Crm 2011 Unable to cast object of type ‘System.Guid’ to type ‘Microsoft.Xrm.Sdk.EntityReference

dynamics-crm-2011

The code below creates a set of records from an entity I use to hold "template" records. I loop through the templates and create records which works including the lookup fields where I use an EntityReferenceentity. But when I use an EntityReference to create a relationship back to the parent entity record I get this error.

crm 2011 Unable to cast object of type 'System.Guid' to type
'Microsoft.Xrm.Sdk.EntityReference'

            foreach (var template in templateSteps.Entities)
            {
                Entity step = new Entity("img_workflowmanager");
                step["subject"] = template["img_name"];

                if (step.Contains("img_poststepid"))
                {
                    step["img_poststepid"] = (EntityReference)template["img_poststepid"];
                }
                if (step.Contains("img_prestepid"))
                {
                    step["img_prestepid"] = (EntityReference)template["img_prestepid"];
                }

                step["img_workflowstepsid"] = (EntityReference)postMessageImage["img_procurementpackageid"];
                this._orgService.Create(step);
            }

Best Answer

The message is clear, postMessageImage["img_procurementpackageid"] contains a Guid and not an EntityReference.

Assuming the entity name is img_workflowsteps you can write

Guid packageId = (Guid)postMessageImage["img_procurementpackageid"];
step["img_workflowstepsid"] = new EntityReference("img_workflowsteps", packageId);

By the way, the first two if conditions will be never executed, because when you create an entity with that syntax, no attributes are defined.

Related Solutions

C# – Error creating an Entity in CRM 2011 – CRM doesn’t like OptionSetValue

I agree that what you have should work fine. This can only mean that the value isn't published or is incorrect. As @glosrob mentions, check that the changes are actually published. Confirm these values by looking at the published form and seeing if your new value is present (and perhaps double check by using IE Developer Tools - hit F12 - and confirm that the value in the select>option object in the HTML contains the integer you expect).

As an aside, your code looks more complex than necessary (IMHO!). I believe this is easier to read an no less efficient:

Try this:

public static void CreateAccount(string accountName, string accountType)
{
   ////Create DynamicEntity
   Entity accountToCreate = new Entity();
   accountToCreate.LogicalName = "account";
   accountToCreate.Attributes = attributes;

   //Append properties
   accountToCreate.Attributes.Add("name", accountName ?? "" );
   accountToCreate.Attributes.Add("new_accounttype", new OptionSetValue(100000003);

   try
   {
     service.Create(accountToCreate);
   }
}

C# – CRM 2011 Pre-Operation Update related entity lookup field

I agree with Peter.

It must be an EntityReference, moreover it must be a new EntityReference.

Try this:

result.Attributes["parentEntityId"] = new EntityReference(targetEntity.EntityLogicalName, targetEntity.Id);

Best Answer

Related Solutions

C# – Error creating an Entity in CRM 2011 – CRM doesn’t like OptionSetValue

C# – CRM 2011 Pre-Operation Update related entity lookup field

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