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Wait message while populating a datagrid control

I have a C# WinForms application with a tab control and several tabs. One of the tabs contains a data grid control - it only has about 10 elements in it but the data is populated by querying multiple servers and thus is slow to load.
When I run my application and select the tab with the datagrid control, the application appears to hang, while its trying to query all the servers and populate the grid.
Instead of hanging I'd like the application to be responsive and for it to display a "please wait..." message which will disappear after the datagrid is populated.
What I've tried to do is create a background worker as such:
if (tabctrl.SelectedTab == tabctrl.TabPages["tabServices"])
{
this.dgrdServices.RowPrePaint += new DataGridViewRowPrePaintEventHandler(dgrdServices_RowPrePaint);
this.dgrdServices.CellContentClick += new DataGridViewCellEventHandler(dgrdServices_CellClick);
BackgroundWorker bw = new BackgroundWorker();
lblLoading.Visible = true;
bw.RunWorkerAsync();
bw.DoWork += new DoWorkEventHandler(bw_DoWork);
bw.RunWorkerCompleted += new RunWorkerCompletedEventHandler(bw_RunWorkerCompleted);
}
private void bw_DoWork(object sender, DoWorkEventArgs e)
{
PopulateServicesDataGrid();
}
private void bw_RunWorkerCompleted(object sender, RunWorkerCompletedEventArgs e)
{
lblLoading.Visible = false;
}
private void PopulateServicesDataGrid()
{
int x = 0;
foreach (Service Service in Globals.Services)
{
// Add a row to the datagrid for each service
this.dgrdServices.Rows.Add();
// Update the current service status
Service.Status = Service.Query(Service.Server, Service.Name);
if (Service.Status == "running")
{
this.dgrdServices.Rows[x].Cells[0].Value = Properties.Resources.green_dot;
this.dgrdServices.Rows[x].Cells[4].Value = Properties.Resources.stop_enabled;
}
else
{
this.dgrdServices.Rows[x].Cells[0].Value = Properties.Resources.grey_dot;
this.dgrdServices.Rows[x].Cells[4].Value = Properties.Resources.start_enabled;
}
this.dgrdServices.Rows[x].Cells[1].Value = Service.Server.ToUpper();
this.dgrdServices.Rows[x].Cells[2].Value = Service.FreindlyName;
this.dgrdServices.Rows[x].Cells[3].Value = Service.Status;
this.dgrdServices.Rows[x].Cells[5].Value = "Uninstall";
this.dgrdServices.Rows[x].Cells[6].Value = Service.Name;
x++;
}
}
PopulateServicesDataGrid() contains code which iterates through some objects and queries several different servers for service status.
When I try and run the above though the grid doesn't get populated. If I don't use a background worker and just call PopulateServicesDataGrid directly it does work (albeit the app hangs).
Why isn't the background worker/datagrid populate working?

In your PopulateServicesDataGrid I imagine you're interacting with a UI control, which doesn't work out because the background worker is operating on a different thread than your UI context. You'll need to work out a mechanism to do the work in a way that returns the information you want to put in the grid and then back in your UI thread context (RunWorkerCompleted), populate the grid with the information you come up with in DoWork.
Anytime you're using a background worker, you'll need to split out your interactions with the UI controls, and after the backgroundworker completes resume interaction with your UI.
You're also hooking up the events after calling RunWorkerAsync, hook up your events first then call RunWorkerAsync.
Edit to reflect comment with an example:
Rough example of how you could do this, based on the code I see.
private void bw_DoWork(object sender, DoWorkEventArgs e)
{
QueryServices()
}
private void QueryServices()
{
foreach (Service Service in Globals.Services)
{
Service.Status = Service.Query(Service.Server, Service.Name);
}
}
private void bw_RunWorkerCompleted(object sender, RunWorkerCompletedEventArgs e)
{
PopulateServicesDataGrid();
lblLoading.Visible = false;
}
private void PopulateServicesDataGrid()
{
//Do everything else you are doing originally in this method minus the Service.Query calls.
}

Method bw_DoWork running in another thread from ThreadPool. Accessing WinForms object from other threads requires synchronization. The best way to do this - use AsyncOperationManager. You should create AsyncOperation in GUI thread and use it inside PopulateServicesDataGrid to send or post results.
Another way - update DataGrid by prepared data inside bw_RunWorkerComplete - it's already synchronized by BackgroundWorker component.
More modern way to do the same - use async tasks, but it requires base level of TPL knowledge.

correct way to re-call backgroundworker

As in title, I have some bgw I want to call on every button press.
Is this code correct ?
private static BackgroundWorker bgw = null;
private void bttn_Click(...)
{
if(!bgw.IsBusy)
doSomeWorkInBg();
else
MessageBox.Show("Slow down a bit");
}
private void doSomeWorkInBg()
{
if (bgw == null)
{
bgw = new BackgroundWorker();
bgw.DoWork += new DoWorkEventHandler(bgw_DoWork);
}
bgw.RunWorkerAsync();
}
private void bgw_DoWork(object sender, DoWorkEventArgs e)
{
// do some work that takes time
}
Or maybe I should add RunWorkerCompleted event with "bgw = null;" code or something like that?

You should avoid making your bgw static, because you are using it in non-static context.
When I need to re-run the worker frequently based on the UI event, this is the construct that I usually use:
bool ShouldRunWorkedASAP;
private void bttn_Click(...){
ShouldRunWorkedASAP=true;
if (!bgw.IsBusy) bgw.RunWorkerAsync();
}
private void bgw_DoWork(object sender, DoWorkEventArgs e)
{
while (ShouldRunWorkedASAP) {
ShouldRunWorkedASAP=false;
// do some work that takes time
}
}
This assumes that the worked is instantiated in the class constructor. Basically this code sets the flag that the worker should run ASAP whenever the UI event occurred, then tries to run the worker. If it is already running - then the while() loop inside the worker implementation will schedule the job for the next run as soon as it completes.
This code does not ensure that the worker will run exactly the number of times the user presses the button, not sure if in your case this is required or not.

C# Thread ListView

I'm a fairly new to .net and I'm still struggling to understand a lot things, and right now I'm trying to accomplish something relatively simple but I've failed every single time, I would like to add a Thread to my program, this Thread would be responsible to perform the Upload operations to a web server and keep my program responsive providing the feedback of the operations to my users by updating a ListView, where the users would see all the status of the file uploads.
I don't know how to put this Thread inside the program to make it responsive, I couldn't find any examples so far and I'm trying to find a little sample to show me the use of Thread and WinForms in action.

What you'll want to use is a BackgroundWorker. It's specifically designed for exactly this purpose.
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
BackgroundWorker bgw = new BackgroundWorker();
bgw.DoWork += (_, args) => LongRunningTask(bgw);
bgw.WorkerReportsProgress = true;
bgw.ProgressChanged += (_, args) =>
{
textbox1.Text = args.ProgressPercentage.ToString();
};
bgw.RunWorkerCompleted += bgw_RunWorkerCompleted;
bgw.RunWorkerAsync();
}
private void LongRunningTask(BackgroundWorker bgw)
{
for (int i = 0; i < 10; i++)
{
Thread.Sleep(1000);//placeholder for real work
bgw.ReportProgress(i);
}
}
private void bgw_RunWorkerCompleted(object sender, RunWorkerCompletedEventArgs e)
{
//do stuff when completed.
}
A key point to note is that the DoWork event runs in a background thread, but the other events all run in the UI thread. The BackgroundWorkder class takes care of ensuring that all on its own.

C# Shared Classlib -> display progress to webforms and/or console App

Not sure if the title covers the question well, but here it comes.
I have a project with:
A website: webforms (Aps.net 4,c#) where the user can upload files, interact with them and manually trigger some batch processing
A classlib with all the business logic for the processing
An app that runs on a machine at the customers location and is scheduled to upload files by SFTP to our server.
A console app that is scheduled on the server and does the batch processing for the files that are uploaded by SFTP.
'heavy use customers' use the SFTP app, the others use the website.
The console app and the website both use the same classlib.
What mechanism can I use to send logging/progress information to the website or the console app without implementing two classlibs? I do not want the classlib to be aware that it is called by the console app or the website. For example they also share the same settings. etc.
Any ideas?

Events.
You could add events to the classes that perform the actual business logic in your shared lib. When something happens that requires feedback, you can raise that event in the class.
The consuming application (either the console app or the web-app) can subscribe to those events, and take the appropriate action that is specific to their platform.
A very simplyfied example:
public class SomeLogicClass
{
public event EventHandler SomethingDone;
protected virtual void OnSomethingDone()
{
if( SomethingDone != null )
{
SomethingDone(this, EventArgs.Empty);
}
}
public void DoSomething()
{
// Do some work.
OnSomethingDone();
}
}
In your console-app you can do this, for instance:
var x = new SomeLogicClass();
x.SomethingDone += (s,e) => Console.WriteLine ("Work done.");
x.DoSomething();

The Events idea solves nothing as it will block the main thread and e.g. not be useful for reporting progress in a responsive UI.
Use BackgroundWorker:
public static void Main(string[] args)
{
BackgroundWorker worker = new BackgroundWorker();
worker.WorkerReportsProgress = true;
worker.ProgressChanged += ReportProgress;
worker.RunWorkerCompleted += ProgressComplete;
worker.DoWork += DoWork;
worker.RunWorkerAsync();
}
private static void DoWork(object sender, DoWorkEventArgs doWorkEventArgs)
{
//Runs on seperate thread
//Do stuff
//(sender as BackgroundWorker).ReportProgress... reports back to main thread
//Do other stuff
}
private static void ProgressComplete(object sender, RunWorkerCompletedEventArgs e)
{
//Executed on main thread
Console.Out.WriteLine("All Done");
}
private static void ReportProgress(object sender, ProgressChangedEventArgs e)
{
//Can be used to asynchronously send status updates or update UI elements on the main thread
Console.Out.WriteLine("{0:P} done", e.ProgressPercentage/100.0);
}

Accessing a Progress bar from (System.Timer)Timer Event gives "Cross-Thread Operation Not Valid)

I am designing a form in which I have to increase a Progress bar while an operation is being performed simultaneously (In other words, I am showing the progress of this operation).
This operation takes 50 seconds. So I have used a System.Timer to Increase the Progress bar.
There isn't a single thread in my code. When I write Progress_bar.PerformStep() in Timer Event Handler, it gives error as "Cross Thread Operation Not Valid".
[From this error I analyzed that System.Timer must be creating a Thread and Runs the timer in it to perform multiple tasks.]
What should I do to increase my progress bar after every Second?
I tried solution given in this question. It removed the error but Now I can't see the progress bar increasing. Means it Starts.... No Increase for 50 sec and after it 100%.
Code is as follows:
Timer Declaration (It is Global):
public System.Timers.Timer Thetimer = new System.Timers.Timer(1000);
Event Declaration (This is in Constructor to make it...err...Public [May not be a correct word]):
Thetimer.Elapsed += new ElapsedEventHandler(_timer_Elapsed);
Call:
Thetimer.Start();
blRetVal = FunctionToBeExecuted(parameter);
Thetimer.Stop();
Event Handler:
void _timer_Elapsed(object sender, ElapsedEventArgs e)
{
//StatusBar.PerformStep(); -- Tried This. It gives the Error
/* This doesn't give an error but Another issue Arises */
if (InvokeRequired)
{
BeginInvoke(new Action(StatusBar.PerformStep));
}
else
StatusBar.PerformStep();
}
P.S. I am using C# and Visual Studio 2008

When you initialize the Timers.Timer object for use with a Windows Form, you must set the SynchronizingObject property of the timer instance to be the form.
systemTimersTimerInstance.SynchronizingObject = this; // this = form instance.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc164015.aspx
Rudy =8^D

It sounds like you're performing your "background" operation on the main thread, which is why your progress bar doesn't update when you invoke it.
Have a look at BackgroundWorker.

OK. Jon B is right. You'll have to have the long running task in a thread, there is no way around that. Simplified, you're doing this:
public partial class Form1 : Form
{
// ...
public System.Timers.Timer timer = new System.Timers.Timer(1000);
private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
timer.Elapsed += new System.Timers.ElapsedEventHandler(timer_elapsed);
timer.Start();
// Simulates your long running task (FunctionToBeExecuted)
// NOTE: This freezes the main UI thread for 10 seconds,
// so nothing will be drawn *at all*
Thread.Sleep(10000);
timer.Stop();
}
void timer_elapsed(object sender, System.Timers.ElapsedEventArgs e)
{
if (InvokeRequired)
this.BeginInvoke(new Action(progressBar1.PerformStep));
else
progressBar1.PerformStep();
}
}
As you can see in the Load event, you're not only halting the progress bar, you're halting the main UI thread. That's just not acceptable to most users and all good developers should have another option in their toolset.
The only way around this (except running another process) is running the task in a different thread. One of the easiest ways is using a BackgroundWorker, it's really easy. Here are the changes you need:
public partial class Form1 : Form
{
// ...
private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
BackgroundWorker worker = new BackgroundWorker();
worker.DoWork += new DoWorkEventHandler(worker_DoWork);
worker.RunWorkerCompleted +=
new RunWorkerCompletedEventHandler(worker_RunWorkerCompleted);
worker.RunWorkerAsync();
}
void worker_RunWorkerCompleted(object sender, RunWorkerCompletedEventArgs e)
{
// Your work is completed, not needed but can be handy
// e.g. to report in some way that the work is done:
progressBar1.Value = progressBar1.Maximum;
}
void worker_DoWork(object sender, DoWorkEventArgs e)
{
timer.Elapsed += new System.Timers.ElapsedEventHandler(timer_elapsed);
timer.Start();
// Simulates your long running task (FunctionToBeExecuted)
// Your main UI thread is free!
Thread.Sleep(10000);
timer.Stop();
}
// ...
}