Directus (DrWade)

Overview

The "Import File Data" operation under the Utilities resource in this custom n8n Directus node allows you to import data from a file (provided as binary input) directly into a specified collection within your Directus instance. This is particularly useful for bulk data imports, migrations, or automating the process of loading external datasets into Directus collections.

Practical scenarios:

• Importing CSV, JSON, or other supported file formats into a Directus collection.
• Automating regular data ingestion from external systems.
• Migrating legacy data into Directus during onboarding.

Properties

Output

• The output will be an object with a json field containing the result of the import operation.
• The structure of the json field depends on the response from the Directus API after importing the file. Typically, it may include:
  • Information about the imported items (such as count, IDs, or status).
  • If the response is a primitive value (string, number, boolean), it will be wrapped as { "result": <value> }.
  • In case of error and if "Continue On Fail" is enabled, the output will be { "error": "<error message>" }.

Example output:

{
  "json": {
    "imported": 100,
    "status": "success"
  }
}

or, for a simple result:

{
  "json": {
    "result": "Import completed"
  }
}

Dependencies

• Directus API: Requires access to a running Directus instance.
• API Credentials: You must configure the directusApi credentials in n8n for authentication.
• Binary Data: The file to import must be present as a binary property on the incoming n8n item.

Troubleshooting

• Missing Binary Data: If the specified binary property does not exist or is empty, the import will fail. Ensure the file is correctly attached to the incoming item.
• Invalid Collection Name: If the collection name is incorrect or does not exist in Directus, the operation will fail.
• File Format Issues: If the file format is not supported by Directus or does not match the expected schema, the import may fail or produce partial results.
• Common Error Messages:
  • "Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'fileName')": The binary property name is incorrect or missing.
  • "Collection not found": The specified collection does not exist in Directus.
  • "Invalid file format": The uploaded file cannot be parsed or imported by Directus.

How to resolve:

• Double-check the binary property name and ensure the file is present.
• Verify the collection exists in Directus.
• Confirm the file format matches what Directus expects for import.

Links and References

• Directus Documentation – Importing Data
• n8n Documentation – Working with Binary Data
• n8n Community Support