Cannot locate resource workflowdesigner.xaml When creating XAML Workflow Activity in Visual Studio 2012 using CRM 2011 SDK

Question

I have installed the CRM 2011 SDK addin for visual studio 2012 (ultimate) and am trying to create a XAML Workflow Activity

I have added the CRM Workflow items to the toolbox using these instructions Add Microsoft Dynamics CRM Workflow Activities to the Toolbox

When I try and drop a Workflow on the design surface it say in red text "Could not generate view for Workflow"

Hovering over the text reveals a System.IOException that says "Cannot locate resource workflowdesigner.xaml"

How do I fix this?

Perhaps a stupid question early in the morning. Did you specify the references to the correct DLLs from the project manager? — Konrad Viltersten
I probably could have referenced every assembly in the sdk one by one to work out exactly what was missing. — Peter
You should do that. And in VS you can mark a whole bunch in one sweep. It's not recommended to move assemblies to the target spot. the preferred approach is actually to refer to where they reside. — Konrad Viltersten

Konrad Viltersten Konrad Viltersten · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-06T22:39:40

You probably need to refer to the assemblies from VS. It's a bit of pain but a healthy conduct. In VS12 it's made a bit easier (finally, after a decade) to copy references from another project and (really, really finally) to refer to several DLLs at the same time.

It's the best practice and prefer conduct. :)

Cannot locate resource workflowdesigner.xaml When creating XAML Workflow Activity in Visual Studio 2012 using CRM 2011 SDK

6 Answers