Canvas LMS

Overview

This node integrates with the Canvas LMS API to update course details. It allows users to modify existing courses by specifying the course ID and new values for properties such as the course name, description, start date, and end date. This is useful in scenarios where course information needs to be kept current, such as updating course schedules, correcting descriptions, or renaming courses.

Practical examples:

• Automatically update a course's start and end dates based on an external academic calendar.
• Change the course description to reflect updated syllabus information.
• Rename a course after curriculum changes without manual intervention.

Properties

Output

The node outputs a JSON object under the json field containing a data property. This data property holds the response from the Canvas API representing the updated course resource. The structure typically includes all course details after the update, such as the course ID, name, description, start and end dates, and other metadata provided by Canvas LMS.

No binary data output is produced by this operation.

Example output snippet:

{
  "data": {
    "id": "123",
    "name": "Updated Course Name",
    "description": "Updated course description",
    "start_at": "2024-09-01T00:00:00Z",
    "end_at": "2024-12-15T23:59:59Z",
    ...
  }
}

Dependencies

• Requires an API key credential for authenticating with the Canvas LMS API.
• The node uses the Canvas API base URL and access token configured in the credentials.
• Network connectivity to the Canvas LMS instance is necessary.
• No additional external dependencies are required.

Troubleshooting

• Common issues:

  • Invalid or missing Course ID will cause the API call to fail.
  • Insufficient permissions or invalid API token may result in authorization errors.
  • Incorrect date formats for start or end dates could lead to validation errors.
  • Network issues or incorrect Canvas API URL configuration can cause connection failures.

• Error messages:

  • "Error in "course" operation "update": <message>": Indicates a failure during the update request. Check the message for specifics like invalid parameters or authentication problems.
  • API rate limits or timeouts may also cause errors; retrying after some time or adjusting polling intervals might help.

• Resolution tips:

  • Verify that the Course ID exists and is correct.
  • Ensure the API key has sufficient privileges to update courses.
  • Use ISO 8601 format for date/time fields.
  • Confirm the Canvas API URL and network accessibility.

Links and References

• Canvas LMS API Documentation - Courses
• Canvas LMS Developer Key Setup
• ISO 8601 Date Format Reference