How to fix "getMetaData method was not found" error

[EugenePipko]

Hello,

I installed CF2018 on Win2016 server and moved my code into it from CF9. Now I am receiving errors that I did not receive in CF9.

09:15:16.016 - Object Exception - in D:/Application.cfc : line 249

The getMetaData method was not found.

09:15:16.016 - Application Exception - in D:/Application.cfc : line 249

An exception occurred while calling the function getMetaData.

The line 249 refers to the <cfdump> tag in the following function in Application.cfm

<cffunction name="onError" returnType="void" output="false">

<cfargument name="exception" required="true">

<cfargument name="eventname" type="string" required="true">

        <cfset var errortext = "">

        <cfif isDefined("arguments.exception.rootCause") AND arguments.exception.rootCause IS "coldfusion.runtime.AbortException">

            <cfreturn/>

        </cfif>

<cfmail

to="me@company.com"

from="cf_server@company.com"

subject="ColdFusion request failed for #UCase(listlast(SESSION.curr_user,"\"))#"

type="html">

<p><strong>Error: <font color="red">#arguments.exception.message#</font></strong></p>   

        <strong>Time:</strong> #dateFormat(now(), "short")# #timeFormat(now(), "short")#<br>

        <strong>Error on page:</strong> http://#cgi.server_name##cgi.script_name#?#cgi.query_string#<br>

        <strong>Referrer:</strong> #cgi.HTTP_REFERER#   

    <p></p>

       <cfdump var="#arguments.exception#" label="Error">

</cfmail>

    <cfabort>

</cffunction>

Does anyone know how to fix it?

Thanks,

Eugene

[WolfShade]

I don't have an answer for your question, but I must say that CF9 => CF2018 is a HUGE jump.  You should be getting all kinds of errors with CF9 code, for a variety of reasons including (but not limited to) deprecated tags, deprecated/altered attributes and/or parameters, and just plain security issues.

You just might have a lot of code to rewrite in order to keep this site/app running under CF2018.

V/r,

^ _ ^

[EugenePipko]

Thanks for reply. So far, this is the only message I am receiving after upgrade.

Since it referring to #arguments.exception#, is there a new way to report an error in 2018?

[WolfShade]

I haven't worked with anything after CF11, so unfortunately can't help with that.  But hopefully someone with CF2018 experience will look in here and post some suggestions.

V/r,

^ _ ^

[BKBK]

Oh, Eugene, that is weird. Is this construction perhaps the problem:

<cfmail>

    ...

    <cfdump var="#arguments.exception#" label="Error">

    ...

</cfmail>?

Try this:

<cfsavecontent variable="errorDump" >

<cfdump var="#arguments.exception#" label="Error">

</cfsavecontent>

<cfmail>

    ...

    #errorDump#

    ...

</cfmail>

[EugenePipko]

Just tried that and ... have the same errors

<cffunction name="onError" returnType="void" output="true">

<cfargument name="exception" required="true">

<cfargument name="eventname" type="string" required="true">

<cfset var errortext = "">

<!--- Display error to user --->

<img src="../../IMAGES/SiteError.gif" width="750" height="150" alt="Site Error" border="0">

<p></p>

Error: <cfoutput><strong>#arguments.exception.message#</strong></cfoutput><br />

Error details were sent to the application administrator.<br />

<p></p>

<a href="<cfoutput>#CGI.http_referer#</cfoutput>">Go Back</a> 

<cfsavecontent variable="errortext">

<cfoutput>

Time: #dateFormat(now(), "short")# #timeFormat(now(), "short")#<br />

Error on page: http://#cgi.server_name##cgi.script_name#?#cgi.query_string#<br />

Referrer: #cgi.HTTP_REFERER#

<cfdump var="#arguments.exception#" label="Error">

</cfoutput>

</cfsavecontent>

<cfmail to="epipko@unionbay.com"

from="cf_server@unionbay.com"

subject="ColdFusion request failed for #UCase(listlast(SESSION.curr_user,"\"))#"

type="html">

#errortext#

</cfmail>

</cffunction>

Exceptions

13:16:09.009 - Object Exception - in D:/Application.cfc : line 279

         The getMetaData method was not found. 

13:16:09.009 - Application Exception - in D:/Application.cfc : line 279

         An exception occurred while calling the function getMetaData. 

13:16:09.009 - Object Exception - in D:/Application.cfc : line 279

         The getMetaData method was not found. 

13:16:09.009 - Application Exception - in D:/Application.cfc : line 279

         An exception occurred while calling the function getMetaData. 

13:16:09.009 - Object Exception - in D:/Application.cfc : line 279

         The getMetaData method was not found. 

13:16:09.009 - Application Exception - in D:/Application.cfc : line 279

         An exception occurred while calling the function getMetaData.

Line 279 refers to this:

<cfdump var="#arguments.exception#" label="Error">

[BKBK]

That is not what I suggested. When you embed cfdump within cfoutput, you're repeating what my example was trying to avoid.

Try this:

<cfsavecontent variable="errortext">

<cfoutput>

    Time: #dateFormat(now(), "short")# #timeFormat(now(), "short")#<br />

    Error on page: http://#cgi.server_name##cgi.script_name#?#cgi.query_string#<br />

    Referrer: #cgi.HTTP_REFERER#

</cfoutput>

<cfdump var="#arguments.exception#" label="Error">

</cfsavecontent>

[EugenePipko]

changed it to

<cfsavecontent variable="errortext">

<cfoutput>

Time: #dateFormat(now(), "short")# #timeFormat(now(), "short")#<br />

Error on page: http://#cgi.server_name##cgi.script_name#?#cgi.query_string#<br />

Referrer: #cgi.HTTP_REFERER#

<!---<cfdump var="#arguments.exception#" label="Error">--->

</cfoutput>

<cfdump var="#arguments.exception#" label="Error">

</cfsavecontent>

and still getting same errors referring to <cfdump var="#arguments.exception#" label="Error">

Exceptions

14:00:25.025 - Object Exception - in D:/UB_CF_APPS/PROD/Application.cfc : line 281

         The getMetaData method was not found. 

14:00:25.025 - Application Exception - in D:/UB_CF_APPS/PROD/Application.cfc : line 281

         An exception occurred while calling the function getMetaData.

[WolfShade]

This makes me think that something might have gone awry during the installation.  getMetaData should be available.

V/r,

^ _ ^

[BKBK]

Hmmm, odd. What happens when you run the following CFM page. It contains just 1 line.

testpage.cfm

<cfdump var="#server#">

[EugenePipko]

<cfdump var="#server#"> works just fine

the workaround using <cfscript> does not work: shows same errors

[BKBK]

Let's eliminate any effects from the argument. What about this test:

<cfsavecontent variable="errortext">

<cfoutput>

Time: #dateFormat(now(), "short")# #timeFormat(now(), "short")#<br />

Error on page: http://#cgi.server_name##cgi.script_name#?#cgi.query_string#<br />

Referrer: #cgi.HTTP_REFERER#

</cfoutput>

<cfdump var="#server#" label="server">

</cfsavecontent>

[EugenePipko]

I did not get the same error this time!

[BKBK]

Oh! What did you get?

[EugenePipko]

[BKBK]

So the dump works. At least in the case <cfdump var="#server#">

[BKBK]

Search your code for any illegal call to getMetaData().

[EugenePipko]

Yes, <cfdump> works fine, but not for some reason it won't dump #arguments.exception#

Not sure I know how to find illegal calls to GetMetadata()

[BKBK]

EugenePipko  wrote

Not sure I know how to find illegal calls to GetMetadata()

Most text editors can search your entire code for the word getMetadata.

[EugenePipko]

[BKBK]

  wrote

OK. That was that then.

[EugenePipko]

Exceptions

15:19:49.049 - Object Exception - in D:/UB_CF_APPS/PROD/Application.cfc : line 279

         The getMetaData method was not found. 

15:19:49.049 - Application Exception - in D:/UB_CF_APPS/PROD/Application.cfc : line 279

         An exception occurred while calling the function getMetaData.

[BKBK]

And what happens when you test the division-by-zero page against this:

<cffunction name="onError">

   <cfargument name="exception" required=true>

   <cfargument name = "eventName" type="string" required=true>

      <cfdump var="#arguments.exception#" label="arguments.exception">

</cffunction>

[EugenePipko]

Exceptions

15:40:30.030 - Object Exception - in D:/UB_CF_APPS/PROD/Application.cfc : line 280

         The getMetaData method was not found. 

15:40:30.030 - Application Exception - in D:/UB_CF_APPS/PROD/Application.cfc : line 280

         An exception occurred while calling the function getMetaData. 

[BKBK]

It's just gone past 1 AM here so I'm taking a break. I shall be back later in the morning.

In the meantime you could

1) investigate further with

<cftry>

<cfsavecontent variable="errortext">

<cfoutput>

    Time: #dateFormat(now(), "short")# #timeFormat(now(), "short")#<br />

    Error on page: http://#cgi.server_name##cgi.script_name#?#cgi.query_string#<br />

    Referrer: #cgi.HTTP_REFERER#

</cfoutput>

<cfdump var="#arguments.exception#" label="Error">

</cfsavecontent>

<cfcatch type="any">

    <cfdump var="#cfcatch#" label="cfcatch">

</cfcatch>

</cftry>

2) Report a bug, referring it to this forum page.

3) Reinstall ColdFusion 2018, Update 2

Good luck!