KB-2024 "Invalid function" error and missing dependents after object rename

Rebecca Jonas — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 20:33:20 GMT

Current Revision posted to Appian Knowledge Base by Rebecca Jonas on 11/25/2019 8:33:20 PM

Expression evaluation error at function rule!renameExample [line 3]: Invalid function rule!renameExample

The following warning was not seen on object rename as described in the Renaming Design Objects documentation:

These additional symptoms are all seen as well:

The renamed object shows fewer objects in its dependents list after rename.
The "Invalid function" error and missing dependents issue are not resolved by recreating search server indices and application server cache.

Cause

The dependent objects that are missing from the renamed objects's dependents list are using by-name references, as described in the Renaming Design Objects documentation, but were not recognized by Appian's by-name reference check.

Action

Take these steps on the environment the rule was renamed in. If this issue was discovered after importing a renamed object, take the same steps in the environment the renamed rule was imported into:

Rename the renamed object back its original name.
Resave any objects missing from the renamed object's dependents list.

These steps will remove any by-name references the dependent objects currently use, preventing this issue from reoccurring for the renamed object in future renames.

Affected Versions

This article applies to all versions of Appian.

Last Reviewed: November 2019

Tags: rename, object rename, search server, dependent, import/export, infrastructure

KB-2024 "Invalid function" error and missing dependents after object rename

Rebecca Jonas — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 19:59:19 GMT

Revision 16 posted to Appian Knowledge Base by Rebecca Jonas on 11/25/2019 7:59:19 PM

Expression evaluation error at function rule!renameExample [line 3]: Invalid function rule!renameExample"

The following warning was not seen on object rename as described in the Renaming Design Objects documentation:

These additional symptoms are all seen as well:

The renamed object shows fewer objects in its dependents list after rename.
The "Invalid function" error and missing dependents issue are not resolved by recreating search server indices and application server cache.

Cause

Action

Take these steps on the environment the rule was renamed in. If this issue was discovered after importing a renamed object, take the same steps in the environment the renamed rule was imported into:

Rename the renamed object back its original name.
Resave any objects missing from the renamed object's dependents list.

These steps will remove any by-name references the dependent objects currently use, preventing this issue from reoccurring for the renamed object in future renames.

Affected Versions

This article applies to all versions of Appian.

Last Reviewed: November 2019

Tags: rename, object rename, search server, dependent, import/export, infrastructure

KB-2024 "Invalid function" error and missing dependents after object rename

Parmida Borhani — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 03:18:50 GMT

Revision 14 posted to Appian Knowledge Base by Parmida Borhani on 11/21/2019 3:18:50 AM

Cause

Action

Take these steps on the environment the rule was renamed in. If this issue was discovered after importing a renamed object, take the same steps in the environment the renamed rule was imported into:

Rename the renamed object back its original name.
Resave any objects missing from the renamed object's dependents list.

These steps will remove any by-name references the dependent objects currently use, preventing this issue from reoccurring for the renamed object in future renames.

Affected Versions

This article applies to all versions of Appian.

Last Reviewed: November 2019

Tags: rename, object rename, search server, dependent, import/export, infrastructure

KB-2024 "Invalid function" error and missing dependents after object rename

Parmida Borhani — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 03:18:50 GMT

Revision 15 posted to Appian Knowledge Base by Parmida Borhani on 11/21/2019 3:18:50 AM

Cause

Action

Take these steps on the environment the rule was renamed in. If this issue was discovered after importing a renamed object, take the same steps in the environment the renamed rule was imported into:

Rename the renamed object back its original name.
Resave any objects missing from the renamed object's dependents list.

These steps will remove any by-name references the dependent objects currently use, preventing this issue from reoccurring for the renamed object in future renames.

Affected Versions

This article applies to all versions of Appian.

Last Reviewed: November 2019

Tags: rename, object rename, search server, dependent, import/export, infrastructure

DRAFT KB-XXXX "Invalid function" error and missing dependents after object rename

Parmida Borhani — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 03:18:14 GMT

Revision 13 posted to Appian Knowledge Base by Parmida Borhani on 11/21/2019 3:18:14 AM

Cause

Action

Take these steps on the environment the rule was renamed in. If this issue was discovered after importing a renamed object, take the same steps in the environment the renamed rule was imported into:

Rename the renamed object back its original name.
Resave any objects missing from the renamed object's dependents list.

These steps will remove any by-name references the dependent objects currently use, preventing this issue from reoccurring for the renamed object in future renames.

Affected Versions

This article applies to all versions of Appian.

Last Reviewed: November 2019

Tags: rename, object rename, search server, dependent, import/export, infrastructure

DRAFT KB-XXXX "Invalid function" error and missing dependents after object rename

Zach Puderbach — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 22:07:07 GMT

Revision 12 posted to Appian Knowledge Base by Zach Puderbach on 11/18/2019 10:07:07 PM

Cause

Action

Take these steps on the environment the rule was renamed in. If this issue was discovered after importing a renamed object, take the same steps in the environment the renamed rule was imported into:

Rename the renamed object back its original name.
Resave any objects missing from the renamed object's dependents list.

These steps will remove any by-name references the dependent objects currently use, preventing this issue from reoccurring for the renamed object in future renames.

Affected Versions

This article applies to all versions of Appian.

Last Reviewed: November 2019

Tags: rename, search server, dependent, import/export, infrastructure

DRAFT KB-XXXX "Invalid function" error and missing dependents after object rename

Zach Puderbach — Fri, 15 Nov 2019 22:20:29 GMT

Revision 11 posted to Appian Knowledge Base by Zach Puderbach on 11/15/2019 10:20:29 PM

Cause

Action

Take these steps on the environment the rule was renamed in. If this issue was discovered after importing a renamed object, take the same steps in the environment the renamed rule was imported into:

Rename the renamed object back its original name.
Resave any objects missing from the renamed object's dependents list.

These steps will remove any by-name references the dependent objects currently use, preventing this issue from reoccurring for the renamed object in future renames.

Affected Versions

This article applies to all versions of Appian.

Last Reviewed: November 2019

Tags: rename, dependent, import/export

DRAFT KB-XXXX "Invalid function" error and missing dependents after object rename

Zach Puderbach — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 19:44:36 GMT

Revision 10 posted to Appian Knowledge Base by Zach Puderbach on 11/8/2019 7:44:36 PM

Cause

Action

If this issue was discovered after importing a renamed object, take these steps on all affected environments:

Rename the renamed object back its original name.
Resave any objects missing from the renamed object's dependents list.

These steps will remove any by-name references the dependent objects currently use, preventing this issue for the renamed object in future renames.

Affected Versions

This article applies to all versions of Appian.

Last Reviewed: November 2019

Tags: rename, dependent, import/export

DRAFT KB-XXXX "Invalid function" error and missing dependencies after object rename

Zach Puderbach — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 19:44:14 GMT

Revision 9 posted to Appian Knowledge Base by Zach Puderbach on 11/8/2019 7:44:14 PM

Cause

Action

If this issue was discovered after importing a renamed object, take these steps on all affected environments:

Rename the renamed object back its original name.
Resave any objects missing from the renamed object's dependents list.

These steps will remove any by-name references the dependent objects currently use, preventing this issue for the renamed object in future renames.

Affected Versions

This article applies to all versions of Appian.

Last Reviewed: November 2019

Tags: rename, dependent, import/export

DRAFT KB-XXXX "Invalid function" error and missing dependencies after object rename

Zach Puderbach — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 18:56:37 GMT

Revision 8 posted to Appian Knowledge Base by Zach Puderbach on 11/4/2019 6:56:37 PM

Cause

Action

If this issue was discovered after importing a renamed object, take these steps on all affected environments.

Rename the renamed object back it's original name.
Resave any objects missing from the renamed object's dependents list.

These steps will remove any by-name references the dependent objects currently use, preventing this issue for the renamed object in future renames.

Affected Versions

This article applies to all versions of Appian.

Last Reviewed: November 2019

Tags: rename, dependent, import/export

DRAFT KB-XXXX "Invalid function" error and missing dependencies after object rename

Zach Puderbach — Mon, 04 Nov 2019 18:34:10 GMT

Revision 7 posted to Appian Knowledge Base by Zach Puderbach on 11/4/2019 6:34:10 PM

Cause

The dependent objects that are missing from the renamed objects's dependents list are using by-name references, as mentioned in the Renaming Design Objects documentation, but were not recognized by Appian's by-name reference check.

Action

If this issue was discovered after importing a renamed object, take these steps on all affected environments.

Rename the renamed object back it's original name.
Resave any objects missing from the renamed object's dependents list.

These steps will remove any by-name references the dependent objects currently use, preventing this issue for the renamed object in future renames.

Affected Versions

This article applies to all versions of Appian.

Last Reviewed: November 2019

Tags: rename, dependent, import/export

DRAFT KB-XXXX "Invalid function" error and missing dependencies after object rename

Zach Puderbach — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 22:49:06 GMT

Revision 6 posted to Appian Knowledge Base by Zach Puderbach on 11/1/2019 10:49:06 PM

Cause

The dependent objects that were missing from the renamed rule's dependency list were using by-name references and were caught by the application server's by-name reference check.

Action

Rename the renamed rule back it's original name.
Resave any any objects missing from the renamed rule's dependencies list. This will update any by-name references.

The renamed object is now safe to rename.

Affected Versions

This article applies to all versions of Appian

Last Reviewed: November 2019

Tags: rename, search server

DRAFT KB-XXXX "Invalid function" error and missing dependencies after object rename

Zach Puderbach — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 22:26:47 GMT

Revision 5 posted to Appian Knowledge Base by Zach Puderbach on 11/1/2019 10:26:47 PM

Cause

The dependent objects that were missing from the renamed rule's dependency list were using by-name references not recognized by the application ser

Action

Rename the renamed rule back it's original name.
Resave any any objects missing from the renamed rule's dependencies list. This will update any by-name references.

The renamed object is now safe to rename.

Affected Versions

This article applies to all versions of Appian

Last Reviewed: November 2019

Tags: rename, search server

DRAFT KB-XXXX "Invalid function" error and missing dependencies after object rename

Zach Puderbach — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 22:15:40 GMT

Revision 4 posted to Appian Knowledge Base by Zach Puderbach on 11/1/2019 10:15:40 PM

Cause

The dependent objects that were missing from the renamed rule's dependency list were using by-name references.

Action

Rename the renamed rule back it's original name.
Resave any any objects missing from the renamed rule's dependencies list. This will update any by-name references.

The renamed object is now safe to rename.

Affected Versions

This article applies to all versions of Appian

Last Reviewed: November 2019

Tags: rename, search server

DRAFT KB-XXXX "Invalid function" error and missing dependencies after object rename

Zach Puderbach — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 21:55:00 GMT

Revision 3 posted to Appian Knowledge Base by Zach Puderbach on 11/1/2019 9:55:00 PM

Cause

The dependent objects that did not update to use the renamed rule's new name and were missing from the renamed rule's dependency list, were "by name references". This means, rather than the dependent object identifying the renamed rule by the UUID, it was only identifying it by name (Ex. EPC_reactivateUser rather than a_XXXXXXXXXX). When the rule was renamed, dependent objects know to update with the new name because they look at the renamed object's UUID (so even if the name is changed, the UUID does not, and the dependent object knows it is the same rule). However, dependent objects that do not reference the renamed rule by UUID, and do these "by name references" will not update on rename, because it does not know the object it is referencing has been renamed.

Normally, when re-naming a rule, a pop-up warning appears that dependents are using "by name references" and those dependents should be updated manually. However, there are some scenarios identified where this pop-up will not show. The product team has been made aware of these scenarios and are investigating them internally.

Action

Try clearing app server cache / search server indicies
Undo rule rename (rename back to original name)
For any rules missing from the renamed rules dependencies list, resave them (ensure step 2 was followed for this to work)

Affected Versions

This article applies to all versions of Appian

Last Reviewed: October 2019

Tags: rename, search server

DRAFT KB-XXXX "Invalid function" error and missing dependencies after object rename

Zach Puderbach — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 21:47:09 GMT

Revision 2 posted to Appian Knowledge Base by Zach Puderbach on 11/1/2019 9:47:09 PM

Cause

Action

Try clearing app server cache / search server indicies
Undo rule rename (rename back to original name)
For any rules missing from the renamed rules dependencies list, resave them (ensure step 2 was followed for this to work)

Affected Versions

This article applies to all versions of Appian

Last Reviewed: October 2019

Tags: rename, search server

DRAFT KB-XXXX "Invalid function" error and missing dependencies after object rename

Zach Puderbach — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 15:25:12 GMT

Revision 1 posted to Appian Knowledge Base by Zach Puderbach on 11/1/2019 3:25:12 PM

Symptoms

Background - In the time of Nikita - we had an issue where we were updating IA synchronously after a rule rename but that was causing concurency issues. Nikita started to fix the thread saftey of the IA persistance calls in DL, but we came up with a faster workaround. The work around assumed that all objects that are listed as dependencies of an object are already using uuid references. Basically we run expression search before IA updates have completed but filter out results that are already dependents of the object in question

Current Discovery - At least for bulk load of objects into IA on site startup it appears that by name references are listed as dependencies. Therefore we would not report them as by name references to the user, but they would not be updated after the rename

So issues at play:

1) some by name references will not warn the user

2) On import we never warn the user about by name references and they do exist sometimes on objects that are already on the system

Options to address that we discussed:

1) Go back to synchronous IA updates for the warning, fix the concurrency issues, and add a warning on import

2) Avoid the problem and create a fix-up process that will periodically find by name references in K and update them - so hopefully they don't exist by the time a user performs a rename

3) We didn't talk about this one ... but maybe we could save all the other objects before the rename to force there to be no by name reference? Or load the raw expressions from K and save them if there are any references?

Cause

Action

Try clearing app server cache / search server indicies
Undo rule rename (rename back to original name)
For any rules missing from the renamed rules dependencies list, resave them (ensure step 2 was followed for this to work)

Affected Versions

This article applies to all versions of Appian

Last Reviewed: October 2019

Tags: rename, search server