instructure/canvas-lms · error

invalid import type parameter

Error message

invalid import type parameter

What it means

OutcomeImportsApiController#create raises a plain RuntimeError when the supplied import_type is not a registered OutcomeImport import type. The API only accepts import types the OutcomeImport model validates (defaulting to 'instructure_csv').

Solutions

1. Send import_type=instructure_csv (the only universally supported value) in the request params.
2. Check OutcomeImport.valid_import_type?(type) client-side before calling the API.
3. Confirm any custom import types are registered in OutcomeImport on the target Canvas install.
4. Provide the outcome data as CSV matching the instructure_csv format when unsure.

Example fix

// before
POST outcome_imports?import_type=csv  // invalid
// after
POST outcome_imports?import_type=instructure_csv

raise ArgumentError unless OutcomeImport.valid_import_type?(import_type)

begin
  create_outcome_import(import_type: 'instructure_csv', attachment: csv_file)
rescue RuntimeError => e
  retry with import_type: 'instructure_csv' if e.message == 'invalid import type parameter'
end

When it happens

Trigger: POST /api/v1/accounts/:id/outcome_imports (or courses equivalent) with import_type set to an unknown value like 'academic_csv' typo'd or unsupported for the install, or nil resolving to a type not enabled.

Common situations: Copy-pasting API examples using import types from other Canvas features; plugins defining import types not enabled; clients omitting import_type while sending a non-CSV body and assuming another format is inferred.

Understand the failure class

Background: Invalid enum value errors: "Unknown type", "Invalid scope", "must be one of" — when a string is not on the library's allowed list — this error's family across 23 libraries.

Related errors

• Cannot change locked status on granular permission
• GUID is invalid: #
• Invalid action.
• invalid calculation_int: #
• invalid calculation_method: #

AI-assisted analysis of instructure/canvas-lms@1c9f0bb801 (2026-09-15). Data as JSON: /api/errors/e1f68baa9bfd081c. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at app/controllers/outcome_imports_api_controller.rb:168

  #         'https://<canvas>/api/v1/accounts/<account_id>/outcome_imports?import_type=instructure_csv'
  #
  #     curl -H 'Content-Type: text/csv' --data-binary @<filename>.csv \
  #         -H "Authorization: Bearer <token>" \
  #         'https://<canvas>/api/v1/courses/<course_id>/outcome_imports?import_type=instructure_csv'
  #
  #
  # @argument extension [String]
  #   Recommended for raw post request style imports. This field will be used to
  #   distinguish between csv and other file format extensions that
  #   would usually be provided with the filename in the multipart post request
  #   scenario. If not provided, this value will be inferred from the
  #   Content-Type, falling back to csv-file format if all else fails.
  #
  # @returns OutcomeImport
  def create
    if authorized_action(@context, @current_user, :import_outcomes)
      params[:import_type] ||= "instructure_csv"
      raise "invalid import type parameter" unless OutcomeImport.valid_import_type?(params[:import_type])

      file_obj = if params.key?(:attachment)
                   params[:attachment]
                 else
                   body_file
                 end

      import = OutcomeImport.create_with_attachment(
        @context, params[:import_type], file_obj, @current_user, params[:learning_outcome_group_id]
      )
      import.schedule

      render json: outcome_import_json(import, @current_user, session)
    end
  end

  # @API Get Outcome import status
  #

View on GitHub (pinned to 1c9f0bb801)