Custom Composed Look throws "Value cannot be null.Parameter name: masterPageServerRelativeUrl"

[ThreadPitt]

Category

[x ] Bug [ ] Enhancement

Environment

[ ] Office 365 / SharePoint Online [x ] SharePoint 2016 [ ] SharePoint 2013

If SharePoint on-premises, what's exact CU version: August 2017 CU (sts2016-kb4011049-fullfile-x64-glb) SharePointPnPCore2016: version="2.17.1708.1" targetFramework="net452"

Expected or Desired Behavior

ApplyProvisioningTemplate() works with Custom Composed Look

Observed Behavior

ApplyProvisioningTemplate() with a Custom Composed Look throws

Value cannot be null.Parameter name: masterPageServerRelativeUrl

at Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.BrandingExtensions.SetMasterPageByUrl(Web web, String masterPageServerRelativeUrl, Boolean resetSubsitesToInherit, Boolean updateRootOnly) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.BrandingExtensions.SetComposedLookByUrl(Web web, String lookName, String paletteServerRelativeUrl, String fontServerRelativeUrl, String backgroundServerRelativeUrl, String masterServerRelativeUrl, Boolean resetSubsitesToInherit, Boolean updateRootOnly) at OfficeDevPnP.Core.Framework.Provisioning.ObjectHandlers.ObjectComposedLook.ProvisionObjects(Web web, ProvisioningTemplate template, TokenParser parser, ProvisioningTemplateApplyingInformation applyingInformation) at OfficeDevPnP.Core.Framework.Provisioning.ObjectHandlers.SiteToTemplateConversion.ApplyRemoteTemplate(Web web, ProvisioningTemplate template, ProvisioningTemplateApplyingInformation provisioningInfo) at Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.WebExtensions.ApplyProvisioningTemplate(Web web, ProvisioningTemplate template, ProvisioningTemplateApplyingInformation applyingInformation) at ProvisioningConsole.Program.ApplyProvisioningTemplate(ConsoleColor defaultForeground, String webUrl, String userName, SecureString pwd, ProvisioningTemplate template) in D:\Dev\ProvisioningConsole\ProvisioningConsole\Program.cs:line 104 at ProvisioningConsole.Program.Main(String[] args) in D:\Dev\ProvisioningConsole\ProvisioningConsole\Program.cs:line 26 at System.AppDomain._nExecuteAssembly(RuntimeAssembly assembly, String[] args) at System.AppDomain.ExecuteAssembly(String assemblyFile, Evidence assemblySecurity, String[] args) at Microsoft.VisualStudio.HostingProcess.HostProc.RunUsersAssembly() at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart_Context(Object state) at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx) at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state, Boolean preserveSyncCtx) at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state) at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()

Steps to Reproduce

1. Source and target site are created as Team Site
2. Run sample code with ptci.PersistBrandingFiles = true
3. XML file is created
4. Run ApplyProvisioningTemplate()
5. Crashes when Composed Look is applied

Notes:

• It works perfectly fine when using one of the OOTB Composed Looks.
• I only changed the Font and Colors in my custom Composed Look and removed the background image (all using the SharePoint UI)

Looking at the template, I see:

<pnp:ComposedLook Name="" ColorFile="" FontFile="" BackgroundFile="" Version="0" />

[cwdata]

@ThreadPitt This bug has already been reported in summer 2016: https://github.com/SharePoint/PnP-Sites-Core/issues/663 I even suggested a fix several months ago without getting any reaction, so don't expect this to be fixed anytime soon in the provisioning framework. The basic problem is, that the attributes of an empty composed look are blank ("") in the object instance but the code expects them to be null when empty. Meanwhile you can work around the bug if you set them to null by yourself, e.g.

if (template.ComposedLook.Name == "")
    template.ComposedLook.Name = null;
if (template.ComposedLook.ColorFile == "")
    template.ComposedLook.ColorFile = null;
if (template.ComposedLook.FontFile == "")
    template.ComposedLook.FontFile = null;
if (template.ComposedLook.BackgroundFile == "")
    template.ComposedLook.BackgroundFile = null;

You could do that before saving the Xml or before applying the template (or both, to be sure). HTH Christian

[ThreadPitt]

Thanks, I tried that again today and now I get:

BUT: The test.spcolor file is not included in the .pnp. I double-checked that I have ptci.PersistBrandingFiles = true

[cwdata]

Did you add a FileConnector to the ProvisioningTemplateCreationInformation? Afaik this is needed to store the branding files.

[ThreadPitt]

Yes I did, the pnp file is created, even the site logo is included in the pnp file. I openend another issue for that: #1440

[jwiersem]

I get this error aswell with PnP Powershell. It seems to happen when using All handlers. I guess one of the handlers is causing this problem.

I dont get the error when specifying the following handlers: $provisioningTemplate = Get-PnPProvisioningTemplate -Out $aTemplateFileLocation -Handlers Features,Fields,Files,Lists,Pages,Publishing,RegionalSettings,SearchSettings,TermGroups,SiteSecurity,ContentTypes,PropertyBagEntries,PageContents,WebSettings,Navigation -PersistBrandingFiles -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue -ErrorVariable errorProvision;

[cwdata]

The bug is in the "ComposedLook" handler. As long as you don't use that you won't run into this error.