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N8N Tools - File Converter

Convert between various file formats using N8N Tools platform
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Overview

The "Batch Convert" operation of the N8N Tools - File Converter node enables users to convert multiple files simultaneously into a specified target format. It supports input files provided either as binary data or as URLs. This batch processing capability is useful for workflows that require converting large sets of documents, images, audio, or video files efficiently without manual intervention.

Practical examples include:

  • Converting a batch of image files from various formats to JPG or PNG for web optimization.
  • Transforming multiple document files (e.g., DOCX, TXT) into PDF format for standardized sharing.
  • Converting several audio files into MP3 format for consistent playback compatibility.

Properties

Name Meaning
Input Source Specifies the source of input files for conversion. Options:
• Binary Files — files come from binary data in the workflow.
• URLs — files are fetched from publicly accessible URLs.
Binary Properties Comma-separated list of binary property names containing the files to convert when using binary input source. Each name corresponds to a binary file in the input data.
File URLs List of URLs (one per line) pointing to files to convert when using URL input source.
Target Format Desired output format for the converted files. Supported formats include:
PDF, DOCX, TXT, RTF, HTML, MD, JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP, TIFF, WEBP, MP3, WAV, FLAC, AAC, OGG, MP4, AVI, MOV, WMV, FLV, MKV, XLSX, CSV.
Quality Settings Quality level for the output files. Options: High, Medium, Low.
Advanced Options Additional optional settings:
• Password — password for protected files.
• Overwrite — whether to overwrite existing files during conversion.

Output

The node outputs JSON data combined with binary data representing the converted files:

  • For successful conversions, the output contains:

    • operation: The operation performed ("batchConvert").
    • success: Boolean indicating success (true).
    • timestamp: ISO timestamp of the operation.
    • Binary data under the property data, which contains a ZIP archive of all converted files encoded as binary data.

  • If no binary data is returned from the API, a warning message is included in the JSON output.

The binary ZIP archive can be used downstream in the workflow for further processing, storage, or download.

Dependencies

  • Requires an API key credential for the N8N Tools platform to authenticate requests.
  • Needs network access to the N8N Tools API endpoint.
  • The node sends HTTP POST requests to the /api/v1/file-converter/batch endpoint of the configured API URL.
  • Proper configuration of the API URL and API key credential in n8n is necessary.

Troubleshooting

  • No binary data found under property: When using binary input source, ensure the specified binary property names exist in the input data and contain valid binary files.
  • Unknown input source: Only "binary" and "url" are supported input sources for batch conversion; verify the selected option.
  • API errors or failed conversions: Check the validity of the API key and network connectivity to the API endpoint.
  • Empty or invalid URLs: When using URLs, ensure each URL is publicly accessible and correctly formatted.
  • Missing required parameters: Ensure all required properties like fileUrls or binaryPropertyNames are provided and non-empty.

If the node is set to continue on failure, errors will be reported in the output JSON with success: false.

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