[Mobile] Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntime.Managed MacCatalyst regression in 1.22.1. System.TypeInitializationException when accessing library APIs.

[tuanchien]

Describe the issue

Likely regression in Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntime.Managed 1.22.1. This problem does NOT occur in 1.22.0.

Tested configurations

• Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntime.Managed (1.22.1) + Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntime (1.22.1) - BROKEN
• Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntime.Managed (1.22.1) + Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntime(1.22.0) - BROKEN
• Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntime.Managed (1.22.0) + Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntime (1.22.0) - OK

Environment

• dotnet (sdk 9.0.302 with 9.0.7 runtime)
• MAUI MacCatalyst
• Runtime machine: MacOS Sequoia 15.5 running on a M1.

Issue

Attempting to access a library api, e.g.,

OrtEnv.Instance();

will throw:

Exception has occurred: CLR/System.TypeInitializationException
An unhandled exception of type 'System.TypeInitializationException' occurred in Microsoft.MacCatalyst.dll: 'The type initializer for 'Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntime.NativeMethods' threw an exception.'
 Inner exceptions found, see $exception in variables window for more details.
 Innermost exception 	 System.DllNotFoundException : onnxruntime
<Cannot evaluate the exception stack trace>

To reproduce

Minimum code example:
https://github.com/tuanchien/onnxruntime-1-22-1-maccatalyst-typeinitialization-exception.git

It's a dotnet new maui project, with the nuget project references added, and a call to OrtEnv.Instance() added to the button press driver method.

Urgency

No response

Platform

MAUI

OS Version

MacOS 15.5

ONNX Runtime Installation

Released Package

Compiler Version (if 'Built from Source')

No response

Package Name (if 'Released Package')

Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntime.Managed

ONNX Runtime Version or Commit ID

1.22.1

ONNX Runtime API

C#

Architecture

ARM64

Execution Provider

Default CPU

Execution Provider Library Version

No response

[jeremy-visionaid]

Also seeing this on MacCatalyst

[yuslepukhin]

Is searching for System.DllNotFoundException in onnxruntime helping?

[jeremy-visionaid]

I haven't really attempted to debug it - just reporting it's broken. I didn't notice anything obvious in the rel-1.22.1 branch since 1.22.0 that would affect the bindings themselves and the onnxruntime library file is present in the build tree for the expected architectures. So maybe something from the vcpkg update broke it? 🤷

[jeremy-visionaid]

Though I do note that the DLL file version also broke in 1.22.1 (#25287), so that's also going to break MSI updates. Not sure if that could also affect this.

[tuanchien]

The debugger contains scant information about it, but where it mentions System.DllNotFoundException:

InnerException [Exception] = {System.DllNotFoundException: onnxruntime
HResult [int] = -2146233052
Message[string] = "onnxruntime"
Source [string] = "<unknown>"
StackTrace [string] = " at Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntime.NativeMethods..cctor()"

It's a bit hard to copy the data and paste the text from the debugger so here's a screenshot for more context

[yuslepukhin]

Check that the process is loading the correct DLL. For example, you can use where command.
Use dumpbin to find the dependencies for onnxruntime.dll. Then use where command to see if they can be found.

There has been a multitude of issues filed for the topic. Such as this.

One is the deployment problem, another is the fact that windows now ship with onnxruntime.dll in System32 and if the version you desire is not found, it attempts to load from System32, and the latter often fails.

[jeremy-visionaid]

This is for MacCatalyst (macOS 15.5), and the environment is unchanged. There's no other copy of onnxruntime on the system. 1.22.0 works OK 1.22.1 does not.

>file Project/obj/Debug/net9.0-maccatalyst/maccatalyst-arm64/onnxruntime.xcframework.zip/onnxruntime.xcframework/ios-arm64_x86_64-maccatalyst/onnxruntime.framework/Versions/Current/onnxruntime  
Project/obj/Debug/net9.0-maccatalyst/maccatalyst-arm64/onnxruntime.xcframework.zip/onnxruntime.xcframework/ios-arm64_x86_64-maccatalyst/onnxruntime.framework/Versions/Current/onnxruntime: Mach-O universal binary with 2 architectures: [x86_64:current ar archive random library] [arm64]
Project/obj/Debug/net9.0-maccatalyst/maccatalyst-arm64/onnxruntime.xcframework.zip/onnxruntime.xcframework/ios-arm64_x86_64-maccatalyst/onnxruntime.framework/Versions/Current/onnxruntime (for architecture x86_64):	current ar archive random library
Project/obj/Debug/net9.0-maccatalyst/maccatalyst-arm64/onnxruntime.xcframework.zip/onnxruntime.xcframework/ios-arm64_x86_64-maccatalyst/onnxruntime.framework/Versions/Current/onnxruntime (for architecture arm64):	current ar archive random library

Here's a better stacktrace:

Exception has occurred: CLR/System.DllNotFoundException
Exception thrown: 'System.DllNotFoundException' in Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntime.dll: 'onnxruntime'
   at Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntime.NativeMethods.OrtGetApiBase()
   at Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntime.NativeMethods..cctor()
   at Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntime.OrtEnv.CreateDefaultEnv(OrtLoggingLevel logLevel, Byte[] logIdUtf8)
   at Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntime.OrtEnv.CreateInstance()
   at System.Lazy`1.ViaFactory(LazyThreadSafetyMode mode)
   at System.Lazy`1.ExecutionAndPublication(LazyHelper executionAndPublication, Boolean useDefaultConstructor)
   at System.Lazy`1.CreateValue()
   at System.Lazy`1.get_Value()
   at Microsoft.ML.OnnxRuntime.OrtEnv.Instance()

I'll at least see if I can repro with the sample:
https://github.com/microsoft/onnxruntime-inference-examples/tree/main/mobile/examples/Maui/

[jeremy-visionaid]

It reproduces as expected with the sample app updated for net9.0-maccatalyst. 1.22.0 works as expected, 1.22.1 crashes on launch with the same error.

https://github.com/jeremy-visionaid/onnxruntime-inference-examples/tree/net9.0-maccatalyst

You're welcome to use that work to update the sample if you like, but it's just a quick and dirty update to demonstrate the bug here so it prob needs a few more changes to re-add and verify android and ios.

[jeremy-visionaid]

Actually, it's so minor, I might as well put in a PR for a working sample with 1.22.0:
microsoft/onnxruntime-inference-examples#523

Just update the package reference to repro the crash with 1.22.1