Nintex Connect

Hello,

 I am running into an issue where I have a workflow (Parent) that starts a workflow (Child).  The Child workflow starts just fine and runs through completion, at least until it gets to the point where is is going to start a different workflow as well.  When the Parent workflow abnormally ends, it provides a generic message "An Error Has Occurred in *workflow name*".

The Child workflows required a passed variable, which is there as validated by logging it to the history list.  The Advanced Option says to run immediately.

Any guidance you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your help in advance.

 Mike

Hi RunningMike,

I would check the SharePoint 12 logs, to see if there are any "Workflow Infrastructure" messages to let you know what is causing your workflow to fail.

Also, you might want to open the configuration of the Start Workflow action, and click on the Advanced Options section at the bottom, and disable the "Run within the workflow batch" option.

Hi Vadim,

Thanks for the information.  I was able to get the logs and did a search on "Workflow Infrastructure."  What I found is pasted below.  Looks like something was going on, but that's too technical for me.  What do you see?

Thanks for your help.

Mike

01/12/2010 19:22:42.33  OWSTIMER.EXE (0x08B0)                    0x18EC Windows SharePoint Services    Workflow Infrastructure        88xr Unexpected WinWF Internal Error, terminating workflow Id# 3e3e67ed-1cf0-4dba-a02f-f503564c9c8d 
01/12/2010 19:22:42.33  OWSTIMER.EXE (0x08B0)                    0x18EC Windows SharePoint Services    Workflow Infrastructure        98d4 Unexpected System.Workflow.Runtime.Hosting.PersistenceException: The transaction has aborted. ---> System.Transactions.TransactionAbortedException: The transaction has aborted. ---> System.TimeoutException: Transaction Timeout     --- End of inner exception stack trace ---     at System.Transactions.TransactionStateAborted.CreateAbortingClone(InternalTransaction tx)     at System.Transactions.DependentTransaction..ctor(IsolationLevel isoLevel, InternalTransaction internalTransaction, Boolean blocking)     at System.Transactions.Transaction.DependentClone(DependentCloneOption cloneOption)     at System.Transactions.TransactionScope.SetCurrent(Transaction newCurrent)     at System.Transactions.TransactionScope.PushScope()     at System.Transactions.TransactionScope..ctor(TransactionScopeOption scopeOpt... 
01/12/2010 19:22:42.33* OWSTIMER.EXE (0x08B0)                    0x18EC Windows SharePoint Services    Workflow Infrastructure        98d4 Unexpected ...ion)     at Microsoft.SharePoint.Workflow.SPWinOePersistenceService.Commit(Transaction transaction, ICollection items)     at System.Workflow.Runtime.WorkBatch.PendingWorkCollection.Commit(Transaction transaction)     at System.Workflow.Runtime.WorkBatch.Commit(Transaction transaction)     at System.Workflow.Runtime.Hosting.WorkflowCommitWorkBatchService.CommitWorkBatch(CommitWorkBatchCallback commitWorkBatchCallback)     at System.Workflow.Runtime.Hosting.DefaultWorkflowCommitWorkBatchService.CommitWorkBatch(CommitWorkBatchCallback commitWorkBatchCallback)     at System.Workflow.Runtime.WorkflowExecutor.CommitTransaction(Activity activityContext)     at System.Workflow.Runtime.WorkflowExecutor.Persist(Activity dynamicActivity, Boolean unlock, Boolean needsCompensation)     --- End of inne... 
01/12/2010 19:22:42.33* OWSTIMER.EXE (0x08B0)                    0x18EC Windows SharePoint Services    Workflow Infrastructure        98d4 Unexpected ...r exception stack trace ---     at System.Workflow.Runtime.WorkflowExecutor.Persist(Activity dynamicActivity, Boolean unlock, Boolean needsCompensation)     at System.Workflow.Runtime.WorkflowExecutor.System.Workflow.ComponentModel.IWorkflowCoreRuntime.PersistInstanceState(Activity activity)     at System.Workflow.ComponentModel.Activity.MarkClosed()     at System.Workflow.ComponentModel.Activity.ReleaseLockOnStatusChange(IActivityEventListener`1 eventListener)     at System.Workflow.ComponentModel.FaultAndCancellationHandlingFilter.SafeReleaseLockOnStatusChange(ActivityExecutionContext context)     at System.Workflow.ComponentModel.FaultAndCancellationHandlingFilter.OnEvent(Object sender, ActivityExecutionStatusChangedEventArgs e)     at System.Workflow.ComponentModel.ActivityExecutorDele... 
01/12/2010 19:22:42.33* OWSTIMER.EXE (0x08B0)                    0x18EC Windows SharePoint Services    Workflow Infrastructure        98d4 Unexpected ...gateInfo`1.ActivityExecutorDelegateOperation.Run(IWorkflowCoreRuntime workflowCoreRuntime)     at System.Workflow.Runtime.Scheduler.Run() 
01/12/2010 19:22:42.28  OWSTIMER.EXE (0x08B0)                    0x18EC Windows SharePoint Services    Workflow Infrastructure        72fg High     Error in persisting workflow: System.Transactions.TransactionAbortedException: The transaction has aborted. ---> System.TimeoutException: Transaction Timeout     --- End of inner exception stack trace ---     at System.Transactions.TransactionStateAborted.CreateAbortingClone(InternalTransaction tx)     at System.Transactions.DependentTransaction..ctor(IsolationLevel isoLevel, InternalTransaction internalTransaction, Boolean blocking)     at System.Transactions.Transaction.DependentClone(DependentCloneOption cloneOption)     at System.Transactions.TransactionScope.SetCurrent(Transaction newCurrent)     at System.Transactions.TransactionScope.PushScope()     at System.Transactions.TransactionScope..ctor(TransactionScopeOption scopeOption)     at Microsoft.SharePoint.Workflow.SPWinOePersisten... 
01/12/2010 19:22:42.28* OWSTIMER.EXE (0x08B0)                    0x18EC Windows SharePoint Services    Workflow Infrastructure        72fg High     ...ceService.Commit(Transaction transaction, ICollection items)

Hi Mike,

This means the operation to start the workflow is timing out, causing the parent workflow to timeout. This child workflow starts, but the parent workflow waits a bit longer (until the child has spun up, started, and reached its first commit). This is because this is how the SharePoint API to start workflows operates.

What you need to do:

• Immediately before your start workflow action, add a commit pending changes action
• In the start workflow action configuration, untick that advanced option about running in the batch.

Basically, it is 'the batch' that is timing out, so changing that option takes it out of the batch which means it has a longer timeout. But to prevent any conflicts as a result of not running it in the batch, we want to commit pending changes first.

regards

James

EDIT: which is more or less what Vadim predicted :)

Thanks James for the response.

 Have already inserted the Commit Pending Changes action.  That seemed to help on 3 of the 4.  Will make the other suggested changes and do some testing.

Thanks again for your timely response.  It makes it easier to continue to support and promote the Nintex product.

Thanks!

Mike.

FYI, I have been getting this same problem since upgrading to the latest version of Nintex Workflow 1.10.3.  I have made the suggested changes and that appears to have solved the problem.

 However, I never experienced this problem with Nintex Workflow 1.10.1.  I wonder if there is a change that has been made that could be causing this?

AdrianR:

 However, I never experienced this problem with Nintex Workflow 1.10.1.  I wonder if there is a change that has been made that could be causing this?

No, there is no relevant change. The behaviour and the suggested changes has been around for a long time. Its due to the target workflow taking too long to start rather than any particular code change in the product.

cheers