Is there a better way: Displaying a Working Dialog

[AMDRIT]

Hello Everyone,

Just curious how far off the mark I am with my Working Dialog. Any
improvements are welcomed.

Scenario, we have an application (vb'05) that at known times performs tasks
that take some time to process. During those times, I would like to display
a dialog that informs the user that work is occuring.

We have a base form that all other forms derive from. It is in this form
that I put the logic for enabling and disabling the wait dialog.

Here is a simple sample use:
class form1
inherits baseForm

Private Sub Button1_Click(B yVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As
System.EventArg s) Handles Button1.Click

showDelay()

Me.Button1.Enab led = False
Dim aList As ArrayList = New ArrayList

For i As Integer = 1 To 10

For j As Integer = 1 To 10000
'Hurt the processor
aList.Add(i)
Application.DoE vents()
Next

Debug.Print(i.T oString)

Next

Me.Button1.Enab led = True

endDelay()

MsgBox("Job's Done!")

End Sub

end class

Here is my code

'--==Class baseForm.vb==--

Protected f As splashForm
Protected inDelay As Boolean

Private Sub showDelay()

If inDelay Then Exit Sub
inDelay = True

Dim imageFirst As System.Drawing. Bitmap
Dim imagesecond As System.Drawing. Bitmap
Dim myStream As System.IO.Strea m
Dim thisExe As System.Reflecti on.Assembly

thisExe = System.Reflecti on.Assembly.Get EntryAssembly
myStream =
thisExe.GetMani festResourceStr eam(String.Form at("{0}.imageFi rst.bmp",
thisExe.GetName .Name))
imageFirst = System.Drawing. Bitmap.FromStre am(myStream)
myStream =
thisExe.GetMani festResourceStr eam(String.Form at("{0}.imageSe cond.bmp",
thisExe.GetName .Name))
imagesecond = System.Drawing. Bitmap.FromStre am(myStream)

f = New splashForm(imag eFirst, imagesecond)

f.Show(Me)
f.Process(False )

End Sub

Private Sub endDelay()

If inDelay Then
f.Stop()
f.Dispose()
End If

inDelay = False

End Sub

'--===Class splashForm.vb==--

Public Class splashForm

Private EndDelay As Boolean
Private OnFirst As Boolean = True

Private imageFirst As System.Drawing. Bitmap
Private imageSecond As System.Drawing. Bitmap

Public Sub New(ByVal oimageFirst As System.Drawing. Bitmap, ByVal
oimageSecond As System.Drawing. Bitmap)

' This call is required by the Windows Form Designer.
InitializeCompo nent()

' Add any initialization after the InitializeCompo nent() call.
imageFirst = oimageFirst
imageSecond = oimageSecond

Me.BackgroundIm age = imageFirst
EndDelay = False

End Sub

Public Sub [Stop]()
EndDelay = True
End Sub

Public Sub Process(Optiona l ByVal ShowProcessing As Boolean = True)

Dim worker As System.Componen tModel.Backgrou ndWorker

worker = New System.Componen tModel.Backgrou ndWorker
worker.WorkerRe portsProgress = True
worker.WorkerSu pportsCancellat ion = True

If ShowProcessing Then
Me.BackgroundIm age = imageSecond
Else
Me.BackgroundIm age = imageFirst
End If

AddHandler worker.Progress Changed, AddressOf progressChanged
AddHandler worker.RunWorke rCompleted, AddressOf runWorkerComple ted
AddHandler worker.DoWork, AddressOf doWork

EndDelay = False

worker.RunWorke rAsync()

End Sub

Private Sub doWork(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As
System.Componen tModel.DoWorkEv entArgs)

'Temp var used as a flag
Dim DontStop As Boolean

' Get the BackgroundWorke r object that raised this event.
Dim worker As System.Componen tModel.Backgrou ndWorker = CType(sender,
System.Componen tModel.Backgrou ndWorker)

DontStop = True

Do While DontStop

SyncLock (Me)
DontStop = Not EndDelay
End SyncLock

'Trace.WriteLin e(String.Format ("Processing and dontstop = {0}",
DontStop.ToStri ng))

worker.ReportPr ogress(0)

Threading.Threa d.Sleep(50)

Loop

End Sub

Private Sub progressChanged (ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As
System.Componen tModel.Progress ChangedEventArg s)

Static GoNorth As Boolean

If Not EndDelay Then

If Me.Opacity >= 1D Then GoNorth = False
If Me.Opacity <= 0.01D Then GoNorth = True

If GoNorth Then
Me.Opacity += 0.05D
Else
Me.Opacity -= 0.05D
End If

Me.CenterToPare nt()

End If

End Sub

Private Sub runWorkerComple ted(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As
System.Componen tModel.RunWorke rCompletedEvent Args)

Dim worker As System.Componen tModel.Backgrou ndWorker = CType(sender,
System.Componen tModel.Backgrou ndWorker)

RemoveHandler worker.Progress Changed, AddressOf progressChanged
RemoveHandler worker.RunWorke rCompleted, AddressOf runWorkerComple ted
RemoveHandler worker.DoWork, AddressOf doWork

End Sub

End Class