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Canvas LMS

Work with Canvas LMS API and receive events

Actions57

Overview

This node integrates with the Canvas LMS API to manage files within a course. Specifically, the File Upload operation allows users to upload a file to a specified course in Canvas LMS by providing the file name and its content. This is useful for educators or administrators who want to programmatically add resources, documents, or media files to their courses without manually uploading them through the Canvas web interface.

Practical examples include:

  • Automatically uploading lecture notes or assignments as files when a new course is created.
  • Syncing external content repositories with Canvas courses by uploading updated files regularly.
  • Adding supplementary materials like PDFs or images to courses via automated workflows.

Properties

Name Meaning
File Name The name of the file to be uploaded.
File Content The actual content of the file to upload.

Output

The node outputs JSON data containing the response from the Canvas API after the file upload request. The output JSON is structured as:

{
  "data": {
    // Canvas API response object representing the uploaded file details
  }
}

This typically includes metadata about the uploaded file such as its ID, URL, size, and other attributes returned by Canvas LMS.

The node does not output binary data directly; instead, it sends file content as part of the request payload.

Dependencies

  • Requires an API key credential for authenticating with the Canvas LMS API.
  • The Canvas LMS instance URL and access token must be configured in the node credentials.
  • The node uses HTTP requests to interact with the Canvas REST API endpoints.

Troubleshooting

  • Authentication errors: Ensure that the API key credential is valid and has sufficient permissions to upload files to the target course.
  • Invalid course ID: The course ID parameter must correspond to an existing course in Canvas where you have upload rights.
  • File content issues: The file content should be properly encoded (e.g., base64 or plain text depending on API expectations). Incorrect encoding may cause upload failures.
  • API rate limits: Frequent uploads might hit Canvas API rate limits; consider adding delays or handling retries.
  • Error messages: Errors from the Canvas API are wrapped and reported by the node. Check the error message for details such as missing parameters or permission issues.

Links and References

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