# See node-red commands in console

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/see-node-red-commands-in-console/51643>\
**Category:** Dashboard\
**Created:** [28 September 2021 18:46 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/see-node-red-commands-in-console/51643 "2021-09-28T18:46:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jacob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f1d935/32.png) [@Jacob](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Jacob)\
**Post date:** [28 September 2021 18:46 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/see-node-red-commands-in-console/51643/1 "2021-09-28T18:46:59Z")

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Hi, I guess I have a very stupid question but I am node- red user since a months only so pls excuse this.

I used node red over a virtual machine running on Digitalocean. I am modifying a flow and need to adjust many nodes/functions for this. I used to have autostart not enabled for node-red, so I would access the console, start node red with the command "node-red" and get the welcome message + other info. Then I would see already some things like "connected to xy.db" and I would see error messages when I used interactive controls on the UI. This was very useful to adjust the flow and find the problems.  
At this point I decided to enable auto start for node-red. Now I can not see these status and error messages any more. When I enter node-red in the console I get error-eaddrinuse: address already in use ..... Sure I do, because it is already running due to the autostart.  
So... what is the right command/ how can I see these status and error messages again?  
Many thanks,  
Jacob

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**Author:** ![dceejay](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/dceejay/32/38_2.png) [@dceejay](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/dceejay)\
**Post date:** [28 September 2021 19:09 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/see-node-red-commands-in-console/51643/2 "2021-09-28T19:09:14Z")

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it depends how you autostart it... If you used our pi/debian/ubuntu script to install it then there may be a `node-red-log` command you can use.

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**Author:** ![Jacob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f1d935/32.png) [@Jacob](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Jacob)\
**Post date:** [29 September 2021 07:47 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/see-node-red-commands-in-console/51643/3 "2021-09-29T07:47:22Z")

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Hi,  
I used

- sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/nodered.service

```auto
[Unit]
Description=Node-RED
After=syslog.target network.target

[Service]
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/node-red --max-old-space-size=128 -v
Restart=on-failure
KillSignal=SIGINT

# log output to syslog as 'node-red'
SyslogIdentifier=node-red
StandardOutput=syslog

# if using a root user
WorkingDirectory=/root/
User=root
Group=root

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

```

- sudo systemctl enable nodered.service

I tried "node-red-log" but the command wasn´t found.  
So that means I would need to start a new server, configure it, reinstall node-red without the auto-start to be able to see life status messages in the console again?

Admin Edit. Added tripple backticks around the text so that the forum does not mess with it

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**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:** [29 September 2021 08:13 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/see-node-red-commands-in-console/51643/4 "2021-09-29T08:13:32Z")

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> [@Jacob](#):
>
> log output to syslog as 'node-red'

As it says, the log will also be in syslog.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jacob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f1d935/32.png) [@Jacob](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Jacob)\
**Post date:** [29 September 2021 09:48 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/see-node-red-commands-in-console/51643/5 "2021-09-29T09:48:40Z")

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Hi Colin,  
thanks understood. Since I am not a professional linux user - how can I access syslog using the console on a virtual machine server?

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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:** [29 September 2021 10:49 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/see-node-red-commands-in-console/51643/6 "2021-09-29T10:49:08Z")

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You should be able to use journalctl to see the log. Login to the server with a terminal and to watch the log as it happens try  
`sudo journalctl -f -u nodered -o cat`

Otherwise this might do it  
`tail -f /var/log/syslog | grep -i "node-red"

If that doesn't work then you may need to ask on a Digital Ocean.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jacob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f1d935/32.png) [@Jacob](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Jacob)\
**Post date:** [29 September 2021 20:11 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/see-node-red-commands-in-console/51643/7 "2021-09-29T20:11:57Z")

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Amazing,

**sudo journalctl -f -u nodered -o cat**

works just perfect. Thanks Colin, big big help.

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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:** [29 September 2021 20:27 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/see-node-red-commands-in-console/51643/8 "2021-09-29T20:27:42Z")

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> [@Jacob](#):
>
> Amazing,

All I did was look in the node-red-log command and pinched it from there.  
I can never remember how to use journalctl, I don't use it often enough.

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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:** [13 October 2021 20:28 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/see-node-red-commands-in-console/51643/9 "2021-10-13T20:28:10Z")

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