How can I resolve a VS2008 designer error

[steve]

VS designer has started to complain about the following errors :

Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
Instances of this error (2)

and

Index was out of range. Must be non-negative and less than the size of the collection. Parameter name: index
Instances of this error (12)

1. Hide Call Stack

at System.ComponentModel.ReflectPropertyDescriptor.Se tValue(Object component, Object value)
at System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.CodeDom SerializerBase.DeserializePropertyAssignStatement( IDesignerSerializationManager
manager, CodeAssignStatement statement, CodePropertyReferenceExpression propertyReferenceEx, Boolean reportError)
at System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.CodeDom SerializerBase.DeserializeAssignStatement(IDesigne rSerializationManager
manager, CodeAssignStatement statement)
at System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.CodeDom SerializerBase.DeserializeStatement(IDesignerSeria lizationManager manager,
CodeStatement statement)


It has been working fine for months. I haven't even changed the code in this module. And, the code runs fine when I just run the
code.

Any idea how to get rid of this problem would be welcome. They don't even bother to indicate what field there is a problem with or
where the problem happened in the code - at least as far as I can see.

Thanks,
Steve

[maximz2005]

Please post some of your code so we can see what's happening.
Try to step through your code (set a breakpoint at run time and then
press F11 to go forward). Analyze each line, and see where it gives
the exception. That will really help find the problem.

I don't exactly remember what the first exception means (need to get
some sleep lol) but it'll be logical once there is some code for
dissecting.

Sorry, could you also explain what you mean by "And, the code runs
fine when I just run the code. "???

On Aug 20, 2:24*pm, steve <[e-mail]:

VS designer has started to complain about the following errors :

Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
Instances of this error (2)

and

Index was out of range. Must be non-negative and less than the size of the collection. Parameter name: index
Instances of this error (12)

1. * * * * * * *Hide Call Stack

at System.ComponentModel.ReflectPropertyDescriptor.Se tValue(Object component, Object value)
at System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.CodeDom SerializerBase.DeserializePropertyAssignStatement( IDesignerSerializationManager
manager, CodeAssignStatement statement, CodePropertyReferenceExpression propertyReferenceEx, Boolean reportError)
at System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.CodeDom SerializerBase.DeserializeAssignStatement(IDesigne rSerializationManager
manager, CodeAssignStatement statement)
at System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.CodeDom SerializerBase.DeserializeStatement(IDesignerSeria lizationManager manager,
CodeStatement statement)

It has been working fine for months. I haven't even changed the code in this module. And, the code runs fine when I just run the
code.

Any idea how to get rid of this problem would be welcome. They don't evenbother to indicate what field there is a problem with or
where the problem happened in the code - at least as far as I can see.

Thanks,
Steve

[Michael Rubinstein]

Steve, changes made outside the IDE can 'confuse' the designer. I would try
two things. I would comment out my initialization code and leave nothing but
InitializeComponent() in the form's constructor, and rebuild. If this did
not help, I would take a look at the .Designer.cs code and try isolating
code that may cause the problem by commenting out sections. This requires
understanding what the code does, so you know where to cut. Of course, I'd
backup the file before making any changes in the IDE-generated code. I get
Designer errors in my projects once in a while, often enough to get used to
it.

Michael

"steve" <s_******@yahoo.comwrote in message
news:4f********************************@4ax.com...

>
VS designer has started to complain about the following errors :

Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
Instances of this error (2)

and

Index was out of range. Must be non-negative and less than the size of the
collection. Parameter name: index
Instances of this error (12)

1. Hide Call Stack

at System.ComponentModel.ReflectPropertyDescriptor.Se tValue(Object
component, Object value)
at
System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.CodeDom SerializerBase.DeserializePropertyAssignStatement( IDesignerSerializationManager
manager, CodeAssignStatement statement, CodePropertyReferenceExpression
propertyReferenceEx, Boolean reportError)
at
System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.CodeDom SerializerBase.DeserializeAssignStatement(IDesigne rSerializationManager
manager, CodeAssignStatement statement)
at
System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.CodeDom SerializerBase.DeserializeStatement(IDesignerSeria lizationManager
manager,
CodeStatement statement)


It has been working fine for months. I haven't even changed the code in
this module. And, the code runs fine when I just run the
code.

Any idea how to get rid of this problem would be welcome. They don't even
bother to indicate what field there is a problem with or
where the problem happened in the code - at least as far as I can see.

Thanks,
Steve

[steve]

Thanks for the input.

I eventually found the problem. The designer was instantiating some classes which had properties that didn't check for null values
on some properties. The values would not normally have been null it was just that the designer calls the default constructor which
doesn't get called in the normal running of the program.
Steve