Error: "Selected column ID '_ItemGuid' could not be found in the underlying data structure."

Products

• IT Management Suite

Issue/Introduction

When attempting to access the right-click menu on a resource or view the Actions of custom reports an error appears in the console:

Could not generate the context menu for the selected items. See the log for details.

The following was included in the SMP/NS logs;

Module: Altiris.Reporting.Parameters.dll
Source: Altiris.Reporting.Parameters.ParameterTypeTransformations.DataSelectionParameterTypeTransformationsItem.DoTransform
Description: Failed to transform selection: List

Selected column ID '_ItemGuid' could not be found in the underlying data structure.
   [Altiris.Parameters.Exceptions.TransformationException @ Altiris.Reporting.Common]
   at Altiris.Reporting.Common.DataSelection.GetCurrentSelectionAsValue(Int32 filterByRowIndex, String filterByColumnName)
   at Altiris.Reporting.Common.DataSelection.GetCurrentSelectionAsValue(String filterByColumnName)
   at Altiris.Reporting.Parameters.ParameterTypeTransformations.DataSelectionParameterTypeTransformationsItem.DoTransform(Object fromParameterTypeValue)

Exception logged from: 
   at Altiris.Reporting.Parameters.ParameterTypeTransformations.DataSelectionParameterTypeTransformationsItem.DoTransform(Object)
   at Altiris.Parameters.ParameterValue.TransformValueFromTo(Object, Altiris.Parameters.ParameterTypes.IParameterTypeItem, Altiris.Parameters.ParameterTypes.IParameterTypeItem)
   at Altiris.Parameters.ParameterValue.TransformValueFromTo(Object, String, String)
   at Altiris.Reporting.Common.ControlLinking.Controls.LinkModeratorControl.ProcessParameters(Altiris.Reporting.Common.ControlLinking.ILink, System.Collections.Hashtable)
   at Altiris.Reporting.Common.ControlLinking.Controls.LinkModeratorControl.OnLinkEvent(String, String, String, System.Collections.Hashtable)
   at Altiris.Reporting.Common.ControlLinking.Controls.LinkModeratorControl.LoadCallbackXml(Altiris.Reporting.Common.ControlLinking.Controls.LinkRegion+ScriptContext, String, String&)
   at Altiris.Reporting.Common.ControlLinking.Controls.LinkModeratorControl.RaiseCallbackEvent(String)
   at System.Web.UI.Page.RenderCallback()
   at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean, Boolean)
   at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequest(Boolean, Boolean)
   at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequest()
   at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequest(System.Web.HttpContext)
   at Altiris.NS.UI.Controls.PageCachePage.ProcessRequest(System.Web.HttpContext)
   at Altiris.NS.UI.AltirisPage.ProcessRequest(System.Web.HttpContext)
   at System.Web.HttpApplication+CallHandlerExecutionStep.System.Web.HttpApplication.IExecutionStep.Execute()
   at System.Web.HttpApplication.ExecuteStepImpl(System.Web.HttpApplication+IExecutionStep)
   at System.Web.HttpApplication.ExecuteStep(System.Web.HttpApplication+IExecutionStep, Boolean&)
   at System.Web.HttpApplication+PipelineStepManager.ResumeSteps(Exception)
   at System.Web.HttpApplication.BeginProcessRequestNotification(System.Web.HttpContext, AsyncCallback)
   at System.Web.HttpRuntime.ProcessRequestNotificationPrivate(System.Web.Hosting.IIS7WorkerRequest, System.Web.HttpContext)
   at System.Web.Hosting.PipelineRuntime.ProcessRequestNotificationHelper(IntPtr, IntPtr, IntPtr, Int32)
   at System.Web.Hosting.PipelineRuntime.ProcessRequestNotification(IntPtr, IntPtr, IntPtr, Int32)

Environment

ITMS 7.x, 8.x

Cause

The description in the error describes the actual cause:

Failed to transform selection: List

Selected column ID '_ItemGuid' could not be found in the underlying data structure.

The essential part is the "..._ItemGuid' could not be found in the underlying data structure. ..."

The _ItemGuid identifier is used as the unique key for each resource in reports for the right-click menu to be displayed or for the Actions option to work, as these pull data real time based on the resource, available solutions, etc., so the _ItemGuid has to be present.

For many reports either a Guid has not been included, and even then many reports might use the Guid in the format Guid or ResoureGuid, where the right-click menu (Drilldown) & Action options per default are set to use the _ItemGuid reference.

For custom settings you may need to edit your custom reports.

Resolution

The simple solution, is to make sure you have an alias for _ItemGuid set in the report.

In the report the SQL could look like the following snippet:

SELECT guid as _ItemGuid, name 
from vComputer
where IsManaged = 1

In addition, you want to make sure that you have a drilldown parameter in your report.  This is usually there by default, but should be verified.  The following screenshot illustrates this.  If this is missing from you report, please add it as you see in the screenshot.  You will still need to update the SQL as shown above.