My project compiles fine. 

When trying to do a 'Publish Website' I get the error:
Object reference not set to an instance of an object

If I create a web deployment project I get the same error.

If I try to do it from a command prompt I get the same error (output below).

Has anyone any idea what it means, or how I can find out what object it can't find? 

Simon. 

 VS 2005 8.50727.51 Team Ed for Software Dev, Win XP SP2. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\VC>aspnet_compiler -v / -u -errorStac
k -f -d -p d:\myApp\wwwroot d:\myApp\release
Utility to precompile an ASP.NET application
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

d:\myApp\wwwroot\App_Code\BookMarkMenu.cs(84): warning CS0618: 'System.Web.U
I.Page.RegisterClientScriptBlock(string, string)' is obsolete: 'The recommended
alternative is ClientScript.RegisterClientScriptBlock(Type type, string key, str
ing script). http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=14202'
error ASPRUNTIME: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.


[NullReferenceException]: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
   at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.CopyPrecompiledFile(VirtualFile vfile,
 String destPhysicalPath)
   at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.CopyStaticFilesRecursive(VirtualDirect
ory sourceVdir, String destPhysicalDir, Boolean topLevel)
   at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.CopyStaticFilesRecursive(VirtualDirect
ory sourceVdir, String destPhysicalDir, Boolean topLevel)
   at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.CopyStaticFilesRecursive(VirtualDirect
ory sourceVdir, String destPhysicalDir, Boolean topLevel)
   at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.PrecompileAppInternal(VirtualPath star
tingVirtualDir)
   at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.PrecompileApp(VirtualPath startingVirt
ualDir)
   at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.PrecompileApp(ClientBuildManagerCallba
ck callback)
   at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManagerHost.PrecompileApp(ClientBuildManagerCa
llback callback)
   at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManagerHost.PrecompileApp(ClientBuildManagerCa
llback callback)
   at System.Web.Compilation.ClientBuildManager.PrecompileApplication(ClientBuil
dManagerCallback callback, Boolean forceCleanBuild)
   at System.Web.Compilation.ClientBuildManager.PrecompileApplication(ClientBuil
dManagerCallback callback)
   at System.Web.Compilation.Precompiler.Main(String[] args)

Thanks for the response. I am pulling my hair out over this.

Fixing the warning didn't make a difference. 

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\VC>aspnet_compiler -v / -u -errorstac
k -f -d -p d:\myApp\wwwroot d:\myApp\release
Utility to precompile an ASP.NET application
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

error ASPRUNTIME: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

[NullReferenceException]: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
   at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.CopyPrecompiledFile(VirtualFile vfile,
 String destPhysicalPath)
   at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.CopyStaticFilesRecursive(VirtualDirect
ory sourceVdir, String destPhysicalDir, Boolean topLevel)
   at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.CopyStaticFilesRecursive(VirtualDirect
ory sourceVdir, String destPhysicalDir, Boolean topLevel)
   at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.CopyStaticFilesRecursive(VirtualDirect
ory sourceVdir, String destPhysicalDir, Boolean topLevel)
   at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.PrecompileAppInternal(VirtualPath star
tingVirtualDir)
   at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.PrecompileApp(VirtualPath startingVirt
ualDir)
   at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManager.PrecompileApp(ClientBuildManagerCallba
ck callback)
   at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManagerHost.PrecompileApp(ClientBuildManagerCa
llback callback)
   at System.Web.Compilation.BuildManagerHost.PrecompileApp(ClientBuildManagerCa
llback callback)
   at System.Web.Compilation.ClientBuildManager.PrecompileApplication(ClientBuil
dManagerCallback callback, Boolean forceCleanBuild)
   at System.Web.Compilation.ClientBuildManager.PrecompileApplication(ClientBuil
dManagerCallback callback)
   at System.Web.Compilation.Precompiler.Main(String[] args)

Hi!

I had the same problem, when I started investigating - a message about an exception in ?CopyPrecompiledFile? made me think of a problem with some file within application BIN directory. There I found a file named ?App_Code.compiled?, removing which solved the problem. In Your case this as well can be any other file with "bad" attributes or file name, which You will have to find out for Yourself.

Hope this helps.

Best regards,

Vladimir Davidov