How to fix: "Unable to display this Web Part" when you want to initiate a workflow manually

Issue

This was a recent encounter (error message below) while starting a Workflow manually in MOSS (SharePoint 2007).

Unable to display this Web Part. To troubleshoot the problem, open this Web page in a Windows SharePoint Services-compatible HTML editor such as Microsoft Office SharePoint Designer. If the problem persists, contact your Web server administrator.

For your better understanding, let me first explain you where I was at, and where I was heading. I wanted to start a workflow manually on a Document Library. [That wasn't tough :)]

I navigated to the:

• Document Library >
• Library Item >
• Edit Menu >
• Click on Workflows.
• Under Start a New Workflow section, I clicked on the Workflow and was eye to eye with the error.

Analysis

As the error was instructing me to use SharePoint Designer, so I opened. And since this was a web part that was failing, I thought if I could remove the web part from the page and add it again. This was my source of greater understanding.

But since this was related to Workflows, I opened the particular workflow that was failing and noticed an .aspx page in the bundle (as below). This ASPX page represents the page that we use to manually run the workflow.

Resolution

I backed up this .aspx page, merely by changing its name. I then opened the Workflow (.xoml file) and published it. This action created a new ASPX page for me.

Now when I clicked on Start a New Workflow, the page appeared fine and I was able to run the workflow.

You updated the workflow, but the changes haven't taken effect

I know how frustrating this can get, I have been there.

I changed the workflow using SharePoint Designer 2007 and published it, but when I test the workflow on SharePoint 2007, it seems to have not been effected by those changes.

Seems like the SPD workflow cache is being superior. Here is how you go about resolving:

• Close the designer (SharePoint Designer)
• Navigate to %system drive%\Documents and Settings\%user%\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\WebSiteCache
• Open the directory that you are referring to. This is similar to the name of your website.
• Delete the assembly that you were changing. (You might as well delete all the files here)
• Open SharePoint Designer, publish the workflow and check