| Previous | Next |
| ERROR_GRAPHICS_INVALID_PATH_IMPORTANCE_ORDINAL | ERROR_GRAPHICS_PATH_CONTENT_GEOMETRY_TRANSFORMATION_NOT_SUPPORTED |
ERROR_GRAPHICS_INVALID_PATH_CONTENT_GEOMETRY_TRANSFORMATION
Interpret the result in its owning layer: graphics invalid path content geometry transformation
The useful interpretation of ERROR_GRAPHICS_INVALID_PATH_CONTENT_GEOMETRY_TRANSFORMATION (0xC0262345) starts at the vidpn boundary: the geometry transformation contains an invalid enum or internally inconsistent combination. In practical terms, inspect present-path scaling or rotation descriptor before changing application-wide graphics settings.
Inspect scaling and rotation as one tuple
The path transformation contains separate scaling and rotation fields whose combination must remain internally valid. Record source dimensions, target dimensions, rotation, scaling, offset and the support bitfields returned during cofunctional modality enumeration. Test identity scaling with zero rotation first, then add one transformation. This sequence distinguishes malformed structure data from a later capability rejection for a valid but unsupported transformation.
This result: VidPN handles and subobjects are generation-bound. A monitor hot-plug, docking action, session switch or mode commit can invalidate an otherwise well-formed cached object. The built-in one-line message identifies the immediate result; diagnosis also needs the producing API, object ownership and the display generation current at the time.
Capture before recreating objects
| Capture item | Why it matters for it |
|---|---|
| Decisive capture | scaling, rotation, path support flags, source and target modes and pinned state |
| Current graph state | VidPN, topology, source and target mode sets, and the present path connecting them |
| Supporting trace | source and target IDs, topology generation, path descriptors, pinned modes, mode-set handles and monitor timing data |
| Object identity | present-path scaling or rotation descriptor |
| Rejected boundary | the geometry transformation contains an invalid enum or internally inconsistent combination |
Preserve the unsigned HRESULT, symbolic name, first failing API and timestamp in one record. If cleanup later fails too, keep that secondary result separately from this result.
Reproduce one variable at a time
- Freeze the result generation. Record scaling, rotation, path support flags, source and target modes and pinned state. Before diagnosing this result, do not resize, hot-plug, recreate or release the object under examination.
- Run the narrow this result comparison. use an enumerated identity transformation and then add one requested transformation. During the result comparison, keep every driver, monitor, resource format and unrelated policy unchanged.
- Observe the layer after it. for it, if the exact check passes, record the next HRESULT or visible outcome. A different downstream result shows that the boundary was crossed.
- Repeat it through a lifecycle transition. for it, exercise one relevant resize, mode switch, device recreation, hot-plug or session change and confirm that it does not reuse stale handles.
The comparison with ERROR_GRAPHICS_PATH_CONTENT_GEOMETRY_TRANSFORMATION_NOT_SUPPORTED is especially useful: ERROR_GRAPHICS_PATH_CONTENT_GEOMETRY_TRANSFORMATION_NOT_SUPPORTED uses a valid transformation the hardware cannot implement. Recording both names prevents a broad “graphics error” label from merging distinct ownership, capability and lifetime problems.
Recovery contract
Validate scaling and rotation against the path support structure. Repair of it is complete only when the original call succeeds or returns its documented nonfatal status and the same lifetime test remains correct after a second display transition.
- The result trace identifies one producing API and one current graphics object, rather than only the final UI symptom.
- The passing run changes exactly the condition described for it; unrelated adapter, monitor and application state remains unchanged.
- debug-layer, ETW or driver diagnostics no longer report the rejected present-path scaling or rotation descriptor contract during the same scenario.
- The application handles recurrence of it without an unbounded retry loop, leaked resource, duplicate composition target or stale topology handle.
Implementation notes
Log source and target IDs, topology generation, path descriptors, pinned modes, mode-set handles and monitor timing data. When the path returns a count, size, status flag or replacement object, retain it even on a nonfatal result because it can direct the next call.
A production fallback for it should be explicit: pause rendering, re-enumerate, rebuild one cache entry, recreate a device, or decline a protected path only when this layer calls for that action. Reinstalling every display component, deleting all caches or forcing a resolution change is not an evidence-based fix for it.
Technical references
- Microsoft: Introduction to Video Present Networks — background for the present-path scaling or rotation descriptor boundary involved in it.
- Microsoft: VidPN objects and interfaces
- Microsoft: Enumerating cofunctional VidPN modes
- Microsoft: Determining VidPN support
Looking for a different code? Search another status or error code.