Best approach to bug shooting themes?

[stigzler]

Hi. I've just made a customisable Default theme (plug in some colors, widths and corner radiuses etc and you alter the default theme). All seems to be working apart from some cryptic random crashes which I don't get if i set to default theme (thus concluding it's Theme related)

I haven't made any major changes to the default theme, just substituted hardcoded UIElement Values with references to a Styles Dictionary. Visually all is at it should be, but get random crashes like this below (from debug logging):

2025-11-16 11:00:52 PM FIRST CHANCE EXCEPTION: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
   at (Object, PropertyChangedBase)
   at FlexibleCompressorAuthorizer.PermitAutomatableMonitor(Object, PropertyChangedBase value, FlexibleCompressorAuthorizer)
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.BigBox.ViewModels.PlatformHybridViewModelBase.OnUp(Boolean held, Boolean onlyUpPressed)
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.BigBox.NavigationManager.OnUp(Boolean held, Boolean onlyPressed)
   at ActiveParserAuthorizer.PermitAutomatableMonitor(Object, Boolean held, Boolean onlyPressed, ActiveParserAuthorizer)
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.BigBox.ViewModels.MainViewModel.OnUp(Boolean onlyUpPressed)
   at StackSubscriberAuthorizer.PermitAutomatableMonitor(Object, Boolean onlyUpPressed, StackSubscriberAuthorizer)
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.BigBox.ViewModels.MainViewModel.AssignConfigurableSchema(Guid value)
   at AuthorizerAuthenticatorStream.PermitAutomatableMonitor(Object, Guid value, AuthorizerAuthenticatorStream)
   at Unbroken.LaunchBox.Windows.BigBox.ViewModels.MainViewModel.<>c__DisplayClass259_1.ProfileVisualExplorer()
   at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunInternal(ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)

Now this doesn't help at all in helping understanding what the actual problem is (apart from implying pressing up whilst on the PlatformHybridView caused the crash!?). How does one go about bug shooting things like this?

An example of the type of changes made:

    <UserControl.Resources>
        <ResourceDictionary>
            <ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
                <ResourceDictionary Source="LAUNCHBOX_THEME_FOLDER/Style/Styles.xaml" />
            </ResourceDictionary.MergedDictionaries>
            <converters:ToUpperConverter x:Key="UpperCase" />
            <converters:AspectRatioStringConverter x:Key="AspectRatio" />
            <converters:ScaleWithResolutionConverter x:Key="ScaleConverter" SourceResolutionWidth="2560" SourceResolutionHeight="1440" />
        </ResourceDictionary>
    </UserControl.Resources>

<!-- Example change from: -->

<Grid Background="#FF212121" Height="{Binding ElementName=Canvas, Path=ActualHeight}" Width="{Binding ElementName=Canvas, Path=ActualWidth}"  Opacity="{Binding BackgroundFade}"/>

<!-- to: -->
<Grid Background="{StaticResource BackgroundTop}" Height="{Binding ElementName=Canvas, Path=ActualHeight}" Width="{Binding ElementName=Canvas, Path=ActualWidth}"  Opacity="{Binding BackgroundFade}" />

Have attached my custom theme in case helpful. 

Defuddled.zip

[Jabb3rJaw]

Have you tried using windows media player instead of FFMeg? I get crashes using unified theme but nothing when I use WMP. 

[stigzler]

6 hours ago, Jabb3rJaw said:

Have you tried using windows media player instead of FFMeg? I get crashes using unified theme but nothing when I use WMP. 

Ah yes. I'd forgotten about that, thanks. Although I am running the beta I think and not sure if they'd addressed it in that. However will certainly try switching if further problems. 

You mention the unified theme. Is that the same as the default theme?

Edited yesterday at 09:34 AM by stigzler

[Jabb3rJaw]

I think there is Unified and Unified refried. I’m on the beta also and get constant crashes with FFMEG but WMP runs no problem