OpenRefineInstall

Overview

This node integrates with OpenRefine, an open-source desktop application for data wrangling, allowing users to create new projects on an OpenRefine server directly from n8n workflows. The "Create Project" operation enables users to upload JSON-formatted data and initialize a project with various options controlling how the data is interpreted and loaded.

Typical use cases include:

• Automating the creation of OpenRefine projects from JSON data generated or transformed in previous workflow steps.
• Preparing datasets for cleaning and transformation in OpenRefine without manual intervention.
• Managing large datasets by limiting the number of rows loaded to optimize performance.

For example, you might have a workflow that fetches raw JSON data from an API, then uses this node to create a new OpenRefine project with that data, specifying how records are structured and whether to trim strings or guess cell types.

Properties

Output

The node outputs an array of JSON objects, each representing the result of the project creation request. For the "Create Project" operation, the output JSON contains:

• statusCode: HTTP status code returned by the OpenRefine server (expected 302 for successful creation).
• location: The redirect location header from the server response.
• projectId: The numeric ID of the newly created project extracted from the redirect URL, if available.
• message: A human-readable message indicating success or partial success (e.g., project created but ID not found).

No binary data is produced by this operation.

Example output JSON snippet:

{
  "statusCode": 302,
  "location": "/project?project=12345",
  "projectId": "12345",
  "message": "Project created"
}

Dependencies

• Requires access to a running OpenRefine server reachable via the specified Server URL.
• No special credentials are required beyond the ability to access the OpenRefine server endpoint.
• The node internally fetches a CSRF token from the OpenRefine server before making requests.
• Network connectivity and correct server configuration are necessary.

Troubleshooting

• Common Issues:

  • Incorrect server URL or port: Ensure the Server property matches your OpenRefine server's address.
  • Invalid JSON in Project JSON: The input must be a valid JSON string; malformed JSON will cause errors.
  • Missing or incorrect Record Path: If the record path does not match the JSON structure, the project may not load data correctly.
  • Large datasets without enabling "Load at most" may cause performance problems or timeouts.

• Error Messages:

  • Errors fetching the CSRF token indicate connectivity or server issues.
  • HTTP errors during project creation usually relate to invalid parameters or server-side problems.
  • If the project ID is not found in the redirect, the project may still be created but tracking it programmatically becomes difficult.

• Resolutions:

  • Verify server accessibility and URL correctness.
  • Validate JSON input using external tools before passing to the node.
  • Adjust Record Path to fit your data structure.
  • Use "Load at most" with an appropriate limit for large datasets.

Links and References

• OpenRefine Official Website
• OpenRefine Documentation
• OpenRefine GitHub Repository
• n8n Documentation