XML deserialization exception occurs in EXE, but not during debugging - vb.net

Question

I have a VB.net application that uses a custom serializable class to persist configuration settings. At startup, I deserialize the config file. This works perfectly in the debugger. I run the application in Visual Studio, it calls the LoadSettings function, and it instantiates the object. However, once I build the executable and run it, it generates an exception. Does anyone know why it is behaving differently between the debugger and compiled code?
The way the config file was created, was by serializing an object of class Settings, and writing that to a file using a StreamReader object. Pretty straightforward, I do it all the time.
Here's the subroutine:
Private Sub LoadSettings(FromFile As String)
Dim ser As New XmlSerializer(GetType(UtilityClasses.Settings))
Dim reader As New StreamReader(FromFile)
Settings = ser.Deserialize(reader)
reader.Close()
End Sub
And, on the ser.Deserialize() call, it raises this exception:
See the end of this message for details on invoking
just-in-time (JIT) debugging instead of this dialog box.
************** Exception Text **************
System.Configuration.ConfigurationErrorsException: Configuration system failed to initialize ---> System.Configuration.ConfigurationErrorsException: Configuration file MyUtility.config does not have root <configuration> tag (C:\Data\Code\MyUtility\bin\Debug\MyUtility.config line 2)
at System.Configuration.ConfigurationSchemaErrors.ThrowIfErrors(Boolean ignoreLocal)
at System.Configuration.BaseConfigurationRecord.ThrowIfParseErrors(ConfigurationSchemaErrors schemaErrors)
at System.Configuration.BaseConfigurationRecord.ThrowIfInitErrors()
at System.Configuration.ClientConfigurationSystem.EnsureInit(String configKey)
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.PrepareConfigSystem()
at System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.GetSection(String sectionName)
at System.Configuration.PrivilegedConfigurationManager.GetSection(String sectionName)
at System.Diagnostics.DiagnosticsConfiguration.GetConfigSection()
at System.Diagnostics.DiagnosticsConfiguration.Initialize()
at System.Diagnostics.DiagnosticsConfiguration.get_SwitchSettings()
at System.Diagnostics.Switch.InitializeConfigSettings()
at System.Diagnostics.Switch.InitializeWithStatus()
at System.Diagnostics.Switch.get_SwitchSetting()
at System.Diagnostics.BooleanSwitch.get_Enabled()
at System.Xml.Serialization.TempAssembly.LoadGeneratedAssembly(Type type, String defaultNamespace, XmlSerializerImplementation& contract)
at System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer..ctor(Type type, String defaultNamespace)
at System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer..ctor(Type type)
at CATPrd2Prt.Form1.LoadSettings(String FromFile) in C:\Data\Code\MyUtility\Form1.vb:line 99
at CATPrd2Prt.Form1.Form1_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e) in C:\Data\Code\MyUtility\Form1.vb:line 30
at System.EventHandler.Invoke(Object sender, EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnLoad(EventArgs e)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.OnCreateControl()
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl(Boolean fIgnoreVisible)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.CreateControl()
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WmShowWindow(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ScrollableControl.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.ContainerControl.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WmShowWindow(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Form.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.OnMessage(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.Control.ControlNativeWindow.WndProc(Message& m)
at System.Windows.Forms.NativeWindow.Callback(IntPtr hWnd, Int32 msg, IntPtr wparam, IntPtr lparam)
************** Loaded Assemblies **************
mscorlib
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.3662 (GDR.050727-3600)
CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/Microsoft.NET/Framework/v2.0.50727/mscorlib.dll
----------------------------------------
CATPrd2Prt
Assembly Version: 1.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 1.0.0.0
CodeBase: file:///C:/Data/Clients/Inalfa/Code/CATPrd2Prt/CATPrd2Prt/bin/Debug/CATPrd2Prt.exe
----------------------------------------
Microsoft.VisualBasic
Assembly Version: 8.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 8.0.50727.3053 (netfxsp.050727-3000)
CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/assembly/GAC_MSIL/Microsoft.VisualBasic/8.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/Microsoft.VisualBasic.dll
----------------------------------------
System
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.3662 (GDR.050727-3600)
CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Windows.Forms
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.3667 (GDR.050727-3600)
CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Windows.Forms/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Windows.Forms.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Drawing
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.3667 (GDR.050727-3600)
CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Drawing/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Drawing.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Configuration
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.3654 (GDR.050727-3600)
CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Configuration/2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a/System.Configuration.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Xml
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.3662 (GDR.050727-3600)
CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Xml/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Xml.dll
----------------------------------------
System.Runtime.Remoting
Assembly Version: 2.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 2.0.50727.3664 (GDR.050727-3600)
CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Runtime.Remoting/2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Runtime.Remoting.dll
----------------------------------------
Interop.INFITF
Assembly Version: 0.0.0.0
Win32 Version: 0.0.0.0
CodeBase: file:///C:/Data/Clients/Inalfa/Code/CATPrd2Prt/CATPrd2Prt/bin/Debug/Interop.INFITF.DLL
----------------------------------------
System.Core
Assembly Version: 3.5.0.0
Win32 Version: 3.5.30729.1 built by: SP
CodeBase: file:///C:/WINDOWS/assembly/GAC_MSIL/System.Core/3.5.0.0__b77a5c561934e089/System.Core.dll
----------------------------------------
************** JIT Debugging **************
To enable just-in-time (JIT) debugging, the .config file for this
application or computer (machine.config) must have the
jitDebugging value set in the system.windows.forms section.
The application must also be compiled with debugging
enabled.
For example:
<configuration>
<system.windows.forms jitDebugging="true" />
</configuration>
When JIT debugging is enabled, any unhandled exception
will be sent to the JIT debugger registered on the computer
rather than be handled by this dialog box.

Answer 1

Aha, figured it out. Apparently, naming the config file "MyUtility.config" was causing some kind of problem with the deserializer. But I have no idea why it was different during Debugging. I changed the name to "MyUtility.config.xml" and it worked fine.