# Viewing Node-RED flows externally (Is it possble?)
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/viewing-node-red-flows-externally-is-it-possble/27783
**Category:** General
**Created:** [4 June 2020 18:24 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/viewing-node-red-flows-externally-is-it-possble/27783 "2020-06-04T18:24:47Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@gioza](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/gioza)
#### Post date: [4 June 2020 18:24 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/viewing-node-red-flows-externally-is-it-possble/27783/1 "2020-06-04T18:24:47Z")
Hi all,
I am looking for a way to view Node-RED flows externally.
The format is not specific, as long as I can see them visually.
It could be a read-only version of the node-red editor (if possible), or at the very least, an image.
(1) For now, I haven't gone into the read-only version as it seems complex, not sure where to start.
I only know that I can retrieve details via the GET /flows node-red API.
(2) Currently, I'm exploring screen captures but unfortunately, no dice.
I tried using this node: [node-red-web-contrib-web-page-screenshot](https://flows.nodered.org/node/node-red-contrib-web-page-screenshot)
with the following url value: [http://localhost:1880/#flow/](http://localhost:1880/#flow/)[FLOW ID]
but the image I get is just blank:
Currently I'm trying to investigate on other options.
With all that said, is this even possible?
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### Author:  [@ristomatti](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/ristomatti)
#### Post date: [4 June 2020 18:41 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/viewing-node-red-flows-externally-is-it-possble/27783/2 "2020-06-04T18:41:09Z")
Does the screenshot node support adding a waiting time for the page to load? It seems to use Puppeteer in the background and I just today successfully took a screenshot of my flows with it. It just required few seconds of wait time for the flows to load, otherwise I got the same empty screen.
See my comment here [FTP static dashboard to web server](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/ftp-static-dashboard-to-web-server/27755/2)
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### Author:  [@gioza](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/gioza)
#### Post date: [4 June 2020 18:49 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/viewing-node-red-flows-externally-is-it-possble/27783/3 "2020-06-04T18:49:54Z")
Not quite sure that it does.
But awesome man! Thanks for this, I think I can move forward with this info
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### Author:  [@stefan24](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/stefan24)
#### Post date: [4 June 2020 19:27 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/viewing-node-red-flows-externally-is-it-possble/27783/4 "2020-06-04T19:27:41Z")
Have you tried to use user authentication and setup a user with only read permissions?
He still CAN change the flows, but CANNOT save or deploy them.
see [https://nodered.org/docs/user-guide/runtime/securing-node-red](https://nodered.org/docs/user-guide/runtime/securing-node-red)
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### Author:  [@gioza](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/gioza)
#### Post date: [9 June 2020 02:14 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/viewing-node-red-flows-externally-is-it-possble/27783/5 "2020-06-09T02:14:29Z")
Hi stefan24!
Thanks for your input.
For now there's no need for user authentication as the goal of this QA is to find a way to view Node-RED flows externally (from another web application, not the node-red editor itself).
But thank you!
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### Author:  [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)
#### Post date: [8 August 2020 02:14 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/viewing-node-red-flows-externally-is-it-possble/27783/6 "2020-08-08T02:14:36Z")
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