Not able to compile this workflow in run time

Question

Hi,

I tried to create a run time flowchart with a collection of activities ,as below. I tried to compile this flow but was getting the below errors as

"The Root activity is invalid" / "The Root element is invalid " . So how to solve this issue.

The idea is to show the end user in run time the xoml and on compilation ,view the step by step process on execution.

<Flowchart mc:Ignorable="sap" DisplayName="Loan Process Flow" mva:VisualBasic.Settings="Assembly references and imported namespaces serialized as XML namespaces" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/netfx/2009/xaml/activities" xmlns:l="clr-namespace:Business;assembly=Business" xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006" xmlns:mva="clr-namespace:Microsoft.VisualBasic.Activities;assembly=System.Activities" xmlns:sap="http://schemas.microsoft.com/netfx/2009/xaml/activities/presentation" xmlns:scg="clr-namespace:System.Collections.Generic;assembly=mscorlib" xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">
  <sap:WorkflowViewStateService.ViewState>
    <scg:Dictionary x:TypeArguments="x:String, x:Object">
      <x:Boolean x:Key="IsExpanded">False</x:Boolean>
    </scg:Dictionary>
  </sap:WorkflowViewStateService.ViewState>
  <Flowchart.StartNode>
    <x:Reference>__ReferenceID3</x:Reference>
  </Flowchart.StartNode>
  <FlowStep x:Name="__ReferenceID3">
    <l:StepProcess1 Data="{x:Null}" Result="{x:Null}" DisplayName="Step1" />
    <FlowStep.Next>
      <FlowStep x:Name="__ReferenceID0">
        <l:StepProcess2 Data="{x:Null}" IsSaved="{x:Null}" Result="{x:Null}" DisplayName="Step3" />
        <FlowStep.Next>
          <FlowStep x:Name="__ReferenceID1">
            <l:StepProcess3 Data="{x:Null}" IsSaved="{x:Null}" Result="{x:Null}" DisplayName="Step4" />
            <FlowStep.Next>
              <FlowStep x:Name="__ReferenceID2">
                <l:StepProcess4 Data="{x:Null}" IsSaved="{x:Null}" Result="{x:Null}" DisplayName="Step5" />
              </FlowStep>
            </FlowStep.Next>
          </FlowStep>
        </FlowStep.Next>
      </FlowStep>
    </FlowStep.Next>
  </FlowStep>
  <x:Reference>__ReferenceID0</x:Reference>
  <x:Reference>__ReferenceID1</x:Reference>
  <x:Reference>__ReferenceID2</x:Reference>
</Flowchart>

Answer 1

Hi,

How did you build the Flowchart workflow? Could you please share a simple project or send it to me at: liangliang(dot)tang(at)hotmail(dot)com.  It will be convenient for us reproduce this issue, thanks.

---

Leo Tang [MSFT]
MSDN Community Support | Feedback to us
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Answer 2

If you are compiling with XamlBuildTask, by setting the file properties in VS to XamlAppDef, then the root element must be <Activity x:Class>.

On the other hand, you can also use your workflow XAML (no longer called XOML in WF4) without compiling.
Just by using ActivityXamlServices.Load() to load it as a DynamicActivity object, then using WorkflowInvoker or WorkflowApplication to run that.

In this case you can set the file properties in VS to None, and enable copying to the output directory.

Tim