I have never really had too much cause to use this method before but I am developing some generic classes to deal with column, content type and list management for use in a series of features.

My ListHelper class has a method called DeleteList which looks like this:

        Public Shared Function DeleteList(ByVal List As SPList, ByVal Operation As DeleteOperation) As Boolean

        If Operation = DeleteOperation.DeleteWithBackup Or Operation = DeleteOperation.ForcedDeleteWithBackup Then
            SaveListAsTemplate(List, True)
        End If

        If Operation = DeleteOperation.ForcedDelete Or Operation = DeleteOperation.ForcedDeleteWithBackup Then
            If List.AllowDeletion = False Then
                List.AllowDeletion = True
                List.Update()
            End If
        End If

        Try
            List.Delete()
        Catch ex As Exception
            Return False
        End Try

        Return True

    End Function

This is very much a work in progress, but I am having trouble with the SaveListAsTemplate method which looks like this:

        Public Shared Function SaveListAsTemplate(ByVal List As SPList, ByVal SaveContent As Boolean) As String

        If HttpContext.Current IsNot Nothing Then
            Dim tmpFileName As String = List.Title & "_saved_" & Now.ToFileTimeUtc & ".stp"
            List.SaveAsTemplate(tmpFileName, List.Title, "list template saved programmatically", SaveContent)
            Return List.ParentWeb.Site.Url & "/_catalogs/lt/" & tmpFileName
        Else
            Throw New Exception("List template cannot be saved unless the code is running in a valid HttpContext")
        End If

    End Function

The reason for the check into HttpContext is possibly not required, this is the reason for my post. I cannot get this code to execute from within a console application. Does the SPList.SaveAsTemplate method require a HttpContext? If it does it is not metioned in any of the docs that I have seen.

As an aside any other comments on this code gratefully received.

EDIT: Exception and Stack Trace

System.ArgumentException "Value does not fall within the expected range" at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPGlobal.HandleException(Exception ex) at Microsoft.SharePoint.SPList.SaveAsTemplate(String strFileName, String strName, String strDescription, Boolean bSaveData) at XXXXXX.SharePoint.Lists.ListHelper.SaveListAsTemplate(SPList List, Boolean SaveContent) in C:\SharePoint Development Projects\XXXXXX.SharePoint\XXXXXX.SharePoint\Lists\ListHelper.vb:line 145 at XXXXXX.SharePoint.Lists.ListHelper.DeleteList(SPList List, DeleteOperation Operation) in C:\SharePoint Development Projects\XXXXXX.SharePoint\XXXXXX.SharePoint\Lists\ListHelper.vb:line 121 at XXXXXX.SharePoint.Lists.ListHelper.DeleteList(SPWeb Web, String ListName, DeleteOperation Operation) in C:\SharePoint Development Projects\XXXXXX.SharePoint\XXXXXX.SharePoint\Lists\ListHelper.vb:line 111 at XXXXXX_Feature_Receiver.XXXXXXDataStructureFeatureFactory.CreateOrUpdateListInstances(SPWeb Web) in C:\TestBed\XXXXXX Feature Receiver Development\XXXXXX Feature Receiver\XXXXXXDataStructureFeatureFactory.vb:line 37 at XXXXXX_Feature_Receiver.XXXXXXDataStructureFeatureFactory.Initiate(SPWeb Web) in C:\TestBed\XXXXXX Feature Receiver Development\XXXXXX Feature Receiver\XXXXXXDataStructureFeatureFactory.vb:line 14 at XXXXXX_Feature_Receiver.Module1.Main() in C:\TestBed\XXXXXX Feature Receiver Development\XXXXXX Feature Receiver\Module1.vb:line 11 at System.AppDomain._nExecuteAssembly(Assembly 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.Run(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state) at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()"