Generate interactive MCQ quizzes from PDF textbooks with Google Gemini, UploadToURL and Gmail

Description

This workflow transforms any textbook PDF into a fully interactive quiz — automatically.

Users upload a PDF, choose difficulty & number of questions, and the system:
Extracts content
Generates MCQs using AI
Builds an interactive quiz webpage
Uploads it online
Sends a shareable link via email

✨ Key Features

📥 Form-based PDF upload
🤖 AI-generated MCQs (with explanations)
🎯 Custom difficulty & question count
🌐 Interactive HTML quiz (instant feedback)
🔗 Public shareable link
📧 Automated email delivery
⚡ Fully automated workflow

🧩 Workflow Breakdown (Node-by-Node)

🟢 1. Get-Details (Form Trigger)

What it does:
Acts as the entry point of the workflow.

How it works:
Displays a form to the user
Collects:
Name
Email
PDF file
Number of questions (10 / 20 / 30)
Difficulty (Easy / Medium / Hard)
Once submitted → triggers the workflow

🟣 2. Extract from File

What it does:
Extracts text from the uploaded PDF.

How it works:
Takes the uploaded PDF (binary data)
Uses n8n’s built-in PDF parser
Converts PDF → plain text
Passes extracted text to the AI node

🔵 3. Generate-MCQ (AI Node)

What it does:
Converts textbook content into MCQs using AI.

How it works:
Receives extracted text
Reads user inputs:
Number of questions
Difficulty level
Sends structured prompt to Google Gemini
Forces AI to return strict JSON format
Output includes:
Question
4 options
Correct answer
Explanation

🟡 4. Template (Code Node)

What it does:
Builds a fully interactive quiz webpage.

How it works:

1. JSON Parsing
Cleans AI response
Converts string → JavaScript object
Handles parsing errors safely

2. Personalization
Fetches user's name
Adds it to quiz header

3. HTML Generation
Creates styled quiz layout
Includes:
Questions
Multiple choice options
Answer + explanation

4. Interactivity (JavaScript)
User clicks an option →
Shows correct/incorrect
Displays explanation
Locks answer

Output:
Generates a .html file

🟢 5. Upload a File (UploadToURL) ⭐

What it does:
Uploads the generated quiz and creates a public shareable link.

How it works:
Takes the HTML file from previous node
Uploads it to the internet
Instantly returns a public URL

🔥 Why this node is powerful:
No hosting required
No backend setup
Instant file sharing
Perfect for automation workflows


👉 UploadToURL - Turn Files into Shareable Links

Turn any file into a live URL
Share instantly with anyone

🟠 6. Send a Message (Gmail)

What it does:
Sends the quiz link directly to the user.

How it works:
Uses email collected from form
Personalizes message with user name
Inserts public quiz URL
Sends a clean, clickable email

Result:
User receives their interactive quiz instantly 📧

🎯 Use Cases

📚 Students → Practice from textbooks
👨‍🏫 Teachers → Generate quizzes instantly
🧠 EdTech → Build learning tools
📈 Creators → Convert content into interactive experiences