| Previous | Next |
| TPM_E_ZERO_EXHAUST_ENABLED | UI_E_SHUTDOWN_CALLED |
UI_E_CREATE_FAILED
Within Windows Animation Manager, UI_E_CREATE_FAILED reports that object construction failed before a usable animation object was returned. Diagnosis of this result should follow the original owner and generation rather than treating the visible symptom as the cause.
Facts that change the diagnosis
| Capture | Diagnostic value |
|---|---|
| Returning creation method and requested interface for it. | This identifies the exact object or resource generation involved and helps test the Windows Animation Manager boundary. |
| Manager and transition-library identities for it. | This places the failure on the lifecycle or transaction timeline and helps test the Windows Animation Manager boundary. |
| Output pointer state and allocation pressure for it. | This separates caller input from environment and service state and helps test the Windows Animation Manager boundary. |
| Thread apartment and callback activity for it. | This provides a stable comparison across retries or another machine and helps test the Windows Animation Manager boundary. |
Subsystem meaning
During a this result investigation, Windows Animation is a stateful COM subsystem. Animation variables, transitions and storyboards are created under a manager, scheduled against a monotonic animation time, updated before drawing, and eventually sealed or released., a visible glitch can therefore be downstream of a lifecycle, ownership, timeline, callback, or numeric contract failure.
Creation can fail at manager, variable, storyboard, transition-library, or timer boundaries., identify the exact factory method and preserve whether the output pointer stayed null; a later animation scheduling failure is a different stage.
The first owner to inspect is the animation manager, storyboard, transition, timer, or callback that returned the HRESULT.
Isolation workflow
When it is returned, use a disposable control object, repository copy, file, or device association where the subsystem permits it.
- First: Create a manager and one animation variable with no callbacks.
- Next: Add the requested transition library or timer separately.
- Then: Check every creation HRESULT before dereferencing the output.
- Finally: Repeat under the same COM apartment with a fresh manager generation.
Avoid the tempting broad fix
During a this result investigation, it is earlier than storyboard validation or playback: no valid object exists yet.
Do not substitute a null pointer crash or E_OUTOFMEMORY assumption for the original creation HRESULT.
Expected branches
| Control | Interpretation | Hold constant |
|---|---|---|
| Same input, fresh object or connection | If the result disappears, retained lifecycle or ownership state is implicated. | While diagnosing this result, keep the original data, account, device, or timeline parameters unchanged. |
| Same object, reduced operation | If the result follows one specific transition, statement, file, or ceremony step, the failure is localized. | While diagnosing it, remove only unrelated work and keep the first failing boundary visible. |
| Same operation, controlled environment | If the result follows one machine, account, volume, network, or device, environment matters. | While diagnosing it, keep versions and identity explicit rather than comparing only the final message. |
Regression proof
Verify it with the original scenario, one boundary case, and one deliberate failure; success means the exact creation call repeatedly returns S_OK and produces an object that can complete one minimal lifecycle.
Technical references
The references below define the API family or storage/protocol behavior used to interpret it.
- Microsoft: Windows Animation error codes
- Microsoft: Windows Animation overview
- Microsoft: Schedule a storyboard
- Microsoft: IUIAnimationManager interface
Looking for a different code? Search another status or error code.