dotnet/orleans · error · ArgumentNullException

Value cannot be null. (Parameter 'TableName')

Error message

Value cannot be null. (Parameter 'TableName')

What it means

Thrown by the AzureTableDataManager<T> constructor when options.TableName is null. The manager reads TableName from the options during construction and stores it; a null table name would break every subsequent table operation, so it is rejected here. (After this check the name is also validated against Azure table naming rules.)

Solutions

1. Set options.TableName to a valid Azure table name before constructing/initializing the provider.
2. Bind TableName from configuration and validate its presence at startup.
3. Use the storage builder callback to assign TableName explicitly.

Example fix

// before
silo.AddAzureTableGrainStorage("Default", o => { o.TableServiceClient = client; /* no TableName */ });
// after
silo.AddAzureTableGrainStorage("Default", o =>
{
    o.TableServiceClient = client;
    o.TableName = "grainstate";
});

if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(options.TableName)) throw new InvalidOperationException("TableName must be set");

static bool HasTableName(AzureStorageOperationOptions o) => !string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(o.TableName);

catch (ArgumentNullException ex) when (ex.ParamName == "options.TableName") { /* set options.TableName before constructing */ }

When it happens

Trigger: Constructing the manager with an AzureStorageOperationOptions whose TableName was never set.

Common situations: Forgetting to set TableName in the storage/clustering/reminders configuration callback; binding options from config that lacks the TableName key.

Related errors

• Value cannot be null. (Parameter 'azureSasCredential')
• Value cannot be null. (Parameter 'connectionString')
• Value cannot be null. (Parameter 'createClientCallback')
• Value cannot be null. (Parameter 'serviceUri')
• Value cannot be null. (Parameter 'sharedKeyCredential')

AI-assisted analysis of dotnet/orleans@fca799fa70 (2026-08-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/5924d7f3e29f867f. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src/Azure/Shared/Storage/AzureTableDataManager.cs:65

        /// <summary> Logger for this table manager instance. </summary>
        protected internal ILogger Logger { get; }

        public AzureStoragePolicyOptions StoragePolicyOptions { get; }

        public TableClient Table { get; private set; } = null!;

        /// <summary>
        /// Creates a new <see cref="AzureTableDataManager{T}"/> instance.
        /// </summary>
        /// <param name="options">Storage configuration.</param>
        /// <param name="logger">Logger to use.</param>
        public AzureTableDataManager(AzureStorageOperationOptions options, ILogger logger)
        {
            this.options = options ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(options));

            Logger = logger ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(logger));
            TableName = options.TableName ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(options.TableName));
            StoragePolicyOptions = options.StoragePolicyOptions ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(options.StoragePolicyOptions));

            AzureTableUtils.ValidateTableName(TableName);
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Connects to, or creates and initializes a new Azure table if it does not already exist.
        /// </summary>
        /// <returns>Completion promise for this operation.</returns>
        public async Task InitTableAsync()
        {
            const string operation = "InitTable";
            var startTime = DateTime.UtcNow;

            try
            {
                TableServiceClient tableCreationClient = await GetCloudTableCreationClientAsync();
                var table = tableCreationClient.GetTableClient(TableName);

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