C# Discussion Boards - CodeProject

Re: Hide Black Console Window later in program

18-Nov-09 7:33

Dear Sirs,

I searched online and the forums and can't find the answer to my question. I would like my program to hide its console window in a managed way, but only AFTER allowing the program to output there. Basically, it goes like this:

public .ctor()
{
    _Init();
    _Open_SS();
    System.Console.Hide();/*believe it or not, this doesn't work!*/
}

So, if anyone knows how to do this in a MANAGED-ONLY context (I don't want to use DllImport("Kernel32.dll")]extern int FreeConsole();). Thanks in advance for your help!!

In Christ,
Aaron Laws

http://ProCure.com

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.18-Nov-09 7:57

The Man from U.N.C.L.E.

18-Nov-09 7:57

I know you said Managed code, however I don't see any way of avoiding it as the console is an unmanaged host for the application output. However I would recommend

[DllImport("user32.dll")]static extern bool ShowWindow(IntPtr hWnd, int nCmdShow);

rather than FreeConsole as you don't really want to detach the process from the console, just hide the console. Well, having said that, maybe you do, but I wouldn't.

If you have knowledge, let others light their candles at it.
Margaret Fuller (1810 - 1850)
www.JacksonSoft.co.uk

Re: Hide Black Console Window later in program

PIEBALDconsult18-Nov-09 9:23

PIEBALDconsult

18-Nov-09 9:23

I use FreeConsole for applications than can be run in either console or GUI mode.

Stretch to parent control

Zaegra18-Nov-09 7:19

18-Nov-09 7:19

Hey,

I'd like a control to stretch to it's parents' size in several steps. I have accomplished this, but the result isn't statisfying. This is because im using (Control.) DrawToBitmap in a for loop, which builds up memory pretty fast. I can solve this by using GC.Collect(), but that doesn't look very professional. Thus i'm looking for an alternative, that makes a control stretch in several steps (as in an animation) without flickering. (Perfectly smooth) I'd appreciate some ideas on how to solve this problem Wink | ;)

Thanks in advance,
Zaegra

Motivation is the key to software development.

LimitedAtonement18-Nov-09 7:44

18-Nov-09 7:44

Dear Mr. Viagra,

There might be many ways to do this. Is this in the on-paint method of said control, or is this a child control? Perhaps you're just making a bitmap show up on your Panel, and it should change size dynamically. Well, here's a go: Create a Control : Panel, and override its OnPaint method to do something like this:

e.Graphics.Clear(BackColor);
e.Graphics.DrawImage(image, new System.Drawing.Rectangle(0, 0, ClientSize.Width-1, ClientSize.Height-1));

which will automatically scale. (Be sure to override OnResize with Invaliate(true); to make sure that a full redraw is done.) Then, in the parent form (with the custom Control:Panel as a child control), run something like:

for (int a = 0; a < 500; a++)
    Control.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(a,a);

There's an attempt to answer the question, but you have given VERY little information.

Warning:I have not tested any of the code above, so it might not work.

Good luck!

In Christ,
Aaron Laws

http://ProCure.com

Zaegra18-Nov-09 8:34

18-Nov-09 8:34

LimitedAtonement wrote:
Dear Mr. Viagra

Well, that's not really what i'm trying to accomplish. This stretches the entire control, and thereby changes the interior arrangement of the items (e.g a listview). It has to look like the control "freezes", then stretches to it's parent size and when it has reached that size it can return to it's old size. Don't ask me why, it's just a fancy GUI animation. And I know i can do this by using DrawToBitmap (which basically makes a screenshot of the control) and stretching that. But when I do that, the animation flickers because I have to use the .Update() method on the control. Any more idea's? Blush | :O

Thanks for your reply though, it gave me some idea's , but just not enough Wink | ;)

Greets,
Zaegra

Motivation is the key to software development.

Abhishek Sur18-Nov-09 9:49

Abhishek Sur

18-Nov-09 9:49

LimitedAtonement wrote:
Dear Mr. Viagra,

Abhishek Sur
Don't forget to click "Good Answer" if you like this Solution.
My Latest Articles-->
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0x3c018-Nov-09 10:01

0x3c0

18-Nov-09 10:01

LimitedAtonement wrote:
Dear Mr. Viagra,

That's quite the typo. Laugh | :laugh:

OSDev

Abhishek Sur18-Nov-09 9:51

Abhishek Sur

18-Nov-09 9:51

What sort of controls you are talking about ?

Are you talking about visual elements? How about Anchor / Dock properties. Have you tried them ?

Abhishek Sur
Don't forget to click "Good Answer" if you like this Solution.
My Latest Articles-->
Simplify Code Using NDepend
Basics of Bing Search API using .NET
Microsoft Bing MAP using Javascript

Zaegra18-Nov-09 10:04

18-Nov-09 10:04

I'm talking about a listview, but it should basically work for every control. I need to: 1) Create a bitmap of the control using Control.ToBitmap(), 2) Calculate the aspects ratio between the size of the control and it's parent and 3) Stretch the bitmap and draw it. 4) Repeat so that it looks like an animation. But I've tried to set the backgroundimage, but it won't redraw automatically. Therefore I implemented the Control.Update() method, but this results in a) Good Animation but b) Flicker. And I don't want the flicker Smile | :)

You understand? Smile | :)

Thanks for your interest!

Zaegra

Motivation is the key to software development.

Luc Pattyn18-Nov-09 10:08

Luc Pattyn

18-Nov-09 10:08

Hi,

1.
You don't need GC.Collect(), using it is a bad idea most of the time.
You should however Dispose() of all disposable objects when you no longer need them; prime candidates might be Graphics, Image, Bitmap, Font and then some.

2.
I'm not sure I understand your question. If what you need is a non-functional small Control, that slowly grows, and only becomes functional in its final size, then I suggest you:
- create the final Control on a Panel "panelCanvas" that is NOT shown on your Form;
- turn it into a Bitmap once;
- show an empty Panel "panelEmpty" on your Form, onto which you paint the Bitmap in varying sizes until you reach the final size (use Paint handler, a Windows.Forms.Timer and Panel.Invalidate)
- finally remove panelEmpty and add panelCanvas to Controls.
Of course you should do all of this with a Form that is double-buffered.

Smile | :)

Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [My Articles]

I only read code that is properly indented, and rendered in a non-proportional font; hint: use PRE tags in forum messages

Zaegra18-Nov-09 10:45

18-Nov-09 10:45

Well, the link provided below contains an AVI file with what I am trying to accomplish. It will definately clarify things.

[url=http://www1.zippyshare.com/v/64422131/file.html]example.avi[/url]

Even in the example you can see the flicker that occurs.
Below is the code that i'm using for the 'animation':
(PS: panel1 is the panel that contains the listview that needs to be stretched)

public void Animate(Control Ctrl, int Steps)
        {
            Bitmap OriginalView = new Bitmap(Ctrl.Width, Ctrl.Height);
            Ctrl.DrawToBitmap(OriginalView, new Rectangle(0,0,Ctrl.Width,Ctrl.Height));
            int ParentWidth = (int)Ctrl.Parent.Width;
            int ParentHeight = (int)Ctrl.Parent.Height;
            int wGrowth = (int)(ParentWidth - Ctrl.Width)/Steps;
            int hGrowth = (int) (ParentHeight - Ctrl.Height)/Steps;
            panel1.BackgroundImage = OriginalView;
            Ctrl.Visible = false;

            for (int i = 0; i < Steps; i++)
            {
                Bitmap NewRender = new Bitmap(OriginalView, new Size(OriginalView.Size.Width + i*wGrowth, OriginalView.Size.Height + i*hGrowth));
                panel1.BackgroundImage = NewRender;
                panel1.Update(); 
            }
            GC.Collect();
            Ctrl.Visible = true;
            panel1.BackgroundImage = null;
            panel1.Update();
            

        }

And to end up: The dispose method won't work. If i do it throws me all sorts of error of which I still have to find out their sources...

Thanks again for your time and idea's,
Zaegra

Motivation is the key to software development.

LimitedAtonement18-Nov-09 11:12

18-Nov-09 11:12

Dear Mr. Viagra,

Take a look at the property DoubleBuffered. It is used on any control (the control that is updating over and over) to prevent flickering.

In Christ,
Aaron Laws

http://ProCure.com

Luc Pattyn18-Nov-09 13:42

Luc Pattyn

18-Nov-09 13:42

Hi,

I've now created a little article[^] that explains how to animate GDI+ on WinForms.

Smile | :)

Luc Pattyn [Forum Guidelines] [My Articles]

I only read code that is properly indented, and rendered in a non-proportional font; hint: use PRE tags in forum messages

Zaegra18-Nov-09 19:23

18-Nov-09 19:23

That's exactly what I need, thanks Luc! Big Grin | :-D

Motivation is the key to software development.

LimitedAtonement20-Nov-09 6:20

20-Nov-09 6:20

Dear Mr. Pattyn,

I couldn't see a way to contact you in your `little article.' But, I thought I would cite something I saw in MSDN:
"
To fully enable double-buffering, you can set the OptimizedDoubleBuffer and AllPaintingInWmPaint bits to true. However the preferred method for enabling double buffering, which yields the same result, is to set the DoubleBuffered property for the control to true.
"
Nice article, though!

[EDIT]
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.windows.forms.controlstyles.aspx[^]
Paragraph 3 of Remarks.

In Christ,
Aaron Laws

http://ProCure.com