Form Navigation in Win CE 5 Application - c#

I'm Trying to develop an app for an old handheld device running .Net 3.5 Win CE 5 however I cannot seem to get over a basic hurdle switching forms!!
I started using
Application.Run(new frm_class());
but this started crashing after opening any more then 2 forms.
I then tried.
this.hide();
frm_class frm = new frm_class();
frm.show();
then just ended up being a constant loop of loading the form
then I seen someone wrote a very simple class to handle this.
public static void switchForm(Form newForm, Form oldform)
{
newForm.Show();
oldform.Hide();
oldform.Dispose();
}
call via
frm_class frm = new frm_class();
switchform(frm,this);
which shuts the app down when loading the second form.
This seems so stupid but I cannot find out a way of just navigating through simple forms ie close this form then open this one or vice versa!!
can anyone help?

Application.Run(new frm_class()); will start a message loop and makes the specified form visible and waits untill it is closed. Once the specified form closes, the message loop terminates.
oldform.Dispose(); will dispose (and close) the form, not hide it.
Your second solution seems like the one you should take, which shouldn't loop. Make sure the code isn't in the constructor or form_load event if you're creating the same form again. Can you post the code surrounding this?
You could also remove the new frm_class() argument from Application.Run(). Which will create a constant running message loop. Just don't forget to call Application.Exit() at some point.
You should make sure the form is made visible before the parameterless Application.Run() because the execution inside this codeblock wont continue untill Application.Exit() is called from inside your form.
frm_class frm = new frm_class();
frm.Show();
Application.Run();
// Some button or event inside the form should be executing the exit call:
Application.Exit();

Related

Exit whole app c# with close button [duplicate]

I have a published application in C#. Whenever I close the main form by clicking on the red exit button, the form closes but not the whole application. I found this out when I tried shutting down the computer and was subsequently bombarded by lots of child windows with MessageBox alerts I added.
I tried Application.Exit but it still calls all the child windows and alerts. I don't know how to use Environment.Exit and which integer to put into it either.
Also, whenever my forms call the FormClosed or FormClosing event, I close the application with a this.Hide() function; does that affect how my application is behaving?
From MSDN:
Application.Exit
Informs all message pumps that they must terminate, and then closes all application windows after the messages have been processed. This is the code to use if you are have called Application.Run (WinForms applications), this method stops all running message loops on all threads and closes all windows of the application.
Environment.Exit
Terminates this process and gives the underlying operating system the specified exit code. This is the code to call when you are using console application.
This article, Application.Exit vs. Environment.Exit, points towards a good tip:
You can determine if System.Windows.Forms.Application.Run has been called by checking the System.Windows.Forms.Application.MessageLoop property. If true, then Run has been called and you can assume that a WinForms application is executing as follows.
if (System.Windows.Forms.Application.MessageLoop)
{
// WinForms app
System.Windows.Forms.Application.Exit();
}
else
{
// Console app
System.Environment.Exit(1);
}
Reference: Why would Application.Exit fail to work?
I know this is not the problem you had, however another reason this could happen is you have a non background thread open in your application.
using System;
using System.Threading;
using System.Windows.Forms;
namespace Sandbox_Form
{
static class Program
{
private static Thread thread;
[STAThread]
static void Main()
{
Application.EnableVisualStyles();
Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(false);
thread = new Thread(BusyWorkThread);
thread.IsBackground = false;
thread.Start();
Application.Run(new Form());
}
public static void BusyWorkThread()
{
while (true)
{
Thread.Sleep(1000);
}
}
}
}
When IsBackground is false it will keep your program open till the thread completes, if you set IsBackground to true the thread will not keep the program open. Things like BackgroundWoker, ThreadPool, and Task all internally use a thread with IsBackground set to true.
By the way. whenever my forms call the formclosed or form closing event I close the applciation with a this.Hide() function. Does that affect how my application is behaving now?
In short, yes. The entire application will end when the main form (the form started via Application.Run in the Main method) is closed (not hidden).
If your entire application should always fully terminate whenever your main form is closed then you should just remove that form closed handler. By not canceling that event and just letting them form close when the user closes it you will get your desired behavior. As for all of the other forms, if you don't intend to show that same instance of the form again you just just let them close, rather than preventing closure and hiding them. If you are showing them again, then hiding them may be fine.
If you want to be able to have the user click the "x" for your main form, but have another form stay open and, in effect, become the "new" main form, then it's a bit more complicated. In such a case you will need to just hide your main form rather than closing it, but you'll need to add in some sort of mechanism that will actually close the main form when you really do want your app to end. If this is the situation that you're in then you'll need to add more details to your question describing what types of applications should and should not actually end the program.
In this case, the most proper way to exit the application in to override onExit() method in App.xaml.cs:
protected override void OnExit(ExitEventArgs e) {
base.OnExit(e);
}

C# unload and load form / hide and close

I am coding a simple sidescroller in C# using Windows Form Applications. I want it so when the player touches an exit point, this immediately loads a new level.
To implement this, I use the following code:
if (player.Bounds.IntersectsWith(exit.Bounds))
{
Form2 myNewForm = new Form2();
myNewForm.Visible = true;
this.Hide();
}
This works. However, it loads numerous instances of form2 - I only want it to load once. I don't know how to write this (sorry, I'm a newbie - it took me a while just to write this code!).
Also, loading a level via a new form is inefficient. Is there a way to unload the open form to load the next one in the same window/instance, rather than creating another separate window?
Sorry if this is unclear. I've done my best research + I'm new. Please don't mention XNA! Thanks.
You need a small modification to your project's Program.cs file to change the way your app decides to terminate. You simple exit when there no more windows left. Make it look like this:
static class Program {
[STAThread]
static void Main() {
Application.EnableVisualStyles();
Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(false);
var start = new Form1();
start.FormClosed += WindowClosed;
start.Show();
Application.Run();
}
static void WindowClosed(object sender, FormClosedEventArgs e) {
if (Application.OpenForms.Count == 0) Application.Exit();
else Application.OpenForms[0].FormClosed += WindowClosed;
}
}
Now it is simple:
if (player.Bounds.IntersectsWith(exit.Bounds))
{
new Form2().Show();
this.Close();
}
You can use Application.OpenForms[] collection to retrieve the Opened form instance and then Show it.
Try This:
Form2 frmMyForm = (Form2)Application.OpenForms["formName"];
frmMyForm.Show();
The actual problem is not in your form being loaded multiple times, but in your game logic not being suspended when the end of the level is reached. It means that your game keeps playing an old level when a new level is already loaded.
If Form1 is the main form then your whole application will shutdown. You need bootstraper which will be the entry point of your application, not the Form1. If you do that your Form1 will be a child in the same sense as will be Form2. You can open and close them without shutting down the application. If you don't know how to do that, just create another empty form, let's call it Main and make it the starting form of your application. Then hide it and open Form1 from Main form as Modal. Then when you complete level in Form1, close Form1, the code flow will return to Main form and you'll spawn Form2 from Main form as Modal. You'll have fully predictable logic, where all forms are opened from a single controlled place.

How do I properly exit a C# application?

I have a published application in C#. Whenever I close the main form by clicking on the red exit button, the form closes but not the whole application. I found this out when I tried shutting down the computer and was subsequently bombarded by lots of child windows with MessageBox alerts I added.
I tried Application.Exit but it still calls all the child windows and alerts. I don't know how to use Environment.Exit and which integer to put into it either.
Also, whenever my forms call the FormClosed or FormClosing event, I close the application with a this.Hide() function; does that affect how my application is behaving?
From MSDN:
Application.Exit
Informs all message pumps that they must terminate, and then closes all application windows after the messages have been processed. This is the code to use if you are have called Application.Run (WinForms applications), this method stops all running message loops on all threads and closes all windows of the application.
Environment.Exit
Terminates this process and gives the underlying operating system the specified exit code. This is the code to call when you are using console application.
This article, Application.Exit vs. Environment.Exit, points towards a good tip:
You can determine if System.Windows.Forms.Application.Run has been called by checking the System.Windows.Forms.Application.MessageLoop property. If true, then Run has been called and you can assume that a WinForms application is executing as follows.
if (System.Windows.Forms.Application.MessageLoop)
{
// WinForms app
System.Windows.Forms.Application.Exit();
}
else
{
// Console app
System.Environment.Exit(1);
}
Reference: Why would Application.Exit fail to work?
I know this is not the problem you had, however another reason this could happen is you have a non background thread open in your application.
using System;
using System.Threading;
using System.Windows.Forms;
namespace Sandbox_Form
{
static class Program
{
private static Thread thread;
[STAThread]
static void Main()
{
Application.EnableVisualStyles();
Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(false);
thread = new Thread(BusyWorkThread);
thread.IsBackground = false;
thread.Start();
Application.Run(new Form());
}
public static void BusyWorkThread()
{
while (true)
{
Thread.Sleep(1000);
}
}
}
}
When IsBackground is false it will keep your program open till the thread completes, if you set IsBackground to true the thread will not keep the program open. Things like BackgroundWoker, ThreadPool, and Task all internally use a thread with IsBackground set to true.
By the way. whenever my forms call the formclosed or form closing event I close the applciation with a this.Hide() function. Does that affect how my application is behaving now?
In short, yes. The entire application will end when the main form (the form started via Application.Run in the Main method) is closed (not hidden).
If your entire application should always fully terminate whenever your main form is closed then you should just remove that form closed handler. By not canceling that event and just letting them form close when the user closes it you will get your desired behavior. As for all of the other forms, if you don't intend to show that same instance of the form again you just just let them close, rather than preventing closure and hiding them. If you are showing them again, then hiding them may be fine.
If you want to be able to have the user click the "x" for your main form, but have another form stay open and, in effect, become the "new" main form, then it's a bit more complicated. In such a case you will need to just hide your main form rather than closing it, but you'll need to add in some sort of mechanism that will actually close the main form when you really do want your app to end. If this is the situation that you're in then you'll need to add more details to your question describing what types of applications should and should not actually end the program.
In this case, the most proper way to exit the application in to override onExit() method in App.xaml.cs:
protected override void OnExit(ExitEventArgs e) {
base.OnExit(e);
}

To close C# Forms Application

I have 2 forms ...when i start the application..and use the close "X" from the title bar the entire application closes...now when i select an option from the 1st form in my case it is a button "ADD" as its a phonebook application..it goes to the 2nd form as i have used 1stform.hide() and 2ndform.show()...now when i do "X" from the title bar it doesnt shutdown completely as the 1stform is not closed....how to program it in such a way tht any stage the entire application should close
Your first form is set as the startup form. That means whenever it gets closed, your entire application is closed. And conversely, your application does not close until it gets closed. So when you hide the startup form and show the second form, the user closing the second form does not trigger your application closing because they have only closed a secondary, non-modal dialog.
I recommend changing your design so that the startup form is also the main form of your application. No sense trying to work around built-in functionality that can actually be useful. You want the application to quit when the main form is closed, no matter what other child forms are opened.
But the quick-and-dirty solution in your case is to make a call to Application.Exit. That will close all of the currently open forms and quit your application immediately. As I said just above, I don't so much recommend this approach because having to call Application.Exit from every form's FormClosed event handler is a sign that something has gone seriously wrong in your design.
If the single startup form paradigm doesn't work out for you, you should look into taking matters into your own hands and customizing the Main method in your Program.cs source file. See the answers given to this related question for some ideas on how that might work for you.
What you can do is to use the Form's FormClosing event, and add the following code:
Application.Exit();
This will stop the entire application, and close all windows. However, if a background thread is running, the process itself will survive. In this case you can use:
Environment.Exit();
Add a Application.Exit on every forms's Closing event
like this:
Create an closing event handler first
private void Form_ClosingEventhandler()(object sender, CancelEventArgs e)
{
//Perform any processing if required like saving user settings or cleaning resources
Application.Exit();
}
then bind this event to any form you create.
//Where you create new form and show it.
Form1 frm= new Form1();
//set other properties
frm.Closing += new EventHandler(Form_ClosingEventhandler);
Form2 frm2= new Form2();
//set other properties
frm2.Closing += new EventHandler(Form_ClosingEventhandler);
Surely you don't want to shut down the entire application after the user adds a phone number? You just need to make sure that your main window becomes visible again. Write that like this:
private void AddButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) {
var frm = new AddPhoneNumber();
frm.StartPosition = FormStartPosition.Manual;
frm.Location = this.Location;
frm.Size = this.Size; // optional
frm.FormClosing += delegate { this.Show(); };
frm.Show();
this.Hide();
}

What's the difference between Application.Run() and Form.ShowDialog()?

In my application I want to show a login form first and then the main form if the login has been successful. Currently I'm doing it something like this:
var A = new LoginForm();
if ( A.ShowDialog() == DialogResult.OK )
Application.Run(new MainForm());
But then I started wondering - what's the point of the Application.Run()? Why not just do (new MainForm()).ShowDialog() as well? What's the difference? And what would be the correct way to achieve what I want?
Application.Run(Form) starts a message loop on the current thread and displays the specified form. The message loop enables the form to receive Windows messages (eg, key presses, mouse clicks, paint invalidations) to allow it to appear responsive and have interaction with the user. When you call ShowDialog() on a Form instance, it actually does a similar thing and creates a modal message loop for the form on which ShowDialog has been called.
There is not much difference between the two calls. Application.Run does add some extra event handling enabling you to do some tidying up of resources when the main form is closed (see Application.ThreadExit).
The recommended way to start WinForms applications is using Application.Run, but I suspect this is more of a convention than a rule. The biggest reason to use Application.Run is if you want to open multiple non-modal forms. You can do this using:
new Form().Show();
new Form().Show();
Application.Run();
You could not achieve this using the ShowDialog() method as one of the forms would have to be modal.
As for your question of how to show a login form and then the main form if the login is successful, I think what you have is fine:
if (new LoginForm().ShowDialog() == DialogResult.OK)
{
Application.Run(new MainForm());
}
The alternative is to do the plumbing yourself and open an instance of MainForm in the closing event of the LoginForm if the login was successful.
From MSDN:
This method adds an event handler to
the mainForm parameter for the Closed
event. The event handler calls
ExitThread to clean up the
application.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms157902.aspx
From my testing, I noticed this main difference:
When Application.Run is used, the form's Close button (red X) returns DialogResult.None; however, when ShowDialog is used, the Close button produces DialogResult.Cancel.
Does this matter to you? In my code, I was testing for DialogResult.Cancel to determine the exit code of my application. That was broken when the red X was used to close the form. I now test for DialogResult.OK to indicate a successful exit.
return myForm.DialogResult == DialogResult.OK ? 0 : 1;
One key difference is that ShowDialog is usually a modal Dialog. If you wanted to create a user-friendly toolset, you would not want it to be comprised of modal dialog boxes.
Also, Application.Run() accepts more than just a form. It has a few overloads.
As for your application, I do not think it matters much. Application.Run makes sense to me because it denotes the start of your actual Application.
The documentation of the overload
public static void Run(
ApplicationContext context );
has a neat example with a different approach that involves two forms as well.
For a more concerete example of a difference:
If your main form is an MDI form, then the behavior on clicking the close button (the 'x' in the upper right, or Alt-F4) is different depending on which method you use to show the form.
With Application.Run(mainForm), the closing event of the child forms run, then the main form's closing event runs.
With mainForm.ShowDialog, the closing event of the main form runs, and the closing event of the child forms do not run.
Application.Run() is for the start of application while MainForm is part of the application and MainForm()).ShowDialog() used to display it only.
Application.Run() is the entry point for your Application. same as Main() method is for some class or ApplicationStart() for a WebApplication
Application.Run() has different overloads, one of which is without parameters. That Method starts application without an initial form.
From my testing I notice that using Application.Run buttons with DialogResult does not close the form (OnFormClosing is not hit) compare to ShowDialog in which the buttons with DialogResult hit OnFormClosing and the close the form.

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