[[saved-objects-api-import]]
=== Import objects API
++++
Import objects
++++
experimental[] Create sets of {kib} saved objects from a file created by the export API.
==== Compatibility across versions
Saved objects can only be imported into the same version, a newer minor on the same major, or the next major. Exported saved objects are not backwards compatible and cannot be imported into an older version of {kib}. See the table below for compatibility examples:
|=======
| Exporting version | Importing version | Compatible?
| 6.7.0 | 6.8.1 | Yes
| 6.8.1 | 7.3.0 | Yes
| 7.3.0 | 7.11.1 | Yes
| 7.11.1 | 7.6.0 | No
| 6.8.1 | 8.0.0 | No
|=======
[[saved-objects-api-import-request]]
==== Request
`POST :/api/saved_objects/_import`
`POST :/s//api/saved_objects/_import`
[[saved-objects-api-import-path-params]]
==== Path parameters
`space_id`::
(Optional, string) An identifier for the <>. If `space_id` is not provided in the URL, the default space is used.
[[saved-objects-api-import-query-params]]
==== Query parameters
`createNewCopies`::
(Optional, boolean) Creates copies of saved objects, regenerates each object ID, and resets the origin. When used, potential conflict
errors are avoided.
+
NOTE: This cannot be used with the `overwrite` option.
`overwrite`::
(Optional, boolean) Overwrites saved objects when they already exist. When used, potential conflict errors are automatically resolved by
overwriting the destination object.
+
NOTE: This cannot be used with the `createNewCopies` option.
[[saved-objects-api-import-request-body]]
==== Request body
The request body must include the multipart/form-data type.
`file`::
A file exported using the export API.
+
NOTE: The <> configuration setting
limits the number of saved objects which may be included in this file. Similarly, the
<> setting limits the overall
size of the file that can be imported.
[[saved-objects-api-import-response-body]]
==== Response body
`success`::
(boolean) Indicates when the import was successfully completed. When set to `false`, some objects may not have been created. For
additional information, refer to the `errors` and `successResults` properties.
`successCount`::
(number) Indicates the number of successfully imported records.
`errors`::
(Optional, array) Indicates the import was unsuccessful and specifies the objects that failed to import.
+
NOTE: One object may result in multiple errors, which requires separate steps to resolve. For instance, a `missing_references` error and
`conflict` error).
`successResults`::
(Optional, array) Indicates the objects that are successfully imported, with any metadata if applicable.
+
NOTE: Objects are only created when all resolvable errors are addressed, including conflicts and missing references. For information on how
to resolve errors, refer to the <>.
[[saved-objects-api-import-codes]]
==== Response code
`200`::
Indicates a successful call.
[[saved-objects-api-import-example]]
==== Examples
[[saved-objects-api-import-example-1]]
===== Successful import with `createNewCopies` enabled
Import an index pattern and dashboard:
[source,sh]
--------------------------------------------------
$ curl -X POST api/saved_objects/_import?createNewCopies=true -H "kbn-xsrf: true" --form file=@file.ndjson
--------------------------------------------------
// KIBANA
The `file.ndjson` file contains the following:
[source,sh]
--------------------------------------------------
{"type":"index-pattern","id":"my-pattern","attributes":{"title":"my-pattern-*"}}
{"type":"dashboard","id":"my-dashboard","attributes":{"title":"Look at my dashboard"}}
--------------------------------------------------
The API returns the following:
[source,sh]
--------------------------------------------------
{
"success": true,
"successCount": 2,
"successResults": [
{
"id": "my-pattern",
"type": "index-pattern",
"destinationId": "4aba3770-0d04-45e1-9e34-4cf0fd2165ae",
"meta": {
"icon": "indexPatternApp",
"title": "my-pattern-*"
}
},
{
"id": "my-dashboard",
"type": "dashboard",
"destinationId": "c31d1eca-9bc0-4a81-b5f9-30c442824c48",
"meta": {
"icon": "dashboardApp",
"title": "Look at my dashboard"
}
}
]
}
--------------------------------------------------
The result indicates a successful import, and both objects are created. Since these objects are created as new copies, each entry in the
`successResults` array includes a `destinationId` attribute.
[[saved-objects-api-import-example-2]]
===== Successful import with `createNewCopies` disabled
Import an index pattern and dashboard:
[source,sh]
--------------------------------------------------
$ curl -X POST api/saved_objects/_import -H "kbn-xsrf: true" --form file=@file.ndjson
--------------------------------------------------
// KIBANA
The `file.ndjson` file contains the following:
[source,sh]
--------------------------------------------------
{"type":"index-pattern","id":"my-pattern","attributes":{"title":"my-pattern-*"}}
{"type":"dashboard","id":"my-dashboard","attributes":{"title":"Look at my dashboard"}}
--------------------------------------------------
The API returns the following:
[source,sh]
--------------------------------------------------
{
"success": true,
"successCount": 2,
"successResults": [
{
"id": "my-pattern",
"type": "index-pattern",
"meta": {
"icon": "indexPatternApp",
"title": "my-pattern-*"
}
},
{
"id": "my-dashboard",
"type": "dashboard",
"meta": {
"icon": "dashboardApp",
"title": "Look at my dashboard"
}
}
]
}
--------------------------------------------------
The result indicates a successful import, and both objects are created.
[[saved-objects-api-import-example-3]]
===== Failed import with conflict errors
Import an index pattern, visualization, *Canvas* workpad, and dashboard that include saved objects:
[source,sh]
--------------------------------------------------
$ curl -X POST api/saved_objects/_import -H "kbn-xsrf: true" --form file=@file.ndjson
--------------------------------------------------
// KIBANA
The `file.ndjson` file contains the following:
[source,sh]
--------------------------------------------------
{"type":"index-pattern","id":"my-pattern","attributes":{"title":"my-pattern-*"}}
{"type":"visualization","id":"my-vis","attributes":{"title":"Look at my visualization"}}
{"type":"canvas-workpad","id":"my-canvas","attributes":{"name":"Look at my canvas"}}
{"type":"dashboard","id":"my-dashboard","attributes":{"title":"Look at my dashboard"}}
--------------------------------------------------
The API returns the following:
[source,sh]
--------------------------------------------------
{
"success": false,
"successCount": 1,
"errors": [
{
"id": "my-pattern",
"type": "index-pattern",
"title": "my-pattern-*",
"error": {
"type": "conflict"
},
"meta": {
"icon": "indexPatternApp",
"title": "my-pattern-*"
}
},
{
"id": "my-visualization",
"type": "my-vis",
"title": "Look at my visualization",
"error": {
"type": "conflict",
"destinationId": "another-vis"
},
"meta": {
"icon": "visualizeApp",
"title": "Look at my visualization"
}
},
{
"id": "my-canvas",
"type": "canvas-workpad",
"title": "Look at my canvas",
"error": {
"type": "ambiguous_conflict",
"destinations": [
{
"id": "another-canvas",
"title": "Look at another canvas",
"updatedAt": "2020-07-08T16:36:32.377Z"
},
{
"id": "yet-another-canvas",
"title": "Look at yet another canvas",
"updatedAt": "2020-07-05T12:29:54.849Z"
}
]
},
"meta": {
"icon": "canvasApp",
"title": "Look at my canvas"
}
}
],
"successResults": [
{
"id": "my-dashboard",
"type": "dashboard",
"meta": {
"icon": "dashboardApp",
"title": "Look at my dashboard"
}
}
]
}
--------------------------------------------------
The result indicates an unsuccessful import because the index pattern, visualization, *Canvas* workpad, and dashboard resulted in a conflict
error:
* An index pattern with the same ID already exists, which resulted in a conflict error. To resolve the error, overwrite the existing object,
or skip the object.
* A visualization with a different ID, but the same origin already exists, which resulted in a conflict error. The `destinationId` field
contains the `id` of the other visualization, which caused the conflict. The behavior is added to make sure that new objects that can be
shared between <> behave in a similar way as legacy non-shareable objects. When a shareable object is exported and then
imported into a new space, it retains its origin so that the conflicts are encountered as expected. To resolve, overwrite the specified
destination object, or skip the object.
* Two *Canvas* workpads with different IDs, but the same origin, already exist, which resulted in a conflict error. The `destinations` array
describes the other workpads which caused the conflict. When a shareable object is exported, imported into a new space, then shared to
another space where an object of the same origin exists, the conflict error occurs. To resolve, pick a destination object to overwrite, or
skip the object.
Objects are created when the error is resolved using the <>.
[[saved-objects-api-import-example-4]]
===== Failed import with missing reference errors
Import a visualization and dashboard when the index pattern for the visualization doesn't exist:
[source,sh]
--------------------------------------------------
$ curl -X POST api/saved_objects/_import -H "kbn-xsrf: true" --form file=@file.ndjson
--------------------------------------------------
// KIBANA
The `file.ndjson` file contains the following:
[source,sh]
--------------------------------------------------
{"type":"visualization","id":"my-vis","attributes":{"title":"Look at my visualization"},"references":[{"name":"ref_0","type":"index-pattern","id":"my-pattern-*"}]}
{"type":"search","id":"my-search","attributes":{"title":"Look at my search"},"references":[{"name":"ref_0","type":"index-pattern","id":"another-pattern-*"}]}
{"type":"dashboard","id":"my-dashboard","attributes":{"title":"Look at my dashboard"},"references":[{"name":"ref_0","type":"visualization","id":"my-vis"},{"name":"ref_1","type":"search","id":"my-search"}]}
--------------------------------------------------
The API returns the following:
[source,sh]
--------------------------------------------------
{
"success": false,
"successCount": 1,
"errors": [
{
"id": "my-vis",
"type": "visualization",
"title": "Look at my visualization",
"error": {
"type": "missing_references",
"references": [
{
"type": "index-pattern",
"id": "my-pattern-*"
}
]
},
"meta": {
"icon": "visualizeApp",
"title": "Look at my visualization"
}
},
{
"id": "my-search",
"type": "search",
"title": "Look at my search",
"error": {
"type": "missing_references",
"references": [
{
"type": "index-pattern",
"id": "another-pattern-*"
}
]
},
"meta": {
"icon": "searchApp",
"title": "Look at my search"
}
}
],
"successResults": [
{
"id": "my-dashboard",
"type": "dashboard",
"meta": {
"icon": "dashboardApp",
"title": "Look at my dashboard"
}
}
]
}
--------------------------------------------------
The result indicates an unsuccessful import because the visualization and search resulted in a missing references error.
Objects are created when the errors are resolved using the <>.