Execute Multiple Command Lines Based on Text File Inputs

This n8n workflow simplifies the execution of multiple command-line operations by reading commands from a text file. It allows for conditional execution based on the success or failure of each command, providing a flexible way to automate sequences of shell commands.

What it does

1. Starts the workflow: The workflow is manually triggered.
2. Reads a text file: It reads a specified text file containing command lines. Each line in the file is treated as a separate command.
3. Processes commands:
   • It iterates through each line (command) from the text file.
   • For each command, it attempts to execute it using the Execute Command node.
   • It then checks the output of the executed command.
4. Conditional execution:
   • If a command executes successfully (e.g., returns no errors), the workflow proceeds to the next command.
   • If a command fails, the workflow can be configured to stop or handle the error gracefully (currently, it proceeds to a "No Operation" path, implying a potential for further error handling or logging).

Prerequisites/Requirements

• n8n instance: This workflow runs on an n8n instance.
• Access to the n8n host's file system: The Read Binary File node requires access to a text file on the server where n8n is running.
• Shell access on n8n host: The Execute Command node will run commands directly on the server hosting your n8n instance. Ensure the n8n user has the necessary permissions for the commands you intend to run.

Setup/Usage

1. Import the workflow:
   • Download the provided JSON file.
   • In your n8n instance, go to "Workflows" and click "New".
   • Click the three dots in the top right corner and select "Import from JSON".
   • Paste the JSON content or upload the file.
2. Configure the Read Binary File node:
   • Double-click the Read Binary File node.
   • Specify the File Path to your text file containing the command lines. Each command should be on a new line.
3. Configure the Function node:
   • This node is responsible for parsing the file content into individual commands and preparing them for the Execute Command node. You might need to adjust its JavaScript code if your input file format is different from one command per line.
4. Configure the Execute Command node:
   • This node will execute the commands. Ensure the Command field is correctly referencing the output from the Function node (e.g., {{ $json.command }}).
5. Activate the workflow:
   • Click the "Activate" toggle in the top right corner of the workflow editor.
6. Execute the workflow:
   • You can manually trigger the workflow by clicking "Execute Workflow" in the editor or via an external trigger if one is added.

Example commands.txt file:

echo "Hello World"
ls -l /tmp
mkdir /tmp/test_dir
rmdir /tmp/test_dir