[2005] BackgroundWorker and Progress Bar

[Simply Me]

Hi! I tried running this backgroundworker of jm which is perfectly running.

Public Class frmBackGroundWorker
    Private Sub frmBackGroundWorker_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        'Raise the DoWork event in a worker thread.    
        Me.BackgroundWorker1.RunWorkerAsync()
    End Sub
 
    'This method is executed in a worker thread.
    Private Sub BackgroundWorker1_DoWork(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.ComponentModel.DoWorkEventArgs) Handles BackgroundWorker1.DoWork
        Dim worker As System.ComponentModel.BackgroundWorker = DirectCast(sender, System.ComponentModel.BackgroundWorker)
        For i As Integer = 1 To 100
            'Raise the ProgressChanged event in the UI thread.        
            worker.ReportProgress(i, i & " iterations complete")
            'Perform some time-consuming operation here.        
            Threading.Thread.Sleep(250)
        Next i
    End Sub
 
    'This method is executed in the UI thread.
    Private Sub BackgroundWorker1_ProgressChanged(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.ComponentModel.ProgressChangedEventArgs) Handles BackgroundWorker1.ProgressChanged
        Me.ProgressBar1.Value = e.ProgressPercentage
        Me.Label1.Text = TryCast(e.UserState, String)
    End Sub
 
    'This method is executed in the UI thread.
    Private Sub BackgroundWorker1_RunWorkerCompleted(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.ComponentModel.RunWorkerCompletedEventArgs) Handles BackgroundWorker1.RunWorkerCompleted
        Me.Label1.Text = "Operation complete"
    End Sub
End Class

the project i am working will access a database table that will take some time to load and I would like that while it is being fetch, users will see a progress of the loading process. How do i make backgroundworker use the data amount of data as value of the progressbar?

Right now, I click a button to fetch the records from a database table. Below is my code

   Private Sub btnDisplay_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnDisplay.Click
        SuspendLayout()
        cnn.ConnectionString = "Data Source=.\sqlexpress;Initial Catalog=MyDatabase;Integrated Security=True"

        If cnn.State = ConnectionState.Closed Then cnn.Open()


        cmdGrade = cnn.CreateCommand
        cmdGrade.CommandText = "SELECT DISTINCT * FROM tblEnrol WHERE SectionName = '" & cboSection.Text & "' AND SubjectName = '" & cboSubjectName.Text & "' AND YearLevel = '" & cboYearLevel.Text & "'"
        daGrade.MissingSchemaAction = MissingSchemaAction.AddWithKey
        dsGrade.Clear()
        'dsSection.Clear()
        'dsSubject.Clear()
        daGrade.SelectCommand = cmdGrade
        daGrade.Fill(dsGrade, "tblEnrol")
        cnn.Close()



        Dim si() As FarPoint.Win.Spread.SortInfo = New FarPoint.Win.Spread.SortInfo() {New FarPoint.Win.Spread.SortInfo(1, True), New FarPoint.Win.Spread.SortInfo(2, True)}

        ''HideSheets()

        'bind fpspread1 to datasource
        '1st Grading
        FpSpread1.Sheets(0).DataSource = dsGrade
        FpSpread1.Sheets(0).DataMember = "tblEnrol"

        'Create CellType and specify number decimal for 1st grading sheet
        With FpSpread1.Sheets(0)
            .DataAutoCellTypes = False
            Dim num As New FarPoint.Win.Spread.CellType.NumberCellType
            num.DecimalPlaces = 0
            .Columns(12, 81).CellType = num 'column 12 to 81
            .Columns(84, 85).CellType = num
            .Columns(88, 89).CellType = num
            .Columns(92, 93).CellType = num
            .Columns(96, 97).CellType = num
            .Columns(100, 101).CellType = num
            .Columns(104, 105).CellType = num
            .Columns(109).CellType = num

            'sort multi-column
            .SortRows(0, FpSpread1.Sheets(0).RowCount, si)

        End With
        FormatSpread()

        'bind FpSpread1.Sheets(1) to datasource
        '2nd Grading
        FpSpread1.Sheets(1).DataSource = dsGrade
        FpSpread1.Sheets(1).DataMember = "tblEnrol"

        'Create CellType and specify number decimal for 1st grading sheet
        With FpSpread1.Sheets(1)
            .DataAutoCellTypes = False
            Dim num As New FarPoint.Win.Spread.CellType.NumberCellType
            num.DecimalPlaces = 0

            'for 2nd grading cell type
            .Columns(135, 204).CellType = num 'Assignment to Total Score (A)
            .Columns(207, 208).CellType = num 'Total Quiz to Total Score (Q)
            .Columns(211, 212).CellType = num 'Total Rec to Total Score (R)
            .Columns(215, 216).CellType = num 'Total Proj to Total Score (P)
            .Columns(219, 220).CellType = num 'Total Speech to Total Score (SP)
            .Columns(223, 224).CellType = num 'Total Reading to Total Score (RDG)
            .Columns(227, 228).CellType = num 'Total Exam to Total Score (E)
            .Columns(232).CellType = num 'Average
        End With
        FormatSpread1()

        ResumeLayout()

    End Sub

[jmcilhinney]

You can't. You're executing synchronous operations in that method so where exactly would you report the progress? You could report progress between each distinct task but if you wanted to indicate how far through processing the data you were you'd have to be processing the records sequencially, which you're not.

[Simply Me]

I just wanted the user to see that something is going on while the apps is fetching data from the sql server, like a progress bar to let user to wait.

[Simply Me]

I saw this code somewhere I can't remember it anymore. I call the form where I put the code whenever the user click the display button but the the problem is I can't see any text or progress bar displaying. it is somewhat suspended. The attached pic shows how it looks like. Sometimes I can see the progress bar but not moving. I also noticed that when I run the form and click display, there's no error at all but for the second time around I will close the form and click display button again i get this error Thread is running or terminated; it cannot restart.

Public Class frmloader
    Private Thread1 As New Threading.Thread(AddressOf GrabData)
 
    Private Sub GrabData()
        '********************************    
        'MY COMPLEX DATA GATHERING THREAD, CAN    
        'TAKE AS MUCH AS 1 MINUTE TO COMPLETE    
        '*********************************    
        Me.Invoke(New MethodInvoker(AddressOf ThreadFinished))
    End Sub
 
    Private Sub frmLoader_Shown(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Shown
        Thread1.Start()
        '*****************************************    
        'RIGHT HERE I WANT TO WAIT FOR THREAD1 TO BE DONE,     
        'WITHOUT SLEEPING, OR STOPPING THE MAIN THREAD.    
        '*************************************  
    End Sub
 
    Private Sub ThreadFinished()
        'frmMain.Show()
        Me.Close()
    End Sub
End Class

[jmcilhinney]

If you just want to indicate that something is happening then just set the ProgressBar's Style to Marquee.

As for your last post, the comments in the Shown event handler don't make any sense. How can the main thread wait for the other thread to complete and yet not be sleeping or stopped? If it isn't sleeping or stopped then it's not waiting. It's executing. I would suggest that you go back to using a BackgroundWorker. You just call RunWorkerAsync and let it go. It will then notify you when it's finished its work by raising its RunWorkerCompleted event. If you haven't read my BackgroundWorker example in the CodeBank I suggest that you do so.

[TheUsed]

to Simply Me

so because you have the thread start in the form_shown procedure, with the picture you provided... it allowed the form to redraw itself during the complex events?

[Simply Me]

If you just want to indicate that something is happening then just set the ProgressBar's Style to Marquee.

As for your last post, the comments in the Shown event handler don't make any sense. How can the main thread wait for the other thread to complete and yet not be sleeping or stopped? If it isn't sleeping or stopped then it's not waiting. It's executing. I would suggest that you go back to using a BackgroundWorker. You just call RunWorkerAsync and let it go. It will then notify you when it's finished its work by raising its RunWorkerCompleted event. If you haven't read my BackgroundWorker example in the CodeBank I suggest that you do so.

jm, the code in my first post is your code.

[jmcilhinney]

jm, the codd in my first post is your code.

Well then, you know how to use the RunWorkerCompleted event.

[Simply Me]

i don't have idea on how to make use of it. i just tried it and i want to use it in my proj but i need it to process the amount of data the proj is fetching as the value of the progress bar.

[jmcilhinney]

You seem to be under the impression that the BackgroundWorker can perform some sort of magic. It cannot. All it can do for you is pass a value from the background thread to the UI thread. That's all. It's up to YOU to calculate that value in the first place and then to use it in the UI thread. Telling us that you want to report progress is no use if you can't actually calculate that progress in the first place, which you can't.

[Simply Me]

with that, what's the best way to just display the something is going while the user awaits for the completion of a loading process?

[jmcilhinney]

with that, what's the best way to just display the something is going while the user awaits for the completion of a loading process?

I already answered that very question in post #5.

[Simply Me]

this is what I have

    Private Sub frmBackGroundWorker_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        'Raise the DoWork event in a worker thread.    
        ''Me.BackgroundWorker1.RunWorkerAsync()
    End Sub

    'This method is executed in a worker thread.
    Private Sub BackgroundWorker1_DoWork(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.ComponentModel.DoWorkEventArgs) Handles BackgroundWorker1.DoWork
        Dim worker As System.ComponentModel.BackgroundWorker = DirectCast(sender, System.ComponentModel.BackgroundWorker)
        'For i As Integer = 1 To 100
        '    'Raise the ProgressChanged event in the UI thread.        
        '    worker.ReportProgress(i, i & " iterations complete")
        '    'Perform some time-consuming operation here.        
        '    Threading.Thread.Sleep(250)
        'Next i
        Me.BackgroundWorker1.RunWorkerAsync()
    End Sub

    'This method is executed in the UI thread.
    Private Sub BackgroundWorker1_ProgressChanged(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.ComponentModel.ProgressChangedEventArgs) Handles BackgroundWorker1.ProgressChanged
        Me.ProgressBar1.Value = e.ProgressPercentage
        Me.Label1.Text = TryCast(e.UserState, String)
    End Sub

    'This method is executed in the UI thread.
    Private Sub BackgroundWorker1_RunWorkerCompleted(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.ComponentModel.RunWorkerCompletedEventArgs) Handles BackgroundWorker1.RunWorkerCompleted
        Me.Label1.Text = "Operation complete"
    End Sub
End Class

I call this form whenever I click display button but its just displaying the form and not fetching the records from the database its only when I close the form that it displays the records.

[jmcilhinney]

Um, you're calling RunWorkerAsync in the DoWork event handler. The DoWork event is raised WHEN you call RunWorkerAsync. In your case you're trying to start the BackgroundWorker after it's started. That's not going to work.

It's very simple:

1. When the form is displayed call RunWorkerAsync.
2. In the DoWork event handler retrieve your data.
3. In the RunWorkerCompleted event handler close the form.

When the form is closed the caller can then retrieve the data from a property and display it.

[jmcilhinney]

On this form, add a ProgressBar and set its Style to Marquee. This is all the code you need:

Private _data As New DataTable
 
Public ReadOnly Property Data() As DataTable
    Get
        Return Me._data
    End Get
End Property
 
Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As Object, _
                       ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
    Me.BackgroundWorker1.RunWorkerAsync()
End Sub
 
Private Sub BackgroundWorker1_DoWork(ByVal sender As Object, _
                                     ByVal e As DoWorkEventArgs) Handles BackgroundWorker1.DoWork
    Using connection As New SqlConnection("connection string here")
        Using command As New SqlCommand("SQL query here", connection)
            connection.Open()
 
            Using reader As SqlDataReader = command.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior.KeyInfo)
                Me._data.Load(reader)
            End Using
        End Using
    End Using
End Sub
 
Private Sub BackgroundWorker1_RunWorkerCompleted(ByVal sender As Object, _
                                                 ByVal e As RunWorkerCompletedEventArgs) Handles BackgroundWorker1.RunWorkerCompleted
    Me.DialogResult = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK
End Sub

In the caller the code would look something like this:

Using dialogue As New ProgressForm
    If dialogue.ShowDialog() = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK Then
        Dim table As DataTable = dialogue.Data
 
        'Use table here.
    End If
End Using

[Simply Me]

here is my code form where I will call the form frmback. It has already the connectionstring. Whenever I click the display button records will be displayed according to what is selected in my comboboxes. In your code there is another connectionstring there...what should i put there?

    Private Sub btnDisplay_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnDisplay.Click
        SuspendLayout()
        frmBackGroundWorker.ShowDialog()
        cnn.ConnectionString = "Data Source=.\sqlexpress;Initial Catalog=MyDatabase;Integrated Security=True"

        If cnn.State = ConnectionState.Closed Then cnn.Open()

        cmdGrade = cnn.CreateCommand
        cmdGrade.CommandText = "SELECT DISTINCT * FROM tblEnrol WHERE SectionName = '" & cboSection.Text & "' AND SubjectName = '" & cboSubjectName.Text & "' AND YearLevel = '" & cboYearLevel.Text & "'"
        daGrade.MissingSchemaAction = MissingSchemaAction.AddWithKey
        dsGrade.Clear()
        dsSection.Clear()
        dsSubject.Clear()
        daGrade.SelectCommand = cmdGrade
        daGrade.Fill(dsGrade, "tblEnrol")
        cnn.Close()

        Dim si() As FarPoint.Win.Spread.SortInfo = New FarPoint.Win.Spread.SortInfo() {New FarPoint.Win.Spread.SortInfo(5, False), New FarPoint.Win.Spread.SortInfo(2, True)}

 
        'bind FpSpread2 to datasource
        '1st Grading
        FpSpread2.Sheets(0).DataSource = dsGrade
        FpSpread2.Sheets(0).DataMember = "tblEnrol"
       

        'more codes here

[jmcilhinney]

You really need to go back to square 1 and work out exactly what it is you're actually doing before you try to implement it. You're calling ShowDialog there, then you're getting the data. What good is that? ShowDialog doesn't return until the dialogue is dismissed so of course you aren't going to see any data until you dismiss the dialogue. It's supposed to be the dialogue that gets the data, not the calling form. The calling form is supposed to show the dialogue and then get the data from the dialogue once it's dismissed. It shouldn't know anything about getting the data from the database. the dialogue is supposed to display the ProgressBar to the user, start a BackgroundWorker and then DO THE WORK. I've already shown you how to implement it so I'm afraid I can do no more.

[steve_rm]

Hello,

I have created an sample application.

However, you can not monitor the actual progress if you don't know how many records you need to load. However, I think you could do a sql (count) function to get the number of records, then set this as the max in your progress bar.

In the sample below I am just creating a single datatable and filling it will records. This would be where you would get your actual data.

Hope this helps,


So in the main form you would have this:

Private Sub btnGetData_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
    Dim frmGetData As New GetData()
    frmGetData.ShowDialog()
    
    'Get the data from the property
    Dim dt As New DataTable()
    dt = frmGetData.MyDataTable
    
    'Assign the table to the grid's datasource
    Me.dgvData.DataSource = dt
End Sub

In the form where you will display the progress bar and do all the work:

Private dt As New DataTable()
Public Sub New()     
    InitializeComponent()
End Sub
Public ReadOnly Property MyDataTable() As DataTable
    
    'Public property that will return the data table (readonly).
    Get
        Return dt
    End Get
End Property
 
Private Sub GetData_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
    'Start the background worker
    Me.bgwGetData.RunWorkerAsync()
End Sub
 
Private Sub bgwGetData_DoWork(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As DoWorkEventArgs)
    'Get the records from the database. 
    'For this example we are creating a data table and filling it will records.
    Dim dc As New DataColumn()
    dc.DataType = System.Type.[GetType]("System.Int16")
    dc.ColumnName = "IDNumber"
    dc.AutoIncrement = True
    dc.AutoIncrementSeed = 0
    dc.AutoIncrementStep = 1
    dt.Columns.Add(dc)
    
    dc = New DataColumn()
    dc.DataType = System.Type.[GetType]("System.String")
    dc.ColumnName = "Name"
    dt.Columns.Add(dc)
    
    'Loop through adding all the rows to the datatable
    Dim nr As DataRow
    For i As Integer = 0 To 99
        'If the user clicked the cancel button stop filling
        If bgwGetData.CancellationPending Then
            'Set cancel to true so this can be checked in the work completed
            e.Cancel = True
            Exit For
        End If
        
        nr = dt.NewRow()
        nr("Name") = "Steve"
        dt.Rows.Add(nr)
        
        'Report the actual progress - loop counter (i)
        Me.bgwGetData.ReportProgress(i)
        'This happens too fast, slow it down.
        System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(100)
    Next
End Sub
 
'Update the progress bar
Private Sub bgwGetData_ProgressChanged(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As ProgressChangedEventArgs)
    Me.pbrGetData.Value = e.ProgressPercentage
End Sub
 
'Once the work has been completed or the operation was cancelled by the user.
Private Sub bgwGetData_RunWorkerCompleted(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As RunWorkerCompletedEventArgs)
    If Not e.Cancelled Then
        MessageBox.Show("Work Completed")
    Else
        MessageBox.Show("Operation cancelled unexpectedly - data may not be complete")
    End If
    Me.Close()
End Sub
 
'Cancel the operation
Private Sub btnCancel_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
    Me.bgwGetData.CancelAsync()
End Sub

[Simply Me]

steve, i appreciate very much your reply and code. Right now, the apps is already being used and the design is like what i mentioned in post #18. I have a main form with a treeview menu. I call a form which contains a third party control (fpspread). I click a button to populate the grid with records from my table. With the code you gave, I think will not fit my need.

If using background worker is not possible with my apps. How do i just display something to let the user that something is going to and they need to wait for awhile and when loading or fetching of the records is done then the prompt display or whatever it is will be dismissed or unloaded automatically.

[Simply Me]

Or Instead of having a pop up form can this be done like how internet explorer does --put a progress bar at the status bar?