EPiServer Composer admin mode not working

Stephen Albert

Vote:

Hi,
I upgraded composer to episerver 4.0 R2. When I go to admin mode "EPiServer Composer" I get the following error"

Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.

Exception Details: System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

Source Error:

An unhandled exception was generated during the execution of the current web request. Information regarding the origin and location of the exception can be identified using the exception stack trace below.

Stack Trace:

[NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.]
   Dropit.Extension.UI.Admin.Controls.FunctionTypeList.<DataBind>b__1(PageDefinition pageDef) +41
   System.Linq.Enumerable.Any(IEnumerable`1 source, Func`2 predicate) +166
   Dropit.Extension.UI.Admin.Controls.FunctionTypeList.<DataBind>b__0(ContentFunctionType cf) +142
   System.Collections.Generic.List`1.RemoveAll(Predicate`1 match) +79
   Dropit.Extension.UI.Admin.Controls.FunctionTypeList.DataBind() +583
   Dropit.Extension.UI.Admin.Controls.FunctionTypeList.Page_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e) +12
   System.Web.UI.Control.OnLoad(EventArgs e) +131
   System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive() +65
   System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive() +190
   System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive() +190
   System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive() +190
   System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive() +190
   System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive() +190
   System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive() +190
   System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive() +190
   System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive() +190
   System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint) +2427

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Version Information: Microsoft .NET Framework Version:2.0.50727.3623; ASP.NET Version:2.0.50727.3618

Could you please help me solving this issue.

Kind regards,

Stephen Albert

#52192

Jul 11, 2011 15:09

Hieu Doan

Vote:

Hi Stephen

From which version of Composer did you run the upgrading? Please re-check the following document, specially if your previous version of Composer was 3.2.6,

http://world.episerver.com/Documentation/Items/Tech-Notes/EPiServer-Composer/EPiServer-Composer-4-R2---Upgrading-from-Composer-326/

Regards

Hieu Doan

#52207

Jul 12, 2011 13:52

Stephen Albert

Vote:

Hi Doan,

The previous version of composer(dropit.extension.dll) was 4.0.0.70. I tried the link you provided above, but it seems I do not have access to the document.

Kind regards,

Stephen Albert

#52272

Jul 14, 2011 7:56

Goran Pesov

Vote:

Same problem here. Can you post an answer on how did you solve the issue?

#55189

Nov 22, 2011 9:42

Tobias Nilsson

Vote:

Did you follow the document Hieu linked?

#55190

Nov 22, 2011 10:00

Goran Pesov

Vote:

No. I get Access denied when I click that link.

#55191

Nov 22, 2011 10:10

Tobias Nilsson

Vote:

If you go here, can you see the "Upgrading from Composer 3.2.6 - EPiServer Composer 4 R2" under tech notes?

#55192

Nov 22, 2011 10:13

Goran Pesov

Vote:

No, I only see :

Configuration Settings - EPiServer Composer 4 R2

Globalization, Mirroring, Dynamic Functions and Properties..

and no more links for me under tech notes

#55193

Nov 22, 2011 10:22

Vibeke Randby

Vote:

Hi,

I experienced the same error when the EPiServer.ComposerSampleTemplates.dll assembly was not present in the bin folder.

I'm currently installing a new instance of Composer on a new CMS 6 R2 site (no upgrade).

Regards,

Vibeke

#55196

Nov 22, 2011 12:35

Goran Pesov

Vote:

Thanks Vibeke, that really help me, works like a dream now

#55197

Nov 22, 2011 12:54

Gareth Kelly

Vote:

I am getting the exact same error as above after upgrading Composer.

The site didn't use ComposerSampleTemplates.dll before upgrade and it doesn't fix issue if I place it in bin folder as described above.

Anyone got any ideas as to the cause of this?

#56095

Jan 04, 2012 18:05

Mark Everard

Vote:

I would imagine this is happening because one of the dependencies - didn't get added to the solution during the upgrade. This is likely to either be a property definition or a pagetype (composer definition). Composer 4.1 adds a custom property called Personalization Container Property and also a new Function (PageType) definition called [ExtensionSys] Personalization Container

Can you see this property and PageType listed in the in Admin mode?

If not I would check the following:

1) Are the Composer Libraries correctly included in the bin and are they the correct version

DropIt.Extension.dll - version 4.1.0.142

DropIt.Extension.Ui.dll - version 4.1.0.142

One of these libraries will contain the definition for new page custom properties, which should be added on initialization

2) Have the additional function types been set up. I've written a blog about one page type that I found was missing (which was my own fault during upgrade). You can import this via the xml file I've included on my blog - though this probably will fail if the new custom property defintion doesn't exist.

#56127

Jan 06, 2012 17:04

Ted

Vote:

I have this exact same problem, but it's been Composer 4 R2 from the beginning. The exception message isn't too helpful. ;)

#56751

Feb 07, 2012 18:18

Mark Everard

Vote:

A little more information - we've seen these type of exceptions thrown when the EPiServer database contains records of custom properties from assemblies that are no longer in the solution.

I'm not sure exactly why the upgrade process uncovers these - but we managed to help fix one issue like this by purging the database of obsolete custom property references.

#56752

Feb 07, 2012 18:25

Ted

Vote:

Mark, you're my hero. I could seriously hug you right now - but not in a weird way or anything. :)

Ok, so here's how to reproduce it:

Create a custom property
Use the custom property for a Composer function
Move the custom property to another assembly (causing two separate property type definitions in the database)
Go to "EPiServer Composer" in admin mode
Behold the miracles of a NullReferenceException

Thanks a LOT for pointing me in the right direction!

#56753

Feb 07, 2012 20:09

Mark Everard

Vote:

Awesome - glad that helped. I can't take the credit for that discovery though. Gareth Kelly who posted earlier in this thread was the 'hero' who wrestled with the issue to find that solution.

Looks like this may be a genuine bug, as the core CMS product doesn't display similar behaviour.

#56754

Feb 07, 2012 23:06

kayvan shaabani

Vote:

I had the same issue and got 500 error when clicked Episerver Composer link in the Admin mode.

That was due to some redundant properties in the Custom Property Types whcih have been used by some of our Composer controls.

So I needed to remove the redundant properties which were using a non existing assembly. And the error was resolved.

I will add the full solution to my blog at http://www.objectmasters.com/blog/ .

Thank you all.

#57399

Mar 13, 2012 13:59

Nazim Zia

Vote:

What a nightmare !!, cool, I fixed it too, Thanks Mark and Ted.

#57592

Mar 22, 2012 12:08

Gilad Daniel

Vote:

just got the same issue here.

whats the easies way to delete these obelete custome properties

we have here more than 300 plugins here :(

#70648

Apr 24, 2013 16:04