Bodoconsult.App.WinForms 1.0.4

Bodoconsult.App.WinForms nuget package

What does the library

Bodoconsult.App is a library with basic functionality for multilayered monolithic applications like database based client server apps or windows services.

App start infrastructure basics

See page app start infrastructure for details.

Using app start infrastructure for a OS service like WinForms based apps

If you want to implement a OS service like application without implementing a real OS service you can use WinFormsStarterUi class.

By default WinFormsStarterUi class loads the app as a simple window not shown on Windows task bar but task tray. The app can be closed only with keys STRC + C / CTRL + C or from task tray.

Here a sample from Program.cs Main() how to setup the console app in project WinFormsConsoleApp1 contained in this repo:

            var globals = Globals.Instance;
            globals.LoggingConfig.AddDefaultLoggerProviderConfiguratorsForUiApp();

            // Set additional app start parameters as required
            var param = globals.AppStartParameter;
            param.AppName = "WinFormsConsoleApp1: Demo app";
            param.SoftwareTeam = "Robert Leisner";
            param.LogoRessourcePath = "WinFormsConsoleApp1.Resources.logo.jpg";
            param.AppFolderName = "WinFormsConsoleApp1";

            const string performanceToken = "--PERF";

            if (args.Contains(performanceToken))
            {
                param.IsPerformanceLoggingActivated = true;
            }

            // Now start app buiding process
            var builder = new WinFormsConsoleApp1AppBuilder(globals);
#if !DEBUG
            AppDomain.CurrentDomain.UnhandledException += builder.CurrentDomainOnUnhandledException;
#endif

            // Load basic app metadata
            
            builder.LoadBasicSettings(typeof(Program));

            // Process the config file
            builder.ProcessConfiguration();

            // Now load the globally needed settings
            builder.LoadGlobalSettings();

            // Write first log entry with default logger
            Globals.Instance.Logger.LogInformation($"{param.AppName} {param.AppVersion} starts...");
            Console.WriteLine("Logging started...");

            // App is ready now for doing something
            Console.WriteLine($"Connection string loaded: {param.DefaultConnectionString}");

            Console.WriteLine("");
            Console.WriteLine("");

            Console.WriteLine($"App name loaded: {param.AppName}");
            Console.WriteLine($"App version loaded: {param.AppVersion}");
            Console.WriteLine($"App path loaded: {param.AppPath}");

            Console.WriteLine("");
            Console.WriteLine("");

            Console.WriteLine($"Logging config: {ObjectHelper.GetObjectPropertiesAsString(Globals.Instance.LoggingConfig)}");

            // Prepare the DI container package
            builder.LoadDiContainerServiceProviderPackage();
            builder.RegisterDiServices();
            builder.FinalizeDiContainerSetup();

            // Create the viewmodel now
            var eventLevel = EventLevel.Warning;
            var listener = new AppEventListener(eventLevel);
            var viewModel = new MainWindowViewModel(listener);

            // Set the view model 
            builder.MainWindowViewModel = viewModel;

            // Now finally start the app and wait
            builder.StartApplication();

            Environment.Exit(0);

Using app start infrastructure for a classical WinForms based apps

Here a sample from Program.cs Main() how to setup the WinForms app with a main form Forms1 in project WinFormsApp1 contained in this repo:

            var globals = Globals.Instance;
            globals.LoggingConfig.AddDefaultLoggerProviderConfiguratorsForUiApp();

            // Set additional app start parameters as required. Take some settings from appsettings.json here
            var param = globals.AppStartParameter;
            //param.AppName = "WinFormsApp1: Demo app"; // from appsettings.json
            param.SoftwareTeam = "Robert Leisner";
            param.LogoRessourcePath = "WinFormsApp1.Resources.logo.jpg";
            //param.AppFolderName = "WinFormsApp1"; // from appsettings.json

            const string performanceToken = "--PERF";

            if (args.Contains(performanceToken))
            {
                param.IsPerformanceLoggingActivated = true;
            }

            // Now start app buiding process
            var builder = new WinFormsApp1AppBuilder(Globals.Instance);
#if !DEBUG
            AppDomain.CurrentDomain.UnhandledException += builder.CurrentDomainOnUnhandledException;
#endif

            // Load basic app metadata
            builder.LoadBasicSettings(typeof(Program));

            // Process the config file
            builder.ProcessConfiguration();

            // Now load the globally needed settings
            builder.LoadGlobalSettings();

            // Write first log entry with default logger
            Globals.Instance.Logger.LogInformation($"{param.AppName} {param.AppVersion} starts...");
            Console.WriteLine("Logging started...");

            // App is ready now for doing something
            Console.WriteLine($"Connection string loaded: {param.DefaultConnectionString}");

            Console.WriteLine("");
            Console.WriteLine("");

            Console.WriteLine($"App name loaded: {param.AppName}");
            Console.WriteLine($"App version loaded: {param.AppVersion}");
            Console.WriteLine($"App path loaded: {param.AppPath}");

            Console.WriteLine("");
            Console.WriteLine("");

            Console.WriteLine($"Logging config: {ObjectHelper.GetObjectPropertiesAsString(Globals.Instance.LoggingConfig)}");

            // Prepare the DI container package
            builder.LoadDiContainerServiceProviderPackage();
            builder.RegisterDiServices();
            builder.FinalizeDiContainerSetup();

            // Create the viewmodel now
            var eventLevel = EventLevel.Warning;
            var listener = new AppEventListener(eventLevel);
            var viewModel = new Forms1MainWindowViewModel(listener);

            // Set the view model 
            builder.MainWindowViewModel = viewModel;

            // Now finally start the app and wait
            builder.StartApplication();

            Environment.Exit(0);

Start by creating your own viewmodel class similar to Forms1MainWindowViewModel

About us

Bodoconsult http://www.bodoconsult.de is a Munich based software company from Germany.

Robert Leisner is senior software developer at Bodoconsult. See his profile on http://www.bodoconsult.de/Curriculum_vitae_Robert_Leisner.pdf.