Value cannot be NULL with GET-VM and GET-VAPP

[p3rk]

My Environment is Window10 with PowerShell 5.1 and PowerCLI 12.0

VCSA is 6.7.0 - 16709110

Hypervisor: VMware ESXi, 6.7.0, 16713306

I started by have some real issues with the GET-VM and GET-VAPP when I specified the "-Location" parameter

so I would consistently get an Exception on the command:

$VMs = GET-VM -Location Agent.Carter

Yields:

PS H:\> get-vm -location Agent.Carter

get-vm : 10/6/2020 2:00:42 PM    Get-VM        Value cannot be null.

Parameter name: collection   

At line:1 char:1

+ get-vm -location Agent.Carter

+ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Get-VM], VimException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Core_BaseCmdlet_UnknownError,VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.GetVM

Where the <Agent.Carter> is a folder on the vCenter where all the users vApps are stored.

I found that if I replaced that command with:

$VMs = Get-Folder Agent.Carter | GET-VM

it would accomplish the task at hand, give me a list of VMs for a user BUT then this Exception became apparent.

My Snippet of script looks like:

write-host "    Starting Cloning of '$vApp' to '$NewName' on '$Datastore' $($FreeSpace)GB Available ... " -noNewLine

# Run command and capture output

$Cluster = Get-Cluster $Cluster_Name 2>&1

$Results = New-vapp -Name $NewName -vapp (get-vapp -name $vApp.name) -location $Cluster -Datastore $Datastore 2>&1

write-host "Complete`n    Moving new vApp to folder $Location ... " -noNewLine

write-host "`$Location is $($Location.gettype())"

move-vapp  -vapp $NewName -Destination $Location | Out-Null

write-host "Complete"

The results (Error Message) is what follows:

    Starting Cloning of '_Mod3_Class' to '20550_Agent.Carter-Mod3_Class' on 'JCAC_Datastore_1' 2142GB Available ... Complete

    Moving new vApp to folder Agent.Carter ... $Location is VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Impl.V1.Inventory.FolderImpl

move-vapp : 10/6/2020 11:11:06 AM    Move-VApp        Value cannot be null.

Parameter name: collection   

At C:\Users\Mike\Desktop\VM-Builder1.90.ps1:1645 char:5

+     move-vapp  -vapp $NewName -Destination $Location | Out-Null

+     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Move-VApp], VimException

    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Core_BaseCmdlet_UnknownError,VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Cmdlets.Commands.MoveVApp

The Cloning is working but when I try to move the VAPP to the users folder I get that same NULL Exception.  I figure at this point what I am experiencing is some code issue in the .Net Frame code that is being called by the PowerShell CMDLETs.

[LucD]

What do you have in $Location, a string, or a Folder object returned by Get-Folder?

The same question for the VApp parameter, did you already try with the VApp object (you have it in $Results)?

[p3rk]

the $location is populated from a Get-Folder call so it is of type VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Impl.V1.Inventory.FolderImpl

The $vApp is an object that I created to hold app info, so I do a call to (get-vapp -name $vApp.name) to supply an actual vApp value.

I have tried to go through and remove all Parameters that specify a location value and so most of my script is working well, but when I have no choice with using the -Location parameter or a similar parameter it will sometimes fail.

I have another little snippet (now that my session has hit the limit or whatever the issue is:

try {

    # $results = Get-VApp $vAppName | Get-VIPermission  -Principal $stu.GetPrincipal()

    $results = get-vapp -location michael.P

} catch [System.ArgumentNullException] {

    Write-Host "NULL Exception Raised. Close the session and run the script again." -ForegroundColor Yellow

    Write-Host "StackTrace:`n$($_.ScriptStackTrace)" -ForegroundColor Red

    Write-Host "Exception:`n$($_.Exception)" -ForegroundColor Red

    Write-Host "Error Details:`n$($_.ErrorDetails)" -ForegroundColor Red

}

In the script above, there is a folder on the VCSA named "Michael.P" and below is the output of the script. (line 6 is the one command in the TRY section of the scriptblock.

NULL Exception Raised. Close the session and run the script again.

StackTrace:

at <ScriptBlock>, <No file>: line 6

Exception:

VMware.VimAutomation.Sdk.Types.V1.ErrorHandling.VimException.VimException: 10/8/2020 8:56:01 AM    Get-VApp        Value cannot be null.

Parameter name: collection     ---> System.ArgumentNullException: Value cannot be null.

Parameter name: collection

   at System.ThrowHelper.ThrowArgumentNullException(ExceptionArgument argument)

   at System.Collections.Generic.List`1.InsertRange(Int32 index, IEnumerable`1 collection)

   at VMware.VimAutomation.WorkloadManagement.Impl.V1.WMObnProvider.GetObn(IList`1 connectionIdList, IList`1 objectNameList, IList`1 objectInterfaceTypeList, IList`1 contextList, String contextRelationName)

   at VMware.VimAutomation.WorkloadManagement.Impl.V1.WMObnProvider.GetObn(IList`1 connectionIdList, IList`1 objectNameList, IList`1 objectInterfaceTypeList, IList`1 contextList)

   at VMware.VimAutomation.Sdk.Impl.V1.CoreServiceImpl.GetObn(IList`1 connectionIdList, IList`1 objectNameList, IList`1 objectInterfaceTypeList, IList`1 contextList, String contextRelationName)

   at VMware.VimAutomation.Sdk.Util10Ps.BaseCmdlet.ObnSelector.GetObjectsByNameCore(PropertyInfo parameter, String objectName)

   at VMware.VimAutomation.Sdk.Util10Ps.BaseCmdlet.ObnSelector.SelectObjectByNameCore(PropertyInfo parameter, String objectName)

   at VMware.VimAutomation.Sdk.Util10Ps.BaseCmdlet.ObnSelector.SelectObjectByName(PropertyInfo parameter)

   at VMware.VimAutomation.Sdk.Util10Ps.BaseCmdlet.ObnSelector.SelectObjectsByName()

   at VMware.VimAutomation.Sdk.Util10Ps.BaseCmdlet.BaseCmdlet.SelectObjectsByName()

   at VMware.VimAutomation.Sdk.Util10Ps.BaseCmdlet.BaseCmdlet.ProcessRecordErrorHandled()

   at VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Util10Ps.BaseCmdlet.BaseCmdlet.ProcessRecordErrorHandled()

   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---

   at System.Management.Automation.MshCommandRuntime.ThrowTerminatingError(ErrorRecord errorRecord)

Error Details:

I thought I had gotten Error Details before, but nothing was shown this time.

Please let me know if you more questions or suggestions.

[LucD]

I'm afraid you didn't get my remark.

Instead of using a string on the Location parameter, use the object returned by Get-VApp or New-VApp.

$results = get-vapp -location (Get-Folder -Name michael.P)

[p3rk]

It worked when I changed the call to get-vApp as you suggested, Now my other command to get-vipermissions still throws the exception

The results of the "$stu.GetPrincipal()" is a string with my account information in it.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-==- Script:-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

$vappName = "P,Michael-Mod6_Class"

$Principal = "outdomain\michael.p"

try {

    $results = Get-VApp $vAppName | Get-VIPermission  -Principal $Principal

    # $results = get-vapp -location (get-folder -name michael.p)

} catch [System.ArgumentNullException] {

    Write-Host "NULL Exception Raised. Close the session and run the script again." -ForegroundColor Yellow

    Write-Host "StackTrace:`n$($_.ScriptStackTrace)" -ForegroundColor Red

    Write-Host "Exception:`n$($_.Exception)" -ForegroundColor Red

    Write-Host "Error Details:`n$($_.ErrorDetails)" -ForegroundColor Red

} catch  {

    Write-Host "An Error occurred trying to look at Permissions - May have to close Session and re-run script"

    Write-Host "$_" -ForegroundColor Red

    Write-Host "StackTrace:`n$($_.ScriptStackTrace)" -ForegroundColor Red

    Write-Host "Exception:`n$($_.Exception)" -ForegroundColor Red

    Write-Host "Error Details:`n$($_.ErrorDetails)" -ForegroundColor Red

}

Write-host "Results of TRY Command: "

$results | ft -AutoSize

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Output -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

NULL Exception Raised. Close the session and run the script again.

StackTrace:

at <ScriptBlock>, <No file>: line 4

Exception:

VMware.VimAutomation.Sdk.Types.V1.ErrorHandling.VimException.VimException: 10/8/2020 9:33:23 AM    Get-VIPermission        Value cannot be null.

Parameter name: collection     ---> System.ArgumentNullException: Value cannot be null.

Parameter name: collection

   at System.ThrowHelper.ThrowArgumentNullException(ExceptionArgument argument)

   at System.Collections.Generic.List`1.InsertRange(Int32 index, IEnumerable`1 collection)

   at VMware.VimAutomation.WorkloadManagement.Impl.V1.WMObnProvider.GetObn(IList`1 connectionIdList, IList`1 objectNameList, IList`1 objectInterfaceTypeList, IList`1 contextList, String contextRelationName)

   at VMware.VimAutomation.WorkloadManagement.Impl.V1.WMObnProvider.GetObn(IList`1 connectionIdList, IList`1 objectNameList, IList`1 objectInterfaceTypeList, IList`1 contextList)

   at VMware.VimAutomation.Sdk.Impl.V1.CoreServiceImpl.GetObn(IList`1 connectionIdList, IList`1 objectNameList, IList`1 objectInterfaceTypeList, IList`1 contextList, String contextRelationName)

   at VMware.VimAutomation.Sdk.Util10Ps.BaseCmdlet.ObnSelector.GetObjectsByNameCore(PropertyInfo parameter, String objectName)

   at VMware.VimAutomation.Sdk.Util10Ps.BaseCmdlet.ObnSelector.SelectObjectByNameCore(PropertyInfo parameter, String objectName)

   at VMware.VimAutomation.Sdk.Util10Ps.BaseCmdlet.ObnSelector.SelectObjectByName(PropertyInfo parameter)

   at VMware.VimAutomation.Sdk.Util10Ps.BaseCmdlet.ObnSelector.SelectObjectsByName()

   at VMware.VimAutomation.Sdk.Util10Ps.BaseCmdlet.BaseCmdlet.SelectObjectsByName()

   at VMware.VimAutomation.Sdk.Util10Ps.BaseCmdlet.BaseCmdlet.ProcessRecordErrorHandled()

   at VMware.VimAutomation.ViCore.Util10Ps.BaseCmdlet.BaseCmdlet.ProcessRecordErrorHandled()

   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---

   at System.Management.Automation.MshCommandRuntime.ThrowTerminatingError(ErrorRecord errorRecord)

Error Details:

Results of TRY Command:

[LucD]

Did you also try with this notation?
You probably have to complete the domainname, since the NetBIOS name is usually shorter

$Principal = "michael.p@outdomain..."

[p3rk]

Sorry, I changed the real value which is dotted domain name to a short name.

the value I use in the call is the exact text as shown when I do a simple Get-VIPermission on a vApp

The String value looks a lot like "xxxxx.xxxxx\michael.p" as shown in the output below: (Again, editing some of the specifics)

PS H:\> Get-VApp -name $vAppName |  Get-VIPermission | ft -au
Role	Principal	Propagate	isGroup
----	---------	---------	-------
XXXX_PRIV_USER	VSPHERE.YYYY.LOCAL\ed.k	True	False
XXXX_USER_INSTRUCTOR	YYYY.WWWW\DL_C_XXXX_Instructors	True	True
XXXX_PRIV_USER	YYYY.WWWW\DL_C_XXXX_VM_Privileged_Users	True	True
XXXX_USER_INSTRUCTOR	YYYY.WWWW\DL_C_XXXX_SME	True	True
Admin	VSPHERE.YYYY.LOCAL\vpxd-c0abd9a4-5b40-41c1-b78a-c7b15e77499b	True	False
vSphere Client Solution User VSPHERE.YYYY.LOCAL\vsphere-webclient-c0abd9a4-5b40-41c1-b78a-c7b15e77499b True	False
Admin	VSPHERE.YYYY.LOCAL\vpxd-extension-c0abd9a4-5b40-41c1-b78a-c7b15e77499b	True	False
Admin	VSPHERE.YYYY.LOCAL\Administrator	True	False
Admin	YYYY.WWWW\DL_YYYY_Virtual_Admin	True	True
AutoUpdateUser	VSPHERE.YYYY.LOCAL\AutoUpdate	True	True
Admin	VSPHERE.YYYY.LOCAL\Administrators	True	True

[LucD]

Ok, so it is all working now?

[p3rk]

well, I found a way around the issue of passing in the "-Principal [String]"

I changed the command to:

$results = Get-VApp -name $vAppName | Get-VIPermission | where Principal -eq $Principal

This seems to work