Directus

Overview

The Roles → Update Multiple operation in this n8n node allows you to update multiple roles at once in a Directus instance. This is particularly useful for administrators or automation workflows that need to modify properties (such as permissions, icons, or descriptions) of several roles simultaneously, rather than updating each role individually.

Practical examples:

• Changing the icon or description for a set of roles after a rebranding.
• Bulk-updating access permissions for multiple user groups.
• Automating role updates as part of a larger data migration or synchronization process.

Properties

Output

• The output will be a json field containing the result of the bulk update operation.
• The structure typically reflects the updated role objects as returned by the Directus API. For example:

{
  "json": [
    {
      "id": "c86c2761-65d3-43c3-897f-6f74ad6a5bd7",
      "icon": "attractions",
      // ...other role properties
    },
    {
      "id": "6fc3d5d3-a37b-4da8-a2f4-ed62ad5abe03",
      "icon": "attractions",
      // ...other role properties
    }
  ]
}

• If an error occurs and "Continue On Fail" is enabled, the output may include an error property with the error message.

Dependencies

• Directus API: Requires a valid Directus instance accessible from your n8n environment.
• API Credentials: You must configure the directusApi credentials in n8n with appropriate permissions to update roles.

Troubleshooting

Common issues:

• Invalid or missing role IDs: If any ID in the keys array does not correspond to an existing role, the API may return an error.
• Insufficient permissions: The API credentials used must have permission to update roles; otherwise, you'll receive an authorization error.
• Malformed JSON: The Data (JSON) property must be valid JSON. Syntax errors will cause the node to fail.
• Partial updates: If some roles are updated successfully but others fail, and "Continue On Fail" is enabled, only the failed updates will be reported as errors.

Error messages and resolutions:

• "Cannot read property 'keys' of undefined": Ensure your input JSON includes both keys and data.
• "Request failed with status code 403": Check your API credentials and permissions.
• "Unexpected token ... in JSON": Validate your JSON syntax before submitting.

Links and References

• Directus Role Object Documentation
• Directus API Reference
• n8n Documentation: Credentials
• n8n Error Handling