API:Import

This page is part of the MediaWiki Action API documentation.

MediaWiki version:

≥ 1.15

POST request to import a page from another wiki (transwikiing) or from an xml file.

API documentation

The following documentation is the output of Special:ApiHelp/import, automatically generated by the pre-release version of MediaWiki that is running on this site (MediaWiki.org).

Special:ApiHelp/import

Import process

Importing a page is a multi-step process:

Log in using one of the methods described in API:Login .
GET a {{ll|Manual:Edit token|CSRF token}}. This token is the same for all pages but changes at every login.
api.php?action=query&format=json&meta=tokens [try in ApiSandbox]
Send a POST request with the CSRF token in order to import the page.

The code samples below cover the third step in detail.

Example 1: Import a page from another wiki

POST request

Import Help:ParserFunctions to the Manual namespace (namespace 100) with full history.

api.php?action=import&interwikisource=meta&interwikipage=Help:ParserFunctions&namespace=100&fullhistory&token=123ABC [try in ApiSandbox]

Response

{
  "import": [
    {
      "ns": 12, 
      "revisions": 639, 
      "title": "Help:ParserFunctions"
    }
  ]
}

Sample code 1

Python

#!/usr/bin/python3

"""
    import_interwiki.py

    MediaWiki Action API Code Samples
    Demo of `Import` module: Import a page from another wiki by
    specifying its title
    MIT license
"""

import requests

S = requests.Session()

URL = "https://test.wikipedia.org/w/api.php"

# Step 1: Retrieve a login token
PARAMS_1 = {
    "action": "query",
    "meta": "tokens",
    "type": "login",
    "format": "json"
}

R = S.get(url=URL, params=PARAMS_1)
DATA = R.json()

LOGIN_TOKEN = DATA['query']['tokens']['logintoken']

# Step 2: Send a post request to log in using the clientlogin method.
# import rights can't be granted using Special:BotPasswords
# hence using bot passwords may not work.
# See https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/API:Login for more
# information on log in methods.
PARAMS_2 = {
    "action":"clientlogin",
    "username":"username",
    "password":"password",
    'loginreturnurl': 'http://127.0.0.1:5000/',
    "format":"json",
    "logintoken":LOGIN_TOKEN
}

R = S.post(URL, data=PARAMS_2)

# Step 3: While logged in, retrieve a CSRF token
PARAMS_3 = {
    "action": "query",
    "meta": "tokens",
    "format": "json"
}

R = S.get(url=URL, params=PARAMS_3)
DATA = R.json()

CSRF_TOKEN = DATA['query']['tokens']['csrftoken']

# Step 4: Post request to import page from another wiki
PARAMS_4 = {
    "action": "import",
    "format": "json",
    "interwikisource": "meta",
    "interwikipage": "Help:ParserFunctions",
    "fullhistory":"true",
    "namespace":"100",
    "token": CSRF_TOKEN
}

R = S.post(url=URL, data=PARAMS_4)
DATA = R.json()

print(DATA)

PHP

<?php

/*
    import_interwiki.php

    MediaWiki API Demos
    Demo of `Import` module: Import a page from another wiki by
	specifying its title

    MIT license
*/

$endPoint = "http://dev.wiki.local.wmftest.net:8080/w/api.php";

$login_Token = getLoginToken(); // Step 1
loginRequest( $login_Token ); // Step 2
$csrf_Token = getCSRFToken(); // Step 3
import( $csrf_Token ); // Step 4

// Step 1: GET request to fetch login token
function getLoginToken() {
	global $endPoint;

	$params1 = [
		"action" => "query",
		"meta" => "tokens",
		"type" => "login",
		"format" => "json"
	];

	$url = $endPoint . "?" . http_build_query( $params1 );

	$ch = curl_init( $url );
	curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true );
	curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_COOKIEJAR, "cookie.txt" );
	curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_COOKIEFILE, "cookie.txt" );

	$output = curl_exec( $ch );
	curl_close( $ch );

	$result = json_decode( $output, true );
	return $result["query"]["tokens"]["logintoken"];
}

// Step 2: POST request to log in. Use of main account for login is not
// supported. Obtain credentials via Special:BotPasswords
// (https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:BotPasswords) for lgname & lgpassword
function loginRequest( $logintoken ) {
	global $endPoint;

	$params2 = [
		"action" => "clientlogin",
		"username" => "username",
		"password" => "password",
		'loginreturnurl' => 'http://127.0.0.1:5000/',
		"logintoken" => $logintoken,
		"format" => "json"
	];

	$ch = curl_init();

	curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_URL, $endPoint );
	curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_POST, true );
	curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, http_build_query( $params2 ) );
	curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true );
	curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_COOKIEJAR, "cookie.txt" );
	curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_COOKIEFILE, "cookie.txt" );

	$output = curl_exec( $ch );
	curl_close( $ch );
}

// Step 3: GET request to fetch CSRF token
function getCSRFToken() {
	global $endPoint;

	$params3 = [
		"action" => "query",
		"meta" => "tokens",
		"format" => "json"
	];

	$url = $endPoint . "?" . http_build_query( $params3 );

	$ch = curl_init( $url );

	curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true );
	curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_COOKIEJAR, "cookie.txt" );
	curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_COOKIEFILE, "cookie.txt" );

	$output = curl_exec( $ch );
	curl_close( $ch );

	$result = json_decode( $output, true );
	return $result["query"]["tokens"]["csrftoken"];
}

// Step 4: POST request to import page from another wiki
function import( $csrftoken ) {
	global $endPoint;

	$params4 = [
		"action" => "import",
		"interwikisource" => "wikipedia:en",
		"interwikipage" => "Pragyan (rover)",
		"namespace" => "0",
		"fullhistory" => "true",
		"token" => $csrftoken,
		"format" => "json"
	];

	$ch = curl_init();

	curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_URL, $endPoint );
	curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_POST, true );
	curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS, http_build_query( $params4 ) );
	curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER, true );
	curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_COOKIEJAR, "cookie.txt" );
	curl_setopt( $ch, CURLOPT_COOKIEFILE, "cookie.txt" );

	$output = curl_exec( $ch );
	curl_close( $ch );

	echo ( $output );
}

JavaScript

/*  
    import_interwiki.js
 
    MediaWiki API Demos
    Demo of `Import` module: Import a page from another wiki by
	specifying its title

    MIT license
*/

var request = require('request').defaults({jar: true}),
    url = "http://dev.wiki.local.wmftest.net:8080/w/api.php";

// Step 1: GET request to fetch login token
function getLoginToken() {
    var params_0 = {
        action: "query",
        meta: "tokens",
        type: "login",
        format: "json"
    };

    request.get({ url: url, qs: params_0 }, function (error, res, body) {
        if (error) {
            return;
        }
        var data = JSON.parse(body);
        loginRequest(data.query.tokens.logintoken);
    });
}

// Step 2: POST request to log in. 
// Use of main account for login is not
// supported. Obtain credentials via Special:BotPasswords
// (https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:BotPasswords) for lgname & lgpassword
function loginRequest(login_token) {
    var params_1 = {
        action: "clientlogin",
        username: "username",
        password: "password",
        loginreturnurl: "http://127.0.0.1:5000/",
        logintoken: login_token,
        format: "json"
    };

    request.post({ url: url, form: params_1 }, function (error, res, body) {
        if (error) {
            return;
        }
        getCsrfToken();
    });
}

// Step 3: GET request to fetch CSRF token
function getCsrfToken() {
    var params_2 = {
        action: "query",
        meta: "tokens",
        format: "json"
    };

    request.get({ url: url, qs: params_2 }, function(error, res, body) {
        if (error) {
            return;
        }
        var data = JSON.parse(body);
        import_interwiki(data.query.tokens.csrftoken);
    });
}

// Step 4: POST request to import page from another wiki
function import_interwiki(csrf_token) {
    var params_3 = {
        action: "import",
        interwikisource: "wikipedia:en",
        interwikipage: "Pragyan (rover)",
        namespace: "0",
        fullhistory: "true",
        token: csrf_token,
        format: "json"
    };

    request.post({ url: url, form: params_3 }, function (error, res, body) {
        if (error) {
            return;
        }
        console.log(body);
    });
}

// Start From Step 1
getLoginToken();

MediaWiki JS

/*
	import_interwiki.js

	MediaWiki API Demos
	Demo of `Import` module: Import a page from another wiki by
    specifying its title

	MIT License
*/

var params = {
		action: 'import',
		interwikisource: 'en:w',
		interwikipage: 'Template:!-',
		fullhistory: 'true',
		namespace: '100',
		format: 'json'
	},
	api = new mw.Api();

api.postWithToken( 'csrf', params ).done( function ( data ) {
	console.log( data );
} );

Example 2: Import a page by uploading its xml dump

POST request

Import Help:ParserFunctions by uploading its xml dump obtained from Special:Export.

When uploading a file, you need to use multipart/form-data as Content-Type or enctype, application/x-www-form-urlencoded will not work. The parameter xml is not a file name, but the actual content of a file.

api.php?action=import&xml=xmlcontentgoeshere&interwikiprefix=meta&token=123ABC [try in ApiSandbox]

Response

Response
{ "import": [ { "ns": 12, "title": "Help:ParserFunctions", "revisions": 639 } ] }

Sample Code 2

Python

#!/usr/bin/python3

"""
    import_xml.py

    MediaWiki Action API Code Samples
    Demo of `Import` module: Import a page from another wiki
    by uploading its xml dump
    MIT license
"""

import requests

S = requests.Session()

URL = "https://test.wikipedia.org/w/api.php"
FILE_PATH = '/path/to/your/file.xml'

# Step 1: Retrieve a login token
PARAMS_1 = {
    "action": "query",
    "meta": "tokens",
    "type": "login",
    "format": "json"
}

R = S.get(url=URL, params=PARAMS_1)
DATA = R.json()

LOGIN_TOKEN = DATA['query']['tokens']['logintoken']

# Step 2: Send a post request to log in using the clientlogin method.
# importupload rights can't be granted using Special:BotPasswords
# hence using bot passwords may not work.
# See https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/API:Login for more
# information on log in methods.
PARAMS_2 = {
    "action":"clientlogin",
    "username":"username",
    "password":"password",
    'loginreturnurl': 'http://127.0.0.1:5000/',
    "format":"json",
    "logintoken":LOGIN_TOKEN
}

R = S.post(URL, data=PARAMS_2)

# Step 3: While logged in, retrieve a CSRF token
PARAMS_3 = {
    "action": "query",
    "meta": "tokens",
    "format": "json"
}

R = S.get(url=URL, params=PARAMS_3)
DATA = R.json()

CSRF_TOKEN = DATA['query']['tokens']['csrftoken']

# Step 4: Post request to upload xml dump.
# xml dumps can be downloaded through Special:Export
# See https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:Export
PARAMS_4 = {
    "action": "import",
    "format": "json",
    "token": CSRF_TOKEN,
    "interwikiprefix": "meta"
}

FILE = {'xml':('file.xml', open(FILE_PATH))}

R = S.post(url=URL, files=FILE, data=PARAMS_4)
DATA = R.json()

print(DATA)

JavaScript

/*  
    import_xml.js
 
    MediaWiki API Demos
    Demo of `Import` module: Import a page from another wiki
    by uploading its xml dump

    MIT license
*/

var fs = require('fs'),
    request = require('request').defaults({jar: true}),
    url = "http://dev.wiki.local.wmftest.net:8080/w/api.php";

// Step 1: GET request to fetch login token
function getLoginToken() {
    var params_0 = {
        action: "query",
        meta: "tokens",
        type: "login",
        format: "json"
    };

    request.get({ url: url, qs: params_0 }, function (error, res, body) {
        if (error) {
            return;
        }
        var data = JSON.parse(body);
        loginRequest(data.query.tokens.logintoken);
    });
}

// Step 2: POST request to log in. 
// Use of main account for login is not
// supported. Obtain credentials via Special:BotPasswords
// (https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:BotPasswords) for lgname & lgpassword
function loginRequest(login_token) {
    var params_1 = {
        action: "clientlogin",
        username: "username",
        password: "password",
        loginreturnurl: "http://127.0.0.1:5000/",
        logintoken: login_token,
        format: "json"
    };

    request.post({ url: url, form: params_1 }, function (error, res, body) {
        if (error) {
            return;
        }
        getCsrfToken();
    });
}

// Step 3: GET request to fetch CSRF token
function getCsrfToken() {
    var params_2 = {
        action: "query",
        meta: "tokens",
        format: "json"
    };

    request.get({ url: url, qs: params_2 }, function(error, res, body) {
        if (error) {
            return;
        }
        var data = JSON.parse(body);
        import_xml(data.query.tokens.csrftoken);
    });
}

// Step 4: POST request to upload xml dump.
// xml dumps can be downloaded through Special:Export
// See https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Special:Export
function import_xml(csrf_token) {
    var params_3 = {
        action: "import",
        interwikiprefix: "en",
        token: csrf_token,
        format: "json"
    };

    var file = {
        xml: fs.createReadStream('a.xml')
    };

    var formData = Object.assign( {}, params_3, file );

    request.post({ url: url, formData: formData }, function (error, res, body) {
        if (error) {
            return;
        }
        console.log(body);
    });
}

// Start From Step 1
getLoginToken();

Possible errors

In addition to {{ll|API:Errors#Standard error messages|the standard error messages}}:

Code	Info
notoken	The `token` parameter must be set.
cantimport	You don't have permission to import pages.
cantimport-upload	You don't have permission to import uploaded pages.
nointerwikipage	The `interwikipage` parameter must be set.
nofile	You didn't upload a file
filetoobig	The file you uploaded is bigger than the maximum upload size
partialupload	The file was only partially uploaded
notempdir	The temporary upload directory is missing This generally means the server is broken or misconfigured
cantopenfile	Couldn't open the uploaded file This generally means the server is broken or misconfigured
badinterwiki	Invalid interwiki title specified
import-unknownerror	Unknown error on import: error.

Parameter history

v1.29: Introduced tags
v1.20: Introduced rootpage

Additional notes

This module cannot be used as a {{ll|API:Query#Generators|generator}}.

importupload rights are required in order to upload an xml file, while import rights are required for interwiki imports.

If you get a Missing boundary in multipart/form-data POST data error, it is because you sent it url-encoded but claimed it would be multipart/form-data. MediaWiki is looking for a boundary in the header but cannot find it.

Parameters marked with upload are only used when importing an uploaded XML file. Similarly, parameters marked with interwiki are only used when importing from another wiki (transwiki).

The possible values for the interwikisource parameter differ per wiki, see Manual:$wgImportSources . If the list of possible values for this parameter is empty, interwiki imports are disabled.

API documentation

Import process

Example 1: Import a page from another wiki

POST request

Response

Sample code 1

Python

PHP

JavaScript

MediaWiki JS

Example 2: Import a page by uploading its xml dump

POST request

Response

Sample Code 2

Python

JavaScript

Possible errors

Parameter history

Additional notes

See also