C# closing memory stream

[horstwalter]

I do create an image of a form:

 
public static Image GetImage(byte[] data) {
            if (data == null) return null;
            MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream(data);
            Image img = Image.FromStream(ms);
            // closing the stream later crashes the application
            // ms.Close(); // => memory leak
            return img;
        }
 

My problem is, closing the stream later results in an OUT OF MEMORY exception when the image is re-drawn (and the resource where data comes from is disposed).

data[] "comes" from a driver (.dll), the issue happens when the wrapping driver object is disposed. So it looks that the byte array is somehow cleaned up (maybe it is unmanaged - but how could that be?)

I have copied the data before creating the stream (idea - if the original data are released, it does not matter) -> no chance.

Only not closing the stream "helps"

Has someone an idea what could be the reason....?

[tlhintoq]

After you create the Image img, clone it into a new image, then return that.
You should be able to close the ms before returning. Not doing so would be bad.

Image img = Image.FromStream(ms);
Image ReturnMe = (Image)img.Clone();

[horstwalter]

Thanks a lot for the response. I have tried two approaches

1. Cloning the images
2. Even cloning the bytes before opening the stream

            byte[] newData = (byte[])data.Clone();
            MemoryStream ms = new MemoryStream(newData);
            Image img = Image.FromStream(ms);
            // closing the stream later crashes the application
            ms.Close(); // => memory leak
            return img;
 

In both cases it crashed when the original object is Disposed - at least it seems to happen at this moment.

Totally confused, since the byte clone should completely unlink the original data....

[tlhintoq]

Cloning a byte array will not cause a crash.
Cloning an image will not cause a crash.
You have something weird going on with the MemoryStream.
Concentrate on cloning the image.
Perhaps, after you clone it, you should set the first Image img to null so it is not linked to the ms

Image img = Image.FromStream(ms);
Image ReturnMe = (Image)img.Clone();
img = null;
ms.close();