Retrieving transformation from Kettle repository produces error

[evanvugt]

Recently I built a transformation that featured the GIS File Input step to load an Esri shapefile file format into the datastream. Using the transformation and storing the transformation as a .KTR-file work fine.

However, we are long-time users of a central Kettle repository. I stored the transformation in a Kettle repository without any issues or warnings, but when I tried to open it later it throws a null error and fails to retrieve the transformation from the repository. So I tried all steps in the plugin and found the following.

1. The steps GIS File Input and GIS File Output will store in the repository but will throw an error when you try to open the transformation afterwards, making the transformation unusable.

   The exact error reads:
   "An unexpected error occurred in Spoon:
   null"

2. The step Geoprocessing will not even store the transformation in the repository but will throw an error immediately

"Unable to save step info to the repository for id_transformation=684

Unable to write step info in repository
at org.eclipse.jface.operation.ModalContext$ModalContextThread.run (ModalContext.java:113)
at org.pentaho.di.ui.spoon.dialog.SaveProgressDialog$1.run (SaveProgressDialog.java:70)
at org.pentaho.di.repository.AbstractRepository.save (AbstractRepository.java:126)
at org.pentaho.di.repository.kdr.KettleDatabaseRepository.save (KettleDatabaseRepository.java:387)
at org.pentaho.di.repository.kdr.KettleDatabaseRepository.save (KettleDatabaseRepository.java:407)
at org.pentaho.di.repository.kdr.delegates.KettleDatabaseRepositoryTransDelegate.saveTransformation (KettleDatabaseRepositoryTransDelegate.java:278)
at org.pentaho.di.repository.kdr.delegates.KettleDatabaseRepositoryStepDelegate.saveStepMeta (KettleDatabaseRepositoryStepDelegate.java:248)
at org.pentaho.di.repository.kdr.delegates.KettleDatabaseRepositoryStepDelegate.compatibleSaveRep (KettleDatabaseRepositoryStepDelegate.java:274)
at com.atolcd.pentaho.di.trans.steps.gisgeoprocessing.GisGeoprocessingMeta.saveRep (GisGeoprocessingMeta.java:370)"

All steps work fine when used in a file-based environment. This has been tested on:

• PDI 5.4.0.1-130 (as I understand there are issues regarding PDI 6 and the plugin.
• MS SQL Server 2008 R2 for the repository.