Hi,

I'm running VB 2005 express on Windows 2000, SP 4.  I have added a
splash screen to my project, which was running error-free until then.
The first time I run it each time I open the IDE, the splash screen
shows, then the main form shows, just as intended.  Each time after
that, I get an exception. If I compile it and run the exe, the first
time it runs as intended, and each time after it throws this exception.

System.Transactions Critical: 0 : <TraceRecord
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/2004/10/E2ETraceEvent/TraceRecord"
Severity="Critical"><TraceIdentifier>http://msdn.microsoft.com/TraceCodes/System/ActivityTracing/2004/07/Reliability/
Exception/Unhandled</TraceIdentifier><Description>Unhandled
exception</Description><AppDomain>SI TreeView
1.vshost.exe</AppDomain><Exception><ExceptionType>System.NullReferenceException,
mscorlib, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral,
PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089</ExceptionType><Message>Object
reference not set to an instance of an object.</Message><StackTrace>
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WaitForWaitHandle(WaitHandle
waitHandle)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.MarshaledInvoke(Control caller,
Delegate method, Object[] args, Boolean synchronous)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.Invoke(Delegate method, Object[]
args)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.Invoke(Delegate method)
  at
Microsoft.VisualBasic.ApplicationServices.WindowsFormsApplicationBase.HideSplashScreen()
  at
Microsoft.VisualBasic.ApplicationServices.WindowsFormsApplicationBase.MainFormLoadingDone(Object
sender, EventArgs e)
  at System.EventHandler.Invoke(Object sender, EventArgs e)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnLoad(EventArgs e)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnCreateControl()
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl(Boolean
fIgnoreVisible)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl()
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmShowWindow(Message&amp;amp; m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message&amp;amp; m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.ScrollableControl.WndProc(Message&amp;amp;
m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.ContainerControl.WndProc(Message&amp;amp; m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WmShowWindow(Message&amp;amp; m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WndProc(Message&amp;amp; m)
  at
System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message&amp;amp;
m)
  at
System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message&amp;amp;
m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.DebuggableCallback(IntPtr hWnd,
Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)
  at System.Windows.Forms.SafeNativeMethods.ShowWindow(HandleRef hWnd,
Int32 nCmdShow)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.SetVisibleCore(Boolean value)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Form.SetVisibleCore(Boolean value)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.set_Visible(Boolean value)
  at
System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoopInner(Int32
reason, ApplicationContext context)
  at
System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoop(Int32
reason, ApplicationContext context)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Application.Run(ApplicationContext context)
  at
Microsoft.VisualBasic.ApplicationServices.WindowsFormsApplicationBase.OnRun()
  at
Microsoft.VisualBasic.ApplicationServices.WindowsFormsApplicationBase.DoApplicationModel()
  at
Microsoft.VisualBasic.ApplicationServices.WindowsFormsApplicationBase.Run(String[]
commandLine)
  at SI_TreeView_1.My.MyApplication.Main(String[] Args) in
17d14f5c-a337-4978-8281-53493378c1071.vb:line 81
  at System.AppDomain.nExecuteAssembly(Assembly assembly, String[]
args)
  at System.AppDomain.ExecuteAssembly(String assemblyFile, Evidence
assemblySecurity, String[] args)
  at Microsoft.VisualStudio.HostingProcess.HostProc.RunUsersAssembly()
  at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart_Context(Object state)
  at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext
executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
  at
System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()</StackTrace><ExceptionString>System.NullReferenceException:
Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WaitForWaitHandle(WaitHandle
waitHandle)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.MarshaledInvoke(Control caller,
Delegate method, Object[] args, Boolean synchronous)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.Invoke(Delegate method, Object[]
args)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.Invoke(Delegate method)
  at
Microsoft.VisualBasic.ApplicationServices.WindowsFormsApplicationBase.HideSplashScreen()
  at
Microsoft.VisualBasic.ApplicationServices.WindowsFormsApplicationBase.MainFormLoadingDone(Object
sender, EventArgs e)
  at System.EventHandler.Invoke(Object sender, EventArgs e)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnLoad(EventArgs e)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnCreateControl()
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl(Boolean
fIgnoreVisible)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl()
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmShowWindow(Message&amp;amp; m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message&amp;amp; m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.ScrollableControl.WndProc(Message&amp;amp;
m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.ContainerControl.WndProc(Message&amp;amp; m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WmShowWindow(Message&amp;amp; m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WndProc(Message&amp;amp; m)
  at
System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message&amp;amp;
m)
  at
System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message&amp;amp;
m)
  at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.DebuggableCallback(IntPtr hWnd,
Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)
  at System.Windows.Forms.SafeNativeMethods.ShowWindow(HandleRef hWnd,
Int32 nCmdShow)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.SetVisibleCore(Boolean value)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Form.SetVisibleCore(Boolean value)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Control.set_Visible(Boolean value)
  at
System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoopInner(Int32
reason, ApplicationContext context)
  at
System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.RunMessageLoop(Int32
reason, ApplicationContext context)
  at System.Windows.Forms.Application.Run(ApplicationContext context)
  at
Microsoft.VisualBasic.ApplicationServices.WindowsFormsApplicationBase.OnRun()
  at
Microsoft.VisualBasic.ApplicationServices.WindowsFormsApplicationBase.DoApplicationModel()
  at
Microsoft.VisualBasic.ApplicationServices.WindowsFormsApplicationBase.Run(String[]
commandLine)
  at SI_TreeView_1.My.MyApplication.Main(String[] Args) in
17d14f5c-a337-4978-8281-53493378c1071.vb:line 81
  at System.AppDomain.nExecuteAssembly(Assembly assembly, String[]
args)
  at System.AppDomain.ExecuteAssembly(String assemblyFile, Evidence
assemblySecurity, String[] args)
  at Microsoft.VisualStudio.HostingProcess.HostProc.RunUsersAssembly()
  at System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart_Context(Object state)
  at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.Run(ExecutionContext
executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
  at
System.Threading.ThreadHelper.ThreadStart()</ExceptionString></Exception></TraceRecord>

I can't find the line of code that throws this error.  I wonder if the
code that throws the error is generated on the fly, seeing that the
file in the text of the exception has a randomly-generated name:
"17d14f5c-a337-4978-8281-53493378c1071.vb:line 81".  This is besides
the fact that I didn't write any code to use the splash screen or
customize it.

If I set the splash screen to "none" in the project properties, the
project runs without errors. If I set it back to use the splash screen,
I get the error.

In the project properties, I enabled the "Enable XP Visual Styles",
"Make Single Instance Application", "Save My.Settings on shutdown".
Authentication mode is "Windows", shutdown mode is "when startup form
closes", and SplashScreen is "Splashscreen1".

I have scoured the groups, msdn and the Web and haven't found anything
helpful.  Sometimes folks will customize their splashscreen and get
this exception, but then there is no answer.

I really need to use a splash screen in this app because the main form
has some processing to do before it displays.

Any help is much appreciated!

Peggy