If you’re struggling with an "error while executing web parts in SharePoint", here's the information you're looking for. We've encountered this error and resolved it.
What is a Web Part?
A Web Part is a type of ASP.NET control, often referred to as a "web widget," that developers can use to create customizable and modular components for web pages. Such controls can be programmed to accomplish a variety of functions and later appended to websites where they are rendered as distinct modules or components. Web Parts are the very core of the personalization feature on a webpage, giving them unprecedented flexibility that web developers can take advantage of.
Thanks to the use of Web Parts, developers not only get new ways of adding features to the website but also can offer personalized experiences to every part of the webpage. The feature that lets Web Parts have the flexibility and customizability so that they can meet almost any user interface need is the reason that makes them a useful choice when building dynamic and user-friendly web applications.
The Error
In the case of web development, the one instance of having errors in XSLT (Extensible Stylesheet Language Transformation) in the web part might be extra difficult to handle. The specific error you encountered, "System.NullReferenceException: The error, "Object reference not set to an instance of an object," is among the most common programming problems that appear when you try to use a reference variable that has been not initiated by an object instance.
Here’s a detailed look at this error and how you can approach resolving it within the context of your project:
Null Reference Exception
This error is caused when you try to access a member (like a method or a property) in a nullable variable (where the variable has no object present - it is currently null).
In the context of your XSLT rendering, this could happen for a few reasons:
# Uninitialized Variables
For example, if your XSLT is attempting to transform data from a source that has not been initiated or assigned it would result in empty data to operate on.
# Incorrect Data Handling
If an XSLT transformation data contains no values where it expects input parameters, this can be a reference to a null.
# Configuration Issues
Sometimes, the setup of web parts or the data sources that they depend on may be incorrect which results in nullable types but they are null.
Troubleshooting the Error
This is part of the troubleshooting process we took or the reason these might not be the resolutions.
Option 1: Leveraging PowerShell to Manipulate the XSLT Timeout
1. Action
Firstly, we explored the likelihood of XSTL processing timeout as the reason for the mistake. The lack of appropriate timeout settings often causes this problem when the server needs more time to carry out XSLT transformations, due to increased complexity or high load.
2. Method
Increasing the processing time has been done by implementing a PowerShell script that changes the timeout setting and hopefully converts the error that might be caused by the timeout. It was drafted in a way that gave the required settings that correspond the most to XSLT processing times.
3. Result
Notwithstanding that we had modified the script and set the timeout properly, we still had the error. Such a result drove us to believe that the problem might not just involve only an XSLT process.
Option 2: Restarting of the Server
1. Action
When option two did not produce the desired outcome, we immediately went on with the option of restarting the server. This step was a proactive action as it could potentially get a transient issue or preemptively kill a stuck process that was not a big problem but could be the root cause of the error.
2. Method
The server was being systematically shut down, and services were being stopped and restarted from a clean state to ensure they were stopped properly.
3. Result
Unfortunately, the server reboot did not result in the error correction. This meant that the problem shouldn't be considered only a temporary degradation or a temporary server state.
Option 3: Imposing the Use of Cumulative Updates on the Server
1. Action
When the upgrade failed, it was time to attempt a fresh start. The next step after that was to apply a cumulative update package to the server. The corrective practice was founded on the supposition that the mistake could be caused by insects or issues that were fixed in the new software code updates.
2. Method
We performed an update on the latest cumulative update that was released for our server’s operating system, and this process was done assuring that all the components were updated and the process was uninterrupted.
3. Result
If the latest server version update and upgrading all its components, however, could not eliminate the consistent occurrence of the bug, We believe there might be something else we were missing. Hereby it became clear that the matter was strongly intertwined and could not be solved by the allocation of traditional resources or by "trial and error" testing.
Subsequently, having implemented all three ways including making changes in the XSLT timeout property, stoping and rebooting the server, and integrating the cumulative update, it turned out that there is a deeper issue that may require more articulated system or application error logs or escalating the error report to the technology vendor.
The Solution: Determining and Fighting Off the Core of the Problem
# In-Depth Investigation
The first steps we made in the error tracing did not prove to be effective, so we had to delve deeper to try to get to the root cause. It made me go back through my recent changes in the server environment, fast-forward to the system and application logs to see what is going on and look into the known problems of recent releases and patches to the app.
# Breakthrough Discovery
As part of our project, we decided to dedicate time to exploring many technical forums, patch notes, and help pages. Then we encountered different user reports and conversations about a certain Windows update, KB2844286 that complained about similar issues with their environments, too. With this hint, we gained focus on the measurable aspect of this update.
# Action Taken
Being armed with this data, we went ahead to uninstalled the app update to find out if this might fix the issue. The uninstallation process involved:
- Verify that all the present system data and configurations were backed up before the process.
- Having a Windows Update service will meticulously remove the KB2844286 update from the computer and leave no residual files behind after the process.
- Closely following the system during the removal process to detect any possible arise from it.
# Resolution and System Restoration
When the update was successfully removed, we conducted a test series to determine whether the initial problem was dealt with and that no new issues had surfaced as a consequence of pulling the update. This testing phase included:
- Initiating the reboot of the server to make sure that all services were active after the absence of the update.
- To repeat the previous operations that were used to trigger this error and later confirm that the problem was fixed successfully.
- Checking the overall stability, and whether there are any other impairments in the systems for an extended period.
# Outcome
After uninstalling the Win update KB2844286, the problem was resolved. After the implementation of the solution, our system ran with no interruptions, with the problem did not arise again; this demonstrated that the update was the root cause of the issue.
# Recommendation
Our recommendation to others who might have experienced the same issue would include thoroughly examining the current updates and determining if the version they are running may contain this bug. If you are experiencing the same problems as if you have the update KB2844286 uninstalling this update might resolve the issue. But remember to have your system and data backed up before you start doing such things and monitor your system after the update has been removed to catch any unanticipated reactions.
This systematic solving strategy not only defused the current challenge, but it has also fortified the methodology of repairing future problems for our educational benefit and reinforced our understanding the updated system and its impacts.
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