Error while publishing CRM 4.0 Workflow

I have seen this error three times now, the first time I made a recommendation to contact Microsoft Premier Support, the second time I worked it out, and this third time I decided it was worth blogging about.

The error is very simply when you attempt to publish a workflow you receive a rather unhelpful "The workflow cannot be published" such as the picture below.  This behavior seems to occur straight after applying an Update Rollup, however seems to occur far more frequently after Update Rollup 3 and 4.

The following more helpful error is recorded in the Event Log :

Event code: 3005
Event message: An unhandled exception has occurred.
Event time: 6/19/2009 10:53:10 AM
Event time (UTC): 6/19/2009 12:53:10 AM
Event ID: 63e4987779424d0b8eb93fca2566a7cf
Event sequence: 13175
Event occurrence: 6
Event detail code: 0
 
Application information:
    Application domain: /LM/W3SVC/1/ROOT-1-128897723456212507
    Trust level: Full
    Application Virtual Path: /
    Application Path: c:inetpubwwwroot
    Machine name: XXXXXXX
 
Process information:
    Process ID: 9116
    Process name: w3wp.exe
    Account name: NT AUTHORITYNETWORK SERVICE
 
Exception information:
    Exception type: TargetInvocationException
    Exception message: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.
 
Request information:
    Request URL: http://CRM/CRM/_grid/cmds/dlg_activate.aspx?iObjType=4703&iTotal=1&iIndex=0&iId={FC6EF8AE-96F6-427B-9F21-24E9A7E9E85B}
    Request path: /CRM/_grid/cmds/dlg_activate.aspx
    User host address: 10.3.0.146
    User: Username
    Is authenticated: True
    Authentication Type: Negotiate
    Thread account name: NT AUTHORITYNETWORK SERVICE
 
Thread information:
    Thread ID: 1
    Thread account name: NT AUTHORITYNETWORK SERVICE
    Is impersonating: False
    Stack trace:    at Microsoft.Crm.Application.Utility.Util.RaiseXMLError(Exception exception)
   at Microsoft.Crm.Dialogs.ActivateDialogPage.ConfigureForm()
   at Microsoft.Crm.Application.Controls.AppUIPage.OnPreRender(EventArgs e)
   at System.Web.UI.Control.PreRenderRecursiveInternal()
   at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint)

After much digging and poking I finally tried comparing the web.config file of the CRM server experiencing this error to another server which had not yet had an update rollup done, and immediately I noticed a major difference.  There were four lines missing from the AuthorizedTypes section of the config file!

 Immediately I took a backup of the existing web.config and then added those four lines in, Bingo!  Immediately I was able to publish workflows.  From a bit of research I did after finding this I was able to find out that this problem was thought to be resolved post Update Rollup 2, however judging from these results this is not the case.  Not so easy to find, but very easy to fix.  My suspicion is that the error will only show up when the web.config was previously modified after the initial installation of CRM, which would explain why we are seeing this semi-frequently on hosting environments, especially the ones with a large amount of customizations.

The four lines I applied into the web.config follow :

      <authorizedType Assembly="mscorlib, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" Namespace="System"  TypeName="Void" Authorized="True"/>
      <authorizedType Assembly="mscorlib, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" Namespace="System.Reflection"  TypeName="AssemblyFileVersionAttribute" Authorized="True"/>
      <authorizedType Assembly="mscorlib, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" Namespace="System.Reflection"  TypeName="AssemblyVersionAttribute" Authorized="True"/>
      <authorizedType Assembly="mscorlib, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" Namespace="System.Globalization" TypeName="CultureInfo" Authorized="True"/>

Troubleshooting CRM 4.0 System Jobs

I stumbled across something I'd never noticed before in CRM 4.0 today, I suppose in retrospect it is pretty obvious, but I thought I would mention it anyway.  It is pretty simply the ability to create a custom view that has error messages for your system jobs.

1. Go to Settings
2. Go to System Jobs
3. Click on Advanced Find
4. Click on Edit Columns
5. Wait until this page populates, this can take a while
6. Click Add Columns
7. Tick "Error Code" and "Messages", and any other relevant fields if you like!
8. Click "OK" to leave the Add Column View
9. Click "OK" again to leave the Edit Columns View
10. Click "Save As" and put in an appropriate name and click "OK"
11. Exit the wizard
12. Refresh your system jobs view
13. Now in the views drop down your new view should be there

Now by using this view, you will be able to see the error code and the error message.  Very handy!

Error adding users to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0.

Today I came across an issue with CRM 4.0 where one of our dedicated installations with its own Active Directory could not add users into CRM.Naturally, the error displayed inside CRM was a generic error message with no specific information of any helpful nature. 

The error from the Trace Logs was as follows :  

[2009-01-15 11:37:47.8] Process: w3wp |Organization:373c636e-eaf2-404d-bf10-979cb92e39d3 |Thread:    8 |Category: Platform |User: 2d9d9775-7b3b-4a62-bde2-aaee539c8aa5 |Level: Error | MessageProcessor.Execute
>MessageProcessor fail to process message 'Create' for 'systemuser'.
[2009-01-15 11:37:47.8] Process: w3wp |Organization:373c636e-eaf2-404d-bf10-979cb92e39d3 |Thread:    8 |Category: Exception |User: 2d9d9775-7b3b-4a62-bde2-aaee539c8aa5 |Level: Error | CrmException..ctor
 at CrmException..ctor(String message, Exception innerException, Int32 errorCode)
 at SoapExtensionExceptionHandlerBase.GetCrmException(Exception exception)
 at InProcessCrmService.Execute(Object request)
 at PlatformCommand.ExecuteInternal()
 at CreateCommand.Execute()
 at SystemUser.Create(Boolean performDuplicateCheck)
 at EntityProxy.CreateAndRetrieve(String columnSet, Boolean performDuplicateCheck)
 at AppForm.RaiseDataEvent(FormEventId eventId)
 at EndUserForm.Initialize(Entity entity)
 at CustomizableForm.Execute(Entity entity, String formType)
 at SystemUserDetailPage.ConfigureForm()
 at AppUIPage.OnPreRender(EventArgs e)
 at Control.PreRenderRecursiveInternal()
 at Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint)
 at Page.ProcessRequest(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint)
 at Page.ProcessRequest()
 at Page.ProcessRequest(HttpContext context)
 at biz_users_edit_aspx.ProcessRequest(HttpContext context)
 at CallHandlerExecutionStep.System.Web.HttpApplication.IExecutionStep.Execute()
 at HttpApplication.ExecuteStep(IExecutionStep step, Boolean& completedSynchronously)
 at ApplicationStepManager.ResumeSteps(Exception error)
 at HttpApplication.System.Web.IHttpAsyncHandler.BeginProcessRequest(HttpContext context, AsyncCallback cb, Object extraData)
 at HttpRuntime.ProcessRequestInternal(HttpWorkerRequest wr)
 at HttpRuntime.ProcessRequestNoDemand(HttpWorkerRequest wr)
 at ISAPIRuntime.ProcessRequest(IntPtr ecb, Int32 iWRType)

And

>MSCRM Error Report:
——————————————————————————————————–
Error: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.
Error Message: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.
Source File: Not available
Line Number: Not available
Request URL: http://www.crminstallation.com/biz/users/edit.aspx?_CreateFromType=10&_CreateFromId={9CEDFF4E-82CA-DD11-82C1-00215E3F818C}
Stack Trace Info: [UnauthorizedAccessException: Access is denied. (Exception from HRESULT: 0x80070005 (E_ACCESSDENIED))]
[TargetInvocationException: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.]
   at System.DirectoryServices.DirectoryEntry.Invoke(String methodName, Object[] args)
   at Microsoft.Crm.BusinessEntities.SecurityUtils.AddPrincipalToGroup(Guid principalId, Guid groupId)
   at Microsoft.Crm.BusinessEntities.SecurityLibrary.AddPrincipalToGroup(Guid principalId, Guid groupId)
   at Microsoft.Crm.ObjectModel.SystemUserServiceInternal`1.ManageGroupsHelper(Guid activeDirectoryGuid, Boolean remove, ExecutionContext context)
   at Microsoft.Crm.ObjectModel.SystemUserServiceInternal`1.AddPrincipalToGroups(Guid activeDirectoryGuid, ExecutionContext context)
   at Microsoft.Crm.ObjectModel.SystemUserServiceInternal`1.CreateInternal(Guid organizationId, IBusinessEntity systemuser, ExecutionContext context)
   at Microsoft.Crm.ObjectModel.SystemUserServiceInternal`1.Create(IBusinessEntity systemuser, ExecutionContext context)

[TargetInvocationException: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation.]
   at System.RuntimeMethodHandle._InvokeMethodFast(Object target, Object[] arguments, SignatureStruct& sig, MethodAttributes methodAttributes, RuntimeTypeHandle typeOwner)
   at System.RuntimeMethodHandle.InvokeMethodFast(Object target, Object[] arguments, Signature sig, MethodAttributes methodAttributes, RuntimeTypeHandle typeOwner)
   at System.Reflection.RuntimeMethodInfo.Invoke(Object obj, BindingFlags invokeAttr, Binder binder, Object[] parameters, CultureInfo culture, Boolean skipVisibilityChecks)
   at System.Reflection.RuntimeMethodInfo.Invoke(Object obj, BindingFlags invokeAttr, Binder binder, Object[] parameters, CultureInfo culture)
   at System.Web.Services.Protocols.LogicalMethodInfo.Invoke(Object target, Object[] values)
   at Microsoft.Crm.Extensibility.InternalOperationPlugin.Execute(IPluginExecutionContext context)
   at Microsoft.Crm.Extensibility.PluginStep.Execute(PipelineExecutionContext context)
   at Microsoft.Crm.Extensibility.Pipeline.Execute(PipelineExecutionContext context)
   at Microsoft.Crm.Extensibility.MessageProcessor.Execute(PipelineExecutionContext context)
   at Microsoft.Crm.Extensibility.InternalMessageDispatcher.Execute(PipelineExecutionContext context)
   at Microsoft.Crm.Extensibility.ExternalMessageDispatcher.Execute(String messageName, Int32 primaryObjectTypeCode, Int32 secondaryObjectTypeCode, PropertyBag fields, CorrelationToken correlationToken, CallerOriginToken originToken, UserAuth userAuth, Guid callerId)
   at Microsoft.Crm.Sdk.RequestBase.Process(Int32 primaryObjectTypeCode, Int32 secondaryObjectTypeCode, CorrelationToken correlationToken, CallerOriginToken originToken, UserAuth userAuth, Guid callerId)
   at Microsoft.Crm.Sdk.RequestBase.Process(CorrelationToken correlationToken, CallerOriginToken originToken, UserAuth userAuth, Guid callerId)
   at Microsoft.Crm.Sdk.CrmServiceInternal.Execute(RequestBase request, CorrelationToken correlationToken, CallerOriginToken originToken, UserAuth userAuth, Guid callerId)
   at Microsoft.Crm.Sdk.InProcessCrmService.Execute(Object request)
   at Microsoft.Crm.Application.Platform.ServiceCommands.PlatformCommand.ExecuteInternal()
   at Microsoft.Crm.Application.Platform.ServiceCommands.CreateCommand.Execute()
   at Microsoft.Crm.Application.Platform.SystemUser.Create(Boolean performDuplicateCheck)
   at Microsoft.Crm.Application.Platform.EntityProxy.CreateAndRetrieve(String columnSet, Boolean performDuplicateCheck)
   at Microsoft.Crm.Application.Forms.AppForm.RaiseDataEvent(FormEventId eventId)

Fortunately I had seen this one before, and fixing it is pretty easy.  Just switch the registry entry HKLMMicrosoftMSCRMAutoGroupManagement from 0 to 1.