RocketChat/Rocket.Chat · error · Meteor.Error

error-import-operation-invalid

error-import-operation-invalid

Error message

Invalid Import Operation

What it means

Thrown by getImportFileData when the latest import operation is in one of the 'waiting' steps (DOWNLOADING_FILE, PREPARING_CHANNELS, PREPARING_MESSAGES, PREPARING_USERS, PREPARING_CONTACTS, PREPARING_STARTED) but its `importRecord.valid` flag is falsy. The method would normally return `{ waiting: true }` during preparation; an invalid record means preparation cannot be trusted to finish, so the operation is rejected as invalid.

Source

Thrown at apps/meteor/server/meteor-methods/import/getImportFileData.ts:43

		throw new Meteor.Error('error-importer-not-defined', `The importer (${importerKey}) has no import class defined.`, 'getImportFileData');
	}

	const instance = new importer.importer(importer, operation); // eslint-disable-line new-cap

	const waitingSteps: IImportProgress['step'][] = [
		ProgressStep.DOWNLOADING_FILE,
		ProgressStep.PREPARING_CHANNELS,
		ProgressStep.PREPARING_MESSAGES,
		ProgressStep.PREPARING_USERS,
		ProgressStep.PREPARING_CONTACTS,
		ProgressStep.PREPARING_STARTED,
	];

	if (waitingSteps.indexOf(instance.progress.step) >= 0) {
		if (instance.importRecord?.valid) {
			return { waiting: true };
		}
		throw new Meteor.Error('error-import-operation-invalid', 'Invalid Import Operation', 'getImportFileData');
	}

	const readySteps: IImportProgress['step'][] = [
		ProgressStep.USER_SELECTION,
		ProgressStep.DONE,
		ProgressStep.CANCELLED,
		ProgressStep.ERROR,
	];

	if (readySteps.indexOf(instance.progress.step) >= 0) {
		return instance.buildSelection();
	}

	const fileName = instance.importRecord.file;
	if (fileName) {
		const fullFilePath = fs.existsSync(fileName) ? fileName : path.join(RocketChatImportFileInstance.absolutePath, fileName);
		await instance.prepareUsingLocalFile(fullFilePath);
	}

View on GitHub (pinned to b2c16d5842)

Solutions

  1. Call `Meteor.call('getImportProgress')` first to see the actual step and whether the operation is stuck
  2. If the record is invalid, restart the flow: re-upload the file with `uploadImportFile` (this creates a new operation) instead of continuing to poll
  3. Verify the source export file is complete and uncorrupted (re-download the Slack export, regenerate the CSV) before uploading
  4. Avoid polling getImportFileData after a mid-preparation server restart; start a new import instead

Example fix

// before
Meteor.call('getImportFileData', (err, data) => { /* error-import-operation-invalid while prep 'in progress' */ });

// after — check progress, and when invalid restart the import cleanly
Meteor.call('getImportProgress', (e, progress) => {
  if (progress.step === 'preparing_users' && !progress.valid) {
    Meteor.call('uploadImportFile', binaryContent, 'application/zip', 'export.zip', 'slack');
  }
});
Defensive patterns

Strategy: try-catch

Validate before calling

// Poll progress first; only fetch file data when the operation looks healthy
Meteor.call('getImportProgress', (e, p) => {
  const WAITING = ['downloading_file', 'preparing_channels', 'preparing_messages', 'preparing_users', 'preparing_contacts', 'preparing_started'];
  if (!WAITING.includes(p.step)) Meteor.call('getImportFileData', cb);
});

Try / catch

try {
  const result = await meteorCall('getImportFileData');
} catch (e) {
  if (e instanceof Meteor.Error && e.error === 'error-import-operation-invalid') {
    // record invalid: restart the flow with a fresh uploadImportFile
  }
}

Prevention

When it happens

Trigger: Polling `Meteor.call('getImportFileData')` while an import is mid-preparation whose upload record was marked invalid — e.g. the uploaded file failed validation, the server restarted during preparation, or the operation was interrupted between startFileUpload and the prep steps completing.

Common situations: Server crash/restart in the middle of preparing a large Slack or CSV import; uploading a truncated/corrupted export file that fails import-record validation; retrying an old import whose file entry in RocketChatImportFileInstance no longer validates.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of RocketChat/Rocket.Chat@b2c16d5842 (2026-08-18). Data as JSON: /api/errors/062c978805bd7c45. Report an issue: GitHub.