Files problem in instagram module

:bullseye: What is your goal?

I want to create Instagram carousel post.

:thinking: What is the problem?

I tried many things, but I couldn’t get the image URLs to map correctly in the files section. I also couldn’t find any documentation. My JSON data looks like this: {images:[{image_type: ‘IMAGE’, image_url:‘https://…’}, {image_type: ‘IMAGE’, image_url:‘https://…’}]}

:camera_with_flash: Screenshots: scenario setup, module configuration, errors


Welcome to the Make community!

From your output bundle, it appears that you have an array of items. What do you do when you have an array?

“Looping” Through Array Items

When you see an array in a module’s output, think of using an Iterator module. This allows you to individually access and process each item in the array.

In this example, this variable is an array of items (collections). You’ll want to map this variable in an Iterator module.

Question: Have you tried mapping your array variable into an Iterator module, ran the scenario once, and view the output? Then …

Combining Bundles Using Aggregators

Every result/item from some module types (like Trigger / Iterator / List / Search / Match modules) can potentially and likely output more than one bundle. These multiple bundles will individually run subsequent modules once per bundle, which is not optimal in most cases:

  • one operation per bundle per module, which could lead to…
  • use of multiple credits per bundle per module (some modules use more than one credit)
View example screenshots

Aggregator Example

The “Search Rows” module runs one time, returning 999 results (999 bundles).

  • Without Aggregator: the tools module run 999 times (999 operations)


    (and if there are more modules, they run 999 times each)

  • With Aggregator: the tools module only runs 1 time (1 operation)

:warning: Warning: :police_car_light:
This can easily use your entire quota of credits if you are not careful or fail to understand this concept.

To “combine” multiple bundles into a single variable, so that you can process all of the items in a single operation, you’ll need to use an aggregator. Aggregators is a type of module that accumulates bundles and outputs one bundle (unless you are using “Group By”). An example of a commonly-used aggregator module is the Array aggregator module.

Question: Which is the best aggregator do you think you’ll need for your use-case?

Mapping a Complex (Collection) Structure Into an Array Field

The Array Aggregator module is very powerful because it allows you to build a new complex array of collections that matches a later module’s array field to map multiple items (collections) to it. Such fields initially may allow you to manually add individual items, but toggle the “Map” switch on, and you can map an array variable (from an Array Aggregator) containing multiple collections.

Simply select the respective “Target structure type” in an Array Aggregator module.

As you can see from the above example, the “Map” toggle on complex fields are used when you have an array variable (like from an array aggregator).

:clipboard: Note: :light_bulb:
Other combinations of modules may also allow you to generate an array that matches a future module field’s array structure, like “Aggregate to JSON + Parse JSON”, or “Create JSON + Parse JSON”, but this is an advanced topic.

Question: Are you mapping your array into a field that accepts more than one item/collection?

Example

Here is an example of how your scenario could look like:

This is just an example. Your solution may or may not look like this depending on requirements and actual data.

For more information, see “Mapping with arrays” in the Help Centre. I also suggest going through the Make Academy, which also covers the use of Iterators & Aggregators.

Then, you’ll need a filter before the Instagram module to ensure that your array contains at least two items, otherwise the Instagram module will throw an error as it expects at least two images.

To do this, use a filter before the Instagram module to check if your array contains at least two items (greater than one).

Make Academy

You can learn more about filtering in these Make Academy units:

Expanding my first scenario

  • Adding a Router
  • Adding a Filter
  • More options with Filters
  • Overview of scheduling
  • Run once

Hope this helps! If you are still having trouble, please provide more details.

@samliew
P.S.: investing some effort into the tutorials in the Make Academy will save you lots of time and frustration using Make!