title: TypeInitializationException: The type initializer for 'vService.CheckService' threw an exception
body: <p>I am receiving a FaultException from a WCF service as follows when it is invoked:</p>
  
  <pre><code>2012-04-02 16:26:00.3593|Error|System.ServiceModel.FaultException`1[System.ServiceModel.ExceptionDetail]: The type initializer for 'vService.CheckService' threw an exception. (Fault Detail is equal to An ExceptionDetail, likely created by IncludeExceptionDetailInFaults=true, whose value is:
  System.TypeInitializationException: The type initializer for 'vService.CheckService' threw an exception. ----&gt; System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.
     at vService.CheckService..cctor() in d:\working\code\VioletServer\vService\CheckService.cs:line 14
     --- End of inner ExceptionDetail stack trace ---
     at vService.CheckService..ctor()
     at CreatevService.CheckService()
     at System.ServiceModel.Dispatcher.InstanceProvider.GetInstance(InstanceContext instanceContext, Message message)
     at System.ServiceModel.Dispatcher.InstanceBehavior.GetInstance(InstanceContext instanceContext, Message request)
     at System.ServiceModel.InstanceContext.GetServiceInstance(Message message)
     at System.ServiceModel.Dispatcher.InstanceBehavior.EnsureServiceInstance(MessageRpc&amp; rpc)
     at System.ServiceModel.Dispatcher.ImmutableDispatchRuntime.ProcessMessage41(MessageRpc&amp; rpc)
    ...).
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Line 14 of CheckService.cs is </p>
  
  <pre><code>private static string connStr = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["violetdb"].ConnectionString;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>What does the exception mean in this context and how can I resolve it? </p>
  
  <hr>
  
  <pre><code>//CheckService.cs
  public class CheckService : ICheckService
  {
      private static string connStr = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["violetdb"].ConnectionString;
      MessageRepository _repo = new MessageRepository(connStr);
  
      public CheckService(){}
  
      public CheckService(MessageRepository repo)
      {
          _repo = repo;
      }
  
      public void SendMessage(string sender, string recipient, string messagetext)
      {
          _repo.DeliverMessage(sender,recipient,messagetext);
      }
  }
  </code></pre>