NullReferenceException when instantiating UserProfileConfiguration

Question

I'm following the instructions at How to: Create and Edit a User Profile Property. I keep getting a NullReferenceException on the call to the UserProfileConfigManager constructor. The context variable is not null, so I'm not sure where to begin trying to solve the problem. Any ideas?

The context variable doesn't have a lot to look at, but its SiteSubscriptionId property is GUID of all zeros.

The stack trace before is as follows:

   at Microsoft.Office.Server.Administration.UserProfileApplicationProxy.get_ApplicationProperties()
   at Microsoft.Office.Server.Administration.UserProfileApplicationProxy.get_ILMMachineName()
   at Microsoft.Office.Server.UserProfiles.UserProfileConfigManager.Initialize(UserProfileApplicationProxy userProfileApplicationProxy, Guid partitionID)
   at Microsoft.Office.Server.UserProfiles.UserProfileConfigManager..ctor(SPServiceContext serviceContext)
   at UserProfilesOMApp.Program.Main(String[] args) in C:\path\to\Program.cs:line 14

Answer 1

Have you granted the account running your custom application with Administrative permission and Full Control Permission to the UPA?