# Pipelines YAML file is empty

**URL:** <https://discuss.elastic.co/t/pipelines-yaml-file-is-empty/128858>\
**Category:** Logstash\
**Created:** [April 20, 2018, 10:40am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/pipelines-yaml-file-is-empty/128858 "2018-04-20T10:40:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Nfekih](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/nfekih/32/30295_2.png) [@Nfekih](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Nfekih)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 10:40am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/pipelines-yaml-file-is-empty/128858/1 "2018-04-20T10:40:16Z")

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Hi,  
I am trying to load a csv file to Elasticsearch using Logstash.  
I ran this command:  
`bin/logstash --path.data file_name.conf`  
I get this error:

```
   ERROR: Pipelines YAML file is empty. Location: /home/nerifkh/Downloads/logstash/config/pipelines.yml
usage:
  bin/logstash -f CONFIG_PATH [-t] [-r] [] [-w COUNT] [-l LOG]
  bin/logstash --modules MODULE_NAME [-M "MODULE_NAME.var.PLUGIN_TYPE.PLUGIN_NAME.VARIABLE_NAME=VALUE"] [-t] [-w COUNT] [-l LOG]
  bin/logstash -e CONFIG_STR [-t] [--log.level fatal|error|warn|info|debug|trace] [-w COUNT] [-l LOG]
  bin/logstash -i SHELL [--log.level fatal|error|warn|info|debug|trace]
  bin/logstash -V [--log.level fatal|error|warn|info|debug|trace]
  bin/logstash --help
[2018-04-20T11:33:41,112][ERROR][org.logstash.Logstash] java.lang.IllegalStateException: org.jruby.exceptions.RaiseException: (SystemExit) exit
```

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![PolterFox](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/polterfox/32/29781_2.png) [@PolterFox](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/PolterFox)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 11:08am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/pipelines-yaml-file-is-empty/128858/2 "2018-04-20T11:08:33Z")

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Hey @Nfekih,

you must configure the input, filter, output section in your config file, because everything is commented out by default. Otherwise logstash don´t know what to do with your data. If you allready have an existing file please set the path to this file in your startup command with `-f path_to_your_conf`.

Let me know if you need more help.  
Best regards,  
Robert

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Nfekih](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/nfekih/32/30295_2.png) [@Nfekih](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/Nfekih)\
**Post date:** [April 20, 2018, 11:25am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/pipelines-yaml-file-is-empty/128858/3 "2018-04-20T11:25:50Z")

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Hi @PolterFox  
it has been three days that I am struggling with these kind of errors.  
Now it worked!! I just deleted the logstash file and re-un-tar it. I put the config file in logstash/config and ran this command `bin/logstash --path.data filename.conf` and it worked fine.  
Thank you for your time, much appreciated 🙂  
kind regards

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**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\
**Post date:** [May 18, 2018, 11:26am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/pipelines-yaml-file-is-empty/128858/4 "2018-05-18T11:26:13Z")

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