ActionOpenAIUpdated September 2026

How do I generate an image from a text prompt with OpenAI?

Short answer: You can create image (dall-e) in OpenAI by hand from its own interface, but it won’t repeat itself. On TinyCommand, add the OpenAI Create Image (DALL-E) action to a workflow, map its 3 inputs from any upstream app, and it runs automatically every time the trigger fires. No code, and a free tier to start.

Create Image (DALL-E) in OpenAI — start free
Inputs

The fields this action accepts.

Every field can be mapped from an upstream trigger, AI step, table row, or hard-coded literal.

FieldTypeRequiredDescription
Prompt
prompt
stringRequiredText description of the image to generate
Model
model
optionsOptionalgpt-image-1 is OpenAI's current image model and works with any modern (sk-proj-...) API key. DALL-E 3 and DALL-E 2 require the 'DALL-E image generation' permission to be explicitly granted at platform.openai.com → Project → API keys. New project keys do NOT have this by default — if you see 'model does not exist', that's a permissions issue, not the schema.
Size
size
optionsOptionalSize must match the chosen model. 1024x1024 is the safe default that works with every model. gpt-image-1 supports 1024x1024 / 1536x1024 / 1024x1536. DALL-E 3 supports 1024x1024 / 1792x1024 / 1024x1792. DALL-E 2 supports 256x256 / 512x512 / 1024x1024.
Sample request
{
"prompt": "e.g. A sunset over mountains in watercolor style",
"model": "{{trigger.model}}",
"size": "{{trigger.size}}"
}
Returns
{
"raw": "<original OpenAI response>",
"url": "https://ccc.oute.app/MW_TOKEN/.../openai-image-abc123.png",
"byte_size": 1258624,
"image_url": "https://ccc.oute.app/MW_TOKEN/.../openai-image-abc123.png",
"mime_type": "image/png",
"expires_at": "2026-05-15T13:59:00.704Z",
"revised_prompt": "A beautiful sunset..."
}

Use these fields in downstream nodes for routing, logging, or error handling.

Triggered by

Apps that pair well as the trigger for Create Image (DALL-E).

Any of these apps can fire this action as part of a workflow.

FAQ

Questions about Create Image (DALL-E).

What does the Create Image (DALL-E) action do in OpenAI?
Generates images from a text prompt using DALL-E (or gpt-image-1). Supports size, quality, and style controls; returns a URL or base64-encoded image.
What inputs does Create Image (DALL-E) require?
Required: Prompt. Every input accepts a static value or a variable from any upstream node in your workflow.
Can I use dynamic inputs from earlier workflow nodes?
Yes. Any field on this action can pull values from upstream nodes, whether that's a form response, a trigger payload, an AI output, or a lookup result.
What happens if OpenAI returns an error?
The run history shows the failed step with its input and the error message OpenAI returned, so you can fix the input and run the workflow again. Automatic retries are built into HTTP steps only, where you can also set your own retry count and delay.
Does Create Image (DALL-E) support batch operations?
Run Create Image (DALL-E) inside a loop to process each item in an array. TinyCommand does not throttle calls for you, so for large arrays add a Delay step if you need to stay within OpenAI's rate limits.
More actions

Other OpenAI actions.

Create Image (DALL-E) in OpenAI — start free