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Outline

Interact with Outline knowledge base
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Overview

This node interacts with the Outline knowledge base API, allowing users to manage collections and other resources programmatically. Specifically, the "Collection - Update" operation updates an existing collection's details such as its name and description.

Use cases include:

  • Modifying metadata of a knowledge base collection to keep it current.
  • Automating updates to collections based on external triggers or workflows.
  • Integrating Outline collection management into broader automation pipelines.

For example, you might update a collection’s description to reflect new content guidelines or rename a collection to better categorize documents.

Properties

Name Meaning
Collection ID The unique identifier of the collection to update (required).
Description The new description text for the collection (optional; if omitted, description is unchanged).

Note: Although the bundled code shows a "name" property used in update, your provided properties JSON only includes "collectionId" and "description". The code supports updating the name if provided, but since it's not in your input definition, only description is considered here.

Output

The node outputs the JSON response from the Outline API after attempting to update the collection. This typically includes the updated collection object with its current properties such as id, name, description, and other metadata.

The output structure is:

{
  "id": "string",
  "name": "string",
  "description": "string",
  // ... other collection metadata fields returned by Outline API
}

No binary data output is involved in this operation.

Dependencies

  • Requires an API key credential for authenticating with the Outline API.
  • The node uses a helper function to make HTTP POST requests to Outline endpoints.
  • No additional environment variables are explicitly required beyond the API authentication.

Troubleshooting

  • Missing or invalid Collection ID: The operation requires a valid collection ID. Ensure the ID is correct and exists in your Outline instance.
  • API authentication errors: If the API key or token is missing or invalid, requests will fail. Verify credentials are correctly configured.
  • Empty update fields: If neither name nor description is provided, the API may reject the request or perform no changes. Provide at least one field to update.
  • Network or API errors: Standard HTTP errors like timeouts or server errors can occur. Check network connectivity and Outline service status.

Common error messages:

  • "Invalid collection ID": Check that the collection ID is correct.
  • "Unauthorized" or "Authentication failed": Verify API credentials.
  • "Bad Request": Usually indicates missing required parameters or invalid data format.

Links and References

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