Actions100
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Overview
The Directus - Relation: Create operation in this n8n node allows you to create a new relation between collections in a Directus instance. Relations in Directus define how different collections (tables) are linked, such as one-to-one, one-to-many, or many-to-many relationships. This is particularly useful for structuring complex data models where entities need to be connected.
Common scenarios:
- Setting up a new relationship between two collections, e.g., linking articles to authors.
- Automating the creation of relations during project setup or migrations.
- Integrating with other systems that require dynamic schema changes.
Practical example:
You want to relate an articles collection to a directus_files collection via a featured_image field. You can use this operation to programmatically define that relationship.
Properties
| Name | Type | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Data (JSON) | json | A partial relation object. This should include details like the source collection, the field, and the related collection. Required. |
Output
- The output will be a JSON object representing the created relation as returned by the Directus API.
- The structure typically includes all properties of the created relation, such as:
collection: The name of the source collection.field: The field used for the relation.related_collection: The target collection.- Other metadata about the relation (type, schema, etc.).
Example output:
{
"collection": "articles",
"field": "featured_image",
"related_collection": "directus_files",
"meta": { /* ... */ },
// ...other relation properties
}
Dependencies
- Directus API: Requires access to a running Directus instance.
- API Credentials: You must configure the
directusApicredentials in n8n for authentication.
Troubleshooting
Common issues:
- Invalid JSON in Data (JSON): If the input is not valid JSON, the node will throw a parsing error. Ensure your JSON is correctly formatted.
- Missing required fields: The Directus API may return errors if required properties (like
collection,field, orrelated_collection) are missing from the input. - Permission denied: The API credentials used must have permission to manage schema/relations in Directus.
Error messages:
"Unexpected token ...": Indicates malformed JSON in the Data (JSON) property."Missing required property ...": Indicates a required field is missing in your relation object."403 Forbidden"or similar: Your API user does not have sufficient permissions.