PDF Export

Exports a Google Slides presentation as a PDF file.

Common Properties

• Name - The custom name of the node.
• Color - The custom color of the node.
• Delay Before (sec) - Waits in seconds before executing the node.
• Delay After (sec) - Waits in seconds after executing node.
• Continue On Error - Automation will continue regardless of any error. The default value is false.

info

If the ContinueOnError property is true, no error is caught when the project is executed, even if a Catch node is used.

Inputs

• Presentation Id - The ID of the Google Slides presentation to export as PDF.
• File Path - The local file path where the PDF will be saved.

Options

• Credentials - Google account credentials used to authenticate with the Google Slides API.

How It Works

The PDF Export node converts a Google Slides presentation to PDF format and saves it to a specified local file path. When executed, the node:

1. Validates the provided Presentation Id and File Path inputs
2. Authenticates with Google Slides API using the provided credentials
3. Exports the presentation as a PDF using the Google Drive API
4. Saves the PDF file to the specified local file path

Requirements

• A valid Google Slides presentation ID
• Valid Google API credentials with appropriate permissions
• A valid local file path for saving the PDF
• Proper permissions to access the presentation and write to the file path

Error Handling

The node will return specific errors in the following cases:

• Empty or invalid Presentation Id
• Empty or invalid File Path
• Invalid or missing Google API credentials
• Google Slides API authentication errors
• Insufficient permissions to access the presentation
• Invalid presentation ID
• File system errors when saving the PDF
• Google Drive service errors

Usage Notes

• The Presentation Id can be found in the URL of the Google Slides presentation
• The File Path should be a complete local path including the filename and .pdf extension (e.g., C:\Documents\presentation.pdf)
• The node will overwrite the file if it already exists at the specified path
• Ensure the authenticated account has permission to access the presentation
• The exported PDF will maintain the formatting and layout of the original presentation
• The PDF export uses default Google Slides export settings
• Make sure the application has write permissions to the specified file path directory

Examples

Example 1: Export to Local Directory

Export a presentation to a local file:

Presentation Id: "1ABC..."
File Path: "/home/user/reports/monthly-report.pdf"

Creates a PDF file at the specified path.

Example 2: Export with Dynamic Filename

Generate filename with current date:

// In a JS node
const today = new Date();
const dateStr = today.toISOString().split('T')[0]; // 2024-12-23
msg.pdfPath = `/home/user/reports/sales-report-${dateStr}.pdf`;

// Then use PDF Export node with msg.pdfPath as File Path

Example 3: Export to Temporary Directory

Export to temp folder for processing:

Presentation Id: "1ABC..."
File Path: "/tmp/presentation-export.pdf"

Useful when the PDF needs further processing or uploading.

Example 4: Batch Export Multiple Presentations

Export several presentations as PDFs:

const presentations = [
  { id: "1ABC...", name: "Q1 Report" },
  { id: "2DEF...", name: "Q2 Report" },
  { id: "3GHI...", name: "Q3 Report" }
];

for (const pres of presentations) {
  msg.presentationId = pres.id;
  msg.filePath = `/home/user/reports/${pres.name}.pdf`;
  // Use PDF Export node here
}

Tips for Effective Use

1. File Paths: Use absolute paths to avoid confusion about working directory
2. Naming Convention: Include dates, version numbers, or identifiers in filenames
3. Directory Creation: Ensure target directory exists before exporting
4. File Permissions: Verify write permissions to target directory
5. Path Separators: Use forward slashes (/) or escape backslashes (\) in paths
6. Overwrite Awareness: Remember that existing files will be overwritten silently
7. Post-Processing: Store the file path for subsequent upload or email operations

Common Use Cases

Use Case 1: Automated Report Distribution

Generate and distribute PDF reports:

// 1. Create or update presentation
// 2. Export to PDF
const reportDate = new Date().toISOString().split('T')[0];
msg.pdfPath = `/home/user/reports/weekly-report-${reportDate}.pdf`;
// (Use PDF Export node)

// 3. Upload to cloud storage or email
// (Use file upload or email nodes)

Use Case 2: Archival Workflow

Archive presentations as PDFs for record-keeping:

const presentations = msg.presentationsToArchive; // Array of presentation IDs

for (const presId of presentations) {
  const timestamp = new Date().toISOString().replace(/:/g, '-');
  msg.presentationId = presId;
  msg.archivePath = `/archive/presentations/${presId}_${timestamp}.pdf`;

  // Export to PDF
  // Then log to database or spreadsheet
}

Use Case 3: Client Deliverable Generation

Create final client deliverables:

// After personalizing presentation for client
msg.clientName = "Acme Corp";
msg.presentationId = msg.personalizedPresentationId;

// Export to PDF
msg.pdfPath = `/deliverables/${msg.clientName.replace(/\s+/g, '_')}_Proposal.pdf`;
// (Use PDF Export node)

// Then email to client
msg.emailTo = msg.clientEmail;
msg.emailSubject = `Your Personalized Proposal from Our Company`;
msg.emailAttachment = msg.pdfPath;
// (Use Email node)

Use Case 4: Print-Ready Document Generation

Generate print-ready versions of presentations:

// Workflow: Create presentation → Export to PDF → Upload to print service
const presentations = [
  { id: "1ABC", filename: "Brochure_English" },
  { id: "2DEF", filename: "Brochure_Spanish" },
  { id: "3GHI", filename: "Brochure_French" }
];

for (const pres of presentations) {
  msg.presentationId = pres.id;
  msg.pdfPath = `/print-ready/${pres.filename}.pdf`;
  // Export to PDF
  // Upload to print service API
}

Use Case 5: Backup and Version Control

Create PDF backups of important presentations:

// Daily backup routine
const importantPresentations = await getImportantPresentations();
const backupDate = new Date().toISOString().split('T')[0];

for (const pres of importantPresentations) {
  msg.presentationId = pres.id;
  msg.backupPath = `/backups/${backupDate}/${pres.name}_${backupDate}.pdf`;
  // Export to PDF
}

Use Case 6: Multi-Format Output

Export presentation in multiple formats:

// Export same presentation for different purposes
msg.presentationId = "1ABC...";

// High-quality version for archival
msg.archivalPath = `/archive/presentation-archive-${Date.now()}.pdf`;
// (PDF Export node)

// Email version
msg.emailPath = `/temp/presentation-email.pdf`;
// (PDF Export node)

// Print version
msg.printPath = `/print/presentation-print.pdf`;
// (PDF Export node)

Workflow Integration

Complete Presentation Generation and Distribution Workflow

// 1. Copy template presentation
// msg.presentationId = [from Copy Presentation node output]

// 2. Replace text placeholders
// (Use Replace Text nodes)

// 3. Replace images
// (Use Replace Shapes With Image nodes)

// 4. Add dynamic charts
// (Use Add Image nodes)

// 5. Export to PDF
const clientName = msg.clientName.replace(/\s+/g, '_');
const dateStr = new Date().toISOString().split('T')[0];
msg.pdfFilename = `${clientName}_Proposal_${dateStr}.pdf`;
msg.pdfPath = `/deliverables/${msg.pdfFilename}`;
// (Use PDF Export node)

// 6. Upload to cloud storage
// (Use cloud storage upload node)

// 7. Send email with PDF link
// (Use Email node)

// 8. Log to tracking system
// (Use database insert or spreadsheet append)

Common Errors and Solutions

Error	Cause	Solution
"Presentation ID cannot be empty"	No ID provided or ID is "_"	Ensure valid Presentation Id is provided
"File path cannot be empty"	No file path provided	Provide complete file path with .pdf extension
"No Credential Content"	Credentials missing or invalid	Verify credentials in Vault have Google Drive API access
Permission denied (presentation)	Account lacks access to presentation	Ensure authenticated account can access the presentation
Permission denied (file system)	No write access to directory	Check directory permissions and ensure it exists
Invalid file path	Malformed path or invalid characters	Use valid file path syntax for your operating system
Directory not found	Target directory doesn't exist	Create directory before exporting or use existing path
Disk space full	Insufficient storage space	Free up disk space or use different directory
File in use	PDF file is open in another program	Close the file or use different filename

Best Practices

1. Directory Management: Create dated subdirectories for organized storage (e.g., /reports/2024/12/)
2. Error Handling: Wrap export in try-catch to handle cases where export might fail
3. File Cleanup: Implement cleanup routines to remove old PDF exports
4. Naming Standards: Establish consistent naming conventions across your organization
5. Verification: After export, verify file exists and has non-zero size
6. Metadata Logging: Log export metadata (filename, size, timestamp) to a database or spreadsheet
7. Post-Export Actions: Chain with upload, email, or archival nodes for complete workflows
8. Path Validation: Validate file paths before export to catch errors early

Advanced Techniques

PDF Size Verification

// After PDF Export
const fs = require('fs');
const stats = fs.statSync(msg.pdfPath);
const fileSizeInMB = stats.size / (1024 * 1024);

if (fileSizeInMB < 0.1) {
  throw new Error('PDF file is suspiciously small, export may have failed');
}

msg.pdfSizeMB = fileSizeInMB.toFixed(2);
// Continue with upload or email

Conditional Export

// Only export if presentation was modified recently
const presentation = msg.presentationMetadata;
const lastModified = new Date(presentation.modifiedTime);
const hoursSinceModified = (Date.now() - lastModified) / (1000 * 60 * 60);

if (hoursSinceModified < 24) {
  // Export to PDF
  msg.pdfPath = `/recent-exports/${presentation.id}.pdf`;
  // (Use PDF Export node)
}

Parallel Export Processing

For multiple presentations, export in batches to optimize performance:

// Batch export presentations
const presentations = msg.presentationsToExport;
const batchSize = 5;

for (let i = 0; i < presentations.length; i += batchSize) {
  const batch = presentations.slice(i, i + batchSize);

  for (const pres of batch) {
    msg.presentationId = pres.id;
    msg.pdfPath = `/exports/${pres.id}.pdf`;
    // Export each in batch
  }

  // Small delay between batches to avoid rate limiting
  await sleep(2000);
}