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7.0

C# - Loading screen for Form

Asked by Cyber-Drugs in C# Programming Language
Tags: screen, loading
Hi guys 'n gals,

I have a Form with a heck of a lot of Form_OnLoad() function calls, which basically means it's a good 5-
10 seconds before the Form is usable. I wanted to know if it is possible to display a little Form/Picture in
the absolute middle/middle of the Form (on top of all controls), which states the form is loading, and
disables clicking of anything on the form. Once it is loaded, the Form/Picture is removed and clicking is
re-enabled for the Form.

Is this possible? If so, how would I go about doing this?

Cheers!
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Zone: C# Programming Language
Tags: screen, loading
Solution Provided By: C_Sharp_Programmer
Participating Experts: 1
Solution Grade: A
 
 
 

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C_Sharp_Programmer:
How about a splash screen instead?

Create a form without a border (name it Splash and make sure the class definition reads
      public class Splash : System.Windows.Forms.Form)

Add any image you want to it.

Add a progress bar (always useful to the user) and name it progMain

Add the following code to the form:

      #region Variables
      static int total = 100;
      static int currPos = 0;

        static string text;

 
        // Threading
            static Splash ms_frmSplash = null;
            static Thread ms_oThread = null;
        #endregion

        #region Properties
        public int TotalValue
            {
                  get
                  {
                        return total;
                  }
                  set
                  {
                        total = value;
                        progMain.Maximum = total;
                  }
            }

            public int Progress

            {
                  get
                  {
                        return currPos;
                  }
                  set
                  {
                        currPos = value;
                        try
                        {
                              progMain.Value = currPos;
                        }
                        catch {}
                  }
            }
            #endregion

            static public void ShowSplashScreen()

            {
                  // Make sure it's only launched once.
                  if( ms_frmSplash != null )
                        return;
                  ms_oThread = new Thread( new ThreadStart(Splash.ShowForm));
                  ms_oThread.IsBackground = true;
                  ms_oThread.Start();
            }

            // A property returning the splash screen instance

            static public Splash SplashForm
            {
                  get
                  {
                        return ms_frmSplash;
                  }
            }
            // A private entry point for the thread.
            static private void ShowForm()
            {
                  ms_frmSplash = new Splash();
                  Application.Run(ms_frmSplash);
            }

On your main form, put this code at the TOP of the load event:        
             this.Hide();
            Splash mySplash = new Splash();
            mySplash.TotalValue = 25; //or however many steps you must complete
            mySplash.Show();

whenever you finish part of your load code, just use the
          mySplash.Progress++;

to advance the progress bar on your splash screen.

At the end of the load event, use:

            mySplash.Dispose();
            this.Show();

You should be good to go!  Is this a help?

 
 
Cyber-Drugs:
Looks like it would do the trick, except I have a problem here:

static Thread ms_oThread = null;

"Thread" is not in my list, I only have "ThreadExceptionDialog"

Do I need to include something at the top of the Form to allow this?

 

 
Cyber-Drugs:
using System.Threading;

Nevermind, found it, just trying the rest of the code now
 
 
Cyber-Drugs:
That is a lot better, but it takes the Splash screen a good second or two to display, when it's actually just
a blank form (at the moment, soon will add a picture) and a progress bar.

The form loads instantly, but the progress bar is blank for a second, and then it appears. The rest is
beautiful though, any idea about that progress bar issue?
 

 
C_Sharp_Programmer:
I'll check on this for you! (I'm at work right now)
 
 
Cyber-Drugs:
Ok cheers! :o)
 

 
C_Sharp_Programmer:
Ok, I tried this on my machine and the progress bar is visible immediately.  Here is the code I used to
test it (located in the form load event):

            this.Hide();
            Splash mySplash = new Splash();
            mySplash.TotalValue = 10000;
            mySplash.Show();
            for (int i = 0; i < 10000; i++)
      {
                this.Text = i.ToString();
                mySplash.Progress = i;
      }
            mySplash.Dispose();
            this.Show();

So, you're saying that the splash screen appears, but the progress bar isn't there?
 
 
Cyber-Drugs:
Ok, I've fix for the progress bar, basically it needed to be redrawn, so I added an extra value to the max,
and before the first function call, increased the progress bar by 1 (thus re-drawing it). But I am still
having the problem of Form1 flashing for a second before displaying the Spash Screen.

Is it possible to have Form1 display itself as hidden before it even draws itself, thus avoiding the flash?

Cheers!
 

 
C_Sharp_Programmer:
Again, I can't seem to duplicate the problem on my machine, but try these:

1. call the 'this.hide()' method at the top of the form constructor.

2. set the form's visibility to false in the designer.  Then set it to visible before calling the .show() method
at the end of the load event.

Does this help?  If not, I'll keep looking!

 
 
Cyber-Drugs:
Unfortunately it still flashes, is it maybe possible to set the default first load form to the Splash screen,
and then load up Form1 as visible in the background, and once everything is loaded, show Form1 and
hide the Splash screen?
 

 
C_Sharp_Programmer:
Sorry, I was on the wrong track all together!  You are using VS 2005?  if so, open the program.cs file and
modify the Main function like so:

            Application.EnableVisualStyles();
            Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(false);
            //Application.Run(new Form1());  NOTE: This line has been commented out!
            Form1 f1 = new Form1(); //or whatever your main form is called
            f1.doStuff();
            Application.Run(f1);
Now add the doStuff() method to your form (you can call this method whatever you wish).  move all of
your code from the load event to the doStuff() method.  This SHOULD cause your form to execute all
required code before actually painting anything.  You should also notice an increase in speed....  Let me
know if this works for you!
 
 
C_Sharp_Programmer:
You can also remove the .Hide() and .Show() methods for your main form as well now....
 

 
Cyber-Drugs:
Ok, excuse my ignorance, but why does my function not show up in the list of functions associated with
Form1?

I'm using:

public void PreLoad() {}

Also, just to clarify, I am using Visual Studio 2005.

 
 
C_Sharp_Programmer:
did you add the function to your Form1 code?  Make sure and add it there and not in the Program.cs
file.  
 

 
Cyber-Drugs:
It is inside Form1, and I have clicked SaveAll to make sure it registeres properly, but it's not showing up,
a bit confusing.
 
 
C_Sharp_Programmer:
in the Program.cs file, are you accessing the function as f1.PreLoad()? (where f1 is whatever you named
your Form1).  Make sure you aren't trying to access it using Form1.PreLoad(), as this won't work (unless
you make the function static, which I probably wouldn't do in this case).
 

 
Cyber-Drugs:
           Application.EnableVisualStyles();
            Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(false);
            //Application.Run(new Form1());
            Form f1 = new Form1();
            f1.PreLoad();
            Application.Run(f1);

"PreLoad" is underlined in blue, and when I try compile I get this error:

'System.Windows.Forms.Form' does not contain a definition for 'PreLoad'

 
 
C_Sharp_Programmer:
Ok, we'll get that squared away!  Change this line:

Form f1 = new Form1();

to this:

Form1 f1 = new Form1();  //use Form1, not Form

It's a mistake I have made many times in the past!  Let me know if it works for you!
 

 
Cyber-Drugs:
Brilliant, works a charm, thank you! :o)
 
 
C_Sharp_Programmer:
Any time!  Glad I could help!
 

 
Cyber-Drugs:
I've just created a new question, related to this, in case you may be interested:

http://www.experts-exchange.com/Programming/Languages/C_Sharp/Q_22555594.html
 
 
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