Bodoconsult.App.WinForms 1.0.6

Bodoconsult.App.WinForms nuget package

What does the library

Bodoconsult.App.WinForms is a library with basic functionality for multilayered monolithic WinForms based applications.

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 Forms1MainWindowViewModel derived from MainWindowViewModel and override CreateForm() method to load your custom start form.

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.