Azure Automation Account

[MehhllMehhll]

Hi Mikael

Is it possible to use your tool in an azure automation account? I'm currently getting errors because some powershell classes didn't load correctly.

Best Regards
Mehhll

[Micke-K]

Hello!

Sorry for late reply!

I have no clue actually. What is it complaining about? The script uses WFP for UI so I could imagine that being a problem.

Cheers

[magnusjak]

Hi Mikael,

Not that I have tried this myself yet, but I want to use your tool, but I have to use it through either an Automation Account or a Function App. Not as an interactive tool, but to use the automation-commands to run things automatically.

It would also be amazing if this could be a module added to the PSGallery so that downloading and updating it would be even easier. Is this something you have looked into, or isn't it possible in its current state as an interactive tool?

[magnusjak]

Update to this.

I have tried the tool and thought that the -Silent parameter might just do the trick for us.
I tested this locally and everything worked as I hoped.

Then I figured I could run it through a VM (Hybrid worker) in an automation account. Running it on the VM itself manually works fine, so everything on the VM is Ok. However, when I try to do the same thing through the Automation account runbook, using HybridWorker, it loads the module fine, but when it starts kicking off the main script, I start getting errors and it fails.

These are the first errors that shows up:
System.Management.Automation.RuntimeException: The property 'ItemsSource' cannot be found on this object. Verify that the property exists and can be set. at CallSite.Target(Closure , CallSite , Object , Object ) at System.Dynamic.UpdateDelegates.UpdateAndExecute2[T0,T1,TRet](CallSite site, T0 arg0, T1 arg1) at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.DynamicInstruction3.Run(InterpretedFrame frame) at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame) System.Management.Automation.RuntimeException: The property 'SelectedValue' cannot be found on this object. Verify that the property exists and can be set. at CallSite.Target(Closure , CallSite , Object , Object ) at System.Dynamic.UpdateDelegates.UpdateAndExecute2[T0,T1,TRet](CallSite site, T0 arg0, T1 arg1) at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.DynamicInstruction3.Run(InterpretedFrame frame) at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame) System.Management.Automation.RuntimeException: The property 'Text' cannot be found on this object. Verify that the property exists and can be set. at CallSite.Target(Closure , CallSite , Object , Object ) at System.Dynamic.UpdateDelegates.UpdateAndExecute2[T0,T1,TRet](CallSite site, T0 arg0, T1 arg1) at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.DynamicInstruction3.Run(InterpretedFrame frame) at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame) System.Management.Automation.RuntimeException: The property 'Visibility' cannot be found on this object. Verify that the property exists and can be set. at CallSite.Target(Closure , CallSite , Object , Object ) at System.Dynamic.UpdateDelegates.UpdateAndExecute2[T0,T1,TRet](CallSite site, T0 arg0, T1 arg1) at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.DynamicInstruction3.Run(InterpretedFrame frame) at System.Management.Automation.Interpreter.EnterTryCatchFinallyInstruction.Run(InterpretedFrame frame)

From what I can see, these errors can be traced back to XAML files in the repository. Which tells me two things:

1. An AutomationAccount runbook, even one running on a HybridWorker, can't run visual code, even though its hidden
2. The code isn't set up to be able to run without the XAML-interface.

So, I'm guessing it's not an easy fix to uncouple the code itself from the XAML-interface. But I'll ask anyway:
Would it be possible for you to create a version/parameter that supports running without any GUI/XAML so that it can work on an AutomationAccount runbook?

Best regards,
Magnus Jakobsen

[Micke-K]

Hello!

"easy fix" :D. Yes, decouple code logic with UI will fix it but unfortunately, I design this with UI first and the implemented a quick solution that was built on top of that. Not a very good solution...

I am looking into changing this though. A code focused module with optional UI on top of it. However, progress is slow since it is basically a redesign of the whole app. I hope I will finish it one day. Almost ready with the core original features but still a very long way to go.

Cheers!

[magnusjak]

Hello :)

Thanks for the reply! I presumed as much xD But good to hear that you are working on a redesign, even though it will take some time.
I'm rooting for you!

Cheers!

[magnusjak]

Hi again Micke!

I was just wondering if you have had any time to progress on the redesign? 😄
Even just the core original features might help a lot :)

Cheers!

[Micke-K]

Hello,

Yes, there has been some progress. I'm not 100% finished with the core but, I think all read operations are ok now. I have not fully tested it migration and update policy scenarios.

I still get stuck on supporting the current version and lots of actual work so not nearly as far as I was hoping for at this stage.

I'll think about making it available somehow for people to start testing.

Cheers!