# Send a file with multipart/form-data to OctoPrint REST API

**URL:** <https://discourse.nodered.org/t/send-a-file-with-multipart-form-data-to-octoprint-rest-api/7534>\
**Category:** General\
**Created:** [3 February 2019 18:19 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/send-a-file-with-multipart-form-data-to-octoprint-rest-api/7534 "2019-02-03T18:19:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 11\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jcmaxwell97](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/51bf81/32.png) [@jcmaxwell97](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/jcmaxwell97)\
**Post date:** [8 April 2019 11:14 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/send-a-file-with-multipart-form-data-to-octoprint-rest-api/7534/21 "2019-04-08T11:14:06Z")

</div>

my msg object for the final http post request :

```auto
payload:
--------------------------d74496d66958873e
Content-Disposition: form-data; name="select"

true
--------------------------d74496d66958873e
Content-Disposition: form-data; name="print"

true
--------------------------d74496d66958873e
Content-Disposition: form-data; name="file"; filename="a_gcode.gcode"
Content-Type: application/octet-stream; 
my gcode
--------------------------d74496d66958873e--

```

```auto
_msgid: "XXXXXXXXX"

```

```auto
headers:
Content-Type: "multipart/form-data; boundary=------------------------d74496d66958873e"

```

my msg object after the request shown in the debug is:

```auto
payload: 
"Error: socket hang up : http://racka/aa/api/files/local?apikey=XXXXXXXXXXX

```

\_msgid: same as before  
headers: same as before

```auto
statusCode: "ECONNRESET"

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![zenofmud](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/zenofmud/32/316_2.png) [@zenofmud](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/zenofmud)\
**Post date:** [8 April 2019 11:26 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/send-a-file-with-multipart-form-data-to-octoprint-rest-api/7534/22 "2019-04-08T11:26:39Z")

</div>

What are the answers to the other questions?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jcmaxwell97](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/51bf81/32.png) [@jcmaxwell97](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/jcmaxwell97)\
**Post date:** [8 April 2019 11:31 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/send-a-file-with-multipart-form-data-to-octoprint-rest-api/7534/23 "2019-04-08T11:31:11Z")

</div>

1. do you see any thing like a yellow triangle?  
Yes
2. What do you see when you hover over it?  
the yellow triangle said:  
no semi - colon: fixed  
msg already defined: changed name of returned variable to gcode
3. What do you think that means?
4. have you read [https://nodered.org/docs/user-guide/messages](https://nodered.org/docs/user-guide/messages) ?  
Yes
5. do you understand it?  
For the most part

Sometimes the error is "Error: write EPIPE" as opposed to socket hang up

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![zenofmud](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/zenofmud/32/316_2.png) [@zenofmud](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/zenofmud)\
**Post date:** [8 April 2019 12:01 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/send-a-file-with-multipart-form-data-to-octoprint-rest-api/7534/24 "2019-04-08T12:01:06Z")

</div>

Great you fixed that part! Now you have an error  
`"Error: socket hang up : http://racka/aa/api/files/local?apikey=XXXXXXXXXXX`  
what happens if you try that URL in a browser window?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jcmaxwell97](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/51bf81/32.png) [@jcmaxwell97](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/jcmaxwell97)\
**Post date:** [8 April 2019 12:21 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/send-a-file-with-multipart-form-data-to-octoprint-rest-api/7534/25 "2019-04-08T12:21:32Z")

</div>

That's good to hear, thank you for your help. Trying that url gives me

```auto
{
  "files": [], 
  "free": 58407620608, 
  "total": 62811418624
}

```

I have managed to get a file upload to work using a test gcode, putting "M117" in the gcode section.

In the `multipart/form-data` I have the gcode buffer converted to to string:

`msg.req.files[0].buffer.toString()`

where `msg.req.files[0].buffer` is:

```auto
[59,32,103,101,110,101,114,97,116,101,100,32,98,121,32,83,108,105,99,51,114,32,80,114,117,115,97,32,69,100,105,116,105,111,110,32,49,46,52,49,46,51,43,32,111,110,32,50,48,49,57,45,48,52,45,48,56,32,97,116,32,49,50,58,50,54,58,49,52,10,10,59,32,10,10,59,32,101,120,116,101,114,110,97,108,32,112,101,114,105,109,101,116,101,114,115,32,101,120,116,114,117,115,105,111,110,32,119,105,100,116,104,32,61,32,48,46,52,53,109,109,10,59,32,112,101,114,105,109,101,116,101,114,115,32,101,120,116,114,117,115,105,111,110,32,119,105,100,116,104,32,61,32,48,46,52,53,109,109,10,59,32,105,110,102,105,108,108,32,101,120,116,114,117,115,105,111,110,32,119,105,100,116,104,32,61,32,48,46,52,53,109,109,10,59,32,115,111,108,105,100,32,105,110,102,105,108,108,32,101,120,116,114,117,115,105,111,110,32,119,105,100,116,104,32,61,32,48,46,52,53,109,109,10,59,32,116,111,112,32,105,110,102,105,108,108,32,101,120,116,114,117,115,105,111,110,32,119,105,100,116,104,32,61,32,48,46,52,48,109,109,10,59,32,102,105,114,115,116,32,108,97,121,101,114,32,101,120,116,114,117,115,105,111,110,32,119,105,100,116,104,32,61,32,48,46,52,50,109,109,10,10,77,55,51,32,80,48,32,82,57,57,10,77,55,51,32,81,48,32,83,49,48,48,10,77,50,48,49,32,88,49,48,48,48,32,89,49,48,48,48,32,90,49,48,48,48,32,69,53,48,48,48,32,59,32,115,101,116,115,32,109,97,120,105,109,117,109,32,97,99,99,101,108,101,114,97,116,105,111,110,115,44,32,109,109,47,115,101,99,94,50,10,77,50,48,51,32,88,50,48,48,32,89,50,48,48,32,90,49,50,32,69,49,50,48,32,59,32,115,101,116,115,32,109,97,120,105,109,117,109,32,102,101,101,100,114,97,116,101,115,44,32,109,109,47,115,101,99,10,77,50,48,52,32,80,49,50,53,48,32,82,49,50,53,48,32,84,49,50,53,48,32,59,32,115,101,116,115,32,97,99,99,101,108,101,114,97,116,105,111,110,32,40,80,44,32,84,41,32,97,110,100,32,114,101,116,114,97,99,116,32,97,99,99,101,108,101,114,97,116,105,111,110,32,40,82,41,44,32,109,109,47,115,101,99,94,50,10,77,50,48,53,32,88,56,46,48,48,32,89,56,46,48,48,32,90,48,46,52,48,32,69,49,46,53,48,32,59,32,115,101,116,115,32,116,104,101,32,106,101,114,107,32,108,105,109,105,116,115,44,32,109,109,47,115,101,99,10,77,50,48,53,32,83,48,32,84,48,32,59,32,115,101,116,115,32,116,104,101,32,109,105,110,105,109,117,109,32,101,120,116,114,117,100,105,110,103,32,97,110,100,32,116,114,97,118,101,108,32,102,101,101,100,32,114,97,116,101,44,32,109,109,47,115,101,99,10,77,49,48,55,10,77,49,49,53,32,85,51,46,53,46,49,32,59,32,116,101,108,108,32,112,114,105,110,116,101,114,32,108,97,116,101,115,116,32,102,119,32,118,101,114,115,105,111,110,10,77,56,51,32,32,59,32,101,120,116,114,117,100,101,114,32,114,101,108,97,116,105,118,101,32,109,111,100,101,10,77,49,48,52,32,83,50,49,53,32,59,32,115,101,116,32,101,120,116,114,117,100,101,114,32,116,101,109,112,10,77,49,52,48,32,83,54,48,32,59,32,115,101,116,32,98,101,100,32,116,101,109,112,10,77,49,57,48,32,83,54,48,32,59,32,119,97,105,116,32,102,111,114,32,98,101,100,32,116,101,109,112,10,77,49,48,57,32,83,50,49,53,32,59,32,119,97,105,116,32,102,111,114,32,101,120,116,114,117,100,101,114,32,116,101,109,112,10,71,50,56,32,87,32,59,32,104,111,109,101,32,97,108,108,32,119,105,116,104,111,117,116,32,109,101,115,104,32,98,101,100,32,108,101,118,101,108,10,71,56,48,32,59,32,109,101,115,104,32,98,101,100,32,108,101,118,101,108,105,110,103,10,71,49,32,89,45,51,46,48,32,70,49,48,48,48,46,48,32,59,32,103,111,32,111,117,116,115,105,100,101,32,112,114,105,110,116,32,97,114,101,97,10,71,57,50,32,69,48,46,48,10,71,49,32,88,54,48,46,48,32,69]

```

Converting it to a string gives me a string which appears readable but evidently not so to octoprint

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![zenofmud](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/zenofmud/32/316_2.png) [@zenofmud](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/zenofmud)\
**Post date:** [8 April 2019 13:06 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/send-a-file-with-multipart-form-data-to-octoprint-rest-api/7534/26 "2019-04-08T13:06:27Z")

</div>

Just as a side question, why not use the Octoprint built in file upload? I do it all the time to upload files from my Mac to the RPi running Octoprint.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jcmaxwell97](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/51bf81/32.png) [@jcmaxwell97](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/jcmaxwell97)\
**Post date:** [11 April 2019 08:20 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/send-a-file-with-multipart-form-data-to-octoprint-rest-api/7534/27 "2019-04-11T08:20:26Z")

</div>

I am trying to view multiple instances of Octoprint on a single dashboard, so it would be useful to be able to upload files without going to the main page of each instance. I'm going to shelve this one for now I think, thank you for your help though.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jmk-randers](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/jmk-randers/32/49562_2.png) [@jmk-randers](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/jmk-randers)\
**Post date:** [18 October 2021 07:14 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/send-a-file-with-multipart-form-data-to-octoprint-rest-api/7534/28 "2021-10-18T07:14:35Z")

</div>

@knolleary: Has there been any development on the HTTP-request node, to support multipart/upload of a file-buffer (or base64 encoded) (e.g .pdf) file along with some JSON out of the box?

Or is it still required to build the request by hand in a function node like in the old example from 2019?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![knolleary](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/knolleary/32/3_2.png) [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)\
**Post date:** [18 October 2021 07:52 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/send-a-file-with-multipart-form-data-to-octoprint-rest-api/7534/29 "2021-10-18T07:52:31Z")

</div>

@jmk-randers the Request node has had file upload support in it since v0.20 released in March 2019. The sidebar help for the node describes how to do it.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jmk-randers](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/user_avatar/discourse.nodered.org/jmk-randers/32/49562_2.png) [@jmk-randers](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/jmk-randers)\
**Post date:** [19 October 2021 07:02 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/send-a-file-with-multipart-form-data-to-octoprint-rest-api/7534/30 "2021-10-19T07:02:50Z")

</div>

@knolleary: thanks for confirming it, I have tried POSTing a multipart with some JSON metadata first and then a filebuffer using the structure described

```auto
{
    "KEY": {
        "value": FILE_CONTENTS,
        "options": {
            "filename": "FILENAME"
        }
    }
}

```

as described.

My msg.headers are set to:

```auto
{
   "Content-Type":"multipart/form-data",
   "Accept":"application/json",
   "Authorization":"Bearer "
}

```

My payload are structured like this (values mocked up for data-protection):

```auto
{
    "CaseID":1234567890,
    "DocumentName":"Testing .pdf POST",
    "Casepart":{
                         "PartId":12345,
                         "PartType":"Person"
                       },
     "Documenttype":
                   {
                        "Id":1,
                        "Name":"TestName"
                    },
   "Beskrivelse":"Test",
   "file":{
               "value": [37,_values left out for readability_,80],
               "options": {
                                  "filename":
                                  "test.pdf"}
                                }
}

```

The reply i get from the endpoint though is ""Object reference not set to an instance of an object." which indicates that one of my values is empty or malformed or maybe that the endpoint cannot recieve the data in this format..

Heres my flow with sensistive data removed:

```auto
[{"id":"e39491ff.49538","type":"pdfmake","z":"f08e748.bb67888","name":"","outputType":"Buffer","inputProperty":"payload","options":"{}","outputProperty":"filebuffer","x":280,"y":60,"wires":[["f20736f5.799d08","88e8a48f.723278"]]},{"id":"d8ae17d6.85ee48","type":"inject","z":"f08e748.bb67888","name":"Test Data","props":[{"p":"payload"},{"p":"topic","vt":"str"}],"repeat":"","crontab":"","once":false,"onceDelay":0.1,"topic":"","payload":"{\"content\":[\"First paragraph\",\"Another paragraph, this time a little bit longer to make sure, this line will be divided into at least two lines\"]}","payloadType":"json","x":100,"y":60,"wires":[["e39491ff.49538"]]},{"id":"f20736f5.799d08","type":"debug","z":"f08e748.bb67888","name":"","active":false,"tosidebar":true,"console":false,"tostatus":false,"complete":"filebuffer","targetType":"msg","statusVal":"","statusType":"auto","x":360,"y":120,"wires":[]},{"id":"88e8a48f.723278","type":"change","z":"f08e748.bb67888","name":"request parametre","rules":[{"t":"set","p":"headers","pt":"msg","to":"{\"Content-Type\":\"multipart/form-data\",\"Accept\":\"application/json\",\"Authorization\":\" \"}","tot":"json"},{"t":"set","p":"access_method","pt":"msg","to":"Bearer","tot":"str"},{"t":"set","p":"headers.Authorization","pt":"msg","to":"access_method & \" \" & $flowContext('access_token')","tot":"jsonata"},{"t":"set","p":"payload","pt":"msg","to":"{\"CaseID\":1234567890,\"DocumentName\":\"Testing .pdf POST\",\"Casepart\":{\"PartId\":12345,\"PartType\":\"Person\"},\"Documenttype\":{\"Id\":1,\"Name\":\"TestName\"},\"Beskrivelse\":\"Test\",\"file\":{\"value\":\"\",\"options\":{\"filename\":\"\"}}}","tot":"json"},{"t":"set","p":"url","pt":"msg","to":"endpointurl","tot":"env"},{"t":"set","p":"method","pt":"msg","to":"POST","tot":"str"},{"t":"set","p":"payload.file.options.filename","pt":"msg","to":"test.pdf","tot":"str"},{"t":"set","p":"payload.file.value","pt":"msg","to":"filebuffer","tot":"msg"}],"action":"","property":"","from":"","to":"","reg":false,"x":490,"y":60,"wires":[["83fc6a59.f49988","9895b6e0.172548","d8424031.e4c7"]]},{"id":"d8424031.e4c7","type":"http request","z":"f08e748.bb67888","name":"","method":"use","ret":"txt","paytoqs":"ignore","url":"","tls":"","persist":false,"proxy":"","authType":"","x":710,"y":60,"wires":[["c58d18bc.854a28"]]},{"id":"c58d18bc.854a28","type":"debug","z":"f08e748.bb67888","name":"","active":true,"tosidebar":true,"console":false,"tostatus":false,"complete":"false","statusVal":"","statusType":"auto","x":890,"y":60,"wires":[]},{"id":"83fc6a59.f49988","type":"debug","z":"f08e748.bb67888","name":"","active":true,"tosidebar":true,"console":false,"tostatus":false,"complete":"headers","targetType":"msg","statusVal":"","statusType":"auto","x":690,"y":160,"wires":[]},{"id":"9895b6e0.172548","type":"debug","z":"f08e748.bb67888","name":"","active":true,"tosidebar":true,"console":false,"tostatus":false,"complete":"false","statusVal":"","statusType":"auto","x":690,"y":200,"wires":[]}]

```

Any inputs?

I have read the following post to try and get a bit wiser.. but to no avail (so far)

> [@Form-data multipart-encoded request with pdf file attached into the body](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/form-data-multipart-encoded-request-with-pdf-file-attached-into-the-body/44749/2):
>
> Hi @vmoscolini At a glance, I would expect the following to work: Assuming msg.payload.byteArray is a Buffer containing the pdf and msg.payload.fname is a String with the filename in. I also assume you have configured the HTTP Request node to do a POST rather than the default GET? It may be worth passing the message to a Debug node so you have verify exactly what you're passing to the Request node.

[https://flows.nodered.org/flow/cbf44e064b9406a1175a7e8d589f66ac](https://flows.nodered.org/flow/cbf44e064b9406a1175a7e8d589f66ac)

> [@Multipart data (json +file)](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/multipart-data-json-file/48134):
>
> Hello I want to send HTTP post request that has json + file upload. Can I do it in one shot? Or I have to send json first and then attachment (file)? Can someone please guide?

> [@Posting form data with function](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/posting-form-data-with-function/20790/6):
>
> Heartfelt thanks for providing this solution here heart_eyes

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex026/uploads/nodered/original/1X/d073cd938eafa2e558d7c2cd59003b3ef4963033.png) [@system](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [2 November 2021 07:03 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/send-a-file-with-multipart-form-data-to-octoprint-rest-api/7534/31 "2021-11-02T07:03:45Z")

</div>

Closed on 2 November 2021 07:03 UTC

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