WinForm SplashScreen

By Fons Sonnemans (August 2002)

Download SplashScreen.zip

Introduction

Most commercial WinForm applications have a SplashScreen. This article explains how you can implement one using the Microsoft .NET Framework.


Example: Visual Studio.NET SplashScreen


SplashApplicationContext

The SplashApplicationContext is used to show a splash Form before the main Form is shown. It's base class is ApplicationContext.

The constructor accepts 3 arguments

  • mainForm: The main Form of the application to use for context
  • splashForm: The splash Form of the application to use for context
  • interval: The time (in milliseconds) the splash Form is visible. Specify 0 to disable the timeout.

Usage

The Application.Run(context) method creates a standard application message loop on the current thread, with an ApplicationContext.

The following code creates a SplashApplicationContext using a new Form1 as the MainForm and a new SplashForm as the SplashForm. The interval is set to 2000 which will show the SplashForm for 2 seconds. This is done in the static Main() method.

/// <summary>
/// The main entry point for the application.
/// </summary>
[STAThread]
static void Main()
{
    SplashApplicationContext myContext =
        new SplashApplicationContext(new Form1(), new SplashForm(), 2000);

    Application.Run(myContext);
}
Code: Form1.cs

You can use the time that the SplashForm is shown usefully. You can use it to connect to databases or do some other intializations. The following code simulates some activity. The status is displayed using a Label control.

private void SplashForm_Load(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
{
    // Show Form
    this.Show();
    Application.DoEvents(); // Finish Paint
    Cursor.Current = Cursors.WaitCursor;

    // Simulate some activity (e.g. connect to database, caching data, retrieving defaults)
    this.labelStatus.Text = "Step 1";
    this.labelStatus.Refresh();
    System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(1000);

    // Simulate some activity
    this.labelStatus.Text = "Step 2";
    this.labelStatus.Refresh();
    System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(1000);

    // Simulate some activity
    this.labelStatus.Text = "Step 3";
    this.labelStatus.Refresh();
    System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(1000);

    // Close Form
    this.Close();
}

Code: SplashForm.cs

You must set the interval to 0 to disable the timer.

[STAThread]
static void Main()
{
    SplashApplicationContext myContext =
        new SplashApplicationContext(new Form1(), new SplashForm(), 0);

    Application.Run(myContext);
}

Code: Form1.cs

Conclusion

The SplashApplicationContext class is easy solution to show a SplashScreen. It demonstrates the power of the .NET Framework.

Any suggestions and feedback for improving this article is most welcome. Send your suggestions and feedback to Fons.Sonnemans@reflectionit.nl