I have a list Uri's that I want "clicked" To achieve this I"m trying to create a new web-browser control per Uri. I create a new thread per Uri. The problem I'm having is the thread end before the document is fully loaded, so I never get to make use of the DocumentComplete event. How can I overcome this?
var item = new ParameterizedThreadStart(ClicIt.Click);
var thread = new Thread(item) {Name = "ClickThread"};
thread.Start(uriItem);
public static void Click(object o)
{
var url = ((UriItem)o);
Console.WriteLine(#"Clicking: " + url.Link);
var clicker = new WebBrowser { ScriptErrorsSuppressed = true };
clicker.DocumentCompleted += BrowseComplete;
if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(url.Link)) return;
if (url.Link.Equals("about:blank")) return;
if (!url.Link.StartsWith("http://") && !url.Link.StartsWith("https://"))
url.Link = "http://" + url.Link;
clicker.Navigate(url.Link);
}
You have to create an STA thread that pumps a message loop. That's the only hospitable environment for an ActiveX component like WebBrowser. You won't get the DocumentCompleted event otherwise. Some sample code:
private void runBrowserThread(Uri url) {
var th = new Thread(() => {
var br = new WebBrowser();
br.DocumentCompleted += browser_DocumentCompleted;
br.Navigate(url);
Application.Run();
});
th.SetApartmentState(ApartmentState.STA);
th.Start();
}
void browser_DocumentCompleted(object sender, WebBrowserDocumentCompletedEventArgs e) {
var br = sender as WebBrowser;
if (br.Url == e.Url) {
Console.WriteLine("Natigated to {0}", e.Url);
Application.ExitThread(); // Stops the thread
}
}
Here is how to organize a message loop on a non-UI thread, to run asynchronous tasks like WebBrowser automation. It uses async/await to provide the convenient linear code flow and loads a set of web pages in a loop. The code is a ready-to-run console app which is partially based on this excellent post.
Related answers:
https://stackoverflow.com/a/22262976/1768303
https://stackoverflow.com/a/21775343/1768303
using System;
using System.Threading;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using System.Windows.Forms;
namespace ConsoleApplicationWebBrowser
{
// by Noseratio - https://stackoverflow.com/users/1768303/noseratio
class Program
{
// Entry Point of the console app
static void Main(string[] args)
{
try
{
// download each page and dump the content
var task = MessageLoopWorker.Run(DoWorkAsync,
"http://www.example.com", "http://www.example.net", "http://www.example.org");
task.Wait();
Console.WriteLine("DoWorkAsync completed.");
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
Console.WriteLine("DoWorkAsync failed: " + ex.Message);
}
Console.WriteLine("Press Enter to exit.");
Console.ReadLine();
}
// navigate WebBrowser to the list of urls in a loop
static async Task<object> DoWorkAsync(object[] args)
{
Console.WriteLine("Start working.");
using (var wb = new WebBrowser())
{
wb.ScriptErrorsSuppressed = true;
TaskCompletionSource<bool> tcs = null;
WebBrowserDocumentCompletedEventHandler documentCompletedHandler = (s, e) =>
tcs.TrySetResult(true);
// navigate to each URL in the list
foreach (var url in args)
{
tcs = new TaskCompletionSource<bool>();
wb.DocumentCompleted += documentCompletedHandler;
try
{
wb.Navigate(url.ToString());
// await for DocumentCompleted
await tcs.Task;
}
finally
{
wb.DocumentCompleted -= documentCompletedHandler;
}
// the DOM is ready
Console.WriteLine(url.ToString());
Console.WriteLine(wb.Document.Body.OuterHtml);
}
}
Console.WriteLine("End working.");
return null;
}
}
// a helper class to start the message loop and execute an asynchronous task
public static class MessageLoopWorker
{
public static async Task<object> Run(Func<object[], Task<object>> worker, params object[] args)
{
var tcs = new TaskCompletionSource<object>();
var thread = new Thread(() =>
{
EventHandler idleHandler = null;
idleHandler = async (s, e) =>
{
// handle Application.Idle just once
Application.Idle -= idleHandler;
// return to the message loop
await Task.Yield();
// and continue asynchronously
// propogate the result or exception
try
{
var result = await worker(args);
tcs.SetResult(result);
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
tcs.SetException(ex);
}
// signal to exit the message loop
// Application.Run will exit at this point
Application.ExitThread();
};
// handle Application.Idle just once
// to make sure we're inside the message loop
// and SynchronizationContext has been correctly installed
Application.Idle += idleHandler;
Application.Run();
});
// set STA model for the new thread
thread.SetApartmentState(ApartmentState.STA);
// start the thread and await for the task
thread.Start();
try
{
return await tcs.Task;
}
finally
{
thread.Join();
}
}
}
}
From my experience in the past the webbrowser does not like operating outside of the main application thread.
Try using httpwebrequests instead, you can set them as asynchronous and create a handler for the response to know when it is succesfull:
how-to-use-httpwebrequest-net-asynchronously
A simple solution at which the simultaneous operation of several WebBrowsers occurs
Create a new Windows Forms application
Place the button named
button1
Place the text box named textBox1
Set properties of text
field: Multiline true and ScrollBars Both
Write the following
button1 click handler:
textBox1.Clear();
textBox1.AppendText(DateTime.Now.ToString() + Environment.NewLine);
int completed_count = 0;
int count = 10;
for (int i = 0; i < count; i++)
{
int tmp = i;
this.BeginInvoke(new Action(() =>
{
var wb = new WebBrowser();
wb.ScriptErrorsSuppressed = true;
wb.DocumentCompleted += (cur_sender, cur_e) =>
{
var cur_wb = cur_sender as WebBrowser;
if (cur_wb.Url == cur_e.Url)
{
textBox1.AppendText("Task " + tmp + ", navigated to " + cur_e.Url + Environment.NewLine);
completed_count++;
}
};
wb.Navigate("https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4269800/webbrowser-control-in-a-new-thread");
}
));
}
while (completed_count != count)
{
Application.DoEvents();
Thread.Sleep(10);
}
textBox1.AppendText("All completed" + Environment.NewLine);
Related
I'm a newb in programming and I'm trying to do my first thingy that would be for someone else and not just me (so shouldn't be that crappy ^^ )
It's a Online-Checker for clients in LAN network (so he can just paste a list of clients, and it returns the online or offline).
fyi: I'm using Try/Catch because ping.send to an offline host returns in an Error which crashed the application.
Currently it looks like this:
private void btn_check_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
string[] hosts = txt_hosts.Text.Split(new string[] { Environment.NewLine }, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries);
foreach (String host in hosts)
{
pinger(host);
}
}
public void pinger(string host)
{
var ping = new System.Net.NetworkInformation.Ping();
try
{
var result = ping.Send(host);
txt_result.Text += "true" + Environment.NewLine;
Application.DoEvents();
}
catch
{
txt_result.Text += "false"+Environment.NewLine;
Application.DoEvents();
}
}
Now, the interface is like frozen whenever a ping.send is processing (and that's quiet long cause of the timeout of pings).
Is there any way to do this threaded? Before I tried to start a thread, but that doesn't work either because both write in txt_result and that returns an error.
Thanks for any help!
If use acync/await:
// send request
foreach (string host in hosts)
pinger(host);
// async function
async void pinger(string host)
{
var ping = new System.Net.NetworkInformation.Ping();
bool bResp;
try
{
var result = await ping.SendPingAsync(host, 4000);
bResp = result.Status == System.Net.NetworkInformation.IPStatus.Success;
}
catch { bResp = false; }
txt_result.Text += bResp.ToString() + Environment.NewLine;
}
System.Threading.Tasks.Task.Factory.StartNew(() =>
{
pinger(host);
});
It could throw an exception at the line : txt_result.Text = "...";
Because you are trying to modify a value in a thread from another thread.
So you could write:
System.Windows.Threading.Dispatcher.CurrentDispatcher.Invoke(new Action(() =>
{
txt_result.Text = "...";
}));
Which will request the UI thread to modify the value.
Run on a background worker.
public void pinger(string host)
{
var bw = new BackgroundWorker();
bw.DoWork += delegate(object sender, DoWorkEventArgs e)
{
var ping = new System.Net.NetworkInformation.Ping();
try
{
var result = ping.Send(host);
e.Result = new object[] { result};
}
catch(Exception ex)
{
// Catch specific exceptions here as needed
}
};
bw.RunWorkerCompleted += (bw_txt_results);
bw.RunWorkerAsync();
}
private void bw_txt_results(object sender, RunWorkerCompletedEventArgs e)
{
txt_result = e.result[0].ToString();
}
This has been awnsered many times here and at other sites and its working, but I would like ideas to other ways to:
get the ReadyState = Complete after using a navigate or post, without using DoEvents because of all of its cons.
I would also note that using the DocumentComplete event woud not help here as I wont be navigating on only one page, but one after another like this.
wb.navigate("www.microsoft.com")
//dont use DoEvents loop here
wb.Document.Body.SetAttribute(textbox1, "login")
//dont use DoEvents loop here
if (wb.documenttext.contais("text"))
//do something
The way it is today its working by using DoEvents. I would like to know if anyone have a proper way to wait the async call of the browser methods to only then proceed with the rest of the logic. Just for the sake of it.
Thanks in advance.
Below is a basic WinForms app code, illustrating how to wait for the DocumentCompleted event asynchronously, using async/await. It navigates to multiple pages, one after another. Everything is taking place on the main UI thread.
Instead of calling this.webBrowser.Navigate(url), it might be simulating a form button click, to trigger a POST-style navigation.
The webBrowser.IsBusy async loop logic is optional, its purpose is to account (non-deterministically) for the page's dynamic AJAX code which may take place after window.onload event.
using System;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Threading;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using System.Windows.Forms;
namespace WebBrowserApp
{
public partial class MainForm : Form
{
WebBrowser webBrowser;
public MainForm()
{
InitializeComponent();
// create a WebBrowser
this.webBrowser = new WebBrowser();
this.webBrowser.Dock = DockStyle.Fill;
this.Controls.Add(this.webBrowser);
this.Load += MainForm_Load;
}
// Form Load event handler
async void MainForm_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
// cancel the whole operation in 30 sec
var cts = new CancellationTokenSource(30000);
var urls = new String[] {
"http://www.example.com",
"http://www.gnu.org",
"http://www.debian.org" };
await NavigateInLoopAsync(urls, cts.Token);
}
// navigate to each URL in a loop
async Task NavigateInLoopAsync(string[] urls, CancellationToken ct)
{
foreach (var url in urls)
{
ct.ThrowIfCancellationRequested();
var html = await NavigateAsync(ct, () =>
this.webBrowser.Navigate(url));
Debug.Print("url: {0}, html: \n{1}", url, html);
}
}
// asynchronous navigation
async Task<string> NavigateAsync(CancellationToken ct, Action startNavigation)
{
var onloadTcs = new TaskCompletionSource<bool>();
EventHandler onloadEventHandler = null;
WebBrowserDocumentCompletedEventHandler documentCompletedHandler = delegate
{
// DocumentCompleted may be called several time for the same page,
// if the page has frames
if (onloadEventHandler != null)
return;
// so, observe DOM onload event to make sure the document is fully loaded
onloadEventHandler = (s, e) =>
onloadTcs.TrySetResult(true);
this.webBrowser.Document.Window.AttachEventHandler("onload", onloadEventHandler);
};
this.webBrowser.DocumentCompleted += documentCompletedHandler;
try
{
using (ct.Register(() => onloadTcs.TrySetCanceled(), useSynchronizationContext: true))
{
startNavigation();
// wait for DOM onload event, throw if cancelled
await onloadTcs.Task;
}
}
finally
{
this.webBrowser.DocumentCompleted -= documentCompletedHandler;
if (onloadEventHandler != null)
this.webBrowser.Document.Window.DetachEventHandler("onload", onloadEventHandler);
}
// the page has fully loaded by now
// optional: let the page run its dynamic AJAX code,
// we might add another timeout for this loop
do { await Task.Delay(500, ct); }
while (this.webBrowser.IsBusy);
// return the page's HTML content
return this.webBrowser.Document.GetElementsByTagName("html")[0].OuterHtml;
}
}
}
If you're looking to do something similar from a console app, here is an example of that.
The solution is simple:
// MAKE SURE ReadyState = Complete
while (WebBrowser1.ReadyState.ToString() != "Complete") {
Application.DoEvents();
}
// Move on to your sub-sequence code...
Dirty and quick.. I am a VBA guys, this logic has been working forever, just took me days and found none for C# but I just figured this out myself.
Following is my complete function, the objective is to obtain a segment of info from a webpage:
private int maxReloadAttempt = 3;
private int currentAttempt = 1;
private string GetCarrier(string webAddress)
{
WebBrowser WebBrowser_4MobileCarrier = new WebBrowser();
string innerHtml;
string strStartSearchFor = "subtitle block pull-left\">";
string strEndSearchFor = "<";
try
{
WebBrowser_4MobileCarrier.ScriptErrorsSuppressed = true;
WebBrowser_4MobileCarrier.Navigate(webAddress);
// MAKE SURE ReadyState = Complete
while (WebBrowser_4MobileCarrier.ReadyState.ToString() != "Complete") {
Application.DoEvents();
}
// LOAD HTML
innerHtml = WebBrowser_4MobileCarrier.Document.Body.InnerHtml;
// ATTEMPT (x3) TO EXTRACT CARRIER STRING
while (currentAttempt <= maxReloadAttempt) {
if (innerHtml.IndexOf(strStartSearchFor) >= 0)
{
currentAttempt = 1; // Reset attempt counter
return Sub_String(innerHtml, strStartSearchFor, strEndSearchFor, "0"); // Method: "Sub_String" is my custom function
}
else
{
currentAttempt += 1; // Increment attempt counter
GetCarrier(webAddress); // Recursive method call
} // End if
} // End while
} // End Try
catch //(Exception ex)
{
}
return "Unavailable";
}
Here is a "quick & dirty" solution. It's not 100% foolproof but it doesn't block UI thread and it should be satisfactory to prototype WebBrowser control Automation procedures:
private async void testButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
await Task.Factory.StartNew(
() =>
{
stepTheWeb(() => wb.Navigate("www.yahoo.com"));
stepTheWeb(() => wb.Navigate("www.microsoft.com"));
stepTheWeb(() => wb.Navigate("asp.net"));
stepTheWeb(() => wb.Document.InvokeScript("eval", new[] { "$('p').css('background-color','yellow')" }));
bool testFlag = false;
stepTheWeb(() => testFlag = wb.DocumentText.Contains("Get Started"));
if (testFlag) { /* TODO */ }
// ...
}
);
}
private void stepTheWeb(Action task)
{
this.Invoke(new Action(task));
WebBrowserReadyState rs = WebBrowserReadyState.Interactive;
while (rs != WebBrowserReadyState.Complete)
{
this.Invoke(new Action(() => rs = wb.ReadyState));
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(300);
}
}
Here is a bit more generic version of testButton_Click method:
private async void testButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
var actions = new List<Action>()
{
() => wb.Navigate("www.yahoo.com"),
() => wb.Navigate("www.microsoft.com"),
() => wb.Navigate("asp.net"),
() => wb.Document.InvokeScript("eval", new[] { "$('p').css('background-color','yellow')" }),
() => {
bool testFlag = false;
testFlag = wb.DocumentText.Contains("Get Started");
if (testFlag) { /* TODO */ }
}
//...
};
await Task.Factory.StartNew(() => actions.ForEach((x)=> stepTheWeb (x)));
}
[Update]
I have adapted my "quick & dirty" sample by borrowing and sligthly refactoring #Noseratio's NavigateAsync method from this topic.
New code version would automate/execute asynchronously in UI thread context not only navigation operations but also Javascript/AJAX calls - any "lamdas"/one automation step task implementation methods.
All and every code reviews/comments are very welcome. Especially, from #Noseratio. Together, we will make this world better ;)
public enum ActionTypeEnumeration
{
Navigation = 1,
Javascript = 2,
UIThreadDependent = 3,
UNDEFINED = 99
}
public class ActionDescriptor
{
public Action Action { get; set; }
public ActionTypeEnumeration ActionType { get; set; }
}
/// <summary>
/// Executes a set of WebBrowser control's Automation actions
/// </summary>
/// <remarks>
/// Test form shoudl ahve the following controls:
/// webBrowser1 - WebBrowser,
/// testbutton - Button,
/// testCheckBox - CheckBox,
/// totalHtmlLengthTextBox - TextBox
/// </remarks>
private async void testButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
try
{
var cts = new CancellationTokenSource(60000);
var actions = new List<ActionDescriptor>()
{
new ActionDescriptor() { Action = ()=> wb.Navigate("www.yahoo.com"), ActionType = ActionTypeEnumeration.Navigation} ,
new ActionDescriptor() { Action = () => wb.Navigate("www.microsoft.com"), ActionType = ActionTypeEnumeration.Navigation} ,
new ActionDescriptor() { Action = () => wb.Navigate("asp.net"), ActionType = ActionTypeEnumeration.Navigation} ,
new ActionDescriptor() { Action = () => wb.Document.InvokeScript("eval", new[] { "$('p').css('background-color','yellow')" }), ActionType = ActionTypeEnumeration.Javascript},
new ActionDescriptor() { Action =
() => {
testCheckBox.Checked = wb.DocumentText.Contains("Get Started");
},
ActionType = ActionTypeEnumeration.UIThreadDependent}
//...
};
foreach (var action in actions)
{
string html = await ExecuteWebBrowserAutomationAction(cts.Token, action.Action, action.ActionType);
// count HTML web page stats - just for fun
int totalLength = 0;
Int32.TryParse(totalHtmlLengthTextBox.Text, out totalLength);
totalLength += !string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(html) ? html.Length : 0;
totalHtmlLengthTextBox.Text = totalLength.ToString();
}
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
MessageBox.Show(ex.Message, "Error");
}
}
// asynchronous WebBroswer control Automation
async Task<string> ExecuteWebBrowserAutomationAction(
CancellationToken ct,
Action runWebBrowserAutomationAction,
ActionTypeEnumeration actionType = ActionTypeEnumeration.UNDEFINED)
{
var onloadTcs = new TaskCompletionSource<bool>();
EventHandler onloadEventHandler = null;
WebBrowserDocumentCompletedEventHandler documentCompletedHandler = delegate
{
// DocumentCompleted may be called several times for the same page,
// if the page has frames
if (onloadEventHandler != null)
return;
// so, observe DOM onload event to make sure the document is fully loaded
onloadEventHandler = (s, e) =>
onloadTcs.TrySetResult(true);
this.wb.Document.Window.AttachEventHandler("onload", onloadEventHandler);
};
this.wb.DocumentCompleted += documentCompletedHandler;
try
{
using (ct.Register(() => onloadTcs.TrySetCanceled(), useSynchronizationContext: true))
{
runWebBrowserAutomationAction();
if (actionType == ActionTypeEnumeration.Navigation)
{
// wait for DOM onload event, throw if cancelled
await onloadTcs.Task;
}
}
}
finally
{
this.wb.DocumentCompleted -= documentCompletedHandler;
if (onloadEventHandler != null)
this.wb.Document.Window.DetachEventHandler("onload", onloadEventHandler);
}
// the page has fully loaded by now
// optional: let the page run its dynamic AJAX code,
// we might add another timeout for this loop
do { await Task.Delay(500, ct); }
while (this.wb.IsBusy);
// return the page's HTML content
return this.wb.Document.GetElementsByTagName("html")[0].OuterHtml;
}
I am struggling with threading.
The problem is when I am iterating trough foreach loop.
When setting this.Document, the application performs login, that is triggered with an event and takes few seconds to complete. In the worker_RunWorkerCompleted method I need to perform some actions that depend on current login information.
The problem is that before I can perform this action for the first file, the this.Document already changes making the application perform another login. This way I can never actually perform my actions.
My question is: How can I pause the next thread until previous thread has completed.
Is there any other solution to my problem?
I tried with AutoResetEvent but I got no luck. I set waitOne() just after the RunWorkerAsync call and .Set() in the RunWorkerCompleted. The code never gets to RunWorkerCompleted...
Here is the code:
public void Start(object obj)
{
try
{
foreach (KeyValuePair<string, Stream> pair in this.CollectionOfFiles)
{
Worker = new BackgroundWorker();
Worker.DoWork += new DoWorkEventHandler(worker_DoWork);
Worker.RunWorkerCompleted += new RunWorkerCompletedEventHandler(worker_RunWorkerCompleted);
using (Stream stream = pair.Value)
{
primaryDocument = new Document(stream);
DataHolderClass dataHolder = new DataHolderClass();
dataHolder.FileName = pair.Key;
dataHolder.Doc = secondaryDocument;
//background thread call
Worker.RunWorkerAsync(dataHolder);
}
}
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
// exception logic
}
finally
{
// complete logic
}
}
private void worker_DoWork(object sender, DoWorkEventArgs e)
{
DataHolderClass dataHolder = ((DataHolderClass)e.Argument);
// setting this attribute triggers execution of login event
this.Document = dataHolder.Doc;
e.Result = (dataHolder);
}
private void worker_RunWorkerCompleted(object sender, RunWorkerCompletedEventArgs e)
{
// here I need to perform some actions that are depending on the current login
DataHolderClass dataHolder = ((DataHolderClass)e.Result);
this.eventAggregator.GetEvent<ActionEvent>().Publish(new Message(EMessageType.Info) { Title = dataHolder.FileName });
}
no9,
Try the following:
System.Threading.ManualResetEvent _busy = new System.Threading.ManualResetEvent(false);
void ResumeWorker()
{
// Start the worker if it isn't running
if (!backgroundWorker1.IsBusy) backgroundWorker1.RunWorkerAsync(dataHolder);
// Unblock the worker
_busy.Set();
}
void PauseWorker()
{
// Block the worker
_busy.Reset();
}
void CancelWorker()
{
if (backgroundWorker1.IsBusy) {
// Set CancellationPending property to true
backgroundWorker1.CancelAsync();
// Unblock worker so it can see that
_busy.Set();
}
}
then in your code run the method.
Let me know if it works :)
class SimpleWaitPulse
{
static readonly object _locker = new object();
static bool _go;
static void Main()
{ // The new thread will block
new Thread (Work).Start(); // because _go==false.
Console.ReadLine(); // Wait for user to hit Enter
lock (_locker) // Let's now wake up the thread by
{ // setting _go=true and pulsing.
_go = true;
Monitor.Pulse (_locker);
}
}
static void Work()
{
lock (_locker)
while (!_go)
Monitor.Wait (_locker); // Lock is released while we’re waiting
Console.WriteLine ("Woken!!!");
}
}
Can you use pulse ?
Taken from : Threading in C# from albahari.com
Well, the design is terrible... but if you need to stick to it, you can set wait handles in a previous worker and wait for it in next. This is the minimal fix, still quite an abomination:
public void Start(object obj)
{
try
{
BackgroundWorker previousWorker = null;
DataHolderClass previousWorkerParams = null;
foreach (KeyValuePair<string, Stream> pair in this.CollectionOfFiles)
{
// signal event on previous worker RunWorkerCompleted event
AutoResetEvent waitUntilCompleted = null;
if (previousWorker != null)
{
waitUntilCompleted = new AutoResetEvent(false);
previousWorker.RunWorkerCompleted += (o, e) => waitUntilCompleted.Set();
// start the previous worker
previousWorker.RunWorkerAsync(previousWorkerParams);
}
Worker = new BackgroundWorker();
Worker.DoWork += (o, e) =>
{
// wait for the handle, if there is anything to wait for
if (waitUntilCompleted != null)
{
waitUntilCompleted.WaitOne();
waitUntilCompleted.Dispose();
}
worker_DoWork(o, e);
};
using (Stream stream = pair.Value)
{
primaryDocument = new Document(stream);
DataHolderClass dataHolder = new DataHolderClass();
dataHolder.FileName = pair.Key;
dataHolder.Doc = secondaryDocument;
// defer running this worker; we don't want it to finish
// before adding additional completed handler
previousWorkerParams = dataHolder;
}
previousWorker = Worker;
}
if (previousWorker != null)
{
previousWorker.RunWorkerAsync(previousWorkerParams);
}
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
// exception logic
}
finally
{
// complete logic
}
}
I have a c# .Net application that opens a custom Print Preview form (compromising of a WebBrowser form control that displays a HTML file and a button which prints the contents of the web browser control:
webBrowser.Print();
However, I now would like to print the HTML file WITHOUT opening this form.
I have tried to load the html into a webbrowser form without displaying the form and called webBrowser.Print() but nothing will print. It seems I only can print if I show the form and load the HTML into the control.
I have a sample console app that prints a set HTML files using WinForms WebBrowser. You can borrow the DoWorkAsync part of it for your printing task in a WinForms application, virtually without any changes:
// by Noseratio - http://stackoverflow.com/users/1768303/noseratio
using System;
using System.Threading;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using System.Windows.Forms;
namespace ConsoleApplicationWebBrowser
{
class Program
{
// Entry Point of the console app
static void Main(string[] args)
{
try
{
// download each page and dump the content
var task = MessageLoopWorker.Run(DoWorkAsync,
"http://www.example.com", "http://www.example.net", "http://www.example.org");
task.Wait();
Console.WriteLine("DoWorkAsync completed.");
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
Console.WriteLine("DoWorkAsync failed: " + ex.Message);
}
Console.WriteLine("Press Enter to exit.");
Console.ReadLine();
}
// navigate WebBrowser to the list of urls in a loop
static async Task<object> DoWorkAsync(object[] args)
{
Console.WriteLine("Start working.");
var wb = new WebBrowser();
wb.ScriptErrorsSuppressed = true;
if (wb.Document == null && wb.ActiveXInstance == null)
throw new ApplicationException("Unable to initialize the underlying WebBrowserActiveX");
// get the underlying WebBrowser ActiveX object;
// this code depends on SHDocVw.dll COM interop assembly,
// generate SHDocVw.dll: "tlbimp.exe ieframe.dll",
// and add as a reference to the project
var wbax = (SHDocVw.WebBrowser)wb.ActiveXInstance;
TaskCompletionSource<bool> loadedTcs = null;
WebBrowserDocumentCompletedEventHandler documentCompletedHandler = (s, e) =>
loadedTcs.TrySetResult(true); // turn event into awaitable task
TaskCompletionSource<bool> printedTcs = null;
SHDocVw.DWebBrowserEvents2_PrintTemplateTeardownEventHandler printTemplateTeardownHandler = (p) =>
printedTcs.TrySetResult(true); // turn event into awaitable task
// navigate to each URL in the list
foreach (var url in args)
{
loadedTcs = new TaskCompletionSource<bool>();
wb.DocumentCompleted += documentCompletedHandler;
try
{
wb.Navigate(url.ToString());
// await for DocumentCompleted
await loadedTcs.Task;
}
finally
{
wb.DocumentCompleted -= documentCompletedHandler;
}
// the DOM is ready,
Console.WriteLine(url.ToString());
Console.WriteLine(wb.Document.Body.OuterHtml);
// print the document
printedTcs = new TaskCompletionSource<bool>();
wbax.PrintTemplateTeardown += printTemplateTeardownHandler;
try
{
wb.Print();
// await for PrintTemplateTeardown - the end of printing
await printedTcs.Task;
}
finally
{
wbax.PrintTemplateTeardown -= printTemplateTeardownHandler;
}
Console.WriteLine(url.ToString() + " printed.");
}
wb.Dispose();
Console.WriteLine("End working.");
return null;
}
}
// a helper class to start the message loop and execute an asynchronous task
public static class MessageLoopWorker
{
public static async Task<object> Run(Func<object[], Task<object>> worker, params object[] args)
{
var tcs = new TaskCompletionSource<object>();
var thread = new Thread(() =>
{
EventHandler idleHandler = null;
idleHandler = async (s, e) =>
{
// handle Application.Idle just once
Application.Idle -= idleHandler;
// return to the message loop
await Task.Yield();
// and continue asynchronously
// propogate the result or exception
try
{
var result = await worker(args);
tcs.SetResult(result);
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
tcs.SetException(ex);
}
// signal to exit the message loop
// Application.Run will exit at this point
Application.ExitThread();
};
// handle Application.Idle just once
// to make sure we're inside the message loop
// and SynchronizationContext has been correctly installed
Application.Idle += idleHandler;
Application.Run();
});
// set STA model for the new thread
thread.SetApartmentState(ApartmentState.STA);
// start the thread and await for the task
thread.Start();
try
{
return await tcs.Task;
}
finally
{
thread.Join();
}
}
}
}
The only way I know is to render the website as image and then silently print it. Maybe this project will help you.
What you are trying to do is called.
Silent Printing
Maybe you should search for alternatives depending in your technology. The implementation varies between Forms and WPF.
I have a list Uri's that I want "clicked" To achieve this I"m trying to create a new web-browser control per Uri. I create a new thread per Uri. The problem I'm having is the thread end before the document is fully loaded, so I never get to make use of the DocumentComplete event. How can I overcome this?
var item = new ParameterizedThreadStart(ClicIt.Click);
var thread = new Thread(item) {Name = "ClickThread"};
thread.Start(uriItem);
public static void Click(object o)
{
var url = ((UriItem)o);
Console.WriteLine(#"Clicking: " + url.Link);
var clicker = new WebBrowser { ScriptErrorsSuppressed = true };
clicker.DocumentCompleted += BrowseComplete;
if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(url.Link)) return;
if (url.Link.Equals("about:blank")) return;
if (!url.Link.StartsWith("http://") && !url.Link.StartsWith("https://"))
url.Link = "http://" + url.Link;
clicker.Navigate(url.Link);
}
You have to create an STA thread that pumps a message loop. That's the only hospitable environment for an ActiveX component like WebBrowser. You won't get the DocumentCompleted event otherwise. Some sample code:
private void runBrowserThread(Uri url) {
var th = new Thread(() => {
var br = new WebBrowser();
br.DocumentCompleted += browser_DocumentCompleted;
br.Navigate(url);
Application.Run();
});
th.SetApartmentState(ApartmentState.STA);
th.Start();
}
void browser_DocumentCompleted(object sender, WebBrowserDocumentCompletedEventArgs e) {
var br = sender as WebBrowser;
if (br.Url == e.Url) {
Console.WriteLine("Natigated to {0}", e.Url);
Application.ExitThread(); // Stops the thread
}
}
Here is how to organize a message loop on a non-UI thread, to run asynchronous tasks like WebBrowser automation. It uses async/await to provide the convenient linear code flow and loads a set of web pages in a loop. The code is a ready-to-run console app which is partially based on this excellent post.
Related answers:
https://stackoverflow.com/a/22262976/1768303
https://stackoverflow.com/a/21775343/1768303
using System;
using System.Threading;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using System.Windows.Forms;
namespace ConsoleApplicationWebBrowser
{
// by Noseratio - https://stackoverflow.com/users/1768303/noseratio
class Program
{
// Entry Point of the console app
static void Main(string[] args)
{
try
{
// download each page and dump the content
var task = MessageLoopWorker.Run(DoWorkAsync,
"http://www.example.com", "http://www.example.net", "http://www.example.org");
task.Wait();
Console.WriteLine("DoWorkAsync completed.");
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
Console.WriteLine("DoWorkAsync failed: " + ex.Message);
}
Console.WriteLine("Press Enter to exit.");
Console.ReadLine();
}
// navigate WebBrowser to the list of urls in a loop
static async Task<object> DoWorkAsync(object[] args)
{
Console.WriteLine("Start working.");
using (var wb = new WebBrowser())
{
wb.ScriptErrorsSuppressed = true;
TaskCompletionSource<bool> tcs = null;
WebBrowserDocumentCompletedEventHandler documentCompletedHandler = (s, e) =>
tcs.TrySetResult(true);
// navigate to each URL in the list
foreach (var url in args)
{
tcs = new TaskCompletionSource<bool>();
wb.DocumentCompleted += documentCompletedHandler;
try
{
wb.Navigate(url.ToString());
// await for DocumentCompleted
await tcs.Task;
}
finally
{
wb.DocumentCompleted -= documentCompletedHandler;
}
// the DOM is ready
Console.WriteLine(url.ToString());
Console.WriteLine(wb.Document.Body.OuterHtml);
}
}
Console.WriteLine("End working.");
return null;
}
}
// a helper class to start the message loop and execute an asynchronous task
public static class MessageLoopWorker
{
public static async Task<object> Run(Func<object[], Task<object>> worker, params object[] args)
{
var tcs = new TaskCompletionSource<object>();
var thread = new Thread(() =>
{
EventHandler idleHandler = null;
idleHandler = async (s, e) =>
{
// handle Application.Idle just once
Application.Idle -= idleHandler;
// return to the message loop
await Task.Yield();
// and continue asynchronously
// propogate the result or exception
try
{
var result = await worker(args);
tcs.SetResult(result);
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
tcs.SetException(ex);
}
// signal to exit the message loop
// Application.Run will exit at this point
Application.ExitThread();
};
// handle Application.Idle just once
// to make sure we're inside the message loop
// and SynchronizationContext has been correctly installed
Application.Idle += idleHandler;
Application.Run();
});
// set STA model for the new thread
thread.SetApartmentState(ApartmentState.STA);
// start the thread and await for the task
thread.Start();
try
{
return await tcs.Task;
}
finally
{
thread.Join();
}
}
}
}
From my experience in the past the webbrowser does not like operating outside of the main application thread.
Try using httpwebrequests instead, you can set them as asynchronous and create a handler for the response to know when it is succesfull:
how-to-use-httpwebrequest-net-asynchronously
A simple solution at which the simultaneous operation of several WebBrowsers occurs
Create a new Windows Forms application
Place the button named
button1
Place the text box named textBox1
Set properties of text
field: Multiline true and ScrollBars Both
Write the following
button1 click handler:
textBox1.Clear();
textBox1.AppendText(DateTime.Now.ToString() + Environment.NewLine);
int completed_count = 0;
int count = 10;
for (int i = 0; i < count; i++)
{
int tmp = i;
this.BeginInvoke(new Action(() =>
{
var wb = new WebBrowser();
wb.ScriptErrorsSuppressed = true;
wb.DocumentCompleted += (cur_sender, cur_e) =>
{
var cur_wb = cur_sender as WebBrowser;
if (cur_wb.Url == cur_e.Url)
{
textBox1.AppendText("Task " + tmp + ", navigated to " + cur_e.Url + Environment.NewLine);
completed_count++;
}
};
wb.Navigate("https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4269800/webbrowser-control-in-a-new-thread");
}
));
}
while (completed_count != count)
{
Application.DoEvents();
Thread.Sleep(10);
}
textBox1.AppendText("All completed" + Environment.NewLine);