Can't install custom template (Object reference not set to an instance of an object)

I’ve created a new template but for some reason I’m getting an exception when trying to install it.

The source code to the template can be found in this PR: https://github.com/cake-build/frosting/pull/31/files

Environment

C:\Test> dotnet

Microsoft .NET Core Shared Framework Host

  Version  : 1.1.0
  Build    : 928f77c4bc3f49d892459992fb6e1d5542cb5e86

C:\Test> dotnet --version
1.0.1

C:\Test> dotnet --info
.NET Command Line Tools (1.0.1)

Product Information:
 Version:            1.0.1
 Commit SHA-1 hash:  005db40cd1

Runtime Environment:
 OS Name:     Windows
 OS Version:  10.0.14393
 OS Platform: Windows
 RID:         win10-x64
 Base Path:   C:\Program Files\dotnet\sdk\1.0.1

Description

C:\Test> dotnet new

Template Instantiation Commands for .NET Core CLI.

Usage: dotnet new [arguments] [options]

Arguments:
  template  The template to instantiate.

Options:
  -l|--list         List templates containing the specified name.
  -lang|--language  Specifies the language of the template to create
  -n|--name         The name for the output being created. If no name is specified, the name of the current directory is used.
  -o|--output       Location to place the generated output.
  -h|--help         Displays help for this command.
  -all|--show-all   Shows all templates


Templates                       Short Name        Language      Tags
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cake Frosting Build Script      cakefrosting      [C#]          Cake/Frosting
Console Application             console           [C#], F#      Common/Console
Class library                   classlib          [C#], F#      Common/Library
Unit Test Project               mstest            [C#], F#      Test/MSTest
xUnit Test Project              xunit             [C#], F#      Test/xUnit
ASP.NET Core Empty              web               [C#]          Web/Empty
ASP.NET Core Web App            mvc               [C#], F#      Web/MVC
ASP.NET Core Web API            webapi            [C#]          Web/WebAPI
Solution File                   sln                             Solution

Examples:
    dotnet new mvc --auth None --framework netcoreapp1.1
    dotnet new classlib --framework netstandard1.4
    dotnet new --help

C:\Test> dotnet new cakefrosting

Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
   at Microsoft.TemplateEngine.Orchestrator.RunnableProjects.SimpleConfigModel.ProduceOperationSetup(SpecialOperationConfigParams defaultMod
el, Boolean generateMacros, ICustomFileGlobModel customGlobModel)
   at Microsoft.TemplateEngine.Orchestrator.RunnableProjects.SimpleConfigModel.Microsoft.TemplateEngine.Orchestrator.RunnableProjects.IRunna
bleProjectConfig.get_OperationConfig()
   at Microsoft.TemplateEngine.Orchestrator.RunnableProjects.RunnableProjectGenerator.CreateAsync(IEngineEnvironmentSettings environmentSett
ings, ITemplate templateData, IParameterSet parameters, IComponentManager componentManager, String targetDirectory)
   at Microsoft.TemplateEngine.Edge.Template.TemplateCreator.<InstantiateAsync>d__5.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.ConfiguredTaskAwaitable`1.ConfiguredTaskAwaiter.GetResult()
   at Microsoft.TemplateEngine.Cli.New3Command.<CreateTemplateAsync>d__59.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.ConfiguredTaskAwaitable`1.ConfiguredTaskAwaiter.GetResult()
   at Microsoft.TemplateEngine.Cli.New3Command.<EnterSingularTemplateManipulationFlowAsync>d__64.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.ConfiguredTaskAwaitable`1.ConfiguredTaskAwaiter.GetResult()
   at Microsoft.TemplateEngine.Cli.New3Command.<EnterTemplateManipulationFlowAsync>d__65.MoveNext()
--- End of stack trace from previous location where exception was thrown ---
   at System.Runtime.ExceptionServices.ExceptionDispatchInfo.Throw()
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.TaskAwaiter.HandleNonSuccessAndDebuggerNotification(Task task)
   at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.ConfiguredTaskAwaitable`1.ConfiguredTaskAwaiter.GetResult()
   at Microsoft.TemplateEngine.Cli.New3Command.<ExecuteAsync>d__66.MoveNext()

[mlorbetske]

My pleasure, let us know if there’s anything else we can do to help & be sure to list your template on the wiki so that it’s easy for others to find when you’re ready 😊

[seancpeters]

In the post_rtw branch, I’m able to install & create an instance of a template that does not have a sourceName. I attempted it with modifications to the existing C# console & mvc templates.

There are checks for the source name being null, and if so, doesn’t try to create entries in the renames dictionary.