# Problem with Exec
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-exec/93951
**Category:** General
**Created:** [17 December 2024 08:39 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-exec/93951 "2024-12-17T08:39:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Relo](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Relo)
#### Post date: [17 December 2024 08:39 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-exec/93951/1 "2024-12-17T08:39:40Z")
Hi, I'm using the exec node in Node-RED. I want to play a sound clip when I give input to the exec node. When I run the command manually via the command line in Putty, everything works fine. However, when I run the same command in the exec node, nothing happens. There are no error messages, and in debug 3, it shows 'code 0'.
What could be wrong?
---
### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [17 December 2024 08:43 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-exec/93951/2 "2024-12-17T08:43:34Z")
This is tricky.
I've checked on one of my machines and it can be done.
Could you open the `exec` node and screenshot what you have there?
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### Author:  [@Relo](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Relo)
#### Post date: [17 December 2024 08:53 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-exec/93951/3 "2024-12-17T08:53:28Z")
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### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [17 December 2024 08:56 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-exec/93951/4 "2024-12-17T08:56:34Z")
Ok, pretty much the same as I have.
So you connect to the remote machine via Putty and you enter `mpg123 /home/louis/Music/hoho1.mp3` and you hear the sound?
Sorry, I just want to be sure.
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### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [17 December 2024 09:02 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-exec/93951/5 "2024-12-17T09:02:15Z")
I think there is a problem with the path.
You need to _enable_ your `public` thing in the settings file for node-red
so the sound file has to be in that directory.
eg: from my working one.
(This is in a `template` node to build the message)
`/home/pi/.node-red/public/Sounds/{{payload}}`
and my `exec` node uses the `payload`
(settings file change needed)
```auto
// When httpAdminRoot is used to move the UI to a different root path, the
// following property can be used to identify a directory of static content
// that should be served at http://localhost:1880/.
//httpStatic: '/home/nol/node-red-static/',
httpStatic: '/home/pi/.node-red/public', // <-- this line here
//httpStatic: '/home/pi',
```
Hope that helps.
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### Author:  [@Relo](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Relo)
#### Post date: [17 December 2024 09:10 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-exec/93951/6 "2024-12-17T09:10:52Z")
Yes I do it and it works in Putty
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### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [17 December 2024 09:14 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-exec/93951/7 "2024-12-17T09:14:12Z")
See my last post.
I really suspect that is the problem.
Something to do with permissions.
The file to be played has to be in the declared `public` directory - as set in the `settings.js` file in the `.node-red` directory.
So you will have to make a directory in `.node-red` called `public` (or `Public` if you want) then you put the sound file in that directory.
OR you add a sub-directory for sounds, and put the file in that one.
Sorry I can't be more helpful, it is near my limits of help.
So the command would be more like:
`mpg123 /home/pi/louis/.node-red/public/sound/hoho1.mp3`
**AND** you will have to restart node-red to get it working.
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### Author:  [@Relo](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Relo)
#### Post date: [17 December 2024 09:33 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-exec/93951/8 "2024-12-17T09:33:05Z")
> [@Trying\_to\_learn](#):
>
> `mpg123 /home/pi/louis/.node-red/public/sound/hoho1.mp3`
It does it in Putty but not in Node-red.
The difference is that I don't have the pi folder I think.
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### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [17 December 2024 09:34 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-exec/93951/9 "2024-12-17T09:34:16Z")
Sorry, my mistake.
Where I have `pi` you will have `louis`.
Try that.
**Don't forget to edit the `settings.js` file too** and restart `node-red``.
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### Author:  [@Relo](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Relo)
#### Post date: [17 December 2024 09:40 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-exec/93951/10 "2024-12-17T09:40:39Z")
I don't understand what to do with the settings.js
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### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [17 December 2024 09:42 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-exec/93951/11 "2024-12-17T09:42:46Z")
You need to edit it.
Find the line with `httpStatic` in it and set the path - as shown, but change `pi` to `louis`
Then make the directory `public` in the `.node-red` directory.
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### Author:  [@Relo](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Relo)
#### Post date: [17 December 2024 09:51 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-exec/93951/12 "2024-12-17T09:51:54Z")
I work directly with a mouse and keyboard on the Raspberry Pi. I see the `settings.js` file located in the `/home/louis/.nodered` folder.
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### Author:  [@Colin](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Colin)
#### Post date: [17 December 2024 09:52 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-exec/93951/13 "2024-12-17T09:52:10Z")
Please set the debug nodes to Output Complete Message and show us the output for each of them.
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### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [17 December 2024 09:54 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-exec/93951/14 "2024-12-17T09:54:56Z")
I'm confused.
> I work directly with a mouse and keyboard on the Raspberry Pi.
So why do you need to use `putty` to get to it?
First off:
```auto
mkdir public
```
Then edit the `settings.js` file.
eg:
`nano settings.js`
Then scroll down and find the line `httpStatic`
Change the line and save.
then put a copy of the file you want to play in that directory.
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### Author:  [@Relo](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Relo)
#### Post date: [17 December 2024 10:04 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-exec/93951/15 "2024-12-17T10:04:59Z")
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### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [17 December 2024 10:05 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-exec/93951/16 "2024-12-17T10:05:50Z")
Ok, but you will need to remove the two leading `//` as they make the line a comment.
And have another look at the path.
Then look at what I posted.
There **IS** a difference - beyond the `pi/louis` part.
Ok, looking at the other lines, I may be wrong.
THIS IS NOW BEYOND MY KNOWLEDGE BASE.
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### Author:  [@Relo](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Relo)
#### Post date: [17 December 2024 10:12 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-exec/93951/17 "2024-12-17T10:12:35Z")
Just to be sure
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### Author:  [@Relo](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Relo)
#### Post date: [17 December 2024 10:17 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-exec/93951/18 "2024-12-17T10:17:33Z")
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### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [17 December 2024 10:20 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-exec/93951/19 "2024-12-17T10:20:24Z")
THIS IS NOW BEYOND MY KNOWLEDGE BASE.
Sorry.
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### Author:  [@Relo](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Relo)
#### Post date: [17 December 2024 10:21 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/problem-with-exec/93951/20 "2024-12-17T10:21:49Z")
I am making a kind of Steady Hand Game with a Siemens Logo. When the spiral is touched, a buzzer sounds, which is controlled by the Logo. At the end of the game, the ring makes contact with a separate input on the Logo.
After that, a hoho.mp3 sound clip should play.
I already tried this with the 'Audio Out' in Node-RED, but it played through my PC speakers instead of the Raspberry Pi.
I’m almost at my wit’s end, and I’m not very experienced with programming in Putty yet.
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