Overview

This node interacts with the Apify platform to run an Actor with specified input parameters. It is useful for automating tasks or workflows that require running Apify Actors programmatically, such as web scraping, data extraction, or automation of web processes. For example, you can trigger an Actor run by specifying the Actor ID and customize the run with options like timeout, memory, maximum items to return, and webhooks for notifications.

Use Case Examples

1. Trigger an Actor run by selecting the Actor from a list and setting a timeout and memory limit.
2. Run an Actor by providing its URL and specify a custom output record key to retrieve specific data from the run.
3. Use a custom JSON body to send specific input to the Actor run.

Properties

Name	Meaning
Actor ID	The unique identifier or tilde-separated username and Actor name to specify which Actor to run. It supports selection from a list, by URL, or by direct ID input.
Output Record Key	The key of the record from the run's default key-value store to be returned in the response. Defaults to 'OUTPUT'.
Timeout	Optional timeout for the Actor run in seconds. Defaults to the Actor's default run configuration timeout.
Memory	Memory limit for the Actor run in megabytes. Must be a power of 2 with a minimum of 128. Defaults to the Actor's default run configuration memory.
Max Items	Maximum number of items the Actor run should return, useful for limiting results and controlling subscription charges.
Build	Specifies the Actor build to run, either by build tag or build number. Defaults to the latest build.
Webhooks	Base64-encoded JSON array defining optional webhooks for notifications on Actor run events like completion or failure.
Use Custom Body	Boolean flag to indicate whether to use a custom JSON body for the Actor run input.
Custom Body	Custom JSON input body to send to the Actor run if 'Use Custom Body' is true.

Output

JSON

• runId - The unique identifier of the Actor run.
• status - The status of the Actor run (e.g., RUNNING, SUCCEEDED, FAILED).
• output - The data output from the Actor run, typically the content of the specified output record key.

Dependencies

• Requires Apify API credentials for authentication.

Troubleshooting

• Ensure the Actor ID is valid and accessible with the provided credentials.
• Timeout errors may occur if the specified timeout is too short; increase the timeout value if needed.
• Memory allocation errors can happen if the memory value is not a power of 2 or below the minimum of 128 MB.
• Invalid custom JSON body format can cause request failures; ensure the JSON is correctly formatted and parsed.
• Webhooks must be properly Base64-encoded JSON arrays; invalid encoding or format will cause webhook setup failures.

Links

• Apify Webhooks Documentation - Detailed information on how to configure and use webhooks with Apify Actor runs.