stride3d/stride · error · InvalidOperationException

Unable to find/generate key

Error message

Unable to find/generate key [{0}] with unsupported type [{1}/{2}]

What it means

Effect.ResolveResourceKey throws InvalidOperationException when it cannot generate a resource binding key for a shader parameter: the parameter's resource class and type combination is not handled by the key-generation switch, leaving keyInfo.Key null. Usually means the effect was compiled with a parameter type the runtime binding layer does not know.

Solutions

Recompile all shaders and rebuild the effects database with the same Stride version as the runtime.
Check the failing parameter's shader declaration and change it to a supported type (Texture2D, Sampler, constant buffer member types).
Verify engine/runtime version consistency — rebuild custom effect code after a Stride upgrade.
Inspect keyInfo.KeyName in the message to locate the offending shader parameter and fix its declaration.

Example fix

// before (custom/unrecognized type in shader)
my_custom_resource customRes;
// after
Texture2D myTexture : register(t0); // use a supported resource type

Defensive patterns

Strategy: try-catch

Validate before calling

try
{
    effect.InitializeFrom(device, bytecode);
}
catch (InvalidOperationException ex) when (ex.Message.StartsWith("Unable to find/generate key"))
{
    log.Error($"Unsupported shader parameter on effect {bytecode?.SourceFilename}: {ex.Message}");
}

Type guard

bool HasKnownParameterTypes(Effect effect) =>
    effect.Description.EffectKeys.All(k => IsSupportedResourceClass(k.Class, k.Type));

Try / catch

try { var effect = new Effect(device, bytecode); }
catch (InvalidOperationException ex) when (ex.Message.Contains("unsupported type"))
{ log.Error(ex, "Recompile shaders with the current Stride version"); throw; }

Prevention

Recompile shaders and rebuild the effects database after every Stride upgrade.
Use only resource types the runtime binding layer supports in custom shaders.
Pin the same Stride version across shader compilation and runtime execution.
Log the parameter name from the message to quickly find the offending shader declaration.

When it happens

Trigger: Loading/initializing an effect whose EffectValueDescription has a Class/Type pair outside the supported set (e.g. an unrecognized TextureType/class, new shader parameter kind, or a corrupted/mismatched effects database) while resolving keys during UpdateResourceBindingKey/UpdateResourceEntryKey.

Common situations: Custom shader plugins introducing new parameter types; effects compiled by a newer Stride version than the runtime; stale or mismatched compiled-effect assets after engine upgrade.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of stride3d/stride@96fad776d2 (2026-09-14). Data as JSON: /api/errors/b29ecba5ee16c19c. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at sources/engine/Stride.Graphics/Effects/Effect.cs:266

                        case EffectParameterType.Texture2D:
                        case EffectParameterType.Texture2DArray:
                        case EffectParameterType.Texture2DMultisampled:
                        case EffectParameterType.Texture2DMultisampledArray:
                        case EffectParameterType.RWTexture2D:
                        case EffectParameterType.RWTexture2DArray:
                        case EffectParameterType.TextureCube:
                        case EffectParameterType.TextureCubeArray:
                        case EffectParameterType.RWTexture3D:
                        case EffectParameterType.Texture3D:
                            keyInfo.Key = FindOrCreateResourceKey<Texture>(keyName);
                            break;
                    }
                    break;
            }

            if (keyInfo.Key == null)
            {
                throw new InvalidOperationException(string.Format("Unable to find/generate key [{0}] with unsupported type [{1}/{2}]", keyInfo.KeyName, @class, type));
            }
        }

        private static void UpdateValueBindingKey(ref EffectValueDescription binding)
        {
            switch (binding.Type.Class)
            {
                case EffectParameterClass.Scalar:
                    switch (binding.Type.Type)
                    {
                        case EffectParameterType.Bool:
                            binding.KeyInfo.Key = FindOrCreateValueKey<bool>(ref binding);
                            break;
                        case EffectParameterType.Int:
                            binding.KeyInfo.Key = FindOrCreateValueKey<int>(ref binding);
                            break;
                        case EffectParameterType.UInt:
                            binding.KeyInfo.Key = FindOrCreateValueKey<uint>(ref binding);

View on GitHub (pinned to 96fad776d2)