Cannot use Visual Studio Community 2015 XAML Designer - Unhandled Exception

Question

I cannot use the Visual Studio Community 2015 XAML designer with any project (tried C#, C++, existing, new blank App).

This is what happens:

- Open project, or create new Universal Windows blank app (Visual C#)

- Double click MainPage.xaml (Design tab selected by default)

- Visual Studio reports "An Unhandled Exception has Occurred"

This is my setup:

- HP Pavilion g6 Notebook PC (changed "Platform" environment variable to "devenv" as seen on related post)

- Microsoft Windows 10 Home (upgrade from Windows 7) Version 10.0.10240 Build 10240

- All the latest Windows updates installed and machine restarted (several times)

- Developer mode enabled in settings

- Visual Studio Community 2015:

Microsoft Visual Studio Community 2015
Version 14.0.23107.0 D14REL
Microsoft .NET Framework
Version 4.6.00079

Installed Version: Community

Visual Basic 2015   00322-20000-00000-AA695
Microsoft Visual Basic 2015

Visual C# 2015   00322-20000-00000-AA695
Microsoft Visual C# 2015

Visual C++ 2015   00322-20000-00000-AA695
Microsoft Visual C++ 2015

Application Insights Tools for Visual Studio Package   1.0
Application Insights Tools for Visual Studio

ASP.NET and Web Tools   14.0.20626.0
ASP.NET and Web Tools

ASP.NET Web Frameworks and Tools 2013   5.2.30624.0
For additional information, visit http://www.asp.net/

Common Azure Tools   1.5
Provides common services for use by Azure Mobile Services and Microsoft Azure Tools.

GenerateUnitTest   1.0
Generates unit test code for methods in classes under test.

Microsoft Azure Mobile Services Tools   1.4
Microsoft Azure Mobile Services Tools

NuGet Package Manager   3.0.0
NuGet Package Manager in Visual Studio. For more information about NuGet, visit http://docs.nuget.org/.

PreEmptive Analytics Visualizer   1.2
Microsoft Visual Studio extension to visualize aggregated summaries from the PreEmptive Analytics product.

SQL Server Data Tools   14.0.50616.0
Microsoft SQL Server Data Tools

Visual Studio Tools for Universal Windows Apps   14.0.23121.00 D14OOB
The Visual Studio Tools for Universal Windows apps allow you to build a single universal app experience that can reach every device running Windows 10: phone, tablet, PC, and more. It includes the Microsoft Windows 10 Software Development Kit.

- Disabled "run code in XAML designer" as recommended by VS

- Error details below:

System.NullReferenceException
Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.Platform.Metadata.MetadataStore.GetTypeConverter(Type type)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.WindowsXamlDesigner.WindowsUIXamlDesignTimeProperties.ResolveImplementation(IPlatformMetadata platformMetadata, DesignTimePropertyId neutralProperty, IType declaringType, PropertyChangedCallback callback)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.WindowsXamlDesigner.WindowsUIXamlDesignTimeProperties.RegisterProperty(IPropertyId neutralPropertyKey, IType declaringType, PropertyChangedCallback callback)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.WindowsXamlDesigner.WindowsUIXamlCommonDesignTimeProperties.Initialize(WindowsUIXamlDesignTimeProperties designTimeProperties)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.WindowsXamlDesigner.WindowsUIXamlDesignTimeProperties..ctor(IPlatformTypes platformMetadata)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.UniversalXamlDesigner.UniversalXamlPlatformMetadata.CreateDesignTimeProperties()
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.WindowsXamlDesigner.Metadata.WindowsUIXamlPlatformMetadata.Initialize()
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.WindowsXamlDesigner.WindowsStoreXamlPlatform.Initialize()
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.Platform.PlatformCreatorBase.CreatePlatform(IPlatformReferenceAssemblyResolver referenceAssemblyResolver)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.Designer.Project.ProjectContextManager.GetProjectContext(IHostProject project, IPlatform platform, Boolean create)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.Designer.Project.ProjectContextManager.GetSourceItemContext(IHostSourceItem sourceItem)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.Designer.DesignerService.CreateDesigner(IHostSourceItem item, IHostTextEditor editor, CancellationToken cancelToken)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Remoting.RemoteDesignerService.<>c__DisplayClass12_0.<Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Remoting.IRemoteDesignerService.CreateDesigner>b__0(CancellationToken cancelToken)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Remoting.RemoteDesignerService.<>c__DisplayClass6_0`1.<MarshalInWithCancellation>b__0()
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Remoting.STAMarshaler.Call.InvokeWorker()

System.NullReferenceException
Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

Server stack trace:
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Remoting.STAMarshaler.WaitForCompletion(NestedCallContext nestedCallContext, BlockingCall call, WaitHandle timeoutSignal)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Remoting.STAMarshaler.MarshalInSynchronous(Action action, Int32 targetApartmentId, CancellationToken cancelToken, CallModality callModality, String methodName, String filePath, Int32 lineNumber)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Remoting.STAMarshaler.MarshalIn(Action action, Int32 targetApartmentId, CancellationToken cancelToken, CallSynchronizationMode syncMode, CallModality callModality, String methodName, String filePath, Int32 lineNumber)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Remoting.ThreadMarshaler.MarshalIn(IRemoteObject targetObject, Action action, CancellationToken cancelToken, CallSynchronizationMode syncMode, CallModality callModality, ApartmentState apartmentState, String memberName, String filePath, Int32 lineNumber)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Remoting.RemoteDesignerService.MarshalInWithCancellation[TResult](IRemoteCancellationToken remoteToken, Func`2 func, ApartmentState apartmentState)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Remoting.RemoteDesignerService.Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Remoting.IRemoteDesignerService.CreateDesigner(IRemoteHostProject remoteProject, IRemoteHostSourceItem remoteItem, IRemoteHostTextEditor remoteEditor, IRemoteCancellationToken remoteToken)
   at System.Runtime.Remoting.Messaging.StackBuilderSink._PrivateProcessMessage(IntPtr md, Object[] args, Object server, Object[]& outArgs)
   at System.Runtime.Remoting.Messaging.StackBuilderSink.SyncProcessMessage(IMessage msg)

Exception rethrown at [0]:
   at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.HandleReturnMessage(IMessage reqMsg, IMessage retMsg)
   at System.Runtime.Remoting.Proxies.RealProxy.PrivateInvoke(MessageData& msgData, Int32 type)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Remoting.IRemoteDesignerService.CreateDesigner(IRemoteHostProject remoteProject, IRemoteHostSourceItem remoteItem, IRemoteHostTextEditor remoteEditor, IRemoteCancellationToken cancelToken)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Remoting.LocalDesignerService.CreateDesignerImpl(IRemoteDesignerService ds, IHostSourceItem item, IHostTextEditor editor, RemoteCancellationToken remoteCancelToken)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Remoting.LocalDesignerService.<>c__DisplayClass14_0.<Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.IDesignerService.CreateDesigner>b__0(IRemoteDesignerService ds, RemoteCancellationToken remoteToken)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Remoting.LocalDesignerService.<>c__DisplayClass5_0`1.<MarshalOutWithCancellation>b__0(IRemoteDesignerService ds)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Remoting.ThreadMarshaler.<>c__DisplayClass27_0`1.<MarshalOut>b__0()
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Remoting.STAMarshaler.Call.InvokeWorker()

System.NullReferenceException
Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Remoting.STAMarshaler.WaitForCompletion(NestedCallContext nestedCallContext, BlockingCall call, WaitHandle timeoutSignal)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Remoting.STAMarshaler.MarshalOutSynchronous(Action action, Int32 targetApartmentId, WaitHandle aborted, WaitHandle timeoutSignal, CancellationToken cancelToken, String methodName, String filePath, Int32 lineNumber)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Remoting.STAMarshaler.MarshalOut(Action action, Int32 targetApartmentId, WaitHandle aborted, CancellationToken cancelToken, CallSynchronizationMode syncMode, WaitHandle timeoutSignal, String methodName, String filePath, Int32 lineNumber)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Remoting.ThreadMarshaler.MarshalOut[TValue](RemoteHandle`1 targetObject, Action action, CancellationToken cancelToken, CallSynchronizationMode syncMode, ApartmentState apartmentState, String methodName, String filePath, Int32 lineNumber)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Remoting.ThreadMarshaler.MarshalOut[TValue](RemoteHandle`1 targetObject, Action`1 action, CancellationToken cancelToken, CallSynchronizationMode syncMode, ApartmentState apartmentState, String methodName, String filePath, Int32 lineNumber)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Remoting.LocalDesignerService.MarshalOutWithCancellation[TResult](CancellationToken cancelToken, Func`3 func, ApartmentState apartmentState)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Remoting.LocalDesignerService.Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.IDesignerService.CreateDesigner(IHostSourceItem item, IHostTextEditor editor, CancellationToken cancelToken)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.IsolatedDesignerService.IsolatedDesignerView.CreateDesignerViewInfo(CancellationToken cancelToken)

Please, could anyone who knows of a potential fix for this share your ideas? I have already tried the solutions here:

https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/vstudio/en-US/13c1289d-bbc1-48fa-a621-572b0a38a337/visual-studio-2015-rtm-xaml-designer-cannot-visualize-xaml-files?forum=visualstudiogeneral#13c1289d-bbc1-48fa-a621-572b0a38a337 , but it did not help.

I never had this problem with VS 2013 (now uninstalled). Thank you very much in advance!

Answer 1

Turns out the issue might be specific to HP machines! The advice shown here did not work:

https://connect.microsoft.com/VisualStudio/feedback/details/1625128/nullreference-exception-in-vs-2015-universal-windows-xaml-designer

Instead of just changing the Platform environment variable, the solution was to delete it. After a computer restart, the XAML designer in VS 2015 works fine.

If VS is relying on this environment variable to do something, I wish it provided a more useful error message though. Hope this helps someone else avoid wasting hours fixing this.

Answer 2

Hi zasubicks,

I'm very glad to hear that your issue has been solved and thank you for sharing the solution to us.

Best Regards,

---

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Answer 3

Hi Jiayi,

This has worked fine for my previous Visual C++ project. But I deleted it and created a new one and I am now getting a new exception. I have opened a blank C# App (which is mentioned as a workaround for C++) and that works, but back to my solution, even after restarting VS, I still get an exception whenever I try opening MainPage.xaml. Any idea how I can fix this?

Pasted full error here:

System.ObjectDisposedException
Safe handle has been closed
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.HostUtility.Platform.AppContainerProcessDomainFactory.CreateDesignerProcess(String applicationPath, String clientPort, Uri hostUri, IDictionary environmentVariables, Int32& processId, Object& processData)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Primitives.ProcessDomainFactory.ProcessIsolationDomain..ctor(ProcessDomainFactory factory, IIsolationBoundary boundary, AppDomainSetup appDomainInfo, IIsolationTarget isolationTarget, String baseDirectory)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Primitives.ProcessDomainFactory.CreateIsolationDomain(IIsolationBoundary boundary)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.HostUtility.Platform.AppContainerProcessDomainFactory.CreateIsolationDomain(IIsolationBoundary boundary)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Primitives.IsolationBoundary.Initialize()
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Primitives.IsolationBoundary.CreateInstance[T](Type type)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.IsolatedObjectFactory.Initialize()
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerHost.Services.VSIsolationService.CreateObjectFactory(IIsolationTarget isolationTarget, IObjectCatalog catalog)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.IsolationService.CreateLease(IIsolationTarget isolationTarget)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.IsolationService.CreateLease(IIsolationTarget isolationTarget)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.IsolatedDesignerService.CreateLease(IIsolationTarget isolationTarget, CancellationToken cancelToken, DesignerServiceEntry& entry, IServiceProvider serviceOverrides)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.IsolatedDesignerService.IsolatedDesignerView.CreateDesignerViewInfo(CancellationToken cancelToken)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.IsolatedTaskScheduler.InvokeWithCulture[T](CultureInfo culture, Func`2 func, CancellationToken cancelToken)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.IsolatedTaskScheduler.<>c__DisplayClass10_0`1.<StartTask>b__0()
   at System.Threading.Tasks.Task`1.InnerInvoke()
   at System.Threading.Tasks.Task.Execute()

Answer 4

Hi zasubicks,

To make sure whether it is related to your settings, please check the following to see if it helps:

(1) Go to Control Panel to repair your visual studio.

(2) Please open Windows Explorer, and navigate to  <Visual Studio Installation Path>\Common7\IDE (by default is C:\Program Files or Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 14.0\Common7\IDE), and run the following commands:

a.devenv.exe /resetsettings, it will restore Visual Studio default settings. Optionally resets the settings to the specified .vssettings file.

b. devenv.exe /resetuserdata, it will take a couple of minutes to run as Visual Studio cleans up and sets itself back to its original state. You may open Task Manager at this point to check whether the devenv.exe process is still running. After it has completed running, you can restart Visual Studio.

Best Regards,

---

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Answer 5

Thank you! I have done devenv.exe /resetsettings and devenv.exe /resetuserdata. After this, it works again.

By the way, running repair did not help. This took several hours, as it simply does a full installation, and in the end it complained that it couldn't install some Visual C++ components because a folder already existed (which was to be expected since the product is already installed).

I also see on the notifications that there is an update for Tools for Universal Windows Apps 1.1. I clicked on that which brought up the VS setup. But after clicking "next" it told me that tools for Windows Apps would be removed. I found that very confusing, so I cancelled it to be safe.

Answer 6

Hi, again. Unfortunately, this is still very unstable! The error occurs frequently and randomly, for example, after running the application (in debug mode), and I have to restart Visual Studio.

This is what I get after running the application:

System.ObjectDisposedException
Safe handle has been closed
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.HostUtility.Platform.AppContainerProcessDomainFactory.CreateDesignerProcess(String applicationPath, String clientPort, Uri hostUri, IDictionary environmentVariables, Int32& processId, Object& processData)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Primitives.ProcessDomainFactory.ProcessIsolationDomain..ctor(ProcessDomainFactory factory, IIsolationBoundary boundary, AppDomainSetup appDomainInfo, IIsolationTarget isolationTarget, String baseDirectory)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Primitives.ProcessDomainFactory.CreateIsolationDomain(IIsolationBoundary boundary)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.HostUtility.Platform.AppContainerProcessDomainFactory.CreateIsolationDomain(IIsolationBoundary boundary)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Primitives.IsolationBoundary.Initialize()
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.Primitives.IsolationBoundary.CreateInstance[T](Type type)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.IsolatedObjectFactory.Initialize()
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerHost.Services.VSIsolationService.CreateObjectFactory(IIsolationTarget isolationTarget, IObjectCatalog catalog)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.IsolationService.CreateLease(IIsolationTarget isolationTarget)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.IsolatedDesignerService.CreateLease(IIsolationTarget isolationTarget, CancellationToken cancelToken, DesignerServiceEntry& entry, IServiceProvider serviceOverrides)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.IsolatedDesignerService.IsolatedDesignerView.CreateDesignerViewInfo(CancellationToken cancelToken)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.IsolatedTaskScheduler.InvokeWithCulture[T](CultureInfo culture, Func`2 func, CancellationToken cancelToken)
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.DesignTools.DesignerContract.Isolation.IsolatedTaskScheduler.<>c__DisplayClass10_0`1.<StartTask>b__0()
   at System.Threading.Tasks.Task`1.InnerInvoke()
   at System.Threading.Tasks.Task.Execute()

Answer 7

Hi zasubicks,

Please try to reinstall the SDK to see if it helps: https://dev.windows.com/en-us/downloads

Best Regards,

---

We are trying to better understand customer views on social support experience, so your participation in this interview project would be greatly appreciated if you have time. Thanks for helping make community forums a great place.

Click HERE to participate the survey.