dotnet/wpf · error · IOException

SR.StorageNotExist

Error message

SR.StorageNotExist

What it means

Thrown by StorageInfo.GetSubStorageInfo when the named child storage does not exist in this storage. Like GetStreamInfo's StreamNotExist, the lookup is strict: a missing sub-storage name throws IOException instead of returning null.

Solutions

1. Call StorageExists(name) first and handle the absence branch
2. Verify the expected hierarchy of the actual file (enumerate storages) before navigating by fixed names
3. Create the sub-storage via CreateStorage if your writer should have produced it
4. Fix the storage name/path constant used at the call site

Example fix

// before
var ds = root.GetSubStorageInfo("\u0006DataSpaces");
// after
if (root.StorageExists("\u0006DataSpaces"))
    var ds = root.GetSubStorageInfo("\u0006DataSpaces");
else
    throw new InvalidDataException("Not a data-spaced compound file");

if (!storage.StorageExists(name)) throw new DirectoryNotFoundException($"Sub-storage '{name}' not found");

StorageInfo TryGetSubStorage(StorageInfo s, string name) => s.StorageExists(name) ? s.GetSubStorageInfo(name) : null;

try { var ss = storage.GetSubStorageInfo(name); }
catch (IOException ex) { /* missing sub-storage: fall back to creating it or fail gracefully */ }

When it happens

Trigger: Calling GetSubStorageInfo(name) for a sub-storage that was never created or has been deleted; navigating compound-file structures such as '\u0006DataSpaces' or 'TransformInfo' on files that lack them.

Common situations: Parsing non-XPS/non-RM compound files with hardcoded ODF/XPS paths; opening files saved by third-party OLE writers with a different hierarchy; case-sensitive name mismatches.

Understand the failure class

Background: "File not found" and ENOENT errors: why libraries can't find a file that should exist — this error's family across 50 libraries.

Related errors

• SR.StorageAlreadyExist
• SR.StreamNotExist
• ' ' name is already in use.
• Data space transform stack includes undefined transform…
• DataSpace map entry is not valid.

AI-assisted analysis of dotnet/wpf@81131a70a4 (2026-09-14). Data as JSON: /api/errors/1ff840f184209b6c. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at src/Microsoft.DotNet.Wpf/src/WindowsBase/System/IO/Packaging/CompoundFile/StorageInfo.cs:454

    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Returns the storage by the passed name.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="name">Name of storage</param>
    /// <returns>Reference to the storage</returns>
    public StorageInfo GetSubStorageInfo(string name)
    {
        //Find if this storage exists
        StorageInfo storageInfo = new StorageInfo(this, name);

        if (storageInfo.InternalExists(name))
        {
            return storageInfo;
        }
        else
        {
            throw new IOException(SR.StorageNotExist);
        }
    }

     /// <summary>
    /// Checks if a storage exists by the passed name.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="name">Name of storage</param>
    /// <returns>Reference to new storage</returns>
    public bool SubStorageExists(string name)
    {
        StorageInfo storageInfo = new StorageInfo(this, name);
        return storageInfo.InternalExists(name);
    }
    
    /// <summary>
    /// Deletes a storage recursively.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="name">Name of storage</param>

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