# JSON to PDF

A versatile **n8n** community node that converts JSON payloads (with Markdown formatting) into styled PDF documents—either a single PDF or a full e-book with chapters and table of contents. No external services required.

---

## 🚀 Features

- **Two operation modes**:
  - **Single PDF**: treat a JSON field as Markdown text, split on a keyword to insert page breaks.
  - **Generate E-book**: treat a JSON field as an array of `{ title, content }` chapters, auto-generate a title page, table of contents with links, and chapter formatting.

- **Custom typography**:
  - Choose any PDF font (Helvetica, Times-Roman, Courier, etc.).
  - Adjust base font size and line spacing.

- **Page control**:
  - In **Single PDF** mode, specify a “page break keyword” (e.g. `## Chapter`) which, when encountered at the start of a line, forces a new page.
  - In **E-book** mode, control whether each chapter title appears on its own page or inline.

- **Table of Contents** (E-book only):
  - Optionally include a TOC with clickable links to each chapter.
  - Customize the TOC title.

- **Error handling**:
  - Clear error messages when the JSON field isn’t the expected type.
  - Detailed stack traces available in the n8n execution log.

---

## 📦 Installation

1. In your n8n instance, open **Settings → Community Nodes → Install**  
2. In **npm Package Name** enter:
```

n8n-nodes-free-web-scrapping

````
3. Click **Install** and restart n8n if prompted.

---

## ⚙️ Node Configuration

### Operation

| Parameter   | Description                                                                                                          |
| ----------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `operation` | **single**: render one PDF from a Markdown string. <br>**ebook**: render an entire e-book from an array of chapters. |

### Common Parameters

| Parameter     | Type   | Default     | Description                                                                          |
| ------------- | ------ | ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
| `jsonField`   | string | `data`      | JSON field that holds either the Markdown string (single) or chapters array (ebook). |
| `font`        | string | `Helvetica` | PDF font name.                                                                       |
| `fontSize`    | number | `12`        | Base font size (points).                                                             |
| `lineSpacing` | number | `1.15`      | Line height multiplier.                                                              |

### Single PDF Mode

| Parameter      | Type   | Default      | Description                                        |
| -------------- | ------ | ------------ | -------------------------------------------------- |
| `pageBreakKey` | string | `## Chapter` | Lines starting with this keyword force a new page. |

**Example JSON input** for “single” mode:

```json
{
  "data": "# Introduction\nThis is text.\n## Chapter 1\nFirst chapter content...\n## Chapter 2\nSecond chapter content..."
}
```

* Output: one PDF, with page breaks at each `## Chapter`.

### Generate E-book Mode

| Parameter           | Type    | Default             | Description                                                                |
| ------------------- | ------- | ------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `includeToc`        | boolean | `true`              | Whether to add a “Table of Contents” page.                                 |
| `tocTitle`          | string  | `Table of Contents` | Title text for the TOC page.                                               |
| `chapterTitleStyle` | options | `newPage`           | `newPage`: each chapter title on its own page. <br>`inline`: title inline. |

**Expected JSON structure**:

```json
{
  "title": "My Great E-Book",
  "data": [
    { "title": "Chapter 1: Getting Started", "content": "## Hello\nThis is **bold** text..." },
    { "title": "Chapter 2: Advanced Topics",   "content": "More _Markdown_ here..." }
  ]
}
```

* The node will:

  1. Insert a title page.
  2. Optionally generate a TOC with links to each chapter.
  3. Iterate each chapter, adding titles and content.

---

## 🛠️ Examples

### Example 1: Single PDF

1. **Operation**: `single`
2. **JSON Field**: `data`
3. **Page Break Keyword**: `## PART`

**Input JSON**:

```json
{
  "data": "# Welcome\nSome intro text.\n## PART One\nContent of part one.\n## PART Two\nContent of part two."
}
```

**Result**: PDF with three pages:

* Page 1: “Welcome” + intro
* Page 2: “PART One” content
* Page 3: “PART Two” content

### Example 2: Generate E-book

1. **Operation**: `ebook`
2. **JSON Field**: `data`
3. **Include TOC**: `true`
4. **Chapter Title Style**: `newPage`

**Input JSON** (inbound to the node):

```json
{
  "title": "My Guide",
  "data": [
    {
      "title": "Chapter 1: Beginnings",
      "content": "This is **first** chapter.\nWith multiple lines."
    },
    {
      "title": "Chapter 2: Next Steps",
      "content": "Second chapter _content_."
    }
  ]
}
```

**Result**:

* Page 1: centered “My Guide”
* Page 2: “Table of Contents” with links to #chapter-1 and #chapter-2
* Subsequent pages: each chapter on its own page with content rendered from Markdown.

---

## ⚠️ Common Errors

**Error**:

```
Output
1 item
Field "data" is not an array of chapters
Error details

Other info
n8n version
1.100.1 (Self Hosted)

Stack trace
Error: Field "data" is not an array of chapters
    at ExecuteContext.execute (/…/JsonToPdf.node.js:155:23)
    at WorkflowExecute.runNode (…/workflow-execute.ts:1193:32)
    …
```

* **Cause**: In `ebook` mode, the node expected `jsonField` to point at an *array* of `{ title, content }`, but found something else.
* **Solution**: Ensure your JSON conforms to the required structure:

  ```json
  {
    "data": [ { "title": "...", "content": "..." }, … ]
  }
  ```

**Error**:

```
Field "data" is not a string
```

* **Cause**: In `single` mode, the node expected `jsonField` to be a Markdown string.
* **Solution**: Provide a plain string:

  ```json
  { "data": "# Hello\nSome text…" }
  ```

---

## 🧑‍💻 Development & Contributing

1. **Clone** this repo.
2. Run `npm install`.
3. Edit `src/nodes/JsonToPdf/JsonToPdf.node.ts`.
4. Compile: `npm run build`.
5. Link locally in n8n:

   ```bash
   cd ~/.n8n/nodes
   ln -s /path/to/n8n-nodes-json-to-pdf dist
   ```
6. Restart n8n and test.

---

## 📝 License

MIT © \[Threndy]