Fix - Designer difference when code extracted from NuGet package

[ashokkarale]

Are you facing this kind of issue where activities not displaying correctly when code is extracted from a NuGet package?

The workflow and it’s activities looks like this:

How to fix this and get the normal view of the workflow and activities?

To fix this we will have to install package UiPath.System.Activities

Great! We’ve identified the issue and found a solution, but what exactly is causing this behavior in UiPath Studio?

Root Cause:

This happens because of UiPath.System.Activities.Runtime package. The workflow and activities to look like design time, Studio requires UiPath.System.Activities package but in our code extracted from NuGet package contains only Runtime. Because of this package difference UiPath renders the activities differently.

Difference between UiPath.System.Activities.Runtime & UiPath.System.Activities:

Simple and easy to understand difference is Runtime is minimal or small size package with all features require to run the code whereas, Full package UiPath.System.Activities have both runtime as well as design time features.

To decrease the package size for runtime Runtime package was introduced.

This was introduced in version 23.4.2

v23.4.2 Release Note

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Is it bug or feature?

Absolutely, this is a feature provided by UiPath to help reduce your package size when it’s published.

What are the benefits of using UiPath.System.Activities.Runtime?

• Optimized Performance:

It is designed to handle runtime execution more efficiently, leading to faster execution of workflows and better overall performance.

• Reduced Package Size:

By including only the runtime components, UiPath.System.Activities.Runtime helps to keep the package size smaller, which is beneficial for deployment and distribution.

• Improved Resource Management:

The runtime-specific activities are optimized for better resource utilization, which can lead to lower memory consumption and improved stability during execution.

• Focused Functionality:

UiPath.System.Activities.Runtime focuses solely on the necessary runtime activities, eliminating unnecessary components that are not needed during execution. This results in a more streamlined and efficient execution environment.

• Simplified Dependencies:

Using UiPath.System.Activities.Runtime can simplify the dependency management by reducing the number of included libraries, making it easier to manage and maintain your projects.

• Faster Debugging and Testing:

With a more optimized runtime environment, debugging and testing can be faster and more responsive, allowing for quicker identification and resolution of issues.

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What if I don’t want to have Runtime only package in my NuGet Package. Do we have control over it?

Yes, it’s customizable.

Navigate to Project Settings -->General -->Toggle the Separate Runtime Dependencies On/Off as per choice.

By default it’s On.

If you toggle it Off, your NuGet package will contain full version package.

If it helped you any way and finds helpful, don’t forget to upvote.

Thanks,
Ashok