Error while saving a workflow via sharepoint designer: Server-side activities have been updated

2
votes

While saving a workflow using SharePoint designer on a SharePoint site, I get the following error:

Server-side activities have been updated. You need to restart SharePoint Designer to use the updated version of activities.

Steps to recreate error:

  • Login to the WFE server hosting IIS and workflow manager, open SharePoint Designer 2013 and login to a SharePoint site.

  • Access the list using SharePoint Designer 2013, in the workflow section, click new workflow.

  • In the new workflow dialog, enter workflow details, click save

  • Error message is displayed as below: Server-side activities have been updated. You need to restart SharePoint Designer to use the updated version of activities.

  • After restarting SharePoint Designer, the saved workflow is not seen in the site/workflows or list/workflow section.

Workaround

When the above steps are repeated while accessing the site via SPD from any other box besides the WFE/Workflow manager host server, the error is not encountered and its possible to save/publish workflows.

Notes

  • Workflow Manager 1.0 is installed.
  • The site has been registered with Workflow manager using Register-SPWorkflowService cmdlet.

Any clue on why is this happening?

6
workflowsharepoint-designer

6 Answers

3
votes

Copy Microsoft.SharePoint.WorkflowServices.Activities.Proxy.dll assembly to WebsiteCache folder (%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WebsiteCache{Site Name}\15.0.0.4745)

http://www.jrjlee.com/2014/10/server-side-activities-have-been-updated.html

1
votes

Experienced with Windows 8.1

During setup/configuration of a remote SharePoint Server on Windows Server 2008 R2, I managed to install Workflow Manager on my client Windows 8 machine while following instructions erroneously as I was supposed to do this on the server.

I accomplished what was necessary with Workflow Manager on the server, but never removed this from my workstation client. After searching through google a ton, I kept finding this page and eventually realized the fix:

Since workflow manager is designed for server edition of Windows, this simply shouldn't be on your client that you are attempting to use SharePoint Designer on to create workflows with.

1
votes

I was using SharePoint Online with SharePoint Designer 2013 and ran in to this issue when trying to create a workflow. I uninstalled the Workflow Manager as recommended and it started working. Workflow Manager was most likely installed when I installed Visual Studio 2015. I am on Windows 10.

0
votes
  1. Update WorkflowManager and WorkflowManagerClient to CU4
  2. Uninstall Visual Studio
  3. Uninstall SPD
  4. Deactivate Distributed Cache
  5. Delete WebApplications (Except Central Admin)

  6. Run CMD commands:

    cd "%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Web Server Extensions\Cache" del *.web /S /Q "%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Web Server Extensions\Cache" cd "%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WebsiteCache\" rmdir /S /Q "%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WebsiteCache." mkdir "%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WebsiteCache" dir "%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Web Server Extensions\Cache" dir "%USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WebsiteCache"

  7. Run iisreset

  8. Restart VM
  9. Create Web Application
  10. Install SPD
  11. Execute iisreset
  12. Restart VM
  13. Open SPD
  14. Go to "Options > Application Options > General Tab" and let -only the following- boxes checked: "Show status bar" and "Show catalog lists and system objects" > OK > OK
  15. Open the site via SPD
  16. Create new Workflow 2013 via SPD

Thats what I did. Hope it helps.

0
votes

I faced the same issues. The workarround was to install sharepoint designer on another machine than the host machine where sharepoint, workflow manager and visual studio is installed. That fixed the issue, however i faced other problems later, specially with workflow 2013, specially when trying to save them as workflow templates, or publish them as global workflows. So i tried to fix the original issue in order to avoid differences between both environements and to be sure to have the right permissions. After long days i found another workarround for my problem:

  • When comparing the folders user profile\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WebsiteCache\sitename\version of both environements, i figured out that there were a lot of dll's missing on de developement machine. So I have copied them from the working machine, then i was able to edit workflows 2013 on the buggy machine.
0
votes

By updating the SharePoint designer you can resolve this issue. Click on the link and follow all the steps mentioned on the blog.

1 Install Microsoft sharepoint designer service pack 1

2 install the update for the sharepoint designer

Enjoy it will work.

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