Custom workflow: Failed on Start (retrying)

Question

I created a workflow project with WSPBuilder and everything worked fine. I then moved the workflow to our main project and added all needed references. However when I try to couple the workflow I always get the message: "Failed on start (retrying)" when it's being executed. In my logs I find following error:

0x14E4 Windows SharePoint Services
Workflow Infrastructure
936l High Engine RunWorkflow: System.Workflow.ComponentModel.Compiler.WorkflowValidationFailedException: The workflow failed validation. at System.Workflow.Runtime.WorkflowDefinitionDispenser.ValidateDefinition(Activity root, Boolean isNewType, ITypeProvider typeProvider) at System.Workflow.Runtime.WorkflowDefinitionDispenser.LoadRootActivity(Type workflowType, Boolean createDefinition, Boolean initForRuntime) at System.Workflow.Runtime.WorkflowDefinitionDispenser.MruCache.GetOrGenerateDefinition(Type type, String xomlText, String rulesText, Byte[] md5Codes, Boolean initForRuntime, Boolean& exist) at System.Workflow.Runtime.WorkflowDefinitionDispenser.GetRootActivity(Type workflowType, Boolean createNew, Boolean initForRuntime) at System.Workflow.Runtime.WorkflowRuntime.Initializ...

But the validation should be correct since it worked before ?

Answer 1

Copying over the workflow definition and adding the referenced assemblies isn't enough, since your main project will most likely be of a different type and won't be recognized as a"workflow project". You can solve this by manually editing the project file. To do this:

• unload the project (right-click on the project node in the solution explorer -> unload project).

• right-click again to edit the csproj file add following line in the first PropertyGroup element, e.g. under ProjectGuid element. These are the project type Guids for windows C# and Workflow C#

  <ProjectTypeGuids>{14822709-B5A1-4724-98CA-57A101D1B079};{FAE04EC0-301F-11D3-BF4B-00C04F79EFBC}</ProjectTypeGuids>

• find following fragment under the root Project node, usually at the bottom of the csproj file:

  <Import Project=”$(MSBuildBinPath)\Microsoft.CSharp.targets” />

and add following line under it:

<Import Project=”$(MSBuildExtensionsPath)\Microsoft\Windows Workflow Foundation\v3.5\Workflow.Targets” />