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N8N Tools PDF Generator

Generate PDFs using N8N Tools platform

Actions3

Overview

This node generates PDF documents using the N8N Tools platform. It supports three main operations:

  • Generate a PDF from raw HTML content.
  • Generate a PDF from a predefined template populated with JSON data.
  • Generate a PDF from a webpage URL.

The "Generate from URL" operation converts a live webpage into a PDF, allowing customization of paper size, orientation, margins, and other print options.

Common scenarios:

  • Archiving or sharing web pages as PDFs for offline reading or record keeping.
  • Automating report generation by converting dashboards or analytics pages to PDF.
  • Creating printable versions of dynamic web content without manual intervention.

Example:

Convert a product page URL into a PDF brochure with A4 format, portrait orientation, and custom margins, optionally including headers and footers.

Properties

Name Meaning
URL The webpage URL to convert into a PDF document. This is required.
Options Collection of optional settings to customize the PDF output:
- Filename Name of the generated PDF file (default: "document.pdf").
- Format Paper format for the PDF. Options: A4, A3, Letter, Legal (default: A4).
- Orientation Page orientation. Options: Portrait, Landscape (default: Portrait).
- Include Header Whether to include a header in the PDF (boolean, default: false).
- Include Footer Whether to include a footer in the PDF (boolean, default: false).
- Margin Top Top margin of the page, e.g., "1cm", "10px" (default: "1cm").
- Margin Bottom Bottom margin of the page, e.g., "1cm", "10px" (default: "1cm").
- Margin Left Left margin of the page, e.g., "1cm", "10px" (default: "1cm").
- Margin Right Right margin of the page, e.g., "1cm", "10px" (default: "1cm").
- Print Background Whether to include background graphics in the PDF (boolean, default: true).
- Wait Delay (ms) Time in milliseconds to wait before generating the PDF, allowing the page to fully load (default: 3000 ms).
- Emulated Media Type Media type to emulate when rendering the page. Options: Screen, Print (default: Screen).

Output

The node outputs an array of items, each containing:

  • json: Metadata about the generated PDF:

    • success: Boolean indicating if PDF generation succeeded.
    • filename: The name of the generated PDF file.
    • size: Size of the PDF in bytes.
    • operation: The operation performed ("generateFromUrl" here).
    • Additional metadata related to API usage such as credits used, remaining credits, cost in USD, operation cost, and any budget alerts/messages.

  • binary.data: The actual PDF file content encoded as binary data, ready for further use or saving.

Dependencies

  • Requires an API key credential for the N8N Tools platform to authenticate requests.
  • Uses the N8N Tools API endpoint to generate PDFs.
  • The node makes HTTP POST requests to the API, sending parameters and receiving PDF data.
  • No additional external dependencies beyond the configured API credentials.

Troubleshooting

  • Common issues:

    • Invalid or missing URL parameter will cause failure.
    • Network or authentication errors if the API key or endpoint is misconfigured.
    • If the webpage takes too long to load, the PDF might be incomplete; adjust the "Wait Delay" accordingly.
    • Incorrect margin or format values may lead to unexpected PDF layouts.

  • Error messages:

    • "PDF generation failed: <error message>" indicates an issue during the API call or processing.
    • Credential errors if the API key is invalid or missing.
    • Template ID errors if using other operations but not relevant here.

  • Resolutions:

    • Verify the URL is correct and accessible.
    • Check API key validity and permissions.
    • Increase the wait delay if the page has dynamic content loading.
    • Ensure margin and format inputs are valid strings and options.

Links and References

Discussion