Cannot validate argument on parameter 'Serial'. The argument is null or empty. Provide an argument that is not null or empty, and then try the command again.

[Akaizoku]

Issue

When no value is specified for the property LicenseEmail, the installation process will fail with the following error message:

Cannot validate argument on parameter 'Serial'. The argument is null or empty. Provide an argument that is not null or empty, and
then try the command again.

Description

The installation of Alteryx is performed by the function Install-AlteryxServer which takes the email address of the person installing the software as input parameter (Serial). This value is not required but cannot be null if specified.

The default behaviour of Install-Alteryx is to pass to this function the property LicenseEmail read from the script configuration files. When this value is not specified, it is initialised as a null value and thus generates a parameter validation error.

Error message

Install-Alteryx : Cannot validate argument on parameter 'Serial'. The argument is null or empty. Provide an argument that is not null or empty, and then try the command again.
At D:\Scripts\alteryx-deploy\Deploy-Alteryx.ps1:247 char:27
+ ... ll"       { Install-Alteryx           -Properties $Properties -Instal ...
+                 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    + CategoryInfo          : InvalidData: (:) [Install-Alteryx], ParameterBindingValidationException
    + FullyQualifiedErrorId : ParameterArgumentValidationError,Install-Alteryx

Solution

In order to prevent this issue from happening, the property LicenseEmail must be specified in the custom script configuration file (custom.ini).