Develop Reference

Getting a label to insert text slowly

I am trying to insert text to a lable, BUT the text has to be inserted slowly/character by character/letter by letter,
kinda like in old MUD games.
So far I have tried doing this:
private void StoryBox_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
string text = StoryBox.Text;
var index = 0;
var timer = new System.Timers.Timer(2000);
timer.Elapsed += delegate
{
if (index < text.Length)
{
index++;
StoryBox.Text = "This should come out pretty slowly ";
}
else
{
timer.Enabled = false;
timer.Dispose();
}
};
timer.Enabled = true;
}
This is what I have gathered from the site but I don't particularly understand why this isn't working.
As you can see it's under StoryBox_Click.
Is there a way to automate this? So when the program is opened, it counts a couple seconds and THEN starts writing the text out.

Try this:
private async void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
string yourText = "This should come out pretty slowly";
label1.Text = string.Empty;
int i = 0;
for (i = 0; i <= yourText.Length - 1; i++)
{
label1.Text += yourText[i];
await Task.Delay(500);
}
}

You can use the Shown-Event of YourForm when you want to start it after your GUI has been opened.
So reusing your provided code and changing a few things this may work for you:
Add private fields to YourForm class:
private Timer _timer;
private int _index;
private string _storyText;
and initialising it in YourForm constructor
public YourForm()
{
InitializeComponent();
// init private fields;
this._index = 0;
this._storyText = "This should come out pretty slowly";
// Timer Interval is set to 1 second
this._timer = new Timer { Interval = 1000 };
// Adding EventHandler to Shown Event
this.Shown += this.YourForm_Shown;
this._timer.Tick += delegate
{
if (this._index < this._storyText.Length)
{
StoryBox.Text += this._storyText[this._index];
this._index++;
}
else
{
this._timer.Stop();
}
};
}
and the Shown event for YourForm:
private void YourForm_Shown(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
this._timer.Start();
}

How to use progressbar.value property at different locations of program

I need to use progressbar.value property at different locations. But the problem is, while executing it shows only maximum value given. I need to stop at 25% and 75% and after some delay, 100%. How can I overcome this problem. Thanks in Advance...
C#
namespace ProgressBarWindowForm
{
public partial class Form1 : Form
{
public Form1()
{
InitializeComponent();
}
public void Form1_Load(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
{
label1.Hide();
progressBar1.Minimum = 0;
progressBar1.Maximum = 100;
}
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
progressBar1.Value = 25;
if (progressBar1.Value == 25)
{
label1.Show();
label1.Text = "Process Complete 25%";
}
progressBar1.Value = 75;
if (progressBar1.Value == 75)
{
label1.Show();
label1.Text = "Process Complete 75%";
}
}
}
}
Progressbar control name is progressBar1,
Label name is label1 and
Button name is button1
When I Clicked the Button, progressbar value is directly filling with 75%. I want to stop it at 25% and after some delay it should fill 75% and then 100%...Can anyone help..Can I use "progressBar1.value" only Once or as many times I need?

try this,Drag and drop background worker in windows form
public partial class Form1 : Form
{
public Form1()
{
InitializeComponent();
backgroundWorker1.WorkerReportsProgress = true;
// This event will be raised on the worker thread when the worker starts
backgroundWorker1.DoWork += new DoWorkEventHandler(backgroundWorker1_DoWork);
// This event will be raised when we call ReportProgress
backgroundWorker1.ProgressChanged += new ProgressChangedEventHandler(backgroundWorker1_ProgressChanged);
}
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
// Start the background worker
backgroundWorker1.RunWorkerAsync();
}
// On worker thread so do our thing!
void backgroundWorker1_DoWork(object sender, DoWorkEventArgs e)
{
// Your background task goes here
for (int i = 0; i <= 100; i++)
{
// Report progress to 'UI' thread
backgroundWorker1.ReportProgress(i);
// Simulate long task
if (label1.InvokeRequired)
{
label1.Invoke(new MethodInvoker(delegate
{
label1.Show();
label1.Text = "Process Complete " + progressBar1.Value + "%";
}));
}
if (progressBar1.Value == 25 || progressBar1.Value == 75)
{
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(1000);
}
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(100);
}
}
// Back on the 'UI' thread so we can update the progress bar
void backgroundWorker1_ProgressChanged(object sender, ProgressChangedEventArgs e)
{
// The progress percentage is a property of e
progressBar1.Value = e.ProgressPercentage;
}
}

Use a Timer to update the progress bar after a delay:
public partial class Form1 : Form
{
public Form1()
{
InitializeComponent();
timer.Tick += Timer_Tick;
timer.Interval = 1000; // delay: 1000 milliseconds
}
Timer timer = new Timer();
private void Timer_Tick(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
if (progressBar1.Value == 100)
{
timer.Stop();
return;
}
progressBar1.Value += 25;
}
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
progressBar1.Value = 25;
timer.Start();
}
}

Its simple to update progressBar values in button click, you can initialize the properties in the page load or else use the designer, in page load it would be like the following:
private int ProgressPercentage = 10;
public void Form1_Load(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
{
progressBar1.Minimum = 0;
progressBar1.Maximum = 100;
progressBar1.Value = 0;
}
So the initialization completed, now you can code the button click like the following, through which you can update the progress bar in every button click:
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
progressBar1.Value += ProgressPercentage;
label1.Text = String.Format("Process Complete {0}%",progressBar1.Value);
}
If you want the update to be happens automatically in a particular interval means you can make use of a timer and enable the timer in the button click. Here you can find a similar thread which can be used to implement timer to your scene.
Update as per your comment, calling a delay will not be a best practice, you can make use a timer here as like the following:
System.Windows.Forms.Timer proTimer = new System.Windows.Forms.Timer();
private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
proTimer.Interval = 1000;
progressBar1.Minimum = 0;
progressBar1.Maximum = 100;
progressBar1.Value = 0;
proTimer.Tick += new EventHandler(proTimer_Tick);
}
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
proTimer.Enabled = true;
proTimer.Start();
}
// Timer event
void proTimer_Tick(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
progressBar1.Value += ProgressPercentage;
label1.Text = String.Format("Process Complete {0}%",progressBar1.Value);
if (progressBar1.Value == 100)
{
proTimer.Stop();
proTimer.Enbled = false;
}
}

You need to add a delay inbetween the changes. As of now, the button advance the bar to 25, sets the label, then advances the bar to 75 without pausing.
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(n); will sleep n milliseconds, which you will need after the statement setting the 25 percent marker.
EDIT
If you want it the value to only progress on a button click, you will need to check the value of the progress bar before you advance it.
In pseudo code, something like:
onclick() {
if (progress == 0) {
progress = 25
label = the25MarkText
} else if (progress == 25) {
progress = 75
label = the75MarkText
}
}

Form timer doesn't start

So I just started learning C# and using forms. I have been able to create a digital clock and tinker with this and that, but now I'm trying to make a basic UI for a derpy game and my timer doesn't work.
First - what I'm trying to accomplish: A simple decrementing timer from 60 seconds (*clock style (mm:ss)).
Second, here's what I have:
public partial class Form1 : Form
{
private int counter = 60;
public Form1()
{
InitializeComponent();
label1.Text = TimeSpan.FromMinutes(1).ToString("m\\:ss");
}
private void pictureBox2_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
}
private void timer1_Tick(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
counter--;
if (counter == 0)
{
timer1.Stop();
label1.Text = counter.ToString();
MessageBox.Show("Time's Up!!");
}
}
private void label1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
var startTime = DateTime.Now;
var counter = (TimeSpan.FromMinutes(1)).ToString("m\\:ss");
timer1 = new Timer();
timer1.Tick += new EventHandler(timer1_Tick);
timer1.Interval = 1000;
timer1.Start();
label1.Text = counter.ToString();
}
}
Appreciate the feedback and knowledge!

From the codes that I see, your timer is working but you are not updating it in each count, you are updating when the timer finishes -
private void timer1_Tick(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
counter--;
if (counter == 0)
{
timer1.Stop();
label1.Text = counter.ToString(); // *** Look here
MessageBox.Show("Time's Up!!");
}
}
You should update the timer in each tick, so take the update label code out of the if block -
private void timer1_Tick(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
counter--;
label1.Text = counter.ToString(); // should work
if (counter == 0)
{
timer1.Stop();
MessageBox.Show("Time's Up!!");
}
}
and also reset the counter in each cycle -
private void label1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
var startTime = DateTime.Now;
var counter = (TimeSpan.FromMinutes(1)).ToString("m\\:ss");
timer1 = new Timer();
timer1.Tick += new EventHandler(timer1_Tick);
timer1.Interval = 1000;
timer1.Start();
label1.Text = counter.ToString();
this.counter = 60
}
NOTE: I am really not sure if this code will throw any access
violation error, due to updating the UI in a different thread or not.
If so, then you have to use async/await or events/delegates to
update UI.
Let me know, if this throws error, then I will give you the async/await version.

This works fine for me. I would give progress updates as the time is countdown to show that it is working. For example, if you did this in label, you could do something like the following:
private void timer1_Tick(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
counter--;
label1.Text = counter.ToString();
if (counter == 0)
{
timer1.Stop();
MessageBox.Show("Time's Up!!");
}
}
Notice that the label1.Text = counter.ToString(); line has been moved before the counter == 0 check, so that it is able to provide feedback for all counter values.
As well, you may accidentally launch several timer1 instances if you do not keep track of how many you spawn using new Timer(). There are various ways to do this, but you could simply check whether timer1 already exists and counter == 0 before creating a new instance. You could perform this check as a guard clause (ie. return if either of those conditions are matched).
private void label1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
var startTime = DateTime.Now;
if (timer1 == null || (timer1 != null && counter == 0)) return;
counter = (TimeSpan.FromMinutes(1)).ToString("m\\:ss");
timer1 = new Timer();
timer1.Tick += new EventHandler(timer1_Tick);
timer1.Interval = 1000;
timer1.Start();
label1.Text = counter.ToString();
}
If you want this countdown to start automatically, you can put this directly into the constructor, or put it into another method and call it from the constructor like so:
public Form1()
{
InitializeComponent();
StartCountdown();
}
private void StartCountdown()
{
var startTime = DateTime.Now;
/* the rest of your original label1_Click code goes here ... */
}

Background Worker ReportProgress not firing

I'm setting up a background worker for the first time. It is mostly working as the code runs and my stop/cancel button is working. However, I am also trying to report progress to update a progress bar but I cannot get this to fire at all.
I start the code from a button click which runs this code:
backgroundWorker1.WorkerSupportsCancellation = true;
backgroundWorker1.WorkerReportsProgress = true;
backgroundWorker1.RunWorkerAsync();//this invokes the DoWork event
My Do_Work method:
private void backgroundWorker1_DoWork(object sender, DoWorkEventArgs e)
{
BackgroundWorker worker = sender as BackgroundWorker;
int j = 0;// Count cumulative imported files
int countDupFiles = 0;// Count number of previously imported csv files
int countImportedFiles = 0;// Count imported files
foreach (string folderPath in csvDirList)
{
string[] csvFileNames = Directory.GetFiles(#folderPath, "*.csv");
frmImportCsvData.replaceAll(csvFileNames, folderPath + "\\", "");
for (int i = 0; i < csvFileNames.Length; i++, j++)
{
string csvFilePath = folderPath + "\\" + csvFileNames[i];
if ((worker.CancellationPending == true))
{
e.Cancel = true;
break;
}
else
{
if (dataLayer.ImportCsvDataBkgrnd(this, csvFilePath, compIdValue, csvFileCount, i))//new method processes subdirectories if tick box selected
{
countImportedFiles = countImportedFiles + 1;
}
else
{
countDupFiles = countDupFiles + 1;
}
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(500);
}
worker.ReportProgress(j);//tried using worker and backgroundWorker1 but neither works
backgroundWorker1.ReportProgress(j);
//string proj = j.ToString();
//MessageBox.Show(proj);//Displays incrementing j as expected when not commented out
}
}
if (countImportedFiles > 0)
MessageBox.Show(countImportedFiles + " files were imported.");
if (countDupFiles > 0)
MessageBox.Show(countDupFiles + " files were not imported. Matches all ready in Database.");
}
Trying to fire either of these ProgressChanged events:
private void backgroundWorker1_ProgressChanged(object sender, ProgressChangedEventArgs e)
{
string tbProgress = (e.ProgressPercentage.ToString() + "%");
MessageBox.Show(tbProgress + "backgroundWorker1");
importProgressBar(e.ProgressPercentage);
}
private void worker_ProgressChanged(object sender, ProgressChangedEventArgs e)
{
string tbProgress = (e.ProgressPercentage.ToString() + "%");
MessageBox.Show(tbProgress + "worker");
importProgressBar(e.ProgressPercentage);
}
Finally, I want the ProgressChanged event to trigger this method to update my progress bar:
public void importProgressBar(int i)
{
progressTableLayoutPanel.Visible = true;//display progress bar
int percProgress = 100 * (i + 1) / csvFileCount;
if (percProgress <= 99)// Required to prevent values above 100 that crash the code
progressBar.Value = percProgress + 1;//hack that makes the progress bar update when progress value decreases
progressBar.Value = percProgress;
percProgressLabel.Text = percProgress.ToString();
progressTableLayoutPanel.Update();//Required to display all progress bar table contents
//Thread.Sleep(200);
if (percProgress >= 100)
{
Thread.Sleep(200);
progressTableLayoutPanel.Visible = false;
}
}
The cancel button code, which works, looks like this:
private void stopImportButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
backgroundWorker1.CancelAsync();
}
The messageboxes in my ProgressChanged events never show up and my progress bar is never set to visible. Any ideas what the problem could be?

Check this example:
BackgroundWorker bgw = new BackgroundWorker();
public Form1()
{
InitializeComponent();
label1.Text = "";
label2.Text = "";
}
private void button1_Click_1(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
if (bgw == null)
{
bgw = new BackgroundWorker();
bgw.DoWork += new DoWorkEventHandler(bgw_DoWork);
bgw.ProgressChanged += new ProgressChangedEventHandler(bgw_ProgressChanged);
bgw.RunWorkerCompleted += new RunWorkerCompletedEventHandler(bgw_RunWorkerCompleted);
}
bgw.WorkerReportsProgress = true;
bgw.WorkerSupportsCancellation = true;
bgw.RunWorkerAsync();
}
void bgw_DoWork(object sender, DoWorkEventArgs e)
{
int total = 57; //some number (this is your variable to change)!!
for (int i = 0; i <= total; i++) //some number (total)
{
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(100);
int percents = (i * 100) / total;
bgw.ReportProgress(percents, i);
//2 arguments:
//1. procenteges (from 0 t0 100) - i do a calcumation
//2. some current value!
}
}
void bgw_ProgressChanged(object sender, ProgressChangedEventArgs e)
{
progressBar1.Value = e.ProgressPercentage;
label1.Text = String.Format("Progress: {0} %", e.ProgressPercentage);
label2.Text = String.Format("Total items transfered: {0}", e.UserState);
}
void bgw_RunWorkerCompleted(object sender, RunWorkerCompletedEventArgs e)
{
//do the code when bgv completes its work
}
}
Maybe this helps you with your problem...
And try to put the progress to visible just after you call the background.doWork in the button click event.

Timer + display messages + Different time intervals

How to display some messages on a C# form application with different time intervals with buttons?
Something like:
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
label1.Text = "string1";
[wait 3 seconds]
label1.Text = "string2";
[wait 5 sec]
label1.text="string 3";
[end]
}

You can create a new thread, change the label text, sleep that thread and so on so forth:
using System.Threading;
// Somewhere in your Form, for example in Form_Load event:
new Thread(new ThreadStart(delegate {
var d = new setLabelTextDelegate(setLabelText);
label1.Invoke(d, new object[] { "string 1" });
Thread.Sleep(3000); // sleep 3 seconds
label1.Invoke(d, new object[] { "string 2" });
Thread.Sleep(5000); // sleep 5 seconds
label1.Invoke(d, new object[] { "string 3" });
})).Start();
private delegate void setLabelTextDelegate(string text);
private void setLabelText(string text)
{
this.label1.Text = text;
}

Use a Timer with an interval of X milliseconds and update the UI each Timer Tick. Keep track of the number of Timer Ticks received so you'll know which string to use. After each update has been processed stop the Timer.
Other solutions posted might be wiser, but this one is pretty simple.
Form1 contains a simple Label called Label1 and a button called Button1
public partial class Form1 : Form
{
public Form1()
{
InitializeComponent();
t.Interval = 100;
t.Tick += new EventHandler(t_Tick);
t.Start();
}
Timer t = new Timer();
int counter = 0;
private void Button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
t.Start();
}
void t_Tick(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
try
{
t.Enabled = false; //Disable timer so we don't start t_Tick when t_Tick is still runnnig
if (counter == 0)
{
label1.Text = "string1";
t.Interval = 3000;
}
if (counter == 1)
{
label1.Text = "string2";
t.Interval = 5000;
}
if (counter == 2)
{
label1.Text = "string3";
t.Stop(); //Stop timer
}
else
{
t.Enabled = true; //Resume timer
}
counter++;
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
MessageBox.Show("Never throw exception from timer..." + ex.Message);
}
}

To do exactly as your pseudo code suggest simply use Thread.Sleep() in place of your [wait x] lines. Note that it will likely make UI unresponsive for the duration of waiting.
Alternatively you can create a thread that does the same thing but doesn't block the UI thread. The only issue there is that you have to define delegate in UI thread otherwise it wont work.
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
ThreadPool.QueueUserWorkItem(delegate()
{
label1.Text = "string1";
Thread.Sleep(3000);
label1.Text = "string2";
Thread.Sleep(5000);
//etc...
});
}

private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
label1.Text = "string1";
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(3*1000);
label1.Text = "string2";
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(5*1000);
label1.text="string 3";
}

Thank you sooo much.
Oh i love stakoverflow.com
I did something like this.:)
Thank you all gentle mens :)
Please comment how did i do? I actually wanted it all happen in click of button.
public partial class mainForm : Form {
public mainForm()
Timer myTimer = new Timer();
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
myTimer.Tick += new EventHandler(myTimer_Tick);
myTimer.Interval = 2000;
myTimer.Start();
}
int counter=0;
void myTimer_Tick(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
if (counter == 0)
{
label4.Text = "string1";
myTimer.Interval = 2000;
}
if (counter == 1)
{
label4.Text = "string2";
myTimer.Interval = 2000;
}
if (counter == 2)
{
label4.Text = "string3";
myTimer.Stop();
}
else
{
myTimer.Enabled = true;
}
counter++;
} }
I made it all work with valuable examples you all provided . i put it all together and got it working as i wanted.
Once again Thank you all :)