Null reference on an initiated variable [duplicate]

I'm using wmp from C# forms to display the length of a media file on my form, however, when I try to do so the result is an exception saying System.NullReferenceException: 'Object reference not set to an instance of an object.'

My code is the following.

private void timer1_Tick(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            if(axWindowsMediaPlayer1.playState == WMPLib.WMPPlayState.wmppsPlaying)
            {
                progressBar1.Maximum = (int)axWindowsMediaPlayer1.Ctlcontrols.currentItem.duration;
                progressBar1.Value = (int)axWindowsMediaPlayer1.Ctlcontrols.currentPosition;
            }
            try
            {
                label2.Text = axWindowsMediaPlayer1.Ctlcontrols.currentPositionString;
                label3.Text = axWindowsMediaPlayer1.Ctlcontrols.currentItem.durationString.ToString();
            }
            catch
            {

            }
        }

I've checked my labels and both of them are initiated, the error is happening with label3, apparently the exception is caused because axWindowMediaPlayer1. Ctlcontrols.currentItem.durationString is not initialized but I don't know how to initialize it. label2 has no issues whatsoever though it uses a similar function.

how could I possibly fix this. Many thanks

Solution 1:

Do you have created the media player?

axWindowsMediaPlayer1 = new AxWMPLib.AxWindowsMediaPlayer();
axWindowsMediaPlayer1.CreateControl();