Problem: Correct Path Format for "Local File Trigger" in n8n Docker Setup on Windows

[Jano1]

Hi there !

Problem:

I’m trying to set up a local folder mount in n8n using Docker. I have a Windows directory (D:/n8n-data/binaryData/shared_folder) that I’ve mounted to /data/windows_shared inside the n8n container. However, I’m unsure of how to specify this folder path in n8n’s UI so that the Local File Trigger node recognizes it.

I’ve already verified that the Docker mount works correctly by running a separate Docker container that was able to access this folder. But when I specify the path in the Local File Trigger node (e.g., /data/windows_shared), n8n doesn’t seem to detect the folder. I’m looking for guidance on how to format the path in n8n or adjust my configuration so that it works.

What is the error message (if any)?

No error message, but the Local File Trigger node doesn’t detect changes in the specified directory.

Please share your workflow

That’ll be easy

json

Copy code

Share the output returned by the last node

No output, as no changes are detected in the folder.

Information on your n8n setup

• n8n version: Latest (installed via Docker)
• Database (default: SQLite): SQLite
• n8n EXECUTIONS_PROCESS setting (default: own, main): Default (own)
• Running n8n via (Docker, npm, n8n cloud, desktop app): Docker
• Operating system: Windows 10

[ihortom]

Welcome to the community @Jano1 !

Tip for sharing information

Pasting your n8n workflow

---

Ensure to copy your n8n workflow and paste it in the code block, that is in between the pairs of triple backticks, which also could be achieved by clicking </> (preformatted text) in the editor and pasting in your workflow.

```
<your workflow>
```

That implies to any JSON output you would like to share with us.

Make sure that you have removed any sensitive information from your workflow and include dummy or pinned data with it!

---

You can check the actual absolute location of the mount point inside the container in Docker itself.

For example, I copied my local folder (on Mac) to the container with the docker command

❯ docker cp /Users/ihor/n8n/data/ n8n:/data
Successfully copied 63kB to n8n:/data

Now, that folder is available there as shown in the screenshot

In other words, the path to the folder in my case is /data.

You need to make sure the local folder was mounted successfully in the first place. In your case, the path indeed, should be /data/windows_shared.

[Jano1]

Thank you very much for taking your time to reply !

I was checking, if I did everything right, I was able to get into the docker folder via powershell and saw data

I also checked my yml.file to check the correct folders, which were ok

.

But when using the workflow I was unable to see anything happen, it won’t detect files changed, or added or deleted (tried these 3).
.

Is there a workaround or different case I could use to easily make sure I am doing the basic things right?

Thank you so much for helping me out

[ihortom]

Hey @Jano1 , for the trigger to work you likely need to have it running in production mode, that is have the workflow activated. See if that helps.

[Jano1]

Hey @ihortom Thank you so much for taking your time to help me!

I’ve tried to activate the workflow, but saw no changes. I’ll upload a video here that shows, that I was sucessfully seeing data in docker and also verifying seeing new data coming in.

Here is the video showing workflow, activation, me having the correct rights, seeing the files in docker, seeing the manual change in data from the n8n docker, the non-triggering workflow despite the settings and the yaml config.

Problem: Local File Trigger in n8n (Docker, self hosted) won't trigger on file change

So far, no luck, nothing happens : /

Thank you for your help

[ihortom]

Hey @Jano1 , thank you for the effort in making the video.

Unfortunately, I cannot reproduce the issue. Though I am using Mac (I have no Windows computer to test it out).

You never mentioned the version of n8n your run.

[Jano1]

Hi @ihortom

Thank you for still helping me! I am on “Version: 1.62.3” according to the container in docker, which was bundled in docker-compose within the “self-hosted-ai-starter-kit”.

Currently I have given up a bit internally I literally watched the n8n video https://youtu.be/UCTCfB4J9J4?t=49 and was stuck on step 1 XD (but of course, I choose to go self-hosted with docker, so that means I need to deal with the complexity of running it myself).

Thank you so much for your time and help!

[Jano1]

Hi @ihortom

I’ve since updated the full docker compose setup, now running 1.62.6 (it was the “latest” available). The problem however persists and I am still unable to fix it : /

Thank you very much for your time!

[Rui_JORGE]

Hi

Had same problem

Found a workaround that solves it

you need to add option “use pooling”