Object reference not set to an instance of an object in _Layout.cshtml after updated packages

c# asp.net-mvc razor asp.net-mvc-5 owin

40,037

Solution 1

Here it was fixed by replacing "ScriptBundle" with "Bundle" in BundleConfig.

We replaced the following:

bundles.Add(new ScriptBundle("~/bundles/mybundle").Include(
            "~/Scripts/...",
            "~/Scripts/..."));

with:

bundles.Add(new Bundle("~/bundles/mybundle").Include(
            "~/Scripts/...",
            "~/Scripts/..."));

Solution 2

Check javascript for errors. Mine was a half written line ending with 'function'

Solution 3

This looks like a bug in the javascript minifier.

Microsoft.Ajax.Utilities.Minifier.MinifyJavaScript(String source, CodeSettings codeSettings) +987

Please file a connect bug (i'll forward this thread internally in Microsoft as well).

As a workaround you can minify the scripts manually and include them directly instead of using the bundler.

Can you share your packages.config please? It will help with tracking this potential bug.

Solution 4

So I ran into this bug earlier today and was able to track down the offending code. For myself, the minifier was choking on a bad line of javascript that was incorrectly using a ternary statement of the form:

var test = condition ? true_value ? false_value;

Obviously, the second question mark should have been a colon to make a valid ternary statement. This caused the entire application to crash throwing the same error above. Perhaps this isn't the same issue you ran into, but it gives the same results.

Solution 5

ScriptBundleclass can be used for bundling scripts and cannot be used for bundling styles. It is coupled with @Scripts.Render("~/scripts/bundle") that renders a <script> tag.

For styles there is StyleBundle class

bundles.Add(new StyleBundle("~/bundles/mybundle").Include(
        "~/Content/...",
        "~/Content/..."));

and it is coupled with @Styles.Render("~/content/bundle") that creates a <link> tag.

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40,037

Author by

Franva

I am a software engineer, working on the .NET platform. I am interested in developing mobile apps, Computer Vision, Image Processing, playing guitar and piano, travelling, cooking etc.

Updated on July 09, 2022

Comments

Franva almost 2 years
The project was running fine until I updated all NuGet packages via NuGet Manager(I was trying to get the latest OWIN packages).

This error is in the _Layout.cshtml and I have not touched on it at all.
Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

Description: An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.

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

Source Error:
```
Line 13:  
Line 14:     
Line 15:     @Scripts.Render("~/Content/fonts")
```
Source File: f:\Workplace\lrc\lrc\Views\Shared_Layout.cshtml Line: 15
Update

Here is the code in the _Layout.cshtml (they are automatically generated when creating the project)
```
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <meta charset="utf-8" />
    <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <meta name="description" content="LRC - We are aiming at building up a healthier life style.">
    <meta name="author" content="Winston Fan">
    <title>@ViewBag.Title - LRC</title>
    @Styles.Render("~/Content/css")
    @Scripts.Render("~/bundles/modernizr")


    

        @Scripts.Render("~/Content/fonts")

    <link href="http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Lora:400,700,400italic,700italic" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">
    <link href="http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Montserrat:400,700" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css">
```
So it is complaining this line of code : @Scripts.Render("~/Content/fonts")

But as you can see that, this is VS generated code, how could I make it wrong?

I also checked the content in the Conntent/font-awesome/fonts folder and all required resources are there.

Here is the code inside the BundleConfig (which is also the auto-generated code)
```
bundles.Add(new ScriptBundle("~/Content/fonts").Include(
              "~/Content/font-awesome/fonts/fontawesome-*",
              "~/Content/font-awesome/fonts/FontAwesome.otf"));
```
My Microsoft.OWin.Security, Microsoft.OWin.Security.Google and Microsoft.OWin are version 3.0.1.0

Update 2

Here is the Stack Trace:

Stack Trace:

[NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.] Microsoft.Ajax.Utilities.JSParser.ParseExpression(AstNode leftHandSide, Boolean single, Boolean bCanAssign, JSToken inToken) +1007 Microsoft.Ajax.Utilities.JSParser.ParseExpressionStatement(Boolean fSourceElement) +268
Microsoft.Ajax.Utilities.JSParser.ParseStatement(Boolean fSourceElement, Boolean skipImportantComment) +1552
Microsoft.Ajax.Utilities.JSParser.ParseBlock() +164
Microsoft.Ajax.Utilities.JSParser.ParseStatement(Boolean fSourceElement, Boolean skipImportantComment) +498
Microsoft.Ajax.Utilities.JSParser.ParseBlock() +164
Microsoft.Ajax.Utilities.JSParser.ParseStatement(Boolean fSourceElement, Boolean skipImportantComment) +498
Microsoft.Ajax.Utilities.JSParser.ParseBlock() +164
Microsoft.Ajax.Utilities.JSParser.ParseStatement(Boolean fSourceElement, Boolean skipImportantComment) +498
Microsoft.Ajax.Utilities.JSParser.ParseStatements(Block block) +159
Microsoft.Ajax.Utilities.JSParser.InternalParse() +1011
Microsoft.Ajax.Utilities.JSParser.Parse(DocumentContext sourceContext) +123 Microsoft.Ajax.Utilities.JSParser.Parse(DocumentContext sourceContext, CodeSettings settings) +54
Microsoft.Ajax.Utilities.Minifier.MinifyJavaScript(String source, CodeSettings codeSettings) +987
System.Web.Optimization.JsMinify.Process(BundleContext context, BundleResponse response) +310
System.Web.Optimization.Bundle.ApplyTransforms(BundleContext context, String bundleContent, IEnumerable1 bundleFiles) +263 System.Web.Optimization.Bundle.GenerateBundleResponse(BundleContext context) +355 System.Web.Optimization.Bundle.GetBundleResponse(BundleContext context) +104 System.Web.Optimization.BundleResolver.GetBundleContents(String virtualPath) +254 System.Web.Optimization.AssetManager.DeterminePathsToRender(IEnumerable1 assets) +252
System.Web.Optimization.AssetManager.RenderExplicit(String tagFormat, String[] paths) +75
System.Web.Optimization.Scripts.RenderFormat(String tagFormat, String[] paths) +292
System.Web.Optimization.Scripts.Render(String[] paths) +51
ASP._Page_Views_Shared__Layout_cshtml.Execute() in f:\Workplace\lrc\lrc\Views\Shared_Layout.cshtml:15
System.Web.WebPages.WebPageBase.ExecutePageHierarchy() +271
System.Web.Mvc.WebViewPage.ExecutePageHierarchy() +121
System.Web.WebPages.WebPageBase.ExecutePageHierarchy(WebPageContext pageContext, TextWriter writer, WebPageRenderingBase startPage) +145
System.Web.WebPages.WebPageBase.ExecutePageHierarchy(WebPageContext pageContext, TextWriter writer) +41
System.Web.WebPages.<>c__DisplayClass3.b__2(TextWriter writer) +335 System.Web.WebPages.HelperResult.WriteTo(TextWriter writer) +42
System.Web.WebPages.WebPageExecutingBase.WriteTo(TextWriter writer, HelperResult content) +45
System.Web.WebPages.WebPageBase.Write(HelperResult result) +53
System.Web.WebPages.WebPageBase.RenderSurrounding(String partialViewName, Action1 body) +178 System.Web.WebPages.WebPageBase.PopContext() +229 System.Web.WebPages.WebPageBase.ExecutePageHierarchy(WebPageContext pageContext, TextWriter writer, WebPageRenderingBase startPage) +154 System.Web.Mvc.RazorView.RenderView(ViewContext viewContext, TextWriter writer, Object instance) +695 System.Web.Mvc.BuildManagerCompiledView.Render(ViewContext viewContext, TextWriter writer) +382 System.Web.Mvc.ViewResultBase.ExecuteResult(ControllerContext context) +431 System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeActionResult(ControllerContext controllerContext, ActionResult actionResult) +39 System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeActionResultFilterRecursive(IList1 filters, Int32 filterIndex, ResultExecutingContext preContext, ControllerContext controllerContext, ActionResult actionResult) +116
System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeActionResultFilterRecursive(IList1 filters, Int32 filterIndex, ResultExecutingContext preContext, ControllerContext controllerContext, ActionResult actionResult) +529 System.Web.Mvc.ControllerActionInvoker.InvokeActionResultWithFilters(ControllerContext controllerContext, IList1 filters, ActionResult actionResult) +106
System.Web.Mvc.Async.<>c__DisplayClass2b.b__1c() +321 System.Web.Mvc.Async.<>c__DisplayClass21.b__1e(IAsyncResult asyncResult) +185
System.Web.Mvc.Async.WrappedAsyncResult1.CallEndDelegate(IAsyncResult asyncResult) +42 System.Web.Mvc.Async.WrappedAsyncResultBase1.End() +133
System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.End(IAsyncResult asyncResult, Object tag) +56
System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncControllerActionInvoker.EndInvokeAction(IAsyncResult asyncResult) +40
System.Web.Mvc.Controller.b__1d(IAsyncResult asyncResult, ExecuteCoreState innerState) +34
System.Web.Mvc.Async.WrappedAsyncVoid1.CallEndDelegate(IAsyncResult asyncResult) +70 System.Web.Mvc.Async.WrappedAsyncResultBase1.End() +139
System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.End(IAsyncResult asyncResult, Object tag) +59
System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.End(IAsyncResult asyncResult, Object tag) +40
System.Web.Mvc.Controller.EndExecuteCore(IAsyncResult asyncResult) +44 System.Web.Mvc.Controller.b__15(IAsyncResult asyncResult, Controller controller) +39
System.Web.Mvc.Async.WrappedAsyncVoid1.CallEndDelegate(IAsyncResult asyncResult) +62 System.Web.Mvc.Async.WrappedAsyncResultBase1.End() +139
System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.End(IAsyncResult asyncResult, Object tag) +59
System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.End(IAsyncResult asyncResult, Object tag) +40 System.Web.Mvc.Controller.EndExecute(IAsyncResult asyncResult) +39
System.Web.Mvc.Controller.System.Web.Mvc.Async.IAsyncController.EndExecute(IAsyncResult asyncResult) +39
System.Web.Mvc.MvcHandler.b__5(IAsyncResult asyncResult, ProcessRequestState innerState) +39
System.Web.Mvc.Async.WrappedAsyncVoid1.CallEndDelegate(IAsyncResult asyncResult) +70 System.Web.Mvc.Async.WrappedAsyncResultBase1.End() +139
System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.End(IAsyncResult asyncResult, Object tag) +59
System.Web.Mvc.Async.AsyncResultWrapper.End(IAsyncResult asyncResult, Object tag) +40
System.Web.Mvc.MvcHandler.EndProcessRequest(IAsyncResult asyncResult) +40 System.Web.Mvc.MvcHandler.System.Web.IHttpAsyncHandler.EndProcessRequest(IAsyncResult result) +38
System.Web.CallHandlerExecutionStep.System.Web.HttpApplication.IExecutionStep.Execute() +932 System.Web.HttpApplication.ExecuteStep(IExecutionStep step, Boolean& completedSynchronously) +188

Update 3

Here is the Content folder.

Update 4

Here is the content of the packages.config
```
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<packages>
  <package id="Antlr" version="3.5.0.2" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="bootstrap" version="3.3.4" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="EntityFramework" version="6.1.3" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="jQuery" version="2.1.3" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="jQuery.Validation" version="1.13.1" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Microsoft.AspNet.Identity.Core" version="2.2.1" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Microsoft.AspNet.Identity.EntityFramework" version="2.2.1" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Microsoft.AspNet.Identity.Owin" version="2.2.1" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Microsoft.AspNet.Mvc" version="5.2.3" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Microsoft.AspNet.Razor" version="3.2.3" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Microsoft.AspNet.Web.Optimization" version="1.1.3" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Microsoft.AspNet.WebApi" version="5.2.3" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Microsoft.AspNet.WebApi.Client" version="5.2.3" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Microsoft.AspNet.WebApi.Core" version="5.2.3" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Microsoft.AspNet.WebApi.WebHost" version="5.2.3" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Microsoft.AspNet.WebPages" version="3.2.3" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Microsoft.jQuery.Unobtrusive.Validation" version="3.2.3" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Microsoft.Owin" version="3.0.1" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Microsoft.Owin.Host.SystemWeb" version="3.0.1" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Microsoft.Owin.Security" version="3.0.1" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Microsoft.Owin.Security.Cookies" version="3.0.1" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Microsoft.Owin.Security.Facebook" version="3.0.1" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Microsoft.Owin.Security.Google" version="3.0.1" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Microsoft.Owin.Security.MicrosoftAccount" version="3.0.1" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Microsoft.Owin.Security.OAuth" version="3.0.1" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Microsoft.Owin.Security.Twitter" version="3.0.1" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Microsoft.Web.Infrastructure" version="1.0.0.0" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Modernizr" version="2.8.3" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Newtonsoft.Json" version="6.0.8" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Owin" version="1.0" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="Respond" version="1.4.2" targetFramework="net451" />
  <package id="WebGrease" version="1.6.0" targetFramework="net451" />
</packages>
```
Franva almost 9 years

Hi Yishai, thank you very much for identify this issue. Could you please include the url to file a connect bug? Thanks
Franva almost 9 years

Hi Yishai, please take look the Update 4 which has the content of the packages.config
Yishai Galatzer almost 9 years

I'm walking on a limb here, but you can try downgrading Microsoft.AspNet.Web.Optimization and WebGrease one version at a time. If you find which one makes it work again please let us know
crichavin over 5 years

This worked for me too...looks like an issue in the js file itself can cause it. developercommunity.visualstudio.com/content/problem/86377/…
Michael Rodrigues about 5 years

In my case I had accidentally named one of my variables "new"
Eugene Kulabuhov almost 5 years

The only difference between a ScriptBundle and a Bundle is that the ScriptBundle uses a “JsMinify” transform (a default one) – this is the same for the StyleBundle vs the Bundle as well (uses a CssMinify). This minification on the script bundle will ALWAYS happen, even in debug mode. blog.travisgosselin.com/net-bundling-minification-top-10-key‌s
ntziolis almost 5 years

For anybody landing here that tries to integrate Angular 8 into an MVC project. THIS is the answer. Guessing angular does some optimizations that cause issues when running through the minifier.
FrenkyB over 4 years

I just don't understand why this was working fine all the time. And now all the sudden it doesn't work anymore, ScriptBundle has to be changed with Bundle.
Miguel Hughes over 4 years

I'm on net core, this is the only one that helped me. I also had to disable minification in my bundle config, besides renaming the files: "outputFileName": ..., "inputFiles": [ ... ], "minify": { "enabled": false }
Marquez over 4 years

No clue why this worked but it did. My bundle includes a react / webpack bundle.js.
Sean T over 4 years

Somehow managed to get function*(){...} in my code, no lint error either with it
sairfan over 2 years

does it still minify js files?
snowYetis over 2 years

I always used ScriptsBundle and it has always worked without a proble,m. Upon using Bootstrap 6 I began receiving the, obkect ref error/ Using Bunde in place of ScriptBundle worked for me solving the object ref error.
Garr Godfrey over 2 years

I still have the minimizer fail whenever using optional chaining, ie, o?.x.
Seabizkit about 2 years

what that makes no sense but works @MiguelHughes thx
Kristóf Horváth almost 2 years

what if i made changes bootstrap does not work anymore i take back the changes and still does not work?
Brian Webster almost 2 years

We had some git merge artifacts that polluted a JS file which broke the bundler. Removing the artifacts which broke the JS file fixed the bundling.
Mahavirsinh Padhiyar almost 2 years

@KristófHorváth javascript is one of the hardest languages to find the issue and resolve. So need to check thoroughly and still the same issue appears then just need to check other files or associated files also.