Launcher - v4.1.12: Disabled launcher will cause a "object reference not set to an instance of an object" exception

Please note that this issue has been resolved in 4.1.15. 

The 4.1.12 launcher ready check tries to update a launcher in the launcher status grid that doesn’t exist. This happens because the management console doesn’t check if launchers are disabled or not.

Imagine a scenario where you have 200 launchers but you have all but one of those disabled. Your launcher agents are still running. Either because that is how your process works or because starting at 4.1.10 Login VSI has set the launcher agents to loop by default. You start a test and 199 launchers report in that they aren’t part of the test.

The management console picks up on new files in \\server\vsishare\_VSI_Configuration\_LauncherStatus\error and goes to update the interface. The management console calls GetLauncherRow but since there is no row in the interface for that launcher, as its disabled, that function returns nothing (null). The rest of the management console goes and tries to update row nothing/null in the grid. The .net framework steps in and tells the management console that it is referencing null, null reference exception or object reference not set to an instance of an object.

Solution

There are 2 options:

1. Make sure that only the active launchers are running.  
2. Remove launchers from Infrastructure > launchers instead of disabling them.

 P.S. This applies to version 4.1.10 as well.