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Solving XNA Content Loader InvalidOperationException?

I've found StackOverflow quite a helpful reference in the past, and now that I've come up against an obstacle of my own, thought I'd try posting here.
My issue is that whenever my game attempts to load a SoundEffect file, it crashes with an InvalidOperationException (detail message: an unexpected error has occurred). This game is being written on the XNA 4.0 framework, in C# with Visual Studio 2010 express as my IDE. The sound effects being loaded are all .wav files, and are added into the game's Content project.
I've checked the board and tried the following suggestions:
Confirm content.rootDirectory it set - it is set to "Content"
Confirm content.load<> is accessing the resource via the correct path. Using reflection, I got the current directory for the application, and then used the rootdirectory + the path it was trying to access. The file definitely exists, is accessible, and is in that location.
Ensure ContentManager content is not null - confirmed using debugging, and that would throw a different exception anyway.
Confirm WAV is in 8 or 16 bit PCM. Confirmed.
Possible header corruption? This error occurs on any and all sound effects I attempt to load, so it is not a header issue pertaining to one file.
Oddly enough, this error seems to have come out of nowhere. It was working without problem for the past week, today its freaking out - and I haven't made any changes that would affect the content load process.
Here's the code throwing the error:
public void LoadSoundEffect(ContentManager content, String assetPath)
{
if (content != null && String.IsNullOrEmpty(assetPath) == false)
{
// This next line throws the exception.
SoundEffect effectLoader = content.Load<SoundEffect>(assetPath);
soundLibrary.Add(assetPath, effectLoader);
}
}
Here's the stacktrace:
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Helpers.ThrowExceptionFromErrorCode(Int32 error)
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Audio.SoundEffect.AllocateFormatAndData(Byte[] format, Byte[] > data, Int32 offset, Int32 count)
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Audio.SoundEffect.Create(Byte[] format, Byte[] data, Int32
offset, Int32 count, Int32 loopStart, Int32 loopLength, TimeSpan duration)
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Audio.SoundEffect..ctor(Byte[] format, Byte[] data, Int32
loopStart, Int32 loopLength, TimeSpan duration)
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Content.SoundEffectReader.Read(ContentReader input,
SoundEffect existingInstance)
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Content.ContentReader.InvokeReader[T](ContentTypeReader
reader, Object existingInstance)
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Content.ContentReader.ReadObjectInternal[T](Object
existingInstance)
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Content.ContentReader.ReadObjectT
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Content.ContentReader.ReadAssetT
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Content.ContentManager.ReadAsset[T](String assetName,
Action`1 recordDisposableObject)
at Microsoft.Xna.Framework.Content.ContentManager.Load[T](String assetName)
at SerializableDataTypes.AudioManager.LoadSoundEffect(ContentManager content, String
assetPath) in C:\Users\Mike\Documents\Visual Studio 2010\Projects\Res Judicata
Chapter1\SerializableDataTypes\Script Elements\AudioManager.cs:line 78
Thanks in advance for any help you can offer - I'm completely stumped on this, and it's a really frustrating error.

Just for curiosities sake, can you attempt loading your sound effect slightly differently.
SoundEffect effect = content.Load<SoundEffect>(String.Format(#"{0}", soundEffectPath))
I have had issues in the past loading certain content types when not using a string literal.

FileNotFoundException - no file missing

When entering a view for the first time, this exception is raised:
A first chance exception of type 'System.IO.FileNotFoundException' occurred in mscorlib.dll
First of all - why would it just happen the first time I enter that specific view? Even IF the issue was in the constructor (which it could not be), it would be called (and the exception thrown) every time I enter the view.
Second of all - how would I find the source of such an exception? It doesn't break into the debugger, and there are no resource files (like background images, app bar icons) missing.
Lastly - what (except directly referencing files in the code) would throw such an exception?
I would show you the code in question, but the file is a bit too big to post all of it.
UPDATE:
After debugging, I have noticed that the error happens after the constructor and OnNavigatedTo() and before Loaded(). There is a thread being launched in the OnNavigatedTo method, but I have tried to try-catch every single element of that part (and every internal part of it), and no error was found.
UPDATE 2:
After debugging some more, I found the error message:
File or assembly name 'System.Windows.debug.resources, Version=2.0.5.0, Culture=en-US, PublicKeyToken=xxxxxxxxxxxxx', or one of its dependencies, was not found.
Also the stack trace:
at System.ThrowHelper.throwVersion37CompatException(ExceptionType newEType,
String newString, ExceptionType oldEType, String oldString)
at System.Reflection.Assembly.Load(String assemblyString)
at System.Windows.Resx..ctor()
at System.Windows.Resx.GetLoader()
at System.Windows.Resx.GetStringHelper(String name)
at System.Windows.Resx.GetString(String name)
at System.Windows.Controls.Primitives.ToggleButton.ToString()
at MS.Internal.JoltHelper.FireEvent(IntPtr unmanagedObj,
IntPtr unmanagedObjArgs, Int32 argsTypeIndex,
Int32 actualArgsTypeIndex, String eventName)

you can set break for the first chance exception visual studio, debug in to see the detail about the FileNotFound exception, which file is missing.
sometime, clr try to find some extension dll, which is normally too magic to us. for example, if you use XmlSerialize in your project, if you don't use sgen.exe to generate the dynamic xml serialize dll for your serializble type, CLR will generate one during runtime, but before this, clr will try to load the assemble, which will cause FileNotFoundException, but catched

InvalidCastException casting object to its own type

I'm currently completely baffled by the problem I'm having. I'm writing a plug-in for another application that provides a public .NET API. I've created a class named Room and I am using a PropertyGrid to allow users to see and edit the properties of the Room instances. A few properties are restricted to a set of standard values. Thus I am using custom TypeDescriptors with GetStandardValues() overrides to get the property grid to show a drop down for those properties.
This was all working just fine. I was getting drop downs, and I could edit values no problem. Yet now for some reason when I select an Room the PropertyGrid shows the properties with the type descriptors as a black box.
If I click on the box it turns white and I get a blinking cursor, yet I can't type anything. If I then select another Room my program crashes with the following exception:
System.InvalidCastException was caught
Message=Unable to cast object of type 'DVAMC.Room' to type 'DVAMC.Room'.
Source=DVAMC
StackTrace:
at DVAMC.BuildingTypeConverter.GetStandardValuesSupported(ITypeDescriptorContext context) in C:\Documents and Settings\eric.anastas\My Documents\_SVN WC\DVAMC Working\BuildingTypeConverter.cs:line 14
at System.Windows.Forms.PropertyGridInternal.GridEntry.get_Flags()
at System.Windows.Forms.PropertyGridInternal.GridEntry.get_NeedsDropDownButton()
at System.Windows.Forms.PropertyGridInternal.PropertyDescriptorGridEntry.get_NeedsDropDownButton()
at System.Windows.Forms.PropertyGridInternal.PropertyGridView.SelectRow(Int32 row)
at System.Windows.Forms.PropertyGridInternal.PropertyGridView.SelectGridEntry(GridEntry gridEntry, Boolean fPageIn)
at System.Windows.Forms.PropertyGridInternal.PropertyGridView.GridPositionData.Restore(PropertyGridView gridView)
at System.Windows.Forms.PropertyGridInternal.PropertyGridView.Refresh(Boolean fullRefresh, Int32 rowStart, Int32 rowEnd)
at System.Windows.Forms.PropertyGridInternal.PropertyGridView.Refresh()
at System.Windows.Forms.PropertyGrid.Refresh(Boolean clearCached)
at System.Windows.Forms.PropertyGrid.set_SelectedObjects(Object[] value)
at System.Windows.Forms.PropertyGrid.set_SelectedObject(Object value)
at DVAMC.RoomDetailsForm.set_RoomDetailsSelectedRoom(Room value) in C:\Documents and Settings\eric.anastas\My Documents\_SVN WC\DVAMC Working\RoomDetailsForm.cs:line 115
at DVAMC.RoomDetailsForm.roomListTreeView_SelectionChanged(Object sender, EventArgs e) in C:\Documents and Settings\eric.anastas\My Documents\_SVN WC\DVAMC Working\RoomDetailsForm.cs:line 159
at BrightIdeasSoftware.ObjectListView.OnSelectionChanged(EventArgs e)
at BrightIdeasSoftware.ObjectListView.HandleApplicationIdle(Object sender, EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ThreadContext.System.Windows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.IMsoComponent.FDoIdle(Int32 grfidlef)
at System.Windows.Forms.Application.ComponentManager.System.Windows.Forms.UnsafeNativeMethods.IMsoComponentManager.FPushMessageLoop(Int32 dwComponentID, Int32 reason, Int32 pvLoopData)
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.RunDialog(Form form)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.ShowDialog(IWin32Window owner)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.ShowDialog()
at DVAMC.RoomDetailsCmd.Execute(ExternalCommandData commandData, String& message, ElementSet elements) in C:\Documents and Settings\eric.anastas\My Documents\_SVN WC\DVAMC Working\RoomDetailsCmd.cs:line 44
InnerException:
The last item in the stack trace points to my BuildingTypeConverter.GetStandardValuesSupported() method which is shown below.
GetStandardValuesSupported(System.ComponentModel.ITypeDescriptorContext context)
{
Room r = (Room)context.Instance; //this is line 14 referenced by the InvalidCastException's stack trace
if (r.IsLinked)
{
return true;
}
else
{
return false;
}
}
Now if I set a breakpoint at line 14 above and try to debug the debugger does not break at the breakpoint. In addition, if I add arbitrary code before the cast the stack trace from the InvalidCastException always seems to reference to first line of GetStandardValues() regardless of what it is. For example I tried the following.
public override bool GetStandardValuesSupported(System.ComponentModel.ITypeDescriptorContext context)
{
string s = "hello world"; //FIRST LINE
int i = 0;
Room r = (Room)context.Instance;
.....
I still got the same InvalidCastException. Yet it's stack trace reference the first line above where I initialize string s. In addtion, if I tried to set a breakpoint on this first line it was also not triggered.
Like I said before this was working just fine a day or so ago. I've even tried rolling back to previous revisions in my SVN repository. I've gone as far back as the first revision were I created the custom Type Descriptor class but still run into the problem with the InvalidCastExceptions. Does anyone have any idea what's going on?

If the stack trace always shows the same line even after you have changed the code that would indicate to me that the ProperyGrid is not running the same version of the assembly. This is further confirmed when you say you put a breakpoint but the breakpoint is never hit. If you are running inside of the debugger for Visual Studio I suggest that you look at the output window (Ctrl+W, O), which will list all of the assemblies (with their path) that are loaded in the run. I have seen assembly version confusion particularly when the assembly is in the GAC, where it insist upon loading an older version of the assembly.

It may be that the two types are actually different - for example if one of them is loaded from another version of some assembly than the other type. I'm not quite sure if this could happen in your case, but it could be a problem.
The easiest way to check this is to place breakpoint at the place where the exception is thrown. Then you can look at the two types in watches or immediate window and look at o1.GetType().Assembly. FullName (and similarly for the other object).

problem breaking up one SharePoint project into pieces

I'm trying to break my sharepoint project into a few smaller projects.
I could easily move utility files in different project.
However i encountered a problem when i moved custom-fields.
If i move custom-field from ProjectA to ProjectB and set ProjectA to reference ProjectB's DLL, building and deploying work fine. However, when program reference custom-field from SPListItem, it will throw System.ArgumentOutOfRangeException.
e.g.
SPListItem item = splist.GetItemById(id);<br>
CustomFieldValue custom = item["Custom"] // Error occurs here
Also, if i call AddFieldAsXml to define above custom-field, i get same error.
can anyone help me solve this problem?
thank you in advance...
Detail of Error occured in AddFieldAsXml (same error occurs when referencing)
Length cannot be less than zero.
Parameter name: length
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.ArgumentOutOfRangeException: Length cannot be less than zero.
Parameter name: length
Source Error:
An unhandled exception was generated during the execution of the current web request. Information regarding the origin and location of the exception can be identified using the exception stack trace below.
Stack Trace:
[ArgumentOutOfRangeException: Length cannot be less than zero.
Parameter name: length]
System.String.InternalSubStringWithChecks(Int32 startIndex, Int32 length, Boolean fAlwaysCopy) +7494967
System.String.Substring(Int32 startIndex, Int32 length) +11
Microsoft.SharePoint.Publishing.PublishingHttpModule.CreateSPField(String fieldTypeName, SPFieldCollection collection, String fieldName) +80
Microsoft.SharePoint.SPFieldCollection.CreateSPField(Int32 index) +2746
Microsoft.SharePoint.SPFieldCollection.EnsureSPField(Int32 index) +89
Microsoft.SharePoint.SPFieldCollection.get_Item(Int32 iIndex) +113
Microsoft.SharePoint.SPFieldCollection.GetFieldByInternalName(String strName, Boolean bThrowException) +180
Microsoft.SharePoint.SPFieldCollection.GetFieldByInternalName(String strName) +38
Microsoft.SharePoint.SPFieldCollection.AddFieldAsXmlInternal(String schemaXml, Boolean addToDefaultView, SPAddFieldOptions op) +905
Microsoft.SharePoint.SPFieldCollection.AddFieldAsXml(String schemaXml, Boolean addToDefaultView, SPAddFieldOptions op) +45
This error displayed if string.substring(int startIndex, int length)'s length value is minus...
but i don't know why i get this error.

I solved the problem...
I didn't copy the fldtypes_xxxx.xml information.
so when the code try to read some information from the xml, exception is thrown...

Howto take a glimpse into mscorlib?

I want to read data into RSAParameters structure ( RSAParameters ) and did check twice, that the data is correct. But still, I get an error "invalid data" exception for this:
bei System.Security.Cryptography.CryptographicException.ThrowCryptogaphicException(Int32 hr)
bei System.Security.Cryptography.Utils._ImportKey(SafeProvHandle hCSP, Int32 keyNumber, CspProviderFlags flags, Object cspObject, SafeKeyHandle& hKey)
bei System.Security.Cryptography.RSACryptoServiceProvider.ImportParameters(RSAParameters parameters)
How can I take a look into the source code to check why _ImportKeys is throwing an exception? I have no experience with .dll 'decryption'..are there any symbols to reference somewhere for visual studio 8.0? Thank you.

Use .NET Reflector to disassemble the DLL you want to examine.

You can also use JetBrains dotPeek. It is 100% free.