No longer existent user node created workflow

[chrisokelly]

Hello all,

In the past, working on customizing Alfresco Community 4.0e for a small business, I designed a workflow admin dashlet, so an admin user could view all workflows currently in progress around the repo. This worked well and good, and consisted of two parts - a GetAll webscript in Java, and the dashlet code itself in FTL, HTML, JS. I ceased working for the business and moved on to other projects.

Recently I have started a different but similar role with the same company. I think some of my problems may be because my user account had been removed and now recreated with the same username (but likely on a different Node). When I load a page with that dashlet I am getting an error communicating with the GetAll webscript.

Catalina.out reports the following stack trace:
<blockquote>
2014-03-13 12:05:39,582  ERROR [extensions.webscripts.AbstractRuntime] [http-8080-42] Exception from executeScript - redirecting to status template error: Node does not exist: workspace://SpacesStore/7d75ee7a-14e9-4341-ba16-0d4ddeef0bff(null)
org.alfresco.service.cmr.repository.InvalidNodeRefException: Node does not exist: workspace://SpacesStore/7d75ee7a-14e9-4341-ba16-0d4ddeef0bff(null)
        at org.alfresco.repo.node.db.DbNodeServiceImpl.getNodePairNotNull(DbNodeServiceImpl.java:176)
        at org.alfresco.repo.node.db.DbNodeServiceImpl.hasAspect(DbNodeServiceImpl.java:964)
        at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor220.invoke(Unknown Source)
        at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597)
        at org.springframework.aop.support.AopUtils.invokeJoinpointUsingReflection(AopUtils.java:309)
        at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.invokeJoinpoint(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:183)
        at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:150)
        at org.alfresco.repo.tenant.MultiTNodeServiceInterceptor.invoke(MultiTNodeServiceInterceptor.java:104)
        at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:172)
        at org.springframework.aop.framework.JdkDynamicAopProxy.invoke(JdkDynamicAopProxy.java:202)
        at $Proxy8.hasAspect(Unknown Source)
        at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor220.invoke(Unknown Source)
        at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597)
        at org.alfresco.repo.service.StoreRedirectorProxyFactory$RedirectorInvocationHandler.invoke(StoreRedirectorProxyFactory.java:215)
        at $Proxy9.hasAspect(Unknown Source)
        at org.alfresco.repo.node.MLPropertyInterceptor.getPivotNodeRef(MLPropertyInterceptor.java:323)
        at org.alfresco.repo.node.MLPropertyInterceptor.invoke(MLPropertyInterceptor.java:162)
        at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:172)
        at org.alfresco.repo.node.NodeRefPropertyMethodInterceptor.invoke(NodeRefPropertyMethodInterceptor.java:198)
        at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:172)
        at org.alfresco.repo.node.NodeRefPropertyMethodInterceptor.invoke(NodeRefPropertyMethodInterceptor.java:198)
        at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:172)
        at org.springframework.aop.framework.JdkDynamicAopProxy.invoke(JdkDynamicAopProxy.java:202)
        at $Proxy8.getProperty(Unknown Source)
        at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor264.invoke(Unknown Source)
        at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597)
        at org.springframework.aop.support.AopUtils.invokeJoinpointUsingReflection(AopUtils.java:309)
        at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.invokeJoinpoint(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:183)
        at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:150)
        at org.alfresco.repo.audit.DisableAuditableBehaviourInterceptor.invoke(DisableAuditableBehaviourInterceptor.java:113)
        at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:172)
        at net.sf.acegisecurity.intercept.method.aopalliance.MethodSecurityInterceptor.invoke(MethodSecurityInterceptor.java:80)
        at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:172)
        at org.alfresco.repo.security.permissions.impl.ExceptionTranslatorMethodInterceptor.invoke(ExceptionTranslatorMethodInterceptor.java:46)
        at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:172)
        at org.alfresco.repo.audit.AuditMethodInterceptor.proceedWithAudit(AuditMethodInterceptor.java:232)
        at org.alfresco.repo.audit.AuditMethodInterceptor.proceed(AuditMethodInterceptor.java:199)
        at org.alfresco.repo.audit.AuditMethodInterceptor.invoke(AuditMethodInterceptor.java:152)
        at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:172)
        at org.alfresco.repo.transaction.RetryingTransactionInterceptor$1.execute(RetryingTransactionInterceptor.java:69)
        at org.alfresco.repo.transaction.RetryingTransactionHelper.doInTransaction(RetryingTransactionHelper.java:388)
        at org.alfresco.repo.transaction.RetryingTransactionInterceptor.invoke(RetryingTransactionInterceptor.java:59)
        at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:172)
        at org.springframework.aop.framework.JdkDynamicAopProxy.invoke(JdkDynamicAopProxy.java:202)
        at $Proxy8.getProperty(Unknown Source)
        <strong>at com.minecorp.module.workflowhelper.GetAll.execute(GetAll.java:43)</strong>
        at org.alfresco.repo.web.scripts.RepositoryContainer$2.execute(RepositoryContainer.java:400)
        at org.alfresco.repo.transaction.RetryingTransactionHelper.doInTransaction(RetryingTransactionHelper.java:388)
        at org.alfresco.repo.web.scripts.RepositoryContainer.transactionedExecute(RepositoryContainer.java:462)
        at org.alfresco.repo.web.scripts.RepositoryContainer.transactionedExecuteAs(RepositoryContainer.java:500)
        at org.alfresco.repo.web.scripts.RepositoryContainer.executeScript(RepositoryContainer.java:316)
        at org.springframework.extensions.webscripts.AbstractRuntime.executeScript(AbstractRuntime.java:372)
        at org.springframework.extensions.webscripts.AbstractRuntime.executeScript(AbstractRuntime.java:209)
        at org.springframework.extensions.webscripts.servlet.WebScriptServlet.service(WebScriptServlet.java:118)
        at javax.servlet.http.HttpServlet.service(HttpServlet.java:717)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:290)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)
        at org.alfresco.repo.webdav.auth.BaseSSOAuthenticationFilter.doFilter(BaseSSOAuthenticationFilter.java:136)
        at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor545.invoke(Unknown Source)
        at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597)
        at org.alfresco.repo.management.subsystems.ChainingSubsystemProxyFactory$1.invoke(ChainingSubsystemProxyFactory.java:103)
        at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:172)
        at org.springframework.aop.framework.JdkDynamicAopProxy.invoke(JdkDynamicAopProxy.java:202)
        at $Proxy241.doFilter(Unknown Source)
        at org.alfresco.repo.web.filter.beans.BeanProxyFilter.doFilter(BeanProxyFilter.java:82)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:235)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)
        at org.alfresco.web.app.servlet.WebScriptSSOAuthenticationFilter.doFilter(WebScriptSSOAuthenticationFilter.java:140)
        at sun.reflect.GeneratedMethodAccessor545.invoke(Unknown Source)
        at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597)
        at org.alfresco.repo.management.subsystems.ChainingSubsystemProxyFactory$1.invoke(ChainingSubsystemProxyFactory.java:103)
        at org.springframework.aop.framework.ReflectiveMethodInvocation.proceed(ReflectiveMethodInvocation.java:172)
        at org.springframework.aop.framework.JdkDynamicAopProxy.invoke(JdkDynamicAopProxy.java:202)
        at $Proxy241.doFilter(Unknown Source)
        at org.alfresco.repo.web.filter.beans.BeanProxyFilter.doFilter(BeanProxyFilter.java:82)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:235)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)
        at org.alfresco.web.app.servlet.GlobalLocalizationFilter.doFilter(GlobalLocalizationFilter.java:58)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:235)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:206)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:233)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:191)
        at org.apache.catalina.authenticator.AuthenticatorBase.invoke(AuthenticatorBase.java:470)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:127)
        at org.apache.catalina.valves.ErrorReportValve.invoke(ErrorReportValve.java:102)
        at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:109)
        at org.apache.catalina.connector.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:298)
        at org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11AprProcessor.process(Http11AprProcessor.java:861)
        at org.apache.coyote.http11.Http11AprProtocol$Http11ConnectionHandler.process(Http11AprProtocol.java:579)
        at org.apache.tomcat.util.net.AprEndpoint$Worker.run(AprEndpoint.java:1584)
        at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:662)
</blockquote>

Note the GetAll.java webscript line. Below are lines 39-49 inclusive, so 43 is where we get the initiator username from the nodeService. This makes sense with regards to the error I am seeing.

for (int i = 0; i < allWorkflows.size(); i++) {
    WorkflowInstance thisInstance = (WorkflowInstance) allWorkflows.get(i);
    Map thisResult = new HashMap();
    thisResult.put("id", thisInstance.getId());
    thisResult.put("user", nodeService.getProperty(thisInstance.getInitiator(), PROP_QNAME_USERNAME));
    thisResult.put("startDate", thisInstance.getStartDate());
    thisResult.put("description",thisInstance.getDescription());
    thisResult.put("priority",thisInstance.getPriority());
    thisResult.put("isActive", thisInstance.isActive());
    results.add(thisResult);
}
‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

I don't think that the Dashlet code is relevant here but I am happy to provide it. What I am wondering is, whether there is a way for me to delete all of the workflows started by my previous incarnation. I know in the workflow console I can query tasks by actor/assignee, but there doesn't seem to be a query interface for workflows themselves (at least in 4.0e), and most of the workflows started by me would never have me as an assignee. To muddy the waters I think that the cause of this is that the workflow does not store the username of the initiator, but their node ID, so I would need to be able to query them by Node ID.

I have my fingers crossed for any response that isn't "Go digging in Postgres", because that is a dark and scary place I do my best to avoid.

[zeeshan_h_naqvi]

If you are reading any node and inside reading method your creating node. then after you are trying to create same node under that node , this issue is coming, you can solve this issue by before reading any node first execute create node method

[chrisokelly]

I'm sorry, I don't think I follow - the non-existent node in this case is, I believe, a user node, which we do not expect to exist. It seems as though creating that user node inside the method we attempt to read it would not help the issue - it still wouldn't have any meaningful data attached to it, and so there would still be workflows which cannot be deleted because they are not attached to any real user. If I have misunderstood please correct me, I just don't quite see how that would help.