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Error using CreateProjectAction - Invalid URI: The URI is empty..

I couldntfind a lot of information about this Action. I use a value provider I wrote to get the template location. The template is one I created from a simple project that I've left unchanged other than adding the WizardExtension section to the vstemplate. I just added the files to the a sub-folder of the Templates\Projects folder of my GAT solution, after unzipping the template created by visual studio.

The error message I get is:

Code Block

*) Error: 0 : Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.ActionExecutionException: An exception occurred during the binding of reference or execution of recipe GenerateClassT4. Error was: Action CreateProject failed to execute:
Invalid URI: The URI is empty..
You can remove the reference to this recipe through the Guidance Package Manager. ---> System.UriFormatException: Invalid URI: The URI is empty.
at System.Uri.CreateThis(String uri, Boolean dontEscape, UriKind uriKind)
at System.Uri..ctor(String uriString)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.TemplateWizard.Wizard.Execute(Object application, Int32 hwndOwner, Object[]& ContextParams, Object[]& CustomParams, wizardResult& retval)
at EnvDTE.SolutionClass.AddFromTemplate(String FileName, String Destination, String ProjectName, Boolean Exclusive)
at Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.Library.Actions.CreateProjectAction.Execute()
at Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.Recipe.Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.Services.IActionExecutionService.Execute(String actionName, Dictionary`2 inputValues)
at Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.Recipe.Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.Services.IActionExecutionService.Execute(String actionName)
at Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.Recipe.Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.Services.IActionCoordinationService.Run(Dictionary`2 declaredActions, XmlElement coordinationData)
at Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.Recipe.ExecuteActions(IDictionaryService readOnlyArguments, IDictionaryService arguments, ITypeResolutionService resolution)
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.Recipe.UndoExecutedActionsAndRethrow(Exception ex)
at Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.Recipe.ExecuteActions(IDictionaryService readOnlyArguments, IDictionaryService arguments, ITypeResolutionService resolution)
at Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.Recipe.Execute(Boolean allowSuspend)
at Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.GuidancePackage.Execute(String recipe, IAssetReference reference, IDictionary arguments)
at Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.GuidancePackage.Execute(IAssetReference reference)
at Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.RecipeReference.OnExecute()
at Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.AssetReference.Execute()
at Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.VisualStudio.RecipeMenuCommand.OnExec()
at Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.VisualStudio.AssetMenuCommand.Invoke()

My action is defined as:

Code Block

And my vstemplate file is:

Code Block

<VSTemplate Version="2.0.0" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/developer/vstemplate/2005" Type="Project">
<TemplateData>
<Name>WCFService1</Name>
<Description>WCF Service Application for my app</Description>
<ProjectType>CSharp</ProjectType>
<ProjectSubType>
</ProjectSubType>
<SortOrder>1000</SortOrder>
<CreateNewFolder>true</CreateNewFolder>
<DefaultName>WCFService1</DefaultName>
<ProvideDefaultName>true</ProvideDefaultName>
<LocationField>Enabled</LocationField>
<EnableLocationBrowseButton>true</EnableLocationBrowseButton>
<Icon>__TemplateIcon.ico</Icon>
</TemplateData>
<TemplateContent>
<Project TargetFileName="WCFService1.csproj" File="WCFService1.csproj" ReplaceParameters="true">
<Folder Name="App_Data" TargetFolderName="App_Data" />
<ProjectItem ReplaceParameters="true" TargetFileName="IService1.cs">IService1.cs</ProjectItem>
<Folder Name="Properties" TargetFolderName="Properties">
<ProjectItem ReplaceParameters="true" TargetFileName="AssemblyInfo.cs">AssemblyInfo.cs</ProjectItem>
</Folder>
<ProjectItem ReplaceParameters="false" TargetFileName="Service1.svc">Service1.svc</ProjectItem>
<ProjectItem ReplaceParameters="true" TargetFileName="Service1.svc.cs">Service1.svc.cs</ProjectItem>
<ProjectItem ReplaceParameters="true" TargetFileName="Web.config">Web.config</ProjectItem>
</Project>
</TemplateContent>
<WizardExtension>
<Assembly>Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.VisualStudio, Version=1.2.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a</Assembly>
<FullClassName>Microsoft.Practices.RecipeFramework.VisualStudio.Templates.UnfoldTemplate</FullClassName>
</WizardExtension>

</VSTemplate>

It seems from the error that its more likely to be something wrong with my template. I've confirmed that the Template argument has a correct path to my template. Does the project folder need to exist/be created? Or is that created by the action? I've confirmed that all the files mentioned in the template exist where the template is. I'm not sure what URI its talking about.

I just wanted to get a basic plain project creation going, before making changes, so I havnt touched any of the files involved yet.

Does anyone have any idea what might be wrong?

Ben Scott - Aust Friday, October 05, 2007 1:16 AM

What's the value of the Template argument.

It should be absolute orrelative to the Templates folder, ie: "Items\MyClass.vstemplate"

when in the project that .vstemplate file will be in MyGuidancePackage\Templates\Items\MyClass.vstemplate.

hth.

jose.

Jose Escrich Friday, October 05, 2007 3:20 AM

What's the value of the Template argument.

It should be absolute orrelative to the Templates folder, ie: "Items\MyClass.vstemplate"

when in the project that .vstemplate file will be in MyGuidancePackage\Templates\Items\MyClass.vstemplate.

hth.

jose.

Jose Escrich Friday, October 05, 2007 3:20 AM

The Template argument contains an absolute path to the template (I'd read stuff that said it had to be absolute, not relative).

I debugged the value provider that provided the argument and copy/pasted the path into windows explorer and it openned up to the correct directory, and I've double checked the spelling of my template file.

"D:\\Projects\\V1\\MyGenerator\\ServiceGenerator\\bin\\Debug\\Templates\\Projects\\WCFServiceApp\\MyTemplate.vstemplate"

Ben Scott - Aust Friday, October 05, 2007 9:02 AM

Hi Ben

If that template is a Project you should specify the DestinationFolder using a full path where you want to place it.

hth.

jose.

Jose Escrich Friday, October 05, 2007 6:52 PM

Thanks Jose,

That was it. Fixed now!

Ben Scott - Aust Monday, October 08, 2007 10:39 PM

Hi there,

I've now run into a further problem. I'm creating my project fine, but when I try to add classes (generated from T4 templates) I get an error that the Project output from my create action is null or empty. "Argument can not be null or have an empty value.
Parameter name: Project."

Heres the actions:

Code Block

I cant see why it would think that argument is empty, when it should be populated from the create project action. The project is being created successfully.

Also while I'm at it. For now I'm just creating my projects (I create 3 each time the recipe runs) under the solution, however I'd like to create a solution folder and create them under that folder. I already create them physically (on the HD) under a folder under the solution folder, however I'd like to reflect that under the solution explorer also (hope that makes sense). Can I do that with the CreateProjectAction ?

Ben Scott - Aust Tuesday, October 09, 2007 1:47 AM

Is strange, what's the parent where're you're unfolding the template?

Regarding the SolutionFolder, you should create it, before try to unfold the project otherwise it won't be created.

jose.

Jose Escrich Tuesday, October 09, 2007 6:11 PM

It just creates it under the open Solution. Thats one reason I was asking about solution folders, I couldnt see how I could get it to create it anywhere else (in the solution, I can set the physical path wherever I want).

Ben Scott - Aust Wednesday, October 10, 2007 8:13 AM

You can use google to search for other answers

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