# Refer in node to flows location / Serve files from flows location
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/refer-in-node-to-flows-location-serve-files-from-flows-location/82835
**Category:** General
**Created:** [13 November 2023 16:24 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/refer-in-node-to-flows-location-serve-files-from-flows-location/82835 "2023-11-13T16:24:02Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@BitEater](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/BitEater)
#### Post date: [13 November 2023 16:24 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/refer-in-node-to-flows-location-serve-files-from-flows-location/82835/1 "2023-11-13T16:24:02Z")
Instead of having my HTML/CSS/JS Files as nodes within my Node Red Flows I want to have them in separate files. My Flows file is versioned in git and it would make sense to have all the other files in git. But I don't see a way to serve HTTP files from the location the flows file is stored (or a sub directory). My flow project should run on Windows as well as on a Raspberry Pi.
Can any give me a hint?
Thank you
---
### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [13 November 2023 16:46 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/refer-in-node-to-flows-location-serve-files-from-flows-location/82835/2 "2023-11-13T16:46:26Z")
> [@BitEater](#):
>
> My Flows file is versioned in git and it would make sense to have all the other files in git.
What other files?
> [@BitEater](#):
>
> But I don't see a way to serve HTTP files from the location the flows file is stored
"HTTP files" are _not really_ a thing! You serve data (files) via HTTP.
To serve "data" from Node-RED you typically use the http-in and http-out nodes. If you want the data that is transmitted to be loaded from a file then simply put a `file` node between the http-in and http-out. That file can be anywhere (FS permissions permitting)
For example: [Download a file from node-red using standard nodes (flow) - Node-RED](https://flows.nodered.org/flow/db68bd4934cf46f39e6e453a348bc419)
Alternatively, you can serve files from by [configuring `httpStatic`](https://nodered.org/docs/user-guide/runtime/configuration) - again this can be anywhere (permissions permitting)
* * *
Please try to explain a little clearer
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### Author:  [@BitEater](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/BitEater)
#### Post date: [13 November 2023 18:04 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/refer-in-node-to-flows-location-serve-files-from-flows-location/82835/3 "2023-11-13T18:04:18Z")
My problem is that when I try to specify a full path I don't know what to specify since the directory is different on Windows and Pi. Is there a placeholder that can be used like: %FlowsDirectory%/myfiles/style.css ?
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### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [13 November 2023 18:07 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/refer-in-node-to-flows-location-serve-files-from-flows-location/82835/4 "2023-11-13T18:07:46Z")
And is that using file nodes or static paths in the settings file?
Please be specific
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### Author:  [@BitEater](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/BitEater)
#### Post date: [13 November 2023 18:21 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/refer-in-node-to-flows-location-serve-files-from-flows-location/82835/5 "2023-11-13T18:21:35Z")
Sorry for leaving out this information. I would prefer to file nodes approach.
I guess I can't do it in the settings file since this would not switch when switching projects.
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### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [13 November 2023 18:32 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/refer-in-node-to-flows-location-serve-files-from-flows-location/82835/6 "2023-11-13T18:32:18Z")
Using file nodes defaults to the `.node-red` directory. Therefore to serve a file named `page1.html` you would place that file directly alongside the `flows.json` file and simply put `page1.html` in the file name field.
Have you tried?
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### Author:  [@BitEater](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/BitEater)
#### Post date: [13 November 2023 19:05 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/refer-in-node-to-flows-location-serve-files-from-flows-location/82835/7 "2023-11-13T19:05:07Z")
I currently don't remember how it is on the Pi but in Windows the files I refer in the file nodes are expected to be in
C:\Users\[UserName]\AppData\Roaming\npm\.node-red\
But the flows file location is here:
C:\Users\[UserName]\.node-red\projects\[ProjectName]\
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### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [13 November 2023 19:22 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/refer-in-node-to-flows-location-serve-files-from-flows-location/82835/8 "2023-11-13T19:22:03Z")
Hmmm
I'm speaking from memory but I was certain it would be `C:\Users\[UserName]\.node-red\projects\[ProjectName]\`
I rarely use project mode so that might be the issue.
However, it is possible to construct a full file path name using env vars etc so you can pass the file name into the file node after dynamically constructing a full path that is x-compatible between Linux/windows - one that essentially points to the path relative to the flows file
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### Author:  [@BitEater](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/BitEater)
#### Post date: [13 November 2023 19:49 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/refer-in-node-to-flows-location-serve-files-from-flows-location/82835/9 "2023-11-13T19:49:52Z")
Ok, but then I have to configure individual environment variables for each project. Still seems to be the best solution.
Thank you
---
### Author:  [@Steve-Mcl](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Steve-Mcl)
#### Post date: [13 November 2023 20:07 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/refer-in-node-to-flows-location-serve-files-from-flows-location/82835/10 "2023-11-13T20:07:01Z")
Not necessarily. Have you inspected the env vars available OOB?
Try putting this in a function node and trigger it from an inject...
```auto
node.warn({env: process.env})
```
You will need to import `process` on the setup tab.
You might find there is an env var you can use to extrapolate a relative path.
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### Author:  [@BitEater](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/BitEater)
#### Post date: [11 December 2023 14:29 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/refer-in-node-to-flows-location-serve-files-from-flows-location/82835/11 "2023-12-11T14:29:13Z")
Meanwhile I refactored my project and don't refer to any paths in my nodes. But now I use the httpStatic option in the setting files. Additionally I use the Nunjucks template nodes and added a
`nunjucks: { folders: ["..."] }` section to the settings file. Unfortunately also this doesn't make sense in my point of view since it cannot be configured per project. But for now I stick with this.
Thank you for all of your hints.
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### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [9 February 2024 14:29 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/refer-in-node-to-flows-location-serve-files-from-flows-location/82835/12 "2024-02-09T14:29:15Z")
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