There was a failure executing the send pipeline: “Microsoft.BizTalk.DefaultPipelines.XMLTransmit, Microsoft.BizTalk.DefaultPipelines, Version=3.0.1.0, ….” – This Assembler cannot retrieve a document specification using this type: “namespace#rootnode”

When trying to receive an XML document from a Receive Port, the following error message occurs, and the message is suspended:

“… Error Description: There was a failure executing the send pipeline:
“Microsoft.BizTalk.DefaultPipelines.XMLTransmit, Microsoft.BizTalk.DefaultPipelines, Version=3.0.1.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35” Source: “XML assembler” Send Port: “portname” URI: “uri” Reason: This Assembler cannot retrieve a document specification using this type: namespace#rootnode …”

This is a strange behavior because the schema was deployed

This error is BizTalk’s way of saying: “I found a message, but I can’t find the ‘blueprint’ (schema) to process it.” Here is how to fix it.

Cause

The BizTalk XML Assembler looks for schemas in the Management Database based on the MessageType (Namespace#RootNode). The failure happens for two main reasons:

• Multiple Matches: You have two different schemas deployed that share the same Namespace and Root Node.
  • The Application made a reference to another Application that contained one schema with the same namespace#rootnode name
  • The Application has different resources (DLL) that contain more than one schema with the same namespace#rootnode name
• No Match: The schema is not deployed, or the Host Instance cannot “see” it due to missing project references or a failure to restart the host.
  • The schema defined by namespace#rootnode does not exist (not my case, because it was deployed)

Solution

• You need to change the namespace or the root node of one of the schemas. If it’s a common schema, you can deploy it separately to a common application and add a reference to that application.

In my case, I have one BizTalk Application with 4 resources (DLL), and the problem was that two of these resources (DLL) had one schema with the same namespace#rootnode. I removed one of the schemas, and the problem was solved.

Best practice dictates that every schema should have a unique Target Namespace.

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Author: Sandro Pereira

Sandro Pereira lives in Portugal and works as a consultant at DevScope. In the past years, he has been working on implementing Integration scenarios both on-premises and cloud for various clients, each with different scenarios from a technical point of view, size, and criticality, using Microsoft Azure, Microsoft BizTalk Server and different technologies like AS2, EDI, RosettaNet, SAP, TIBCO etc. He is a regular blogger, international speaker, and technical reviewer of several BizTalk books all focused on Integration. He is also the author of the book “BizTalk Mapping Patterns & Best Practices”. He has been awarded MVP since 2011 for his contributions to the integration community. View all posts by Sandro Pereira