Could not find add method: AddIndex (type: Sitecore.ContentSearch.ContentSearchConfiguration)

Question

We are setting up a new Sitecore 9.3 instance on a server, making the respective connection string changes and getting the below error while loading the Sitecore login page:

Error:

Could not find add method: AddIndex (type: Sitecore.ContentSearch.ContentSearchConfiguration)

Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.

Exception Details:

Sitecore.Exceptions.RequiredObjectIsNullException: Could not find add method: AddIndex (type: Sitecore.ContentSearch.ContentSearchConfiguration)

Source Error:

An unhandled exception was generated during the execution of the current web request. Information regarding the origin and location of the exception can be identified using the exception stack trace below.

Stack Trace:


[RequiredObjectIsNullException: Could not find add method: AddIndex (type: Sitecore.ContentSearch.ContentSearchConfiguration)]
   Sitecore.Configuration.DefaultFactory.AssignProperties(Object obj, Object[] properties) +1704
   Sitecore.Configuration.DefaultFactory.AssignProperties(XmlNode configNode, String[] parameters, Object obj, Boolean assert, Boolean deferred, IFactoryHelper helper) +620
   Sitecore.Configuration.DefaultFactory.CreateObject(XmlNode configNode, String[] parameters, Boolean assert, IFactoryHelper helper) +320
   Sitecore.Configuration.DefaultFactory.CreateObject(XmlNode configNode, String[] parameters, Boolean assert) +72
   Sitecore.Configuration.DefaultFactory.CreateObject(String configPath, String[] parameters, Boolean assert) +703
   Sitecore.ContentSearch.ContentSearchManager.get_SearchConfiguration() +306
   Sitecore.ContentSearch.SolrProvider.Pipelines.Loader.InitializeSolrProvider.Process(PipelineArgs args) +73
   (Object , Object ) +9
   Sitecore.Pipelines.CorePipeline.Run(PipelineArgs args) +484
   Sitecore.Pipelines.DefaultCorePipelineManager.Run(String pipelineName, PipelineArgs args, String pipelineDomain, Boolean failIfNotExists) +236
   Sitecore.Pipelines.DefaultCorePipelineManager.Run(String pipelineName, PipelineArgs args, String pipelineDomain) +22
   Sitecore.Nexus.Web.HttpModule.Application_Start() +220
   Sitecore.Nexus.Web.HttpModule.Init(HttpApplication app) +1165
   System.Web.HttpApplication.RegisterEventSubscriptionsWithIIS(IntPtr appContext, HttpContext context, MethodInfo[] handlers) +581
   System.Web.HttpApplication.InitSpecial(HttpApplicationState state, MethodInfo[] handlers, IntPtr appContext, HttpContext context) +168
   System.Web.HttpApplicationFactory.GetSpecialApplicationInstance(IntPtr appContext, HttpContext context) +277
   System.Web.Hosting.PipelineRuntime.InitializeApplication(IntPtr appContext) +369

[HttpException (0x80004005): Could not find add method: AddIndex (type: Sitecore.ContentSearch.ContentSearchConfiguration)]
   System.Web.HttpRuntime.FirstRequestInit(HttpContext context) +532
   System.Web.HttpRuntime.EnsureFirstRequestInit(HttpContext context) +111
   System.Web.HttpRuntime.ProcessRequestNotificationPrivate(IIS7WorkerRequest wr, HttpContext context) +714

Answer 1

Just experienced same issue while upgrading from 8.2 to 10.1.

We had a custom patch file adding extra field to sitecore_analytics_index. Something like:

<index id="sitecore_analytics_index">
    <configuration>
        <fieldMap>
            <fieldNames>
                <field ... />
            </fieldNames>
        </fieldMap>
    </configuration>
</index>

In 10.1 we don't have sitecore_analytics_index Sitecore OOTB configs anymore.

With that patch Sitecore was trying to add yet another index to the list of indexes, but as patch file doesn't define any type for the index, it was failing. The error message wasn't clear and attempts to find AddIndex in configs (from exception message Could not find add method: AddIndex) didn't help neither.

If you experience same issue, search for all <index occurrences in your config patches and check if those indexes are present in OOTB Sitecore configuration.

Answer 2

In all the cases that I have seen this, it's due to the App_Config directory containing some kind of problematic config chunk like this:

<index id="xxxxxxx">...</index>

The issue may not be with the config itself, but with the current state of your Solr indexes.

Using your favourite text editor, search all Sitecore config files in App_Config for <index

Start by commenting out any custom entries, one by one, and seeing if the site will load. This should help you locate which index is causing the problem. While you are doing this, be sure to verify that the index folders that you are expecting in C:\Solr\solr-x.x.x\server\solr exist, are well formed, properly named, and not missing any files; particularly config files in these directories C:\Solr\solr-x.x.x\server\solr\MyIndex_core_index\conf.

Also check that the core.properties file name attribute matches the core folder name.

If you're seeing this error when doing a SIF install, it's probably best to uninstall completely and then start over. Before trying again, check all of your .json SIF config files for references to what looks like custom indexes. Remove them and keep trying.

The error I have seen associated with this problem during SIF installs is this:

[--------------------- PopulateSolrSchema_UpdateSolrSchema : SitecoreUrl ---------------------------------------------]
[PopulateSolrSchema_UpdateSolrSchema]:[Authenticating]
https://Client102u0.sc/sitecore/admin/PopulateManagedSchema.aspx?indexes=all
Install-SitecoreConfiguration : Error requesting
https://Client102u0.sc/sitecore/admin/PopulateManagedSchema.aspx?indexes=all: The remote server returned an error:
(500) Internal Server Error.
At C:\projects\client-name\install\XM0-SingleDeveloper.ps1:84 char:5
+     Install-SitecoreConfiguration @singleDeveloperParams *>&1 | Tee-O ...
+     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : NotSpecified: (:) [Write-Error], WriteErrorException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.WriteErrorException,Install-SitecoreConfiguration

I have also seen this issue after building a cloned solution to the web directory. The issue was specifically with a Coveo index config, whereby a .example config file needed to be enabled.

Answer 3

This can also happen if you fail to deploy files properly. Double check that your builds and deploys are working; particularly around index definition configurations. Make sure that files are actually getting deployed to your website directory.

In my case, the TDS project that I use to deploy my application files was unloaded from the solution due to an error when switching between pre and post upgrade source code. Since the project was unloaded, the files were not being deployed.