Apply Asset Package - Duplicate association found

[strmside]

ERROR 160874: The utility network association already exists. [Duplicate association found. Association with FROMGLOBALID:

I receive this error when attempting to apply an asset package.  We have pre-populated the c_associations table from relationships and run the c_ sync tool and all that is successful in the asset package.  when attempting to apply the asset package this duplicate association error is produced.  The from and to globalids do exist in the same pairs but as different association type e.g., one attachment and one containment.  Due to the info about the error ("occurs so rarely"), can you confirm whether this 'duplication' is allowed and this is a bug?  Or should we be planning for only one association per device i.e., can have structural or containment but not both.  

[RobertKrisher · Accepted solution]

The origin feature's association role determines the type of association that should be. So if you have two associations between features A and B, with one saying that A contains B and the other saying that B is attached to A, then it's a duplicate.

[MikeMillerGIS · Accepted solution]

Also, an AssetGroup/Type only supports one role, a container or structure(attachment).  So two associations do not make sense which different types.