Run Activity PowerShell == Cannot force run powershell. Status should not be pending or null

Conner_Wood

Just watched the Cireson PowerShell Activity Webinar and encountered an error when trying to run the following PowerShell Activity:

Task > Run Activity PowerShell == Cannot force run powershell. Status should not be pending or null.

Conner_Wood

So it appears making a new Service Request with no activities and adding a PowerShell Activity then saving the new SR causes the workflow instance to lock up the Activity.  By ignoring the workflow instance it is then able to proceed successfully.

While this had nothing to do with the PowerShell script I mine as well post the correct way of taking the parent description and putting it onto the PS Activity itself. 



Edit: I'm not sure why the workflow instance would fail under these circumstances, perhaps the workflow starts before the ticket is created so the activity errors out... after looking at the Cireson.Powershell.Activity.Workflow.Library.xml I know the criteria for the Run Activity Powershell Inprogress is UpdateInstance with:

Pre = Not Equal In Progress Or IS NULL
Post = Equal In Progress

Maybe there needs to be a check within the code to confirm it can grab the ticket, maybe a loop with a delay to try 5 times.... that'd explain the "System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object."

Conner_Wood

Also the workflow Instances for Run Activity Powershell Inprogress have all failed with Error Code == 0 and the following message:

System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
   at Cireson.Powershell.Activity.Workflow.RunPowershellScript.a(Object A_0, EventArgs A_1)
   at System.Workflow.ComponentModel.Activity.RaiseEvent(DependencyProperty dependencyEvent, Object sender, EventArgs e)
   at System.Workflow.Activities.CodeActivity.Execute(ActivityExecutionContext executionContext)
   at System.Workflow.ComponentModel.ActivityExecutorOperation.Run(IWorkflowCoreRuntime workflowCoreRuntime)
   at System.Workflow.Runtime.Scheduler.Run()

Conner_Wood

So it appears making a new Service Request with no activities and adding a PowerShell Activity then saving the new SR causes the workflow instance to lock up the Activity.  By ignoring the workflow instance it is then able to proceed successfully.

While this had nothing to do with the PowerShell script I mine as well post the correct way of taking the parent description and putting it onto the PS Activity itself. 



Edit: I'm not sure why the workflow instance would fail under these circumstances, perhaps the workflow starts before the ticket is created so the activity errors out... after looking at the Cireson.Powershell.Activity.Workflow.Library.xml I know the criteria for the Run Activity Powershell Inprogress is UpdateInstance with:

Pre = Not Equal In Progress Or IS NULL
Post = Equal In Progress

Maybe there needs to be a check within the code to confirm it can grab the ticket, maybe a loop with a delay to try 5 times.... that'd explain the "System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object."