cefsharp/CefSharp · error · Exception

A call to WithSharedSettings has already been made, it is…

Error message

A call to WithSharedSettings has already been made, it is no possible to provide custom settings.

What it means

Thrown by RequestContextBuilder.ThrowExceptionIfContextAlreadySet (a plain System.Exception, not a domain type) when you call a method that sets custom settings (e.g. WithCachePath) after WithSharedSettings has already stored an _otherContext. The builder cannot both share another context's storage and apply its own settings, so it rejects the contradictory configuration. Note the message typo 'no possible'.

Solutions

1. Decide on one strategy: either share via WithSharedSettings OR customise via WithCachePath/WithPreference, never both.
2. Split into two separate RequestContextBuilder instances if you need both kinds of contexts.
3. Call WithCachePath before any WithSharedSettings is impossible (sharing wins once set), so reorder: build your custom context first if needed.
4. Track builder state in your own code so the two paths are mutually exclusive at the source.

Example fix

// before - contradictory
var ctx = RequestContext.Configure()
    .WithSharedSettings(parent)
    .WithCachePath(@"C:\cache") // throws
    .Create();

// after - pick one
var shared = RequestContext.Configure().WithSharedSettings(parent).Create();
// or
var custom = RequestContext.Configure().WithCachePath(@"C:\cache").Create();

// Enforce one strategy before building.
RequestContextBuilder Build(bool share, IRequestContext parent, string cache)
{
    var b = RequestContext.Configure();
    if (share) return b.WithSharedSettings(parent);
    return b.WithCachePath(cache);
}

public static bool CanAddCustomSettings(RequestContextBuilder b) => b.GetOtherContext() == null; // (requires exposing state)

try { return builder.WithCachePath(path).Create(); }
catch (Exception ex) when (ex.Message.Contains("WithSharedSettings has already been made"))
{ /* use a fresh builder for custom settings */ return RequestContext.Configure().WithCachePath(path).Create(); }

When it happens

Trigger: Chaining .WithSharedSettings(parent).WithCachePath(...) on the same builder; calling WithCachePath twice after a share; any settings mutation after WithSharedSettings.

Common situations: Copy-pasted builder configuration where one branch shares and another customises; refactoring that merged two builders; misunderstanding that sharing and customising are mutually exclusive.

Related errors

• A call to WithCachePath has already been made, it's not…
• other
• otherRequestContext
• requestContextHandler
• settings

AI-assisted analysis of cefsharp/CefSharp@16bc6e0711 (2026-08-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/d498c0527f64c33c. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at CefSharp.Core/RequestContextBuilder.cs:25

using CefSharp.Handler;
using System;

namespace CefSharp
{
    /// <summary>
    /// Fluent style builder for creating IRequestContext instances.
    /// </summary>
    public class RequestContextBuilder
    {
        private RequestContextSettings _settings;
        private IRequestContext _otherContext;
        private RequestContextHandler _handler;

        void ThrowExceptionIfContextAlreadySet()
        {
            if (_otherContext != null)
            {
                throw new Exception("A call to WithSharedSettings has already been made, it is no possible to provide custom settings.");
            }
        }

        void ThrowExceptionIfCustomSettingSpecified()
        {
            if (_settings != null)
            {
                throw new Exception("A call to WithCachePath has already been made, it's not possible to share settings with another RequestContext.");
            }
        }
        /// <summary>
        /// Create the actual RequestContext instance
        /// </summary>
        /// <returns>Returns a new RequestContext instance.</returns>
        public IRequestContext Create()
        {
            if (_otherContext != null)
            {

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