Using Images and Icons in WPF

Question

I am trying to use an Icon in my WPF application, and some images for other things, but I keep getting errors from the Designer View saying stuff like "path-x is not a valid resource or cannot be found." - where "path-x" is the path of whatever image I am trying to use.

If it were looking in the right place, I bet it'd find it ;)

BUT, then, it decided to not give me that error anymore. So, I went ahead and clicked Run (F5), to see my new Icon in the title bar. Only to be confronted with this beast:

"System.Windows.Markup.XamlParseException occurred Message='Provide value on 'System.Windows.Baml2006.TypeConverterMarkupExtension' threw an exception.' Line number '5' and line position '50'.
Source=PresentationFramework
LineNumber=5 LinePosition=50
StackTrace: at System.Windows.Markup.XamlReader.RewrapException(Exception e, IXamlLineInfo lineInfo, Uri baseUri) at System.Windows.Markup.WpfXamlLoader.Load(XamlReader xamlReader, IXamlObjectWriterFactory writerFactory, Boolean skipJournaledProperties, Object rootObject, XamlObjectWriterSettings settings, Uri baseUri) at System.Windows.Markup.WpfXamlLoader.LoadBaml(XamlReader xamlReader, Boolean skipJournaledProperties, Object rootObject, XamlAccessLevel accessLevel, Uri baseUri) at System.Windows.Markup.XamlReader.LoadBaml(Stream stream, ParserContext parserContext, Object parent, Boolean closeStream) at System.Windows.Application.LoadComponent(Object component, Uri resourceLocator) at One_Stop_Management.MainWindow.InitializeComponent() in c:\Users\Jason\Documents\Visual Studio 2010\Projects\One Stop Management\One Stop Management\MainWindow.xaml:line 1 at One_Stop_Management.MainWindow..ctor() in C:\Users\Jason\Documents\Visual Studio 2010\Projects\One Stop Management\One Stop Management\MainWindow.xaml.cs:line 25 InnerException: System.IO.IOException Message=Cannot locate resource 'images/favicon.ico'. Source=PresentationFramework StackTrace: at MS.Internal.AppModel.ResourcePart.GetStreamCore(FileMode mode, FileAccess access) at System.IO.Packaging.PackagePart.GetStream(FileMode mode, FileAccess access) at System.IO.Packaging.PackWebResponse.CachedResponse.GetResponseStream() at System.IO.Packaging.PackWebResponse.GetResponseStream() at System.IO.Packaging.PackWebResponse.get_ContentType() at System.Windows.Media.Imaging.BitmapDecoder.SetupDecoderFromUriOrStream(Uri uri, Stream stream, BitmapCacheOption cacheOption, Guid& clsId, Boolean& isOriginalWritable, Stream& uriStream, UnmanagedMemoryStream& unmanagedMemoryStream, SafeFileHandle& safeFilehandle) at System.Windows.Media.Imaging.BitmapDecoder.CreateFromUriOrStream(Uri baseUri, Uri uri, Stream stream, BitmapCreateOptions createOptions, BitmapCacheOption cacheOption, RequestCachePolicy uriCachePolicy, Boolean insertInDecoderCache) at System.Windows.Media.Imaging.BitmapFrame.CreateFromUriOrStream(Uri baseUri, Uri uri, Stream stream, BitmapCreateOptions createOptions, BitmapCacheOption cacheOption, RequestCachePolicy uriCachePolicy) at System.Windows.Media.ImageSourceConverter.ConvertFrom(ITypeDescriptorContext context, CultureInfo culture, Object value) at System.Windows.Baml2006.TypeConverterMarkupExtension.ProvideValue(IServiceProvider serviceProvider) at MS.Internal.Xaml.Runtime.ClrObjectRuntime.CallProvideValue(MarkupExtension me, IServiceProvider serviceProvider) InnerException: "

Exception at runtime while trying to use an icon for my titlebar!

Why is this thing giving me attitude? I'm just trying to insert an image...

Updates

Here is the XAML that was produced for the icon when I tried to add the Icon using the Properties Pane:

<Fluent:RibbonWindow x:Class="One_Stop_Management.MainWindow"
        xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
        xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
        xmlns:Fluent="clr-namespace:Fluent;assembly=Fluent"
        Title="One Stop Management" Height="727" Width="1208" Icon="Resources\favicon.ico">

Latest Update

enter image description here

I can't even add an icon using the properties pane, below is the error it gives me.

Can you share the XAML where you are trying to insert the image? — Craig Suchanec, Apr 08 '11 at 23:47
Thank you *all* for your help! I have figured out what the heck was going on after reading @Craig's link to MS Connect. — βӔḺṪẶⱫŌŔ, Apr 09 '11 at 00:25

patrick · Answer 1 · 2012-02-28T15:12:24.663

5

Make sure the target is a resource. Then do something like this:

Icon="/MobilWPF;component/Resources/Images/MobileIcon.ico"

where MobilWPF is your namespace, or maybe you're project name? I forget my project name and my namespace are the same.

edited Feb 28 '12 at 15:12

answered Feb 27 '12 at 20:12

patrick

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score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 04 '13 at 12:00

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I fixed this same issue by setting these properties for the image:

Build Action = Content
Copy to Output Directory = Copy always

answered Jun 04 '13 at 12:00

Dave Dawkins

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Just a comment comparing with [this answer](https://stackoverflow.com/a/24241279/774575): When using a file in a project, either you embed this file in the assembly at compile time (Build Action = Resource), or you deploy the file independently (Build Action = Content **and** Copy to Output = Copy Always/If Newer). In both cases the file content is accessible at run time. Each method has its pros and cons, in your case, the assembly is smaller, but the access time is longer (and the separate file must exist). – mins Sep 15 '19 at 11:22

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Feb 27 '12 at 20:09

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I've discovered that VS2008 sometimes causes problems like this when you add new resources and then rebuild the project. I've found if you clean the build and then rebuild from scratch the problem disappears. Looks like a VS2008 bug to me.

answered Feb 27 '12 at 20:09

Sean Nelson

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score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Jan 02 '13 at 20:41

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I recall a similar situation where my application was crashing, and I eventually tracked it down to an .ico error.

If you're using icons and Windows XP, XP does not support the 256x256 icons. You may need to open the icon in an editor, such as IcoFx, and delete the 256x256 icon.

answered Jan 02 '13 at 20:41

Nathan Dace

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I got into the same issue today. I deleted the 256x256 icon using VS 2012 (Right click > Delete Image Type) and it worked fine on XP. – Angshuman Agarwal Nov 12 '13 at 11:02

score 1 · Answer 5 · edited Jun 16 '14 at 10:31

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Setting BuildAction to Resource in resource Properties solved this problem.

Greets

edited Jun 16 '14 at 10:31

olyv

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answered Jun 16 '14 at 10:11

user3173185

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score 1 · Answer 6 · answered Apr 09 '11 at 00:07

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The exception, if you read through it, says the same thing:

InnerException: System.IO.IOException Message=Cannot locate resource 'images/favicon.ico'.

This is probably because the Images/favicon.ico icon image is not setup correctly. Make sure that it's Build Action is set to "Resource", and that it's in the project under the "Images" folder.

answered Apr 09 '11 at 00:07

Reed Copsey

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Yeah, I read it. It IS there, in the Images folder. I think there's a bug somewhere though in WPF or Visual Studio or something, because the file is there, the string path is correct, the folder is there. But it's just not finding it. I don't know how you can not find something that is right infront of you. – βӔḺṪẶⱫŌŔ Apr 09 '11 at 00:14
Visual Studio auto creates a folder called "Images" with a capital "I". But when I get the error, the error as a lower case "i". So i even tried changing the I in the Images folder to a lowercase one. Still didn't work. – βӔḺṪẶⱫŌŔ Apr 09 '11 at 00:15
@ βӔḺṪẶⱫŌŔ: Did you check the Build Action (right click on the icon file in VS, choose Properties)? It should be "Resource" – Reed Copsey Apr 09 '11 at 00:17

score 1 · Answer 7 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:26

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The answer seems to depend on where/how you store the icon. I was trying to do something similar to @iterationx's answer but it didn't work for me, and this is what I finished up with. I'm using VS 2010.

I added the icon as a resource via the project's properties page, under Resources, Add Resource (dropdown), Add existing file. Then I just used the file name in the Icon property:

Icon="my_icon.ico"

edited May 23 '17 at 12:26

Community

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answered Feb 28 '12 at 07:26

Rebecca Scott

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I'm using VS 2017 Community and this still helped me. – DevOpsSauce Sep 23 '17 at 17:43

score 0 · Answer 8 · answered Jul 09 '13 at 10:16

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use Icon=".\Images\test.ico" this got me working

answered Jul 09 '13 at 10:16

kedarK

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If you could give some more information it could help understand your aproche better – winner_joiner Jul 09 '13 at 10:37
when you are trying to add a icon to your application, you often find this error message. So to overcome the problem you are gonna have to use the Icon=".\Images\test.ico" as the code. – kedarK Aug 12 '13 at 16:26
okay i see, I would have to add this line into the SourceCode. Thanks for the update – winner_joiner Aug 13 '13 at 08:10

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Apr 09 '11 at 00:03

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I'm sorry I can't be more helpful. On reading your question at first I thought it'd be just a type mismatch, like where you were specifying a string when it was meant to be an image. The issue seems to be one that has multiple possible resolutions. Instead of listing them all I'll just link you to the Microsoft Connect page that has them on it.

answered Apr 09 '11 at 00:03

Craig Suchanec

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Although this is an old thread, I would like to add my findings. It turns out that XP can handle correctly icons with 256x256 with 32 bits color depth. After removing this image format from the ico the exception didn't happen again. – saamorim Sep 20 '13 at 10:34
Craig the link is dead – Chuck Savage May 29 '15 at 20:24
Link only answer is not very helpful unfortunately – StayOnTarget Feb 04 '20 at 17:59

score 0 · Answer 10 · answered Dec 03 '11 at 03:34

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I had this same problem and found that if your project has a space in the name, it won't read the image files correctly. Hope that helps.

answered Dec 03 '11 at 03:34

Using Images and Icons in WPF

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