Importing/exporting solutions with Azure DevOps

[Anonymous]

I have been struggling with importing/exporting solutions between environments in Power Platform using Azure DevOps (https://dev.azure.com/). I have set up at pipeline which exports a given solution from a DEV environment to source control in an Azure repo. I have also setup a second pipeline which takes a solution from the repo, packs and exports it to a target environment. The solutions are developed and checked to source control as unmanaged; and the pipeline which exports them to the target environment has "Export as managed" checkbox checked.

Upon trying to run the pipeline, I am thrown the exception: 

##[error]Unhandled exception: 
Exception type: System.ServiceModel.FaultException`1[Microsoft.Xrm.Sdk.OrganizationServiceFault] 
Message: Solution manifest import: FAILURE: The solution is already installed on this system as a managed solution and the package supplied is attempting to install it in unmanaged mode. Import can only update solutions when the modes match. Uninstall the current solution and try again.

In the picture I have attached, you can see the pipeline in Azure DevOps.

I have also tried to uncheck the "Import/Export as managed" and the pipeline runs successfully, but when navigating to the target environment, the solution is present but once I click the app, the component is missing.

Thank you in advance.

[Anonymous]

Update: I have reset the target environment and the exception is no longer thrown. Now the solution gets deployed successfully, and I can click and open it in the target environment. Now the problem is that the app is empty and, as soon as I click it, I am taken to the "Apps" pane, with no options to play or edit it.

After doing this and retrying to export/import manually, I get the error message you can see in the image I have attached.

[jekakou]

Hello  @Anonymous 

Thank you for your post. 

I have one question, is the solution already exist in the target org as unmanaged? 

Could you please remove the solution and all the components installed and try again the import? 

Regarding the app with no options to play or edit, Do you have any error message, please check in the console log as well ? 

I believe if you don't have any error , it will probably means you are missing some privilege to edit or work on the app. 

check your privileges and let me know

Thank you

[Anonymous]

• I have one question, is the solution already exist in the target org as unmanaged?
  Could you please remove the solution and all the components installed and try again the import?
  No, it does not. Following the advice of one of your colleagues, we have even reset the environment just to be sure that it was all clean before deploying.
• Regarding the app with no options to play or edit, Do you have any error message, please check in the console log as well?
  I have tried to google, but I couldn't find anything related to the power platform console log. Perhaps you could tell me how to do it or point me into so article with info about it.
• I believe if you don't have any error , it will probably means you are missing some privilege to edit or work on the app. check your privileges and let me know
  My current roles in the target environment are: Approvals User, Environment Maker and System Administrator. Note that the connection to this environment is done through MFA in Azure DevOps, and I had to set up an App User for this. Could it be that this user I created to enable the connection lacks the necessary rights?

[jekakou]

Hello  @Anonymous 

Thank you for your reply. 

The console I refer was from the browser F12.  

Few thing you will have to check: 

On the target, could you please reset once more the org?

Can you edit and play the application in the target org? verify if the application is published and saved. 

Can you try to export manually the solution and import to the target with Admin privileges and provide your feedback? 

Thank you

[Anonymous]

• The console I refer was from the browser F12.
  We get indeed a lot of errors. Check the attached image.
• On the target, could you please reset once more the org?
  Should I run through the steps you provided for troubleshooting before or after resetting the environment?
• Can you edit and play the application in the target org? verify if the application is published and saved.
  So far, this haven't been possible: exporting/exporting via Azure DevOps while following the ALM Lab from Microsoft results in the present behavior.
• Can you try to export manually the solution and import to the target with Admin privileges and provide your feedback?
  We have tried it before and if we export manually from source as managed and import it to target seems to work.

[jekakou]

Hello @Anonymous  

Sorry , I will clarify the next action:

Please do reset your organization target before the next step:

Import the solution as Administrator , not App user and share your feedback if you have the same issue with the solution.

Regarding the application: It seems based on your comments  when you are importing the solution with App user, you cannot edit or play with the application but as an admin, you can play with the application.  

Is that correct?

It might be because there are some missing privileges.

Thank you

[Anonymous]

I was able to do the export/import manually and play with the app. The "Play" button (which was missing before) is shown but greyed out when opening the solution, as you can see from the screenshot I attached. As soon as I click to open the app I am able to play and even edit it. About the latter, I am unsure if this is by design as I have exported/imported as managed.

I have given the automation App User System Administrator rights and I will retry.

[Anonymous]

I have retried to run the pipeline, but now I an thrown an error in the "Power Platform Tool Installer" step. Kindly check the picture below.

[jekakou]

Hello @Anonymous 

I think that you have a security proxy blocking connection to download the information. 

Could you please have a look please? 

I followed this tutorial and i didn't have any issue.

https://readyxrm.blog/2020/04/07/simple-alm-for-power-apps-dynamics-365-projects-revisited-power-apps-build-tools-edition/

Regarding the application in the solution , it is a normal behavior because it is managed.

Thank you