The methods that extract substrings all require that you specify the starting position of the substring and, for substrings that do not continue to the end of the string, the number of characters in the substring. Note that this is not the index of the last character in the substring.

An ArgumentOutOfRangeException exception is typically thrown in this case because you've incorrectly calculated the number of characters in the substring. If you are using a search method like String.IndexOf to identify the starting and ending positions of a substring:

endIndex - startIndex + 1
If the character in the ending position returned by String.IndexOf is to be excluded from the substring, the ending position of the substring is given by the formula
endIndex - startIndex
The following example defines a FindWords method that uses the String.IndexOfAny(Char[], Int32) method to identify space characters and punctuation marks in a string and returns an array that contains the words found in the string.
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
public class Example19
   public static void Main()
      string sentence = "This is a simple, short sentence.";
      Console.WriteLine("Words in '{0}':", sentence);
      foreach (var word in FindWords(sentence))
         Console.WriteLine("   '{0}'", word);
   static String[] FindWords(string s)
      int start = 0, end = 0;
      Char[] delimiters = { ' ', '.', ',', ';', ':', '(', ')' };
      var words = new List<string>();
      while (end >= 0) {
         end = s.IndexOfAny(delimiters, start);
         if (end >= 0) {
            if (end - start > 0)
               words.Add(s.Substring(start, end - start));
            start = end + 1;
         else {
            if (start < s.Length - 1)
               words.Add(s.Substring(start));
      return words.ToArray();
// The example displays the following output:
//       Words in 'This is a simple, short sentence.':
//          'This'
//          'is'
//          'a'
//          'simple'
//          'short'
//          'sentence'
let findWords (s: string) =
    let mutable start, end' = 0, 0
    let delimiters = [| ' '; '.'; ','; ';'; ':'; '('; ')' |]
    let words = ResizeArray<string>()
    while end' >= 0 do
        end' <- s.IndexOfAny(delimiters, start)
        if end' >= 0 then
            if end' - start > 0 then
                words.Add(s.Substring(start, end' - start))
            start <- end' + 1
        elif start < s.Length - 1 then
            words.Add(s.Substring start)
    words.ToArray()
let sentence = "This is a simple, short sentence."
printfn $"Words in '{sentence}':"
for word in findWords sentence do
    printfn $"   '{word}'"
// The example displays the following output:
//       Words in 'This is a simple, short sentence.':
//          'This'
//          'is'
//          'a'
//          'simple'
//          'short'
//          'sentence'
Imports System.Collections.Generic
Module Example
   Public Sub Main()
      Dim sentence As String = "This is a simple, short sentence."
      Console.WriteLine("Words in '{0}':", sentence)
      For Each word In FindWords(sentence)
         Console.WriteLine("   '{0}'", word)
   End Sub
   Function FindWords(s As String) As String()
      Dim start, ending As Integer
      Dim delimiters() As Char = { " "c, "."c, ","c, ";"c, ":"c,
                                   "("c, ")"c }
      Dim words As New List(Of String)()
      Do While ending >= 0
         ending = s.IndexOfAny(delimiters, start)
         If ending >= 0
            If ending - start > 0 Then
               words.Add(s.Substring(start, ending - start)) 
            End If
            start = ending + 1
            If start < s.Length - 1 Then
               words.Add(s.Substring(start))
            End If      
         End If
      Return words.ToArray()                         
   End Function
End Module
' The example displays the following output:
'       Words in 'This is a simple, short sentence.':
'          'This'
'          'is'
'          'a'
'          'simple'
'          'short'
'          'sentence'
You have passed a negative number to a method with an argument that requires only positive numbers and zero, or you have passed either a negative number or zero to a method with an argument that requires only positive numbers.




    

For example, the Array.CreateInstance(Type, Int32, Int32, Int32) method requires that you specify the number of elements in each dimension of a two-dimensional array; valid values for each dimension can range from 0 to Int32.MaxValue. But because the dimension argument in the following example has a negative value, the method throws an ArgumentOutOfRangeException exception.
using System;
public class Example01
    public static void Main()
        int dimension1 = 10;
        int dimension2 = -1;
            Array arr = Array.CreateInstance(typeof(string),
                                             dimension1, dimension2);
        catch (ArgumentOutOfRangeException e)
            if (e.ActualValue != null)
                Console.WriteLine("{0} is an invalid value for {1}: ", e.ActualValue, e.ParamName);
            Console.WriteLine(e.Message);
// The example displays the following output:
//     Non-negative number required.
//     Parameter name: length2
open System
let dimension1 = 10
let dimension2 = -1
    let arr = Array.CreateInstance(typeof<string>, dimension1, dimension2)
    printfn "%A" arr
| :? ArgumentOutOfRangeException as e ->
    if not (isNull e.ActualValue) then
        printfn $"{e.ActualValue} is an invalid value for {e.ParamName}: "
    printfn $"{e.Message}"
// The example displays the following output:
//     Non-negative number required. (Parameter 'length2')
Module Example
   Public Sub Main()
      Dim dimension1 As Integer = 10
      Dim dimension2 As Integer = -1
         Dim arr AS Array = Array.CreateInstance(GetType(String), 
                                                 dimension1, dimension2)
      Catch e As ArgumentOutOfRangeException
         If e.ActualValue IsNot Nothing Then
            Console.WriteLine("{0} is an invalid value for {1}: ", 
                              e.ActualValue, e.ParamName)
         End If                     
         Console.WriteLine(e.Message)
      End Try
   End Sub
End Module
' The example displays the following output:
'     Non-negative number required.
'     Parameter name: length2
To correct the error, ensure that the value of the invalid argument is non-negative. You can do this by providing a valid value, as the following code fragment does.
int dimension1 = 10;
int dimension2 = 10;
Array arr = Array.CreateInstance(typeof(string),
                                 dimension1, dimension2);
let dimension1 = 10
let dimension2 = 10
let arr = Array.CreateInstance(typeof<string>, dimension1, dimension2)
printfn "%A" arr
Dim dimension1 As Integer = 10
Dim dimension2 As Integer = 10
Dim arr As Array = Array.CreateInstance(GetType(String), 
                                        dimension1, dimension2)
You can also validate the input and, if it is invalid, take some action. The following code fragment displays an error message instead of calling the method.
if (dimension1 < 0 || dimension2 < 0)
    Console.WriteLine("Unable to create the array.");
    Console.WriteLine("Specify non-negative values for the two dimensions.");
    arr = Array.CreateInstance(typeof(string),
                               dimension1, dimension2);
if dimension1 < 0 || dimension2 < 0 then
    printfn "Unable to create the array."
    printfn "Specify non-negative values for the two dimensions."
    let arr = Array.CreateInstance(typeof<string>, dimension1, dimension2)
    printfn "%A" arr
If dimension1 < 0 OrElse dimension2 < 0 Then
   Console.WriteLine("Unable to create the array.")
   Console.WriteLine("Specify non-negative values for the two dimensions.")
   arr = Array.CreateInstance(GetType(String), 
                              dimension1, dimension2)   
End If
A race condition exists in an app that is multithreaded or has tasks that  execute asynchronously and that updates an array or collection.

The following example uses a List<T> object to populate a collection of Continent objects. It throws an ArgumentOutOfRangeException if the example attempts to display the seven items in the collection before the collection is fully populated.
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Threading;
public class Continent
   public string Name { get; set; }
   public int Population { get; set; }
   public Decimal Area { get; set; }
public class Example11
   static List<Continent> continents = new List<Continent>();
   static string msg;
   public static void Main()
      String[] names = { "Africa", "Antarctica", "Asia",
                         "Australia", "Europe", "North America",
                         "South America" };
      // Populate the list.
      foreach (var name in names) {
         var th = new Thread(PopulateContinents);
         th.Start(name);
      Console.WriteLine(msg);
      Console.WriteLine();
      // Display the list.
      for (int ctr = 0; ctr < names.Length; ctr++) {
         var continent = continents[ctr];
         Console.WriteLine("{0}: Area: {1}, Population {2}",
                           continent.Name, continent.Population,
                           continent.Area);
   private static void PopulateContinents(Object obj)
      string name = obj.ToString();
      msg += string.Format("Adding '{0}' to the list.\n", name);
      var continent = new Continent();
      continent.Name = name;
      // Sleep to simulate retrieving remaining data.
      Thread.Sleep(50);
      continents.Add(continent);
// The example displays output like the following:
//    Adding //Africa// to the list.
//    Adding //Antarctica// to the list.
//    Adding //Asia// to the list.
//    Adding //Australia// to the list.
//    Adding //Europe// to the list.
//    Adding //North America// to the list.
//    Adding //South America// to the list.
//    Unhandled Exception: System.ArgumentOutOfRangeException: Index was out of range. Must be non-negative and less than the size of the collection.
//    Parameter name: index
//       at System.ThrowHelper.ThrowArgumentOutOfRangeException(ExceptionArgument argument, ExceptionResource resource)
//       at Example.Main()
open System.Threading
type Continent =
    { Name: string
      Population: int
      Area: decimal }
let continents = ResizeArray<Continent>()
let mutable msg = ""
let names = 
    [ "Africa"; "Antarctica"; "Asia"
      "Australia"; "Europe"; "North America"
      "South America" ]
let populateContinents obj = 
    let name = string obj
    msg <- msg + $"Adding '{name}' to the list.\n"
    // Sleep to simulate retrieving data.
    Thread.Sleep 50
    let continent = 
        { Name = name
          Population = 0
          Area = 0M }
    continents.Add continent
// Populate the list.
for name in names do
    let th = Thread(ParameterizedThreadStart populateContinents)
    th.Start name
printfn $"{msg}\n"
// Display the list.
for i = 0 to names.Length - 1 do
    let continent = continents[i]
    printfn $"{continent.Name}: Area: {continent.Population}, Population {continent.Area}"
// The example displays output like the following:
//    Unhandled Exception: System.ArgumentOutOfRangeException: Index was out of range. Must be non-negative and less than the size of the collection. (Parameter 'index')
//       at System.Collections.Generic.List`1.get_Item(Int32 index)
//       at <StartupCode$argumentoutofrangeexception>.$Race1.main@()
Imports System.Collections.Generic
Imports System.Threading
Public Class Continent
   Public Property Name As String
   Public Property Population As Integer
   Public Property Area As Decimal  
End Class
Module Example
   Dim continents As New List(Of Continent)
   Dim msg As String 
   Public Sub Main()
      Dim names() As String = { "Africa", "Antarctica", "Asia", 
                                     "Australia", "Europe", "North America",
                                     "South America" }
      ' Populate the list.
      For Each name In names
         Dim th As New Thread(AddressOf PopulateContinents)
         th.Start(name)
      Console.WriteLine(msg)
      Console.WriteLine()
      ' Display the list.
      For ctr As Integer = 0 To names.Length - 1
         Dim continent = continents(ctr)
         Console.WriteLine("{0}: Area: {1}, Population {2}", 
                           continent.Name, continent.Population,
                           continent.Area)
   End Sub
   Private Sub PopulateContinents(obj As Object)
      Dim name As String = obj.ToString()
      msg += String.Format("Adding '{0}' to the list.{1}", name, vbCrLf)
      Dim continent As New Continent()
      continent.Name = name
      ' Sleep to simulate retrieving remaining data.
      Thread.Sleep(50)
      continents.Add(continent)
   End Sub
End Module
' The example displays output like the following:
'    Adding 'Africa' to the list.
'    Adding 'Antarctica' to the list.
'    Adding 'Asia' to the list.
'    Adding 'Australia' to the list.
'    Adding 'Europe' to the list.
'    Adding 'North America' to the list.
'    Adding 'South America' to the list.
'    Unhandled Exception: System.ArgumentOutOfRangeException: Index was out of range. Must be non-negative and less than the size of the collection.
'    Parameter name: index
'       at System.ThrowHelper.ThrowArgumentOutOfRangeException(ExceptionArgument argument, ExceptionResource resource)
'       at Example.Main()
In this case, two resources are accessed from multiple threads:
The continents collection. Its List<T>.Add method is called from multiple threads. In addition, the main or primary thread assumes the collection is fully populated with seven elements when it iterates its members.

The msg string, which is concatenated from multiple threads.

To correct the error, ensure that shared state is accessed in a thread-safe way, as follows.
if your app uses an array or collection object, consider using a thread-safe collection class, such as the types in the System.Collections.Concurrent namespace or the System.Collections.Immutable out-of-band release.

Ensure that shared state (that is, resources that can be accessed by multiple threads) is accessed in a thread-safe way, so that only one thread at a time has exclusive access to the resources. A large number of classes, such as CountdownEvent, Interlocked, Monitor, and Mutex, are available to synchronize access to resources. For more information, see Threading. In addition, language support is available through the lock statement in C# and the SyncLock construct in Visual Basic.

The following example addresses the ArgumentOutOfRangeException and the other issues from the previous example. It replaces the List<T> object with a   ConcurrentBag<T> object to ensure that access to the collection is thread-safe, uses a CountdownEvent object to ensure that the application thread continues only after other threads have executed, and uses a lock to ensure that only one thread can access the msg variable at a time.
using System;
using System.Collections.Concurrent;
using System.Threading;
public class ContinentD
   public string Name { get; set; }
   public int Population { get; set; }
   public Decimal Area { get; set; }
public class Example12
   static ConcurrentBag<ContinentD> ContinentDs = new ConcurrentBag<ContinentD>();
   static CountdownEvent gate;
   static string msg = string.Empty;
   public static void Main()
      String[] names = { "Africa", "Antarctica", "Asia",
                         "Australia", "Europe", "North America",
                         "South America" };
      gate = new CountdownEvent(names.Length);
      // Populate the list.
      foreach (var name in names) {
         var th = new Thread(PopulateContinentDs);
         th.Start(name);
      // Display the list.
      gate.Wait();
      Console.WriteLine(msg);
      Console.WriteLine();
      var arr = ContinentDs.ToArray();
      for (int ctr = 0; ctr < names.Length; ctr++) {
         var ContinentD = arr[ctr];
         Console.WriteLine("{0}: Area: {1}, Population {2}",
                           ContinentD.Name, ContinentD.Population,
                           ContinentD.Area);
   private static void PopulateContinentDs(Object obj)
      string name = obj.ToString();
      lock(msg) {
         msg += string.Format("Adding '{0}' to the list.\n", name);
      var ContinentD = new ContinentD();
      ContinentD.Name = name;
      // Sleep to simulate retrieving remaining data.
      Thread.Sleep(25);
      ContinentDs.Add(ContinentD);
      gate.Signal();
// The example displays output like the following:
//       Adding 'Africa' to the list.
//       Adding 'Antarctica' to the list.
//       Adding 'Asia' to the list.
//       Adding 'Australia' to the list.
//       Adding 'Europe' to the list.
//       Adding 'North America' to the list.
//       Adding 'South America' to the list.
//       Africa: Area: 0, Population 0
//       Antarctica: Area: 0, Population 0
//       Asia: Area: 0, Population 0
//       Australia: Area: 0, Population 0
//       Europe: Area: 0, Population 0
//       North America: Area: 0, Population 0
//       South America: Area: 0, Population 0
open System.Collections.Concurrent
open System.Threading
type Continent =
    { Name: string
      Population: int
      Area: decimal }
let continents = ConcurrentBag<Continent>();
let mutable msg = ""
let names = 
    [ "Africa"; "Antarctica"; "Asia"
      "Australia"; "Europe"; "North America"
      "South America" ]
let gate = new CountdownEvent(names.Length)
let populateContinents obj = 
    let name = string obj
    lock msg (fun () -> 
        msg <- msg + $"Adding '{name}' to the list.\n" )
    // Sleep to simulate retrieving remaining data.
    let continent = 
        { Name = name
          Population = 0
          Area = 0M }
    Thread.Sleep 25
    continents.Add continent
    gate.Signal() |> ignore
// Populate the list.
for name in names do
    let th = Thread(ParameterizedThreadStart populateContinents)
    th.Start name
// Display the list.
gate.Wait();
printfn $"{msg}\n"
let arr = continents.ToArray();
for i = 0 to names.Length - 1 do
    let continent = arr[i]
    printfn $"{continent.Name}: Area: {continent.Population}, Population {continent.Area}"
// The example displays output like the following:
//       Adding 'Africa' to the list.
//       Adding 'Antarctica' to the list.
//       Adding 'Asia' to the list.
//       Adding 'Australia' to the list.
//       Adding 'Europe' to the list.
//       Adding 'North America' to the list.
//       Adding 'South America' to the list.
//       Africa: Area: 0, Population 0
//       Antarctica: Area: 0, Population 0
//       Asia: Area: 0, Population 0
//       Australia: Area: 0, Population 0
//       Europe: Area: 0, Population 0
//       North America: Area: 0, Population 0
//       South America: Area: 0, Population 0
Imports System.Collections.Concurrent
Imports System.Threading
Public Class Continent
   Public Property Name As String
   Public Property Population As Integer
   Public Property Area As Decimal  
End Class
Module Example
   Dim continents As New ConcurrentBag(Of Continent)
   Dim gate As CountdownEvent
   Dim msg As String = String.Empty
   Public Sub Main()
      Dim names() As String = { "Africa", "Antarctica", "Asia", 
                                "Australia", "Europe", "North America",
                                "South America" }
      gate = new CountdownEvent(names.Length)
      ' Populate the list.
      For Each name In names
         Dim th As New Thread(AddressOf PopulateContinents)
         th.Start(name)
      ' Display the list.
      gate.Wait()
      Console.WriteLine(msg)
      Console.WriteLine()
      For ctr As Integer = 0 To names.Length - 1
         Dim continent = continents(ctr)
         Console.WriteLine("{0}: Area: {1}, Population {2}", 
                           continent.Name, continent.Population,
                           continent.Area)
   End Sub
   Private Sub PopulateContinents(obj As Object)
      Dim name As String = obj.ToString()
      SyncLock msg 
         msg += String.Format("Adding '{0}' to the list.{1}", name, vbCrLf)
      End SyncLock
      Dim continent As New Continent()
      continent.Name = name
      ' Sleep to simulate retrieving remaining data.
      Thread.Sleep(25)
      continents.Add(continent)
      gate.Signal()
   End Sub
End Module
' The example displays output like the following:
'    Adding 'Africa' to the list.
'    Adding 'Antarctica' to the list.
'    Adding 'Asia' to the list.
'    Adding 'Australia' to the list.
'    Adding 'Europe' to the list.
'    Adding 'North America' to the list.
'    Adding 'South America' to the list.
'    Africa: Area: 0, Population 0
'    Antarctica: Area: 0, Population 0
'    Asia: Area: 0, Population 0
'    Australia: Area: 0, Population 0
'    Europe: Area: 0, Population 0
'    North America: Area: 0, Population 0
'    South America: Area: 0, Population 0
ArgumentOutOfRangeException uses the HRESULT COR_E_ARGUMENTOUTOFRANGE, which has the value 0x80131502.
For a list of initial property values for an instance of ArgumentOutOfRangeException, see the ArgumentOutOfRangeException constructors.
		
Gets a collection of key/value pairs that provide additional user-defined information about the exception.
		(Inherited from Exception)
		
When overridden in a derived class, returns the Exception that is the root cause of one or more subsequent exceptions.
		(Inherited from Exception)
		
Sets the SerializationInfo object with the parameter name and additional exception information.
		(Inherited from ArgumentException)
		Obsolete. 
Occurs when an exception is serialized to create an exception state object that contains serialized data about the exception.
		(Inherited from Exception)