.net app fails at startup: what file is missing?

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I have a .NET Framework WPF app that I've installed on a VM.
(Installer built with WiX.)
If I try to launch it, it fails without ever showing any UI.

From the Event Viewer I can see that the problem is a FileNotFoundException:

Application: MyApp.exe Framework Version: v4.0.30319 
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception. Exception Info: System.IO.FileNotFoundException at MyApp.App.OnStartup(System.Windows.StartupEventArgs) ...

It runs OK on my development system, but with the full VS development environment, and third party libraries installed, I'm not surprised.
A second app that's installed together with it, works fine.

How can I find out which file is missing?

What I have tried:

I tried wrapping the entire body of the MyApp.App.OnStartup() in a try-catch, and writing a file with the exception info in the catch.
It never wrote the file.
I tried using System.Diagnostics.Trace.WriteLine at the beginning of the OnStartup(), and running DbgView as admin while launching the app.
I didn't get any messages.
I even tried to write a file at the entry to the OnStartup().
Nothing written.

Posted 19-Aug-21 14:36pm

Matt T Heffron

Updated 19-Aug-21 21:56pm

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Wendelius · Answer 1 · 2021-08-19T19:30:00

Solution 1

One place to look is Windows Event Log. If the linked assembly cannot be found during startup, you should find the assembly name in the log.

Posted 19-Aug-21 19:30pm

Wendelius

Comments

Matt T Heffron 20-Aug-21 13:03pm

The message that I included was from the Windows Event Viewer. It didn't include the NAME of the file that it couldn't find.

Richard Deeming · Answer 2 · 2021-08-19T21:56:00

Solution 2

It's possible that the exception is being thrown when your App file is loaded, which means your OnStartup method won't be called. Try giving your application a custom entry point in a separate class, and wrapping that in an exception handler which logs the full exception details.

Posted 19-Aug-21 21:56pm

Richard Deeming

Comments

Matt T Heffron 20-Aug-21 13:12pm

The stack trace in the Event Viewer information shows that the exception is being thrown from under the OnStartup():
Application: MyApp.exe
Framework Version: v4.0.30319
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: System.IO.FileNotFoundException
at MyApp.App.OnStartup(System.Windows.StartupEventArgs)
at System.Windows.Application.<.ctor>b__1_0(System.Object)
at System.Windows.Threading.ExceptionWrapper.InternalRealCall(System.Delegate, System.Object, Int32)
at System.Windows.Threading.ExceptionWrapper.TryCatchWhen(System.Object, System.Delegate, System.Object, Int32, System.Delegate)
at System.Windows.Threading.DispatcherOperation.InvokeImpl()
at MS.Internal.CulturePreservingExecutionContext.CallbackWrapper(System.Object)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object, Boolean)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object, Boolean)
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(System.Threading.ExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object)
at MS.Internal.CulturePreservingExecutionContext.Run(MS.Internal.CulturePreservingExecutionContext, System.Threading.ContextCallback, System.Object)
at System.Windows.Threading.DispatcherOperation.Invoke()
at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.ProcessQueue()
at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.WndProcHook(IntPtr, Int32, IntPtr, IntPtr, Boolean ByRef)
at MS.Win32.HwndWrapper.WndProc(IntPtr, Int32, IntPtr, IntPtr, Boolean ByRef)
at MS.Win32.HwndSubclass.DispatcherCallbackOperation(System.Object)
at System.Windows.Threading.ExceptionWrapper.InternalRealCall(System.Delegate, System.Object, Int32)
at System.Windows.Threading.ExceptionWrapper.TryCatchWhen(System.Object, System.Delegate, System.Object, Int32, System.Delegate)
at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.LegacyInvokeImpl(System.Windows.Threading.DispatcherPriority, System.TimeSpan, System.Delegate, System.Object, Int32)
at MS.Win32.HwndSubclass.SubclassWndProc(IntPtr, Int32, IntPtr, IntPtr)
at MS.Win32.UnsafeNativeMethods.DispatchMessage(System.Windows.Interop.MSG ByRef)
at System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.PushFrameImpl(System.Windows.Threading.DispatcherFrame)
at System.Windows.Application.RunDispatcher(System.Object)
at System.Windows.Application.RunInternal(System.Windows.Window)
at MyApp.App.Main()