KoboToolbox 2 icon

KoboToolbox 2

Work with KoboToolbox forms and submissions

Actions17

Overview

This node integrates with KoboToolbox to manage files associated with KoboToolbox forms. Specifically, the File Delete operation allows users to delete a file from a specified form by either its unique ID or its filename.

Common scenarios where this node is useful include:

  • Cleaning up obsolete or incorrect media files attached to a form.
  • Automating file management workflows where files need to be removed after processing.
  • Maintaining storage hygiene by deleting unnecessary files programmatically.

For example, if you have a form collecting images and want to remove a specific image file by name or ID after validation, this node can perform that deletion automatically.

Properties

Name Meaning
Form Name or ID The identifier of the KoboToolbox form containing the file. You can select from a list or specify an ID.
Select File By Choose whether to identify the file to delete by its unique ID or by its filename. Options: "ID", "File Name"
File Name The exact name of the file to delete (used only if selecting file by name).
File ID The unique identifier of the file to delete (used only if selecting file by ID).

Output

The output JSON contains the response from the KoboToolbox API after attempting to delete the file. Typically, it returns an object indicating success, for example:

[
  {
    "success": true
  }
]

No binary data is output by this operation.

Dependencies

  • Requires an active connection to the KoboToolbox API via an API key credential configured in n8n.
  • The node uses internal helper functions to load available forms and resolve file IDs by name.
  • Network access to the KoboToolbox API endpoints is necessary.

Troubleshooting

  • Error: No file found matching name "XYZ"
    This error occurs if the file cannot be located by the given filename. To fix this, verify the filename is correct and exists in the specified form. Alternatively, use the file ID to avoid ambiguity.

  • API request failures (e.g., 401 Unauthorized, 404 Not Found)
    Ensure the API credentials are valid and have sufficient permissions. Confirm the form ID and file ID are correct and accessible.

  • Empty or unexpected responses
    Double-check that the form contains files and that the parameters are set correctly. Use the "Get All Files" operation to list files before attempting deletion.

Links and References

Discussion