart node-red to pick it up.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RASelkirk](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/raselkirk/32/57425_2.png) [@RASelkirk](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/RASelkirk)\
**Post date:** [14 November 2020 19:48 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-moving-flows-between-a-pi-winbox/35894/35 "2020-11-14T19:48:58Z")

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Thanks Colin, for having the patience to deal with someone learning. That's good to know!

Russ

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [13 January 2021 19:49 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-moving-flows-between-a-pi-winbox/35894/36 "2021-01-13T19:49:20Z")

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