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Resolving Marketing Plugin Exception After Upgrading to Content Management v16.2.0

Updated

Problem

After upgrading to Content Management version 16.2.0 from an earlier release, some users may encounter an exception related to the Marketing plugin when logging into the CMS application. This article summarizes the cause of this exception and provides recommended resolutions for projects where the EngagementCollector is not required.
 

Symptom

After upgrading to Content Management v16.2.0, an exception may appear in the logs either during CMS startup or upon login, referencing the Marketing plugin or EngagementCollector. While this exception generally does not affect CMS functionality or cause operational issues, it may raise concerns for administrators monitoring the logs. 

Below are the potential error logs that might occur:

[com.onehippo.cms7.targeting.JcrConfigurationService.loadCharacteristics:332] Skip invalid configured characteristic '/targeting:targeting/targeting:characteristics/engagement'
java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Characteristic 'engagement' references nonexistent collector 'engagement'. Please either set the '/targeting:targeting/targeting:characteristics/engagement/@targeting:collector' property to a correct collector id or add a collector configuration node with 'engagement' as the ID. NOTE: Collectors configuration nodes can be found at '/targeting:targeting/targeting:collectors'
java.lang.IllegalArgumentException: Engagement plugins should be configured with system property engagement.project.id
Failed to instantiate plugin class 'com.onehippo.cms7.targeting.frontend.plugin.engagement.EngagementCharacteristicPlugin' for wicket id 'null' in plugin 'home.cluster.cms-static.plugin.targetingLoader.cluster.hippo-targeting.plugin.characteristic-engagement' (JcrPluginConfig:/hippo:configuration/hippo:frontend/cms/hippo-targeting/characteristic-engagement)

 

Root Cause

  • The Marketing plugin was introduced in Content Management v16.2.0 as part of enhancements to the targeting/collector framework.
  • If your project is not actively using the EngagementCollector, its presence (and enabled state) in the configuration can trigger exceptions in this version.

 

Resolution

Several approaches are available depending on your upgrade plans and desired level of log cleanliness:

  • Upgrade to Content Management v16.3.0 or Later (Recommended)

    What Changes: In version 16.3.0, the handling of Marketing plugin exceptions was improved. Such issues are now logged as WARN level messages instead of exceptions, making them less intrusive in log monitoring.

    Action: If feasible, upgrade your CMS to at least v16.3 to benefit from this adjustment.
     

  • Manual Removal of the Marketing Plugin (For v16.2.0 Users)

    When to Use: If an immediate upgrade is not possible and you wish to fully suppress the exception in v16.2.0.
     
    Steps:

  1. Remove the EngagementCollector and characteristic plugins from the following configuration path:

        /hippo:configuration/hippo:frontend/cms/hippo-targeting
     
  2. Remove the EngagementCollector and characteristics config node from each of the following configuration paths:

      /targeting:targeting/targeting:collectors

      /targeting:targeting/targeting:characteristics
     

  3. Deleting these nodes will disable the new collector; you can later re-add them if needed.

    Note : Simply unchecking or disabling the "enabled" property for the EngagementCollector does not prevent the exception; full removal is required.
     

  • No Action (If Just Cosmetic)

    Explanation: Engineering analysis and support feedback confirm that the exception does not cause any adverse side effects. It is safe to ignore if it does not interfere with your operations.

 

Environment

Both Production and non-production environments

 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Will disabling (unchecking) the EngagementCollector work?
    No. The exception will still be generated even if the collector is only disabled rather than removed.
  • Does the exception affect CMS functionality?
    No, it is only an exception in the logs and does not impact the CMS experience.
  • Can the plugin be re-added later? 
    Yes. Simply re-add the plugin configuration nodes if/when you wish to use the Marketing feature.


References:

Content Management v16.3.0 Release Notes

 

If you continue to have any further queries or concerns, please feel free to reach out to the Bloomreach Support team for further assistance.

 

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