Copying Trello board using developer API

bcoleman4

I have looked into backing up boards through the API but come across an error message when trying.  The error is generated using the developer.trello.com REST API tool. 

I can copy the board in question successfully without cards no problem but when I try to copy the entire board with the cards (keepFromSource) I get the following 403 error:

"error":"CHECKLIST_TOO_MANY_CHECK_ITEMS"

Does anyone know why the API is responding with such an error when it was obviously possible to create a card with the check items in the first place?  Secondly, is there a way around this to create a copy of a board programmatically that can be used for restore or use - not a JSON data export?

Iain Dooley

@bcoleman4 you appear to be the first person to have ever received that error

I think you should email support@trello.com because this is definitely either a limitation of the API that they can better inform you of, or it's a bug they need to fix.

In the meantime, you might find you're able to create a new board and duplicate each list (which will copy the cards) instead of copying the entire board all at once.

If you do this, and then one of the lists fails, you could loop through each card in that list until you find out if there is a given card in that list that fails, then find out what this checklist item limit is potentially... basically just go list by list/card by card instead of doing the entire board to use a process of elimination to find a way to make it work.

As for the second part of your question, having a copy of a board would allow it to be restored for use... why don't you just do that? If what you mean is that you want to copy the board then somehow "store" it in a "ready to use" state, then what you could do is copy the board, then create a card in a "board backups" board, with lists for each month of the year and one card per backup date, then link to the backup board from the card and archive the board.