> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.visual-layer.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Create a Dataset from a Local Folder for On-Prem Installations

> Use this API to trigger dataset creation from a local folder on self-hosted Visual Layer installations.

<Card title="How This Helps" icon="hand-platter">
  This method allows teams running Visual Layer on-prem to create datasets directly from local folders, bypassing manual upload or cloud storage.
</Card>

***

## API Overview

To create a dataset using a local folder, issue a request to the processing endpoint with the dataset name and path.

### Endpoint Format

```http theme={"theme":"monokai"}
GET api/v1/process?path=[full data folder path]&name=[dataset name]
```

***

## Parameters

| Parameter | Description                                                    |
| --------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `host`    | The server address where the Visual Layer API is hosted        |
| `path`    | Full system path to the folder containing files for processing |
| `name`    | The desired name of the dataset                                |

***

## Example Request

Assume you want to process a dataset located at `/data/project/images` and name it `visual_analysis_01`.

```http theme={"theme":"monokai"}
http://example.com:2080/api/v1/process?path=/data/project/images&name=visual_analysis_01
```

***

## Example Response

```json theme={"theme":"monokai"}
{
  "status": "success",
  "message": "Dataset processing started",
  "dataset_id": "12345",
  "name": "visual_analysis_01"
}
```

***

## Error Handling

In case of a failure, the API returns a descriptive error response. Common issues include:

* Invalid or non-existent `path`
* Missing `path` or `name` parameters
* Server unavailable or internal failure

### Example Error Response

```json theme={"theme":"monokai"}
{
  "status": "error",
  "message": "Invalid path specified"
}
```

***

## Notes & Considerations

* Only **one dataset** can be processed at a time.
* If another dataset is already being processed, the request will be rejected.
* Make sure the server is up and the API port is accessible.
* The folder path must contain valid files for enrichment and must be readable by the system.
* Dataset names should be **unique** to prevent overwriting or collisions.

<Tip>
  Contact your system admin or IT team if you encounter connection errors or permission issues during API usage.
</Tip>