How to have a subroutine run constantly

[blinky]

Hello,

I am just starting out using VB .Net and am wanting to try and control my Telescope. So far I can pull one value out from the telescope but I want to have this refresh every second or so, as well as pulling out another value every second or so BUT I want to let the rest of the application run, if you know what I mean? An example - I create a label that reads the value of the telescope every second but I have another button that lets me move the telescope whilst the 1st button continues to read and display the value - Does that make any sense?
Here's what I have so far....

Imports System.Threading
Public Class Form1
 
    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
 
 
    End Sub
 
    Dim Telescope As New EQMOD_SIM.Telescope
    Dim ASCOMUtil As New ASCOM.Helper.Util
    Public debug As String
    Public ra As Double
    Public dec As Double
    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        Try
            Telescope.Connected = True
            debug = (Now.Hour & ":" & Now.Minute & ":" & Now.Second & " Connecting Telescope Mount...." & vbNewLine
                     )
            RichTextBox1.Text = debug
            Thread.Sleep(3000)
            If Telescope.Connected Then
                debug = (Now.Hour & ":" & Now.Minute & ":" & Now.Second & " Telescope Mount Connected" & vbNewLine
                         )
                RichTextBox1.Text = debug
            End If
        Catch EQMODex As Exception
            debug = ("EQMOD Error = " & EQMODex.Message & vbNewLine
                     )
            RichTextBox1.Text = debug
        End Try
        ra = Telescope.RightAscension()
        Label2.Text = ra & vbNewLine
    End Sub
 
End Class
 

I imagine I need some form of sub routine but done have a clue how to set this up - I only started looking at VB at the weekend, never having programed since school!

[Rabbit]

What you're looking for is multithreading. It allows you create a new stream of execution so you can have more than one stream of code run "at the same time." Or rather it gives the illusion it's running at the same time. What's actually happening is that each stream divides up a portion of the CPU time.

[blinky]

OK, bear in mind I just started this at the weekend..... Now I have found some Microsoft documents that talk about a Backgroundworkder form so I added this. I double clicked this control on my designer and then in the code I pasted the my code, I now have:

 Private Sub BackgroundWorker1_DoWork(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.ComponentModel.DoWorkEventArgs) Handles BackgroundWorker1.DoWork
        Do
            ra = Telescope.RightAscension()
            Label2.Text = ra
            Thread.Sleep(2000)
        Loop
    End Sub
 
End Class

But it still wont work, I think possibly because I need to call this background process? But how do I do that?

[Rabbit]

Microsoft has a comprehensive example here http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...undworker.aspx