Error - Using the item method doesn't work with pinned data

Questions
1

Hi

After upgrading I suddenly receive this error on a workflow that have been running for months now.

Using the item method doesn’t work with pinned data in this scenario. Please unpin ‘Convert to File’ and try again.

Does anybody know why this suddenly happens? It should not use any pinned data when not in test.

Information on your n8n setup

  • n8n version: Latest
  • Database (default: SQLite):
  • n8n EXECUTIONS_PROCESS setting (default: own, main):
  • Running n8n via (n8n cloud):
  • Operating system:
2

It looks like your topic is missing some important information. Could you provide the following if applicable.

  • n8n version:
  • Database (default: SQLite):
  • n8n EXECUTIONS_PROCESS setting (default: own, main):
  • Running n8n via (Docker, npm, n8n cloud, desktop app):
  • Operating system:
3

Hi again

I can see the workflow has trouble getting data from a previous node (8 nodes back) It is saying

Can’t determine which item to use

Please note: there is only one.

As I said before, This has worked for months, but now it is suddenly failing.

4

Ok. Now I have narrowed it down. After the “Convert to file” node, it is no longer possible to get data from a node 8 nodes back.

Can someone at N8N look into that?

6

Hi again

Thanks for your reply. I have investigated it further.
It looks like, that it makes an error if you have a “Split out” node followed by a “convert to file” node. Please see the example I have made for proving this error. The error is “[ERROR: Can’t determine which item to use]” So it has nothing to do with pinned data

7

hello @Uneerup

I didn’t have any errors with the workflow. But when the outputted items doesn’t match then you can’t access the first one with the $().item property. It’s incorrect, as there is no “pair” for the second item and you have to use either $().first().json or $().last().json property instead

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8

Hi @barn4k

Are you sure you are running on the latest version?

Please see the attached screenshot. It makes an error for me. Please note that it was working before upgrading.

error
error2134×944 203 KB

9

ah, yeah. It was a previous version. Get it broken on the 1.79.3.

Well, this is indeed strange. Will ping someone from n8n to take a look.

I’m assuming that it doesn’t like that part

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image1067×790 67.4 KB

But I don’t know why it’s ok with the expression of the Edit Fields2 node, as it has the pretty same behavior

10

Well I hope @n8n will prioritize it because it is a fundamental part of the normal use of N8N.

11

same error here! Using the item method doesn't work with pinned data in this scenario. Please unpin 'Convert to File' and try again.

12

Please, update to the v1.80.3. It should be fixed there.

13

Done! And it works - thanks :slight_smile:

14

I’m still having this issue. Upgraded to 180.5 this morning and the error remains. Didn’t have any issues like this prior a few days ago.

15

Oh no!

@barn4k please be aware of the last post. I will wait upgrading until the error has been fixed again.

@langtry thanks for sharing.

16

with v1.81.4 everything is ok

17

Nope. I’m getting the same error and I just upgraded to the latest version.

Frustrating, as it was working, until it wasn’t. The node it’s saying is pinned, isn’t, and never has been. The node it’s actually needing to get data from is not pinned.

A very frustrating error.

18

I’ve now unpinned everything - then gone an pinned and unpinned every node, upgraded to latest version, and it’s still happening. What a pain.

19

@karatechopping

Please, share the workflow.

20

v1.81.4 here, same pain

21

Solved it eventually. Used .first() instead of .item and it worked. It was a lack of understanding on my part!