System.InvalidOperationException: Stack empty

Question

Once running ASP.NET 4.x application built in Visual Studio 2013 I am getting the below exception.

I have tried to disable the PageInspector by removing page inspector assembly

<assemblies>
    <remove assembly="Microsoft.VisualStudio.Web.PageInspector.Loader, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a"/>
</assemblies>

and adding this configuration to app settings

<appSettings>
    <add key="PageInspector:ServerCodeMappingSupport" value="Disabled"/>
</appSettings>

Nothing helped.

[/Pages/TargetPage.aspx] System.Web.HttpException (0x80004005): Exception of type 'System.Web.HttpException' was thrown. ---> System.Web.HttpUnhandledException (0x80004005): Exception of type 'System.Web.HttpUnhandledException' was thrown. ---> System.InvalidOperationException: Stack empty.
   at System.ThrowHelper.ThrowInvalidOperationException(ExceptionResource resource)
   at System.Collections.Generic.Stack`1.Pop()
   at Microsoft.VisualStudio.Web.PageInspector.Runtime.WebForms.SelectionMappingRenderTraceListener.EndRendering(TextWriter writer, Object renderedObject)
   at System.Web.UI.RenderTraceListener.RenderTraceListenerList.EndRendering(TextWriter writer, Object renderedObject)
   at System.Web.UI.Control.RenderControlInternal(HtmlTextWriter writer, ControlAdapter adapter)
   at System.Web.UI.Control.RenderControl(HtmlTextWriter writer, ControlAdapter adapter)
   at System.Web.UI.Control.RenderControl(HtmlTextWriter writer)
   at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint)
   at System.Web.UI.Page.HandleError(Exception e)
   at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint)
   at System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequest(Boolean includeStagesBeforeAsyncPoint, Boolean includeStagesAfterAsyncPoint)
   at System.Web.UI.Page.LegacyPageAsyncInfo.<CallHandlersPossiblyUnderLock>b__32(Object o)
   at System.Web.HttpContext.InvokeCancellableCallback(WaitCallback callback, Object state)
   at System.Web.UI.Page.LegacyPageAsyncInfo.CallHandlersPossiblyUnderLock(Boolean onPageThread)
   at System.Web.UI.Page.LegacyPageAsyncInfo.CallHandlers(Boolean onPageThread)
   at System.Web.HttpAsyncResult.End()
   at System.Web.UI.Page.LegacyAsyncPageEndProcessRequest(IAsyncResult result)
   at System.Web.UI.Page.AsyncPageEndProcessRequest(IAsyncResult result)

Is there any way how to avoid the exception? Thanks a lot for any suggestions

Answer 1

I disabled browser link in VS 2013 and was able to see the actual cause of the error. It is usually something underlying when browser link is set. You can see how to disable it here: http://www.poconosystems.com/software-development/how-to-disable-browser-link-in-visual-studio-2013/

Answer 2

That Happend to me when I added a new <asp:Panel> to my page and set the DefaultButton to a button outside the panel (By mistake). Error fixed when I changed the DefaultButton to another one inside the panel.

Answer 3

This can happen if the AssociatedControlID on a label is associated with a control which can't be found.

Answer 4

There are multiple reasons why the

System.Web.HttpUnhandledException (0x80004005): Exception of type 'System.Web.HttpUnhandledException' was thrown. -
System.InvalidOperationException: Stack empty.
Microsoft.VisualStudio.Web.PageInspector.Runtime.WebForms.SelectionMappingRenderTraceListener.EndRendering(TextWriter writer, Object renderedObject)
...

After adding as proposed:

 <appSettings>
   <add key="PageInspector:ServerCodeMappingSupport" value="Disabled"/>
   ...
 </appSettings>

I noticed I had duplicate selected item on a dropdown list creating the issue.