Object Reference Error Before Running The Application

[Jeff]

I'm getting an Object Reference error before I even run my app, and
I'm not sure where to look to find the cause. I'd appreciate your
help.

When I open my Windows Application project, the following Microsoft
Development Environment error message displays:

"Object reference not set to an instance of an object."

Then when I access the design view of one of my forms, the controls on
the form are hidden behind an error 'display' showing the text at the
end of this post. When I run the app, it seems to run OK. When I
open other projects, I don't get the error, so I'm guessing it's
caused by something in my app. But it would seem that Debug is of no
help, since the error occurs without running the app, and no error
appears when I run the app.

Interesting additional observation: The problem only occurs when I
open the project to a class or module code window (since it was the
active window when I last closed the project). When I open the
project to a design view of a form, the error doesn't appear. Oh, and
I've also tried reinstalling/repairing Visual Studio, and that hasn't
helped. I'm using VB.NET.

Any suggestions???

Thanks for your help.

- Jeff
Here's the error text displayed on the form:

System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance
of an object.
at ControlInfoView.Connect.cc1dac46909c42ab()
at ControlInfoView.Connect.dd3392f59d8e3f48(Object e0292b9ed559da7d,
EventArgs fbf34718e704c6bc)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnResize(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnResize(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnSizeChanged(EventAr gs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.UpdateBounds(Int32 x, Int32 y, Int32
width, Int32 height, Int32 clientWidth, Int32 clientHeight)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.UpdateBounds()
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMove(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ScrollableControl.WndProc(Mes sage& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ContainerControl.WndProc(Mess age& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage (Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Design.DesignerWindowTarget.D efWndProc(Message&
m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Design.ControlDesigner.DefWnd Proc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Design.ControlDesigner.WndPro c(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Design.ParentControlDesigner. WndProc(Message&
m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Design.ScrollableControlDesig ner.WndProc(Message&
m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Design.DocumentDesigner.WndPr oc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Design.FormDocumentDesigner.W ndProc(Message&
m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Design.DesignerWindowTarget.O nMessage(Message&
m)

[Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]]

* je*****@mindspring.com (Jeff) scripsit:

I'm getting an Object Reference error before I even run my app, and
I'm not sure where to look to find the cause. I'd appreciate your
help.

Post the question to this group:

<news:microsoft.public.dotnet.framework.windowsfor ms>

--
Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]
<http://dotnet.mvps.org/>

[Stephen Muecke]

Jeff,
I've found this is usually the result of a declaring a class (but not
initiating it), and refering to it in the Load event of the form,
particularly if it inherits from another form

eg
Public Class Form1
.......

Private m_MyObject as MyObject

Private Sub Form_Load(ByVal sender as Object, ByVal e as EventArgs)
Handles MyBase.Load
'Set the value of MyObject or so something with MyObject
End Sub

The problem can be solved if you initialize MyObject when you declare it ,
ie
Private m_MyObject as New MyObject

(Check base classes and make sure you build the project after making the
changes)

Stephen
"Jeff" <je*****@mindspring.com> wrote in message
news:d3*************************@posting.google.co m...

I'm getting an Object Reference error before I even run my app, and
I'm not sure where to look to find the cause. I'd appreciate your
help.

When I open my Windows Application project, the following Microsoft
Development Environment error message displays:

"Object reference not set to an instance of an object."

Then when I access the design view of one of my forms, the controls on
the form are hidden behind an error 'display' showing the text at the
end of this post. When I run the app, it seems to run OK. When I
open other projects, I don't get the error, so I'm guessing it's
caused by something in my app. But it would seem that Debug is of no
help, since the error occurs without running the app, and no error
appears when I run the app.

Interesting additional observation: The problem only occurs when I
open the project to a class or module code window (since it was the
active window when I last closed the project). When I open the
project to a design view of a form, the error doesn't appear. Oh, and
I've also tried reinstalling/repairing Visual Studio, and that hasn't
helped. I'm using VB.NET.

Any suggestions???

Thanks for your help.

- Jeff
Here's the error text displayed on the form:

System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance
of an object.
at ControlInfoView.Connect.cc1dac46909c42ab()
at ControlInfoView.Connect.dd3392f59d8e3f48(Object e0292b9ed559da7d,
EventArgs fbf34718e704c6bc)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnResize(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnResize(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.OnSizeChanged(EventAr gs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.UpdateBounds(Int32 x, Int32 y, Int32
width, Int32 height, Int32 clientWidth, Int32 clientHeight)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.UpdateBounds()
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmMove(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ScrollableControl.WndProc(Mes sage& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ContainerControl.WndProc(Mess age& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage (Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Design.DesignerWindowTarget.D efWndProc(Message&
m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Design.ControlDesigner.DefWnd Proc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Design.ControlDesigner.WndPro c(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Design.ParentControlDesigner. WndProc(Message&
m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Design.ScrollableControlDesig ner.WndProc(Message&
m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Design.DocumentDesigner.WndPr oc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Design.FormDocumentDesigner.W ndProc(Message&
m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Design.DesignerWindowTarget.O nMessage(Message&
m)