Bitmap.Save - how do I overcome an InteropServices.ExternalException e

[GRoston]

Following is a very simple program, extracted from my 'real' program. that demonstrates the problem. (For those interested, the jpg file is of dimension 200x200 - any jpg will work.) When I run the program within Visual Studio it works just fine. However, when I run the program stand-alone, I get an InteropServices.ExternalException error. I have searched on this and have tried a variety of things, but I keep getting the error.

Here is the 'entire' program:

Imports System.Drawing.Imaging
Public Class Form1
    Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
        Dim imgLI As Image
        imgLI = New Bitmap(Image.FromFile("C:\Users\Gerry\Desktop\SmileFace.jpg"), 150, 150)
        Dim bmp As New Bitmap(250, 250)
        Using bmp
            Dim gr As Graphics = Graphics.FromImage(bmp)
            gr.Clear(Color.WhiteSmoke)
            gr.DrawImage(imgLI, 25, 25)
            bmp.Save("C:\Users\Gerry\Desktop\foobar.jpg", ImageFormat.Jpeg)
            gr.Dispose() ' this line before or after the above does not matter
        End Using
        Application.Exit()
    End Sub
End Class

Please modify this program such that it works as stand-alone. Many thanks.

 

[Alejandro85]

What is the full text of the error message? And on what line does it throw?

 

[GRoston]

Good question. I left off the Loaded Assemblies stuff...

System.Runtime.InteropServices.ExternalException (0x80004005): A generic error occurred in GDI+.
at System.Drawing.Image.Save(String filename, ImageCodecInfo encoder, EncoderParameters encoderParams)
at System.Drawing.Image.Save(String filename, ImageFormat format)
at bmpSave.Form1.Form1_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e) in C:\Users\Gerry\Documents\Visual Studio 2012\Projects\Learning and Testing\bmpSave\bmpSave\Form1.vb:line 14 [[bmp.Save line]]
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& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ScrollableControl.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WmShowWindow(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)

- - - Updated - - -

I further simplified the program, see below, but am still getting the same error message (when run directly, but this works fine inside Visual Studio...)!

Public Class Form1
    Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
        Dim bmpOld As Bitmap = New Bitmap(Image.FromFile("C:\Users\Gerry\Desktop\SmileFace.jpg"))
        Dim bmpNew As New Bitmap(250, 250)
        bmpNew = bmpOld
        bmpNew.Save("C:\Users\Gerry\Desktop\foobar.jpg", ImageFormat.Jpeg)
        Application.Exit()
    End Sub
End Class

Weirdly, when I changed the folder to simply C:\, it worked.

- - - Updated - - -

Not sure if this counts as solved, but...

On my computer, my user files are on the D: drive. Yes, there is a symbolic link such that C:\Users\MyUser points tothe files in D:\Users\MyUser. In the code, when I changed C: to D:, everything started working. Strikes me as odd and I am guessing that you can tell me a change, probably small, to make such that to computer will treat both C: and D: equivalently. Thanks.