Use a Custom Class to Show a Splash Form

• Feb 24, 2022
• 3 minutes to read

This topic demonstrates how create a custom splash form and use a custom class to show this form.

Tip

A complete sample project is available in the DevExpress Code Examples database at https://supportcenter.devexpress.com/ticket/details/e4646/how-to-use-a-custom-form-as-a-splash-screen.

1. Create a new Windows Form in your solution’s WinForms Application project, name the form SplashScreenForm, and design it to meet your requirements.

   

2. Add a new class to your WinForms Application Project and implement the ISplash interface.

   • Override the ISplash.Start method. Create a SplashScreenForm instance and call the form’s Show method.
   • In the ISplash.Stop method’s override, hide and close the SplashScreenForm.
   • The ISplash.IsStarted property indicates whether the SplashScreenForm is shown.
   • Override ISplash.SetDisplayText. You can call this method to change the SplashScreenForm‘s text.

   The code below demonstrates the MySplash class that implements the ISplash interface.

   C#

   using DevExpress.ExpressApp.Win;
   //...
   public class MySplash : ISplash {
       static private SplashScreenForm form;
       private static bool isStarted = false;
       public void Start() {
           isStarted = true;
           form = new SplashScreenForm();
           form.Show();
           System.Windows.Forms.Application.DoEvents();
       }
       public void Stop() {
           if(form != null) {
               form.Hide();
               form.Close();
               form = null;
           }
           isStarted = false;
       }
       public void SetDisplayText(string displayText) {
       }
       public bool IsStarted {
           get { return isStarted; }
       }
   }
   

   VB.NET

   Imports DevExpress.ExpressApp.Win
   '...
   Public Class MySplash
       Implements ISplash
       Private Shared form As SplashScreenForm
       Private _isStarted As Boolean
       Public Sub Start() Implements ISplash.Start
           _isStarted = True
           form = New SplashScreenForm()
           form.Show()
           System.Windows.Forms.Application.DoEvents()
       End Sub
       Public Sub [Stop]() Implements ISplash.Stop
           If form IsNot Nothing Then
               form.Hide()
               form.Close()
               form = Nothing
           End If
           _isStarted = False
       End Sub
       Public Sub SetDisplayText(ByVal displayText As String) Implements ISplash.SetDisplayText
       End Sub
       Public ReadOnly Property IsStarted() As Boolean Implements ISplash.IsStarted
           Get
               Return _isStarted
           End Get
       End Property
   End Class
   

3. Access the WinApplication.cs (WinApplication.vb) file. Set the SplashScreen property to a new MySplash class instance.

   C#

   private void InitializeDefaults() {
      //...
      SplashScreen = new MySplash();
      // ...
   }
   

   VB.NET

   private Sub InitializeDefaults()
      '...
      SplashScreen = New MySplash()
      ' ...
   End Sub
   

4. You can display loading progress information. To do this, implement the the ISupportUpdateSplash interface in the MySplash class and add the UpdateInfo method to the SplashScreenForm class.

   C#

   public class MySplash : ISplash, ISupportUpdateSplash {
       // ...
       public void UpdateSplash(string caption, string description, params object[] additionalParams) {
           form.UpdateInfo(description);
       }
   }
   // ...
   public partial class SplashScreenForm : Form {
       // ...
       internal void UpdateInfo(string info) {
           label2.Text = info;
       }
   }
   

   VB.NET

   Public Class MySplash
       Implements ISplash, ISupportUpdateSplash
       ' ...
       Public Sub UpdateSplash(ByVal caption As String, ByVal description As String, _
           ParamArray ByVal additionalParams() As Object)
           form.UpdateInfo(description)
       End Sub
   End Class
   ' ...
   Partial Public Class SplashScreenForm
       Inherits Form
       ' ...
       Friend Sub UpdateInfo(ByVal info As String)
           label2.Text = info
       End Sub
   End Class
   

5. Start the application to see the result.