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"unknown attachment type" automating a PNG upload to Facebook Page

  • December 22, 2022
  • 9 replies
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I have an automation which makes a Facebook Pages post.

Trigger: when a record gets a PNG added to an attachment field.

Action: Make an FB Pages post with the attached PNG file.

Odd thing is that the trigger and actions all work in manual testing mode, but when left on autopilot they don't.

...though occasionally one might (see the bottom of the run history in the pic)

Anyone have any success making FB Pages posts w/images included?

Any idea how to make an image file type that live automations are happy with?

Thanks!

Best answer by TheTimeSavingCo

The automation writes a confirmation to the source record after the post is made to the FB Page.  The triggering view's filter is set to show only records where and(the confirmation checkmark field is empty, the confirmation FB Page ID field is empty, the openi image field is not empty).

Watching the view while the automation runs, the record pops up; text displays; image icon appears in attachment field display; _image does not load into attachment field display_; record disappears, view is empty)

My gut didn't like the non loading part, but the engineer in me figures the img bits fly over the Airtable write and on to the FB page in a whole separate flow than the display on my end of the internet.


> _image does not load into attachment field display_  .... My gut didn't like the non loading part, but the engineer in me figures the img bits fly over the Airtable write and on to the FB page in a whole separate flow than the display on my end of the internet.

Heh, before this thread I would have thought the same thing but given what you're experiencing now...

Are you on a Pro account?  If so, maybe you could try adding a script and waiting 30 seconds

If not, perhaps you could try adding a formula field to wait 5 minutes after the attachment field's last modified and then make the automation run then.  The downside to this method is that it could take anywhere from 10 minutes to hours before the automation would actually run due to how you would need to use the `NOW()` and how it updates in intervals.  Not sure whether your workflow allows for such a delay

    9 replies

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    Of note, the automation runs when I use the image's 3rd party source URL, e.g.

    https://oaidalleapiprodscus.blob.core.windows.net/private/org-RvRi3QlxGrMBdVIDyqBojKmG/user-pIGn8hXT4ycKsrNKi7Pugib9/img-7KtU73YHtjGK9ks97zo1WAOl.png?st=2022-12-22T03%3A11%3A08Z&se=2022-12-22T05%3A11%3A08Z&sp=r&sv=2021-08-06&sr=b&rscd=inline&rsct=image/png&skoid=6aaadede-4fb3-4698-a8f6-684d7786b067&sktid=a48cca56-e6da-484e-a814-9c849652bcb3&skt=2022-12-22T03%3A38%3A57Z&ske=2022-12-23T03%3A38%3A57Z&sks=b&skv=2021-08-06&sig=johbxN0oTAHUdpSGb7o7ABwCdZrnW/xiLZjP5E/XbJY%3D

    (Using Open AI)

    ... I initially tried the automation with this setup but the behavior I witnessed was that while the automation did run successfully, the end result on the FB Page was a post of a grey image, e.g.

    ...and a borked link claiming no XML style info, e.g.

    Any idea what's going on here?

    Thanks!

    P
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    Sidebar: further thoughts about the behavior when using the link instead of the attachment.

    Context: my guiding focus in this effort is a goal of being able to update the FB Page's profile pic with the uploaded image.  The image is created as part of a a daily post with the content of a pun which I prompt OpenAI for (then ask it to explain why the pun is funny; point being that the source of the attachment is standard and high quality; FWIW 1024x1024 PNG.)

    When I use the attached file, the result is that image is then accessible from the FB Page's album, e.g. I can could manually us the FB gui to update the profile pic from an album.

    When I use the URL, the result is that the image is not accessible in an album, and there's a banner for the link at the bottom of the image which is cringe.  e.g. I can not update the profile pic from an album

    Ultimately, I prefer the result of the attachment upload, but just can't see why it works in the test runs, but not when live 🤷‍♂

    For the actual updating of the profile pic, I plan on using a Zapier solution (they have an "Change Page Profile Photo" action... getting that to work is a whole 'nother post in a whole 'nother community.product forum :^)

    TheTimeSavingCo
    Forum|alt.badge.img+31

    Sidebar: further thoughts about the behavior when using the link instead of the attachment.

    Context: my guiding focus in this effort is a goal of being able to update the FB Page's profile pic with the uploaded image.  The image is created as part of a a daily post with the content of a pun which I prompt OpenAI for (then ask it to explain why the pun is funny; point being that the source of the attachment is standard and high quality; FWIW 1024x1024 PNG.)

    When I use the attached file, the result is that image is then accessible from the FB Page's album, e.g. I can could manually us the FB gui to update the profile pic from an album.

    When I use the URL, the result is that the image is not accessible in an album, and there's a banner for the link at the bottom of the image which is cringe.  e.g. I can not update the profile pic from an album

    Ultimately, I prefer the result of the attachment upload, but just can't see why it works in the test runs, but not when live 🤷‍♂

    For the actual updating of the profile pic, I plan on using a Zapier solution (they have an "Change Page Profile Photo" action... getting that to work is a whole 'nother post in a whole 'nother community.product forum :^)


    Hm, you've probably already checked this, but are we certain that the attachment's fully uploaded into the field at the time the automation triggers?

    Adam, Airtable Consultant - thetimesaving.company
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    Hm, you've probably already checked this, but are we certain that the attachment's fully uploaded into the field at the time the automation triggers?


    @TheTimeSavingCo great minds think alike 😉

    As far as I can observe, it appears to be when it runs successfully, but I am not enough of an engineer to be able to verify the fail case causes.  I feel like that's not the issue, but may be the order of ops or async under the hood is weird, maybe something's change post-Meta and post "public URIs" for Airtable's attachment fields 🤷‍♂

    TheTimeSavingCo
    Forum|alt.badge.img+31

    @TheTimeSavingCo great minds think alike 😉

    As far as I can observe, it appears to be when it runs successfully, but I am not enough of an engineer to be able to verify the fail case causes.  I feel like that's not the issue, but may be the order of ops or async under the hood is weird, maybe something's change post-Meta and post "public URIs" for Airtable's attachment fields 🤷‍♂


    Hmm, roger that.  If you're interested in pursuing this further, may I know what the filters are for the view "Automations: FB"?

    Adam, Airtable Consultant - thetimesaving.company
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    Forum|alt.badge.img+13

    Hmm, roger that.  If you're interested in pursuing this further, may I know what the filters are for the view "Automations: FB"?


    The automation writes a confirmation to the source record after the post is made to the FB Page.  The triggering view's filter is set to show only records where and(the confirmation checkmark field is empty, the confirmation FB Page ID field is empty, the openi image field is not empty).

    Watching the view while the automation runs, the record pops up; text displays; image icon appears in attachment field display; _image does not load into attachment field display_; record disappears, view is empty)

    My gut didn't like the non loading part, but the engineer in me figures the img bits fly over the Airtable write and on to the FB page in a whole separate flow than the display on my end of the internet.

    TheTimeSavingCo
    Forum|alt.badge.img+31

    The automation writes a confirmation to the source record after the post is made to the FB Page.  The triggering view's filter is set to show only records where and(the confirmation checkmark field is empty, the confirmation FB Page ID field is empty, the openi image field is not empty).

    Watching the view while the automation runs, the record pops up; text displays; image icon appears in attachment field display; _image does not load into attachment field display_; record disappears, view is empty)

    My gut didn't like the non loading part, but the engineer in me figures the img bits fly over the Airtable write and on to the FB page in a whole separate flow than the display on my end of the internet.


    > _image does not load into attachment field display_  .... My gut didn't like the non loading part, but the engineer in me figures the img bits fly over the Airtable write and on to the FB page in a whole separate flow than the display on my end of the internet.

    Heh, before this thread I would have thought the same thing but given what you're experiencing now...

    Are you on a Pro account?  If so, maybe you could try adding a script and waiting 30 seconds

    If not, perhaps you could try adding a formula field to wait 5 minutes after the attachment field's last modified and then make the automation run then.  The downside to this method is that it could take anywhere from 10 minutes to hours before the automation would actually run due to how you would need to use the `NOW()` and how it updates in intervals.  Not sure whether your workflow allows for such a delay

    Adam, Airtable Consultant - thetimesaving.company
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    @TheTimeSavingCo this project is all free tier (so far), so no scripting option.  Thanks - the time delay trigger is a great idea to at keadt wliminate that as a question 🙂

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    @TheTimeSavingCo I added a time delay based on the Last Mod of the image attachment field and initial testing is positive.  I've been seeing a lot of intermittent performance when automating w/FB Pages (in airT, as well as Make, annd Zapier), so my hunch is that it is FB's mojo, but I will post back here if I get a consistent performance.  Thanks again!

     

    TheTimeSavingCo
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