Retrieve Email Messages returns weird error

[Anonymous]

I've only encountered this error three times and each time I'm unsure of what exactly is causing the issue.

Here's the specifics: I'm using the Retrieve email messages action to activate my Outlook and target a folder, then download all of the attachments off an email with the "To" field of a certain agency member's email.

In my first go around making this Flow, I'm making several personalized versions, it worked just fine when I set up the Retrieve email messages action. I entered an email, I got the message attachments out no problem - no fuss no muss. I duplicated (File > Save As...) my Flow and changed only the "To" parameter in the Retrieve email messages action and it threw the following error:

Failed to retrieve message with uid 803

I'm too new to PAD and networking to really have any idea what this means. 

After a period of monkeying with the Flow I got it to work for the new email I supplied. Again, I had to duplicate this flow so once more, File > Save As... then back to the Retrieve email messages action to change the "To" field criteria. Once again, it threw a variation of the above error message.

Today I've done the exact same steps as outline above and I'm still getting this mysterious error, now it reads:

Failed to retrieve message with uid 908

Error details: Microsoft.Flow.RPA.Desktop.Robin.SDK.ActionException: Failed to retrieve message with uid 908. ---> System.FormatException: Index (zero based) must be greater than or equal to zero and less than the size of the argument list.
at System.Text.StringBuilder.AppendFormatHelper(IFormatProvider provider, String format, ParamsArray args)
at System.String.FormatHelper(IFormatProvider provider, String format, ParamsArray args)
at System.String.Format(String format, Object arg0)
at Microsoft.Flow.RPA.Desktop.Modules.Email.Actions.EmailActions.RetrieveEmails(Variant imapServer, Variant username, Variant varPassword, Variant mailFolder, Variant fromContains, Variant toContains, Variant subjectContains, Variant bodyContains, Variant sentSince, Variant sentUpTo, Variant saveAttachmentsInto, Variant& retrievedEmails, Int32 serverPort, Boolean enableSsl, Int32 retrieveOnlyUnread, Boolean saveAttachments, Boolean markAsRead, Boolean acceptUntrustedCertificates)
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at Microsoft.Flow.RPA.Desktop.Modules.Email.Actions.RetrieveEmails.Execute(ActionContext context)
at Microsoft.Flow.RPA.Desktop.Robin.Engine.Execution.ActionRunner.Run(IActionStatement statement, Dictionary`2 inputArguments, Dictionary`2 outputArguments)

I'm hesitant to begin postulating what the error specifics mean.

Anyone have any idea what to do differently going forward?

[MichaelAnnis · Accepted solution]

When trying to copy a flow using the SaveAs feature. Sometimes (actually every time for me)  things get hung up. So do the following:

• Open the flow you want to copy
• Save As the new flow name
• close the new flow
• close all PAD windows (typically just the dashboard with your flow, but if you have other flows open, close those too)
• go to task manager (control + Alt + del)
• right click -> end task on Power Automate
• reopen power automate

this process should reset the hang up. Both flows should be available. And hopefully you won’t have an error on the email action. 

[Anonymous]

Thank you very much, @MichaelAnnis!

Last night, more out of frustration than anything else, I did a full reboot on my computer. Turned it off, let it sit for a few minutes, turned it back on, and then I had to leave for home.

This morning I was curious to follow up on my issue. I read your instructions and realized I had basically completed them in a hyperbolic manner. Now my Flow in question works - and to-boot I have extra information on what to do the next time I need to copy a Flow!

Thanks again, Michael! You rock!

[sam88]

I get this error with retrieve email in my flow.  It's launching the application fine, and if I skip this step when the error throws it exits the outlook application just fine.  What am I doing wrong?