Unable to connect to publishing tools service

[StephanieSnider]

I'm on ArcGIS Server 10.2.  When I try to publish a map service from ArcMap, I get an error mesage:

Error:  "Unable to connect to publishing tools service. Verify the service is up and running.  Please consult the GP Results Windows for enhanced error description or contact your admin for server logs." 

I checked and the Publishing Tools service is running.  I am successful in publishing a map service when I create a service definition file first, then use Manager to publish the service from the SD file.  Why is it that I can't publish from ArcMap directly?  There are no errors in the log files for ArcGIS Server.  The GP Results windows provide the same error message as the one stated above.  I tried stopping and starting the ArcGIS Server service thinking that the publishiing tools service was corrupted somehow, but it still gives the error message after the restart.  I get the error message in ArcMap when I try to publish as either an admin or a publisher.

[nicogis]

Stephany, have you tried restart the machine?Do try also create a new connection to arcgis server from arcmap on a new user publisher.
have you further info in log ags?

[StephanieSnider]

I tried restarting the server and creating a new ArcGIS Server connection in ArcMap, but neither worked.  Still same error.  I added a new user with Admin rights to publish and created a new ArcGIS Server connection in ArcMap, but still the same error.  There are no error reports at all on the server under .../arcgisserver/machinename/errorreports.  There are no logs under the .../arcgisserver/machinename/server directory mentioning this error message or anything with a time stamp that would relate back to the time I'm trying to publish the service and seeing the error in ArcMap.  The publishing tools GP service says "Geoprocessing service instance is successfully contructed." from two weeks ago.

[StephanieSnider]

I discovered my problem.  When Web Tier authentication is used, you must publish map services using the Web Adaptor URL.  I had ArcGIS Server setup to use the Web Tier (for Windows single sign-on), but was using an ArcGIS Server connection in ArcMap with the GIS Server URL (http://gisserver:6080/arcgis). Since the authentication happens at the Web Tier....you need to use the Web Adaptor URL to publish (http://webadaptor/arcgis).  Now....no more errors.

[Anonymous User]

Stephanie, thanks for figuring this out. I was experiencing this problem and when I had ESRI support on the line it was working not knowing what exactly fixed it.  So I must have different connections on my ArcMap sessions to administer and publish my web services and was probably using a GIS Web server URL when I have the problem and when ESRI support called I was using the Web adaptor URL. I assume that if I use the same server for my GIS server and web adaptor, the GIS server connections would be the same except the the GIS Server connection will have port 6080. Is this correct?

[StephanieSnider]

Yes.  If you use the same server for the GIS Server and web adaptor, the publisher and admin connection would go to the web adaptor http://servername/arcgis.  You can view services using the gis server http://servername:6080/arcgis but won't be able to publish using this URL (with Web Tier Auth enabled). 

Also with Web Tier Auth, make sure the option to "Enable Admin Access" is checked when you setup the Web Adaptor.

[PaulFerro1]

I am having the same issue with 10.2.2  using Web Tier Auth enabled security.  I get the same errors as noted above when trying to publish with local admin or publisher accounts.  I can publish just fine with my primary site admin account for AGS.

Using the web adaptor URL to publish does not work for me.  The same error results.

[StephanieSnider]

Have you tried creating a service definition file in ArcMap and then publishing the map service using the ArcGIS Server Manager (creating the map service by uploading the service definition file)?

[PaulFerro1]

Yes, that works.

*Follow Stephanie's post #6 if using web tier, also in IIS Manager select your arcgis site then authentication to:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]33430[/ATTACH]

In Catalog I made an arcgis server admin connection as localhost/arcgis using local authentication and am now able to publish services.

[AndrewWallace]

This error message can also be caused by an out of date licence key which is quickly sorted by running the licence manager app on the server. Took us an hour to figure this out.