Develop Reference

C# pass delegates to different forms

i have a WinForms app that consists of several forms.
What I'm trying to achieve is to pass an event handler from a second form, to a third one, but i cannot achieve that. i get a casting error which i can't figure out how to overcome.
i would appreciate the help:
code + further explanation below:
This is a rough image of what is supposed to happen:
Form1 can create several forms (it also holds the methods that i want to pass) - which i can pass successfully on sub form creation.
the problem starts when i create form3 from within form2: i try to pass the event handler, but i get Error CS0029/CS0030 (casting errors)
what am i doing wrong and how to fix it?
EDIT:
what needs to happen? -- Form3 needs to control (send back data) to a Gui control placed in Form1
Code:
Form1:
public delegate void sendMessageToConsoleDelegate(string value);
public sendMessageToConsoleDelegate sendMessageToConsoleCallback;
public delegate void SetPlaceHolderDelegate(TextBox tb);
public SetPlaceHolderDelegate SetPlaceHolderCallback;
private void SetPlaceHolder(TextBox tb)
{
if (!tb.InvokeRequired)
{
if (!tb.Focused)
{
if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(tb.Text))
tb.Text = tb.Tag.ToString();
return;
}
if (tb.Text == tb.Tag.ToString())
tb.Text = "";
return;
}
SetPlaceHolderDelegate call = new SetPlaceHolderDelegate(SetPlaceHolder);
tb.BeginInvoke(call, tb);
}
private void SendMessageToConsole(string msg)
{
if (!textBoxConsole.InvokeRequired)
{
textBoxConsole.AppendText(msg);
return;
}
sendMessageToConsoleDelegate call = new sendMessageToConsoleDelegate(SendMessageToConsole);
textBoxConsole.BeginInvoke(call, msg);
}
private void AddNewDeviceForm()
{
frmAddDevice add_device = new frmAddDevice(devicesDBPath);
add_device.sendMessageToConsole += SendMessageToConsole;
add_device.Show();
}
private void StartEdit()
{
frmEditDBs editdb = new frmEditDBs(devicesDBPath, commandsDBPath);
editdb.sendMessageToConsole += SendMessageToConsole;
editdb.SetPlaceHolder += SetPlaceHolder;
editdb.Show();
}
Form2 (frmEditDBs)
public delegate void EventHandler_sendMessageToConsole(string msg);
public event EventHandler_sendMessageToConsole sendMessageToConsole = delegate { };
public delegate void EventHandler_SetPlaceHolder(TextBox tb);
public event EventHandler_SetPlaceHolder SetPlaceHolder = delegate { };
private void EditDevice()
{
frmAddDevice edit_device = new frmAddDevice(devicesDBpath, current_device);
edit_device.sendMessageToConsole += sendMessageToConsole; ****<== This is the issue (same for the placeholder)****
edit_device.Show();
}
i get error CS0029
how can i pass the same delegate to other sub forms (e.g. frmAddDevice)?

Your question is how to C# pass delegates to different forms so that you can (for example) sendMessageToConsole to your MainForm from the other forms. In your code you state that this is the problem:
// This is the issue (same for the placeholder)****
edit_device.sendMessageToConsole += sendMessageToConsole;
When I look at your code, in essence you are trying to implement your own version of an Event Pattern. One solution to your issue would be to use a standard event pattern. Then intellisense will recognize your custom event delegate in the standard way:
FIRST you need to make the delegate and the inherited EventArgs class outside of your MainForm class:
namespace pass_delegates
{
public partial class MainForm : Form
{
}
// Make sure these are outside of any other class.
public delegate void SendMessageToConsoleEventHandler(object sender, SendMessageToConsoleEventArgs e);
public class SendMessageToConsoleEventArgs : EventArgs
{
public string Message { get; }
public SendMessageToConsoleEventArgs(string message)
{
Message = message;
}
}
}
Your frmAddDevice (shown here in minimal format) declares the delegate using the event keyword. Your other form frmEditDBs does exactly the same thing.
public partial class frmAddDevice : Form
{
public event SendMessageToConsoleEventHandler SendMessageToConsole;
public frmAddDevice(string devicesDBpath)
{
InitializeComponent();
}
protected virtual void OnSendMessageToConsole(SendMessageToConsoleEventArgs e)
{
SendMessageToConsole?.Invoke(this, e);
}
// Clicking the button will call this as a test.
private void btnSendTestMessage_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
OnSendMessageToConsole(new SendMessageToConsoleEventArgs("Message received from 'Add Device Form'"));
}
}
A button in the MainForm code creates a new frmAddDevice like this:
frmAddDevice frmAddDevice = null;
// This handler in the Main Form creates the frmAddDevice form
private void btnFrmAddDevice_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
if (frmAddDevice == null)
{
frmAddDevice = new frmAddDevice(devicesDBpath: "Some path");
// This was the problem. Not anymore ****
frmAddDevice.SendMessageToConsole += outputMessageToConsole;
}
frmAddDevice.Show();
}
private void outputMessageToConsole(object sender, SendMessageToConsoleEventArgs e)
{
textBoxConsole.AppendText(e.Message + Environment.NewLine);
}
If you do these things, you will achieve the functionality of sendMessageToConsole that your code is attempting to do. Try it out by downloading my sample from GitHub.

I think the main concept you don't understand is that delegate is "same level" as class, enum, struct etc. You need to declare it in some shared scope to make it accessible in both forms.
namespace ConsoleApp6
{
public delegate void TestDelegate();
public class ClassA
{
public TestDelegate delegateA;
}
public class ClassB
{
public TestDelegate delegateB;
}
internal class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
TestDelegate del = () => { };
var classA = new ClassA()
{
delegateA = del,
};
var classB = new ClassB()
{
delegateB = classA.delegateA
};
}
}
}
Or, if you want to keep it inside of the form, you need reference it by a class name the same way you would do with a type.
namespace ConsoleApp6
{
public class ClassA
{
public delegate void TestDelegate();
public TestDelegate delegateA;
}
public class ClassB
{
public ClassA.TestDelegate delegateB;
}
internal class Program
{
static void Main(string[] args)
{
ClassA.TestDelegate del = () => { };
var classA = new ClassA()
{
delegateA = del,
};
var classB = new ClassB()
{
delegateB = classA.delegateA
};
}
}
}

As was described previously, your "delegates" should be declared generically at the namespace of your project, not within a specific class so they are visible throughout your app. To do so, maybe make a separate file in your project for "MyDelegates" and may look something like:
using System.Windows.Forms;
namespace WinHelp1
{
// Create your own delegates outside of your classes that need to be publicly
// visible within your app or even protected if so needed.
public delegate void EventHandler_SendMessageToConsole(string msg);
public delegate void EventHandler_SetPlaceHolder(TextBox tb);
}
Now, in your form 1 that you want to define WHAT to do, do so based on the signatures matching appropriately
using System.Windows.Forms;
namespace WinHelp1
{
public partial class Form1 : Form
{
public Form1()
{
InitializeComponent();
}
public void DoThisForConsole(string msg)
{
// whatever to do with string
}
public void DoThisForTextBox(TextBox tb)
{
// whatever to do with textbox
}
private void Btn2_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
{
var f2 = new Form2();
f2.SendMessageToConsole += DoThisForConsole;
f2.SetPlaceHolder += DoThisForTextBox;
f2.ShowDialog();
// OR, if using the PARAMETERIZED for pass-through to call
// when form2 calls form 3
var f2b = new Form2( DoThisForConsole, DoThisForTextBox );
f2b.ShowDialog();
}
private void Btn3_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
{
var f3 = new Form3();
f3.SendMessageToConsole += DoThisForConsole;
f3.SetPlaceHolder += DoThisForTextBox;
f3.ShowDialog();
}
}
}
First, form3 since that will just have the direct event handlers, and you can invoke however within form 3
using System.Windows.Forms;
namespace WinHelp1
{
public partial class Form3 : Form
{
// now, for each form you want to USE them on...
public event EventHandler_SendMessageToConsole SendMessageToConsole;
public event EventHandler_SetPlaceHolder SetPlaceHolder;
public Form3()
{
InitializeComponent();
}
}
}
Now, in your form 2, is a bit different. Since you want to make available for form2 to call form3 with the same event handler, just add those event handlers as parameters to the constructor class. Then you can preserve them in that form, but at the same time, self-register them as in the var f2b = new Form2 of the second button click event. Then use those preserved values when form2 needs to call form3
using System.Windows.Forms;
namespace WinHelp1
{
public partial class Form2 : Form
{
// now, for each form you want to USE them on...
public event EventHandler_SendMessageToConsole SendMessageToConsole;
public event EventHandler_SetPlaceHolder SetPlaceHolder;
// now, for each form you want to USE them on...
public EventHandler_SendMessageToConsole passThroughForMessage;
public EventHandler_SetPlaceHolder passThroughForTextBox;
public Form2()
{
InitializeComponent();
}
public Form2(EventHandler_SendMessageToConsole forSendMsg, EventHandler_SetPlaceHolder forPlaceHolder ) : this()
{
// preserve into properties in-case you need to call form 3
passThroughForMessage = forSendMsg;
passThroughForTextBox = forPlaceHolder;
// and the constructor can auto-set for itself so IT can notify as well
if( forSendMsg != null )
SendMessageToConsole += forSendMsg;
if( forPlaceHolder != null )
SetPlaceHolder += forPlaceHolder;
}
private void Btn3_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e)
{
var f3 = new Form3();
// and the constructor can auto-set for itself so IT can notify as well
if (passThroughForMessage != null)
f3.SendMessageToConsole += passThroughForMessage;
if (passThroughForTextBox != null)
f3.SetPlaceHolder += passThroughForTextBox;
f3.ShowDialog();
}
}
}
Remember, parameters can be practically anything, and you can have a variable stored in a property just like anything else... as long as it matches the respective type.
Then, from form3, either instance will invoke back to whatever the root instance method may be.

Update a form in parallel with an installation script?

I currently have an installation "framework" that does specific things. What I need now to do is be able to call my form in parallel with my script. Something like this:
InstallationForm f = new InstallationForm();
Application.Run(f);
InstallSoftware(f);
private static void InstallSoftware(InstallationForm f) {
f.WriteToTextbox("Starting installation...");
Utils.Execute(#"C:\temp\setup.msi", #"-s C:\temp\instructions.xml");
...
f.WriteToTextbox("Installation finished");
The current way I can do this is by adding the Form.Shown handler in InstallSoftware, but that seems really messy. Is there anyway I can do this better?

Your code will not work, because Application.Run(f) returns not until the form was closed.
You may use a simplified Model/View/Controller pattern. Create an InstallationFormController class that has several events, e.g. for textual notifications to be written to your textbox. The InstallationForm registers on these events in it's OnLoad() method and then calls InstallationFormController.Initialize(). That method starts your installation (on a worker thread/task). That installation callback method fires several text events.
InstallationForm f = new InstallationForm(new InstallationFormController());
Application.Run(f);
internal class InstallationFormController
{
public event EventHandler<DataEventArgsT<string>> NotificationTextChanged;
public InstallationFormController()
{
}
public void Initialize()
{
Task.Factory.StartNew(DoInstallation);
}
private void DoInstallation()
{
...
OnNotificationTextChanged(new DataEventArgsT<string>("Installation finished"));
}
private void OnNotificationTextChanged(DataEventArgsT<string> e)
{
if(NotificationTextChanged != null)
NotificationTextChanged(this, e);
}
}
public class DataEventArgsT<T> : EventArgs
{
...
public T Data { get; set; }
}
internal class InstallationForm : Form
{
private readonly InstallationFormController _controller;
public InstallationForm()
{
InitializeComponent();
}
public InstallationForm(InstallationFormController controller) : this()
{
if(controller == null)
throw new ArgumentNullException("controller")
_controller = controller;
}
protected override void OnLoad(EventArgs e)
{
base.OnLoad(e);
_controller.NotificationTextChanged += Controller_NotificationTextChanged;
_controller.Initialize();
}
protected virtual void Controller_NotificationTextChanged(object sender, DataEventArgsT<string> e)
{
if(this.InvokeRequired)
{ // call this method on UI thread!!!
var callback = new EventHandler<DataEventArgsT<string>>(Controller_NotificationTextChanged);
this.Invoke(callback, new object[] {sender, e});
}
else
{
_myTextBox.Text = e.Data;
}
}
...
}

Accessing GUI from another class via a static helper class

I just wanted to ask if the following code is a valid method to access the GUI from another class, or if it is bad practice. What I want to do is to write log messages into a RichTextBox in Form1.
If it's bad practice, would it be better to pass a reference of my Form1 to the other class to be able to access the RichTextBox.
I have the following code to access the GUI in my Form1 from another class:
public partial class Form1 : Form
{
public Form1()
{
InitializeComponent();
Logger.Init(this.rtbLog);
MyOtherClass myOtherClass = new MyOtherClass();
myOtherClass.DoSomething();
}
}
public class MyOtherClass
{
public void DoSomething()
{
Logger.AppendText("text...");
Logger.AppendText("text...");
Logger.AppendText("text...");
}
}
public static class Logger
{
private static RichTextBox _rtb;
public static void Init(RichTextBox rtb)
{
_rtb = rtb;
}
public static void AppendText(String text)
{
_rtb.AppendText(text);
_rtb.AppendText(Environment.NewLine);
}
}
With Events (thanks to Ondrej):
public partial class Form1 : Form
{
public Form1()
{
InitializeComponent();
Logger.EntryWritten += Logger_EntryWritten;
MyOtherClass myOtherClass = new MyOtherClass();
myOtherClass.DoSomething();
}
void Logger_EntryWritten(object sender, LogEntryEventArgs args)
{
rtbLog.AppendText(args.Message);
rtbLog.AppendText(Environment.NewLine);
}
}
public class MyOtherClass
{
public void DoSomething()
{
Logger.AppendText("text...");
Logger.AppendText("text...");
Logger.AppendText("text...");
}
}
public static class Logger
{
public static event EventHandler<LogEntryEventArgs> EntryWritten;
public static void AppendText(string text)
{
var tmp = EntryWritten;
if (tmp != null)
tmp(null, new LogEntryEventArgs(text));
}
}
public class LogEntryEventArgs : EventArgs
{
private readonly String message;
public LogEntryEventArgs(String pMessage)
{
message = pMessage;
}
public String Message
{
get { return message; }
}
}

It's probably fine for a small throw-away project, but otherwise a logger should not know anything about used platform. Then it would be good to use events for example. Raise an event whenever there's a new log entry written and consumers interested in logged entries will subscribe to a delegate.
Also be careful with threads. If you log a message from a different thread than UI you will end up with an exception because you would access a GUI control from a different thread which is forbidden.
EDIT:
Something along these lines. LogEntryEventArgs is a type you have to create and you can give it properties like Message, TimeWritten, Severity, etc.
public static class Logger
{
public static event EventHandler<LogEntryEventArgs> EntryWritten;
public static void AppendText(string text)
{
var tmp = EntryWritten;
if (tmp != null)
tmp(null, new LogEntryEventArgs(text));
}
}
consumer:
Logger.EntryWritten += Logger_OnEntryWritten;
void Logger_OnEntryWritten(object sender, LogEntryEventArgs args)
{
_rtb.AppendText(args.Message);
_rtb.AppendText(Environment.NewLine);
}
Also, don't forget to invoke on a form/dispatch the body of Logger_OnEntryWritten in order to avoid cross-thread access exception (in case you are considering using threads).

Understanding this Event Example

After reading online tutorials regarding events , I think I almost have an idea of whats going on. I developed the following extremely simple code to trigger an event in case a value is greater than 5.I know the code is pretty useless but I am using it to get my point across. (Instead of a main I just used a button event to trigger the code.)
//declare the delegate
public delegate void MyDelegate(string str);
public class SomeClass
{
public event MyDelegate MyEventFromDelegate;
private int i;
public int I
{
get
{ return i; }
set
{
if (value > 5)
{
MyEventFromDelegate("Value Greater than 5");
i = 0;
}
else
{
i = value;
}
}
}
}
public partial class Form1 : Form
{
public Form1()
{ InitializeComponent(); }
public void Method_To_Call(String rx)
{ MessageBox.Show("This method will be called if greater than 5");}
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
SomeClass a = new SomeClass();
a.MyEventFromDelegate +=new MyDelegate(Method_To_Call);
a.I = 12;
}
}
The only concern I have here is when we want to raise an event with the statement
MyEventFromDelegate("Value Greater than 5");
What point is passing a parameters to the event is at this point if later (at button click event) we are actually going to assign it a function to call every time an event is triggered.

In your very simple example - there is no point, because SomeClass instance "a" is very short-lived, and because you are not using rx parameter passed to Method_To_Call.
Your form method button1_Click is connected to the button's Click event through a delegate. Button does not know what code will execute when it is clicked. All it has to do is to signal that is has been clicked. That signal is implemented using a delegate.
Your could have defined your delegate as having an integer parameter where the checked value is passed. Then although the event method would be invoked only when value is greater than 5, inside the event method you could do things differently depending on the actual value.
//declare the delegate
public delegate void MyDelegate(int aValue);
public class SomeClass
{
public event MyDelegate MyEventFromDelegate;
private int i;
public int I
{
get
{ return i; }
set
{
if (value > 5)
{
MyEventFromDelegate(value);
i = 0;
}
else
{
i = value;
}
}
}
}
public partial class Form1 : Form
{
public Form1()
{
InitializeComponent();
}
public void Method_To_Call(int aValue)
{
MessageBox.Show("This method signals that value is greater than 5. Value=" + aValue.ToString());
}
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
SomeClass a = new SomeClass();
a.MyEventFromDelegate +=new MyDelegate(Method_To_Call);
a.I = 12;
}
}

C# Set Form Parent after calling method from another class

I've searched Google all day and can't find the correct answer to my issue, hoping someone here can help me.
So, in the "Main" form I have the method to show a form that needs to be centered directly above the parent form (frmMain). Normally I would call ShowDialog(this) to see the parent, but for some reason I have to set the loadNewsFeedItem to static in order to see the method from the flpNewsFeedHeader : Label derrived class (below). The OnClick event triggers the method loadNewsFeedItem().
When I call this to set the parent, I'm getting the message "Keyword 'this' is not valid in a static property, static method, or static field initializer"
namespace NewsFeeds
{
public partial class FrmMain : Form
{
public static void loadNewsFeedItem()
{
frmNewsFeedView frmFeedView = new frmNewsFeedView(FrmFuncs.selFeedID);
frmFeedView.ShowDialog(this); // Error occurs on this line, when calling this via a static method
}
}
}
public class flpNewsFeedHeader : Label
{
private int FeedID = 0;
public int theFeedID
{
get { return FeedID; }
set { FeedID = value; }
}
protected override void OnClick(EventArgs e)
{
FrmFuncs.selFeedID = FeedID;
Thread thrShowFeed = new Thread(new ThreadStart(FrmMain.loadNewsFeedItem));
thrShowFeed.Start();
}
}
Can someone please give me a corrected code example or a hint as to how to get the loadNewsFeedItem() to be visible without setting the accessor to static, or how to work around this in a static accessor?
Thanks in advance!
Chris

Edit: used ActiveForm for owner.
public partial class FrmMain : Form
{
public static void loadNewsFeedItem(Form owner)
{
frmNewsFeedView frmFeedView = new frmNewsFeedView(FrmFuncs.selFeedID);
frmFeedView.ShowDialog(owner);
}
}
}
public class flpNewsFeedHeader : Label
{
private int FeedID = 0;
public int theFeedID
{
get { return FeedID; }
set { FeedID = value; }
}
protected override void OnClick(EventArgs e)
{
FrmFuncs.selFeedID = FeedID;
// Shouldn't need a new thread. Already on the GUI thread.
FrmMain.loadNewsFeedItem (System.Windows.Forms.Form.ActiveForm);
}
}

may be you mean this:
frmFeedView.Owner = System.Windows.Forms.Form.ActiveForm;
frmFeedView.ShowDialog();

In a static method, this is meaningless. One option is to skip the parameter
frmFeedView.ShowDialog();
The other option is to setup a static variable as shown below (but beware, it can have side effects if you try to open multiple instances of FrmMain)
public partial class FrmMain : Form
{
private static FrmMain staticInstance;
public FrmMain()
{
staticInstance = this;
InitializeComponent();
...
}
public static void loadNewsFeedItem()
{
frmNewsFeedView frmFeedView = new frmNewsFeedView(FrmFuncs.selFeedID);
frmFeedView.ShowDialog(staticInstance );
}