Question

Issue publishing workflows with custom activities using 3rd party libraries

Workflow

Updated June 17, 2024

asked on August 29, 2016 • Show version history

I have a few workflow activities created that are using DLLs from third parties as well as a couple utility libraries I have. I am running into issues in Workflow with requiring the external libraries to be included in the Workflow installation directory only while publishing.

When the activities are installed, the activity DLL, third party DLLs, and workflow dependencies are installed into the activity installation directory in Windows (C:\Program Files\Cities Digital\Custom Activities). I add the custom activity DLL and all external dependencies as custom activity references in the Workflow Admin Console (server > Server Configuration > Custom Activities) and added the activities to the Workflow Designer Toolbox from the activity installation directory.

I am able to create my workflow and utilize functionality in the 3rd party dependencies from the activity proxy. When I publish the workflow, however, I am getting an error saying "Failed to publish workflow 'Workflow Name': Unknown custom activity detected: {Full type/assembly name} [0588-WF1] [0411-WF0]". If I copy all of my assemblies to the Workflow installation directory, I am then able to publish the workflow. The workflow is also able to run correctly when the assemblies are copied to the Workflow installation directory. After publishing, I deleted my assemblies from the Workflow installation directory and ran the workflow again. The workflow and custom activities are able to run successfully without any of my assemblies or the thrid party assemblies in the Workflow installation directory. I am also able to reproduce all of the above with only the activity DLL registered in the admin console and not the additional dependencies.

Note: The Workflow Server service and Workflow Designer were both restarted when copying assemblies and all tests were run with the Workflow Server and Workflow Designer on separate machines as well as the Workflow Server and Workflow Designer being on the same machine. The same results were found for both configurations in both Workflow 9.2 and 10.0.

Is there a fix available to not require the custom assemblies to be in the Workflow installation directory while publishing?

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Replies

replied on August 29, 2016

The compiler is more strict and can't load the various paths to the dependencies, so it's falling back to the installer folder and standard .Net locations. Try adding your dependencies as custom activities as well and see if that fixes the issue.

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replied on September 6, 2016

I did try adding all dependencies as custom activities but that did not resolve the issue during publishing.

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replied on September 12, 2016

Miruna, is there any additional information I can provide to continue troubleshooting? Is there anything else I should try on my end or is this something that needs to be resolved within Laserfiche Workflow?

Thank you

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replied on June 17, 2024

Hi @████████,

I am experiencing the exact same issue with my client. Have you received any feedback from Laserfiche?
Also you mentioned "If I copy all of my assemblies to the Workflow installation directory, I am then able to publish the workflow. "

Do you mean under this path?
C:\Program Files\Laserfiche\Workflow

Can we still put my custom assemblies under a subfolder like

C:\Program Files\Laserfiche\Workflow\MyCustomDll\ ?

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replied on June 17, 2024

I put the custom activity DLL in it's own folder. Register the assembly in the Workflow Admin Console from this folder.

Any dependencies need to go in the GAC and need to be registered in the Workflow Admin Console from the GAC.

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Issue publishing workflows with custom activities using 3rd party libraries

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