TDS .update package fails with object reference error - 8.0 update 2

Question

We are trying to use TDS update package to deploy items to TEST environment. When we install, all the items are getting skipped though items are marked with "Always Update". When we reviewed the log we found that there is an object reference error while removing versions.

We then updated the items using Deployment manager to Deploy Once and selected all the fields under Field level deployment.

Note: Image shows deploy action as 'always' above

After doing this, the package is installed successfully and no errors were recorded. The post installation log showed that the field is updated.

2/18/2016-22:16: Updating field 'Description.en' for item '/sitecore/content/Repository/Data-Items/Common/ContactAgencies/Agency1'

However, when I compared the Sitecore item version with TDS, there is still difference and the package didn't update the field.

Appreciate if someone can help us!!.

We are using below Sitecore instance

Sitecore.NET 8.0 (rev. 150223)

February 23, 2015

.NET Framework 4.0.30319.34003

© Sitecore. All rights reserved.

Database version: 500

By the way tried solution provided here.

Answer 1

Further investigating the issue we found that below 2 dataproviders are causing the object reference error.

<readonlycatalogprovider type="Sitecore.Commerce.Connect.CommerceServer.Catalog.ReadOnlyCatalogDataProvider, Sitecore.Commerce.Connect.CommerceServer" patch:source="CommerceServer.config">
  <CacheOptions.DisableAll>true</CacheOptions.DisableAll>
</readonlycatalogprovider>
<catalogprovider type="Sitecore.Commerce.Connect.CommerceServer.Catalog.CatalogDataProvider, Sitecore.Commerce.Connect.CommerceServer" patch:source="CommerceServer.config" />

Sitecore Commerce Server Connect 8.0 rev. 8.0.217.0.update is causing update packages to fail. Data providers in CommerceServer.config are causing null reference exception. TDS packages are working fine with Sitecore Commerce Server Connect 8.0 rev. 8.0.225.0.

Answer 2

The problem is known and it appears on versions of TDS older than 5.1.0.8. If you update your version to a version higher than this - the bug is resolved there.

There is actually a workaround for this if you want to fix it

You need to add the following this to the web.config of your target Sitecore instance:

1. Locate the <configSections> element at the top of the web.config
2. Add the section "<section name="sitecorediff" type="Sitecore.Update.Configuration.ConfigReader, Sitecore.Update"/>"
3. Right after the close of the </configSections> element add "<sitecorediff/>" element

You can read more here.

If the following doesn't work for you email the Hedgehog Support.