Can't import solution because holding solution of upgrade exists

[OliverR-82]

Hi community, I seem to be in a sort of "deadlock" here with trying to import a managed solution.

I have 1 existing managed solution containing a canvas app, 2 flows and some connection references and environment variables. I needed to update the app, and while doing that I noticed that the solution contained a connection reference that wasn't needed in that particular solution. So, I removed it from that particular solution. I then proceeded to export as a managed solution with a higher version, and tried to import it into the PRD environment.

However, the import into PRD failed with the message that the connection reference that I removed could not be deleted because of dependencies in other solutions. 

Failed to upgrade solution. Solution dependencies exist, cannot uninstall. DependencyCount : 1 RequiredComponentObject details: Type: connectionreference, ObjectName: xxx_sharedoffice365users_238ff, Id: xxx2d930-1b9e-4421-83f4-9c3b4bcbd73e, ParentObjectName: , ParentId: 00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000, DependentComponentObject details: Type: Workflow, ObjectName: Get participant siteuser Ids, Id: xxxx4ef7-bbb2-ed11-83ff-0022489dd6df, ParentObjectName: , ParentId: 00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000 DependencyType: Published

Yes, I'm aware that it's needed for other solutions but not this particular solution, that's why I removed it from this particular solution. But okay, apparently this isn't possible? Makes no sense to me but whatever... So I re-added the connection reference in the DEV environment, did another export as managed and proceeded to attempt another import in PRD.

Unfortunately, this time the import fails with the message that the HOLDING solution (<solutionname_Upgrade>) already exists, also as a managed solution. And I cannot delete that HOLDING solution because it contains a bunch of environment variables and connection references that are used in a lot of other solutions as well. 

Solution "xxxx" failed to import: Solution manifest import: FAILURE: Holding solution xxxx_Upgrade already exists.

So, now I'm in the situation where I cannot apply an upgrade to an existing managed solution because of a failed previous upgrade attempt. I've tried selecting "Update" as opposed to "Upgrade" but that doesn't make a difference; it fails with the message that the HOLDING solution already exists. Same if I choose "Stage for upgrade". And I cannot choose "Apply upgrade" on the existing solution because that fails with the very first error message I received, saying it cannot delete a connection reference because of dependencies (in other solutions).

Is there any way out of this?

[LLinx]

Hey Oliver

By what you describe of the problem, I think the following has happened: your other solutions probably were referring to the connection reference that was in the solution X you were deleting. While you may have adapted solution X to no longer contain that connection reference, the other flows are expecting it to be. If you remove the solution from the environment, the connection reference would cease to exist, which it can't because the other solutions require it.

I would personally create a new connection reference in DEV, make sure all solutions are linked to that one and include that in the first solution you deploy to Prod (or a new solution). Once those solutions no longer refer to Solution X's connection reference, I would expect you can remove it.

[OliverR-82]

Hi @LLinx , thanks for your reply. In essence, the problem isn't even the connection reference or any particular component. The problem is that at this point I'm unable to make any changes to the original solution (regardless of the components I add or remove) because a holding (upgrade) solution exists that I cannot get rid of. As I understand, the only way to get rid of the holding solution is either:

1. apply the upgrade, which fails. That's how I got in this situation in the first place
2. delete the holding solution, which requires first updating all other solutions in the environment to remove all dependencies on shared components in the holding solution. This is simply not an option, as this would be a lot (a loooooot) of work.

In my opinion, it makes no sense that you cannot simply delete a HOLDING solution. It's simply a solution containing an upgrade to an existing solution. In my case, a failed upgrade that was not applied. It should be possible to just get rid of it and attempt another upgrade. In fact, if an upgrade fails the Power Platform should be smart enough to delete the holding solution right away, as it is obviously invalid at that point and can never be used anyhow! Now, because of this weird logic, there seems to be no way to move forward without having to update a bunch of other solutions just because they happen to share some components with the failed upgrade.

I guess the only way forward for me is to create an entirely new solution in DEV and deploy that as a new solution to PRD. And just leave the "old" solution (as well as the holding upgrade solution to that) existing in the PRD environment until the end of time, because I guess I'll never be able to delete it as long as dependencies exist.

Ugh, the Power Platform makes me want to tear my hair out sometimes.

[LLinx]

Hey Oliver

Spent some time this evening with @WConsulting discussing this, with him reproducing the issue.

Can you check whether your first upgrade of the solution completely went through? Probably you now have two versions of the "Solution X" on your environment, one waiting to complete install (_upgrade) and the old version. You should try to cancel the _upgrade version of the solution and then you should be able to import your solution that includes the connection reference again.

[OliverR-82]

Yes, that's exactly what I'm trying to say the problem is 🙂 I have one solution waiting to complete install which is  (apparently) called the "holding" solution, with the _upgrade suffix. That's the source of the problem. It's preventing me from importing a new upgrade, and I can't get rid of it because it's a managed solution just like any other solution. How do you propose I would "cancel the _upgrade version of the solution"? As far as I can tell there's no way to do something like that?

[OliverR-82]

I managed to work around (not resolve) the problem by removing the dependency on the connection reference that the Upgrade was trying to remove. Thankfully it was only used in 1 unmanaged flow. After that, I was able to apply the upgrade to the solution, after which the Holding solution was removed.

It's still very strange to me that I was able to get into this "deadlock". The main thing I take away from this is to be very careful when removing components from a solution in DEV (unmanaged). When the component you remove is being used in another solution in the PRD environment (managed), the Upgrade will fail. Furthermore, if the solution you're upgrading contains other components that are also being used in other solutions, then you will not be able to delete the holding solution because of dependencies in the other solutions. Thus putting you in a deadlock situation.

Choosing Update instead of Upgrade may avoid this scenario, but I've not tried it out to confirm it.