OrchardCMS/OrchardCore · error · InvalidOperationException

Shape creation failed for type

Error message

Shape creation failed for type '{shapeType}'. The shape factory returned null.

What it means

DefaultShapeFactory.CreateAsync fires Creating events, then invokes the registered internal creation logic (CreateInternalAsync). If that factory returns null — meaning no shape creation handler produced an instance for the type — it throws InvalidOperationException("Shape creation failed for type '{shapeType}'. The shape factory returned null.").

Solutions

Check IShapeFactoryEvents.Creating implementations for the shape type — ensure they do not suppress or return without creating a shape.
Verify the shape type is created via a known mechanism (dynamic proxy shape, typed shape class binding) and that related DI services are registered in Startup.
Log the shapeType value and reproduce with a minimal call to isolate which handler nulls the result.

Example fix

// before (IShapeFactoryEvents)
public void Creating(ShapeCreatingContext context) { context.Cancel = true; }
// after
public void Creating(ShapeCreatingContext context) { /* allow default creation */ }

Defensive patterns

Strategy: try-catch

Try / catch

catch (InvalidOperationException ex) when (ex.Message.StartsWith("Shape creation failed"))
{
    logger.LogError(ex, "Shape factory returned null for {Type}", shapeType);
    return Results.NotFound();
}

Prevention

Never set Cancel/return null in IShapeFactoryEvents.Creating handlers
Test custom shape types immediately after registering their creation services
Avoid deriving shape types from unvalidated user input

When it happens

Trigger: Calling IShapeFactory.CreateAsync for a shape type whose internal creation pipeline (Creating handlers / default shape creation) returns null — e.g., a custom IShapeFactoryEvents or overriding CreateInternalAsync returning null, or a shape type with no valid creation path registered.

Common situations: Custom shape factory events that replace/intercept creation but forget to set a result; dynamic shape types created from user/config input where a handler bails out; broken DI registrations for shape creation services.

Understand the failure class

Background: "This is a bug, please report it": internal invariant violations, unreachable panics, and SNH errors explained — this error's family across 47 libraries.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of OrchardCMS/OrchardCore@4306c0717f (2026-09-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/d820843f97b84057. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src/OrchardCore/OrchardCore.DisplayManagement/Implementation/DefaultShapeFactory.cs:97

        creating?.Invoke(creatingContext, state);

        // 'Creating' events may add behaviors and alter base type.
        foreach (var ev in _events)
        {
            ev.Creating(creatingContext);
        }

        if (shapeDescriptor != null)
        {
            foreach (var ev in shapeDescriptor.CreatingAsync)
            {
                await ev(creatingContext);
            }
        }

        // Create the new instance.
        var shape = await creatingContext.CreateInternalAsync()
            ?? throw new InvalidOperationException($"Shape creation failed for type '{shapeType}'. The shape factory returned null.");

        var createdContext = new ShapeCreatedContext
        {
            ServiceProvider = _serviceProvider,
            New = creatingContext.New,
            ShapeFactory = creatingContext.ShapeFactory,
            ShapeType = creatingContext.ShapeType,
            Shape = shape,
        };

        var shapeMetadata = shape.Metadata;
        shapeMetadata.Type = shapeType;

        // Merge wrappers if there are any.
        if (shapeDescriptor != null && shapeMetadata.Wrappers.Count + shapeDescriptor.Wrappers.Count > 0)
        {
            shapeMetadata.Wrappers.AddRange(shapeDescriptor.Wrappers);
        }

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