C# - System.OutOfMemoryException in Visual Studio

Question

I have a problem, when I right click my main form in Visual Studio and go to 'View Designer' I get an error. It says: 'Exception of type 'System.OutOfMemoryException' was thrown.'

Stacktrace:

at System.Reflection.AssemblyName.nGetFileInformation(String s)
at System.Reflection.AssemblyName.GetAssemblyName(String assemblyFile)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.VSTypeResolutionService.AssemblyEntry.get_AssemblyName()
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.VSTypeResolutionService.AssemblyEntry.get_FullName()
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.VSTypeResolutionService.AssemblyEntry.get_AssemblySpec()
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.VSTypeResolutionService.SearchProjectEntries(String fullName, Boolean correctThread)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.VSTypeResolutionService.System.ComponentModel.Design.IDesignTimeAssemblyLoader.GetTargetAssemblyPath(AssemblyName runtimeOrTargetAssemblyName, String suggestedAssemblyPath, FrameworkName targetFramework)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkUniverse.ResolveAssembly(AssemblyName assemblyName, Assembly runtimeAssembly)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkUniverse.GetTypeFromTargetLocation(Type type, Boolean validateBase)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkUniverse.GetType(Type type)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkUtil.GetCustomAttributes(Type type, Type filter, Boolean inherit, CustomAttributesCache cache)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkType.GetCustomAttributes(Type filter, Boolean inherit)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkAttributeCollection.GetAttributes(Type type, Type filter)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkAttributeCollection.GetAttributes(MemberInfo member, Type filter)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Shell.Design.VsTargetFrameworkAttributeCollection.get_Attributes()
at System.ComponentModel.AttributeCollection.get_Count()
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.VSDesignSurface.EnsureExtensions(IComponent component)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.VSDesignSurface.CreateInstance(Type type)
at System.ComponentModel.Design.DesignerHost.System.ComponentModel.Design.IDesignerHost.CreateComponent(Type componentType, String name)
at System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.DesignerSerializationManager.CreateInstance(Type type, ICollection arguments, String name, Boolean addToContainer)
at System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.DesignerSerializationManager.System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.IDesignerSerializationManager.CreateInstance(Type type, ICollection arguments, String name, Boolean addToContainer)
at System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.TypeCodeDomSerializer.Deserialize(IDesignerSerializationManager manager, CodeTypeDeclaration declaration)
at System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.CodeDomDesignerLoader.PerformLoad(IDesignerSerializationManager manager)
at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Design.Serialization.CodeDom.VSCodeDomDesignerLoader.PerformLoad(IDesignerSerializationManager serializationManager)
at System.ComponentModel.Design.Serialization.BasicDesignerLoader.BeginLoad(IDesignerLoaderHost host)  

Designer: http://pastebin.com/hdRB5DAj

I got this error this morning, but I still haven't resolved it. If anyone could help me I would really appreciate it!

I'm only using ~55% of all my RAM, so that can't be it.

Answer 1

As Dr Hebie points out, it's doubtful that it's VS itself throwing the OOM exception, but something in your form constructor.

A Technique I've used to great success with this is opening the form code and inserting Throw new Exception("Message describing position") at the start of the constructor. Hopefully, now instead of getting an OOM exception, you'll get the exception you just specified. Now move this exception around until you get the OOM exception. This will show you the line of code that is causing the OOM.

Good luck!