How to get binary data in the correct way?

[Natalia_D]

Hi there! I can’t deal with binary data

My task is:

• get voice message from Telegram bot
• then transcribe it using OpenAI

The output with the voice message is:

1 option works correctly:
If these steps are going one by one, I use “data”, and get the result easily:

2 option drives me crazy:
I want to add a step to the workflow - I need to show a chat action in Telegram like “recording…” (for better user’s experience) . And I can’t get my audio file anymore.

• I try just to use “data” = fail. (I see a mistake with the name of the node, ok)
  

  

• I try to use “{{ $(“Telegram”).item.binary.data }}” = fail again. And I have no idea how to correct all the ‘[object Object]’ stuff
  

  
  
  
  

Please, help me to write the correct field

[solomon]

One of the easiest options is to use a Merge node.
See this example:

Here I was able to download a file after receiving a chat message and then merged both in one single item.

Because they were merged, the image (binary data) was passed forward to the Upload File node.

Other options

• Writing the file to the filesystem, using “Read/Write File” node and then retrieving the file before the upload.

• Changing the environment variable N8N_DEFAULT_BINARY_DATA_MODE from default to filesystem, making all binary files get stored in the filesystem by default. See documentation here.

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