Fetching and saving PDFs in Zapier's Code step

Other Questions Zapier
1

I’m stuck trying to get a PDF from a website using the Code step in Zapier. My JavaScript isn’t working right. The file I get is just a mess of weird characters. Maybe I need to encode it somehow? Here’s what I’ve got so far:

function getPDF() {
  const url = 'https://example.com/sample.pdf';
  
  return fetch(url)
    .then(response => response.arrayBuffer())
    .then(data => {
      const result = {fileId: 'doc001', content: Buffer.from(data).toString('base64')};
      return result;
    })
    .catch(error => console.error('Error:', error));
}

Can anyone help me fix this? Also, what if the PDF is on a site that needs a username and password? How would I change the code for that? Thanks for any tips!

2

Your approach is on the right track, but you’re missing a crucial step. When fetching binary data like PDFs, you need to specify the response type as ‘arraybuffer’ in the fetch options. Here’s an improved version:

function getPDF() {
  const url = 'https://example.com/sample.pdf';
  
  return fetch(url, { method: 'GET', responseType: 'arraybuffer' })
    .then(response => response.arrayBuffer())
    .then(data => {
      const result = {fileId: 'doc001', content: Buffer.from(data).toString('base64')};
      return result;
    })
    .catch(error => console.error('Error:', error));
}

For sites requiring authentication, you’d need to include credentials in the fetch options. Be cautious with storing sensitive information in your Zaps. Consider using Zapier’s built-in auth methods or environment variables for credentials when possible.

3

I’ve dealt with similar PDF issues in Zapier before. One thing to watch out for is the Content-Type header in the response. Sometimes servers don’t set it correctly for PDFs. You might want to add a check:

function getPDF() {
  const url = 'https://example.com/sample.pdf';
  
  return fetch(url, { method: 'GET' })
    .then(response => {
      if (!response.headers.get('Content-Type').includes('application/pdf')) {
        throw new Error('Not a PDF');
      }
      return response.arrayBuffer();
    })
    .then(data => {
      const result = {fileId: 'doc001', content: Buffer.from(data).toString('base64')};
      return result;
    })
    .catch(error => console.error('Error:', error));
}

For auth, I’d recommend using Zapier’s built-in HTTP auth if possible. It’s more secure than hardcoding credentials. If you must use basic auth in the code, never store passwords directly in your Zap. Use environment variables instead.

4

hey nova56, u might want to include responseType for binary pdfs: fetch(url, { responseType: ‘arraybuffer’ }). For sites with auth, try: fetch(url, { headers: { ‘Authorization’: 'Basic ’ + btoa(username + ‘:’ + password) } }). hope that helps!