Visual Basic

Nate Schoonover wrote:

Are you suggesting that VB probably isn't the best way to program a screensaver?

Bastard Programmer from Hell
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]

Nate Schoonover wrote:

How is WinForms slowing the graphics, and how can I skip it?

Nate Schoonover wrote:

there is not much control over speed or framerate.

Nate Schoonover wrote:

And how can I post an example project here (if that is allowed)?

Bastard Programmer from Hell
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]

Option Strict On

Imports System.Collections.ObjectModel

''' <summary>
''' This is the class that holds the Options information.  The Options information
'''   is defined as a class so that it can be easily serialized and deserialized.
''' </summary>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Public Class Options

#Region "Member variables"
    Private m_Speed As Integer = 3 'in seconds
    Private m_ShowTags As Boolean = True
    Private m_ShowDates As Boolean = True
    Private m_UseSubdirectories As Boolean = True
    Private m_Directory As String = "" 'directory to pull photos from
    Private m_files As ReadOnlyCollection(Of String) ' List of files
#End Region

#Region "Class Properties"
    ''' <summary>
    ''' Set or get whether or not to show the date
    ''' </summary>
    ''' <value></value>
    ''' <returns></returns>
    ''' <remarks></remarks>
    Public Property ShowDate() As Boolean
        Get
            Return m_ShowDates
        End Get
        Set(ByVal Value As Boolean)
            m_ShowDates = Value
        End Set
    End Property

    ''' <summary>
    ''' Set or get whether or not to look in subdirectories for pictures
    ''' </summary>
    ''' <value></value>
    ''' <returns></returns>
    ''' <remarks></remarks>
    Public Property UseSubdirectories() As Boolean
        Get
            Return m_UseSubdirectories
        End Get
        Set(ByVal Value As Boolean)
            m_UseSubdirectories = Value
        End Set
    End Property

    ''' <summary>
    ''' Set or get whether or not to show tags
    ''' </summary>
    ''' <value></value>
    ''' <returns></returns>
    ''' <remarks></remarks>
    Public Property ShowTags() As Boolean
        Get
            Return m_ShowTags
        End Get
        Set(ByVal Value As Boolean)
            m_ShowTags = Value
        End Set
    End Property

    ''' <summary>
    ''' Set or get which directory to look in for pictures
    ''' </summary>
    ''' <value></value>
    ''' <returns></returns>
    ''' <remarks></remarks>
    Public Property Directory() As String
        Get
            Return m_Directory
        End Get
        Set(ByVal Value As String)
            m_Directory = Value
        End Set
    End Property

    ''' <summary>
    ''' Set or get what speed at which to show pictures
    ''' </summary>
    ''' <value></value>
    ''' <returns></returns>
    ''' <remarks></remarks>
    Public Property Speed() As Integer
        Get
            Return m_Speed
        End Get
        Set(ByVal Value As Integer)
            m_Speed = Value
        End Set
    End Property

#End Region

#Region "Class Methods"
    ''' <summary>
    ''' This function loads the user defined options from the application settings file.
    ''' </summary>
    ''' <remarks></remarks>
    Public Sub LoadOptions()
        Me.Speed = 16 'My.Settings.Speed
        Me.ShowDate = My.Settings.ShowDate
        Me.ShowTags = My.Settings.ShowTags
        Me.Directory = My.Settings.Directory
        Me.UseSubdirectories = My.Settings.UseSubdirectories

        If String.IsNullOrEmpty(Me.Directory) Then ' Default to "My Pictures" if not initialized
            Me.Directory = My.Computer.FileSystem.SpecialDirectories.MyPictures
         end If

        If Me.UseSubdirectories = True Then
            m_files = My.Computer.FileSystem.GetFiles(Me.Directory, FileIO.SearchOption.SearchAllSubDirectories, "*.jpg")
        Else
            m_files = My.Computer.FileSystem.GetFiles(Me.Directory, FileIO.SearchOption.SearchTopLevelOnly, "*.jpg")
        End If

    End Sub

    ''' <summary>
    ''' This function saves the user defined options to the application settings file.
    ''' </summary>
    ''' <remarks></remarks>
    Public Sub SaveOptions()
        My.Settings.Speed = Me.Speed
        My.Settings.ShowDate = Me.ShowDate
        My.Settings.ShowTags = Me.ShowTags
        If Not String.IsNullOrEmpty(Directory) Then ' Don't bother saving
            My.Settings.Directory = Me.Directory
            My.Settings.Save()
        End If
        My.Settings.UseSubdirectories = Me.UseSubdirectories
        My.Settings.Save()


        If Me.UseSubdirectories = True Then
            m_files = My.Computer.FileSystem.GetFiles(Me.Directory, FileIO.SearchOption.SearchAllSubDirectories, "*.jpg")
        Else
            m_files = My.Computer.FileSystem.GetFiles(Me.Directory, FileIO.SearchOption.SearchTopLevelOnly, "*.jpg")
        End If

    End Sub

#End Region



End Class

Option Strict On

Imports System.Windows.Media.Imaging
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Collections.ObjectModel
Imports System.Collections.Generic

' This form is the main form for the screen saver. It does all the painting
'   of the screen, and handles when it should terminate and release control 
'   back to Windows.
Public Class frmScreenSaver

#Region "Variables"
    ' Declare the class variables that will be used for the Screen Saver.
    ' Options object that contains information about the user selected options
    Private m_Options As New Options()

    ' Random object to support the drawing
    Private m_Random As New Random()

    ' Used to for first setting MouseMove location
    Private m_IsActive As Boolean = False

    ' Used to determine if the Mouse has actually been moved
    Private m_MouseLocation As Point

    Private m_files As ReadOnlyCollection(Of String) ' List of files
    Private m_fileCount As Integer = 0
#End Region

#Region "Events"
    ''' <summary>
    ''' This subroutine initializes the Screen Saver form when it is loaded
    ''' </summary>
    ''' <param name="sender"></param>
    ''' <param name="e"></param>
    ''' <remarks></remarks>
    Private Sub frmSceenSaver_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        Debug = False
        ' Load the Saved options. 
        m_Options.LoadOptions()

        ' Reset location of label
        SetLabelLocation()

        ' Set the speed based on the user defined Options.
        Me.tmrUpdateScreen.Interval = m_Options.Speed * 1000

        ' Enable the timers.
        Me.tmrUpdateScreen.Enabled = True
        Me.AnimationTimer.Enabled = True

        If m_Options.UseSubdirectories = True Then
            m_files = My.Computer.FileSystem.GetFiles(m_Options.Directory, FileIO.SearchOption.SearchAllSubDirectories, "*.jpg")
        Else
            m_files = My.Computer.FileSystem.GetFiles(m_Options.Directory, FileIO.SearchOption.SearchTopLevelOnly, "*.jpg")
        End If
        If m_files IsNot Nothing Then
            m_fileCount = m_files.Count
        Else
            Me.lblDescription.Text = "No pictures found!"
            SetLabelLocation()
        End If
        Windows.Forms.Cursor.Hide()
        If m_fileCount <> 0 Then
            DrawPicture()
        End If
    End Sub

Nate Schoonover wrote:

I think writing up a draft would be a good idea. I will post it in a few days.

Nate Schoonover wrote:

The settings are being stored correctly in the User\AppData folder.

Bastard Programmer from Hell
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]

Eddy wrote:

I'm not sure whether a screensaver runs under the current users' credentials, or using a system-account. You could verify that by logging the Environment.UserName.

Me.Directory = My.Computer.FileSystem.SpecialDirectories.MyPictures

Nate Schoonover wrote:

I store my pictures under C:\Users\Public\Pictures\... and I can't navigate to this folder.

Dim thePath As String = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonPictures)

Nate Schoonover wrote:

Is there a better way to store basic application settings?

Imports System.Runtime.Serialization.Formatters.Binary

Module Module1

    <Serializable()> _
    Public Class MySettings
        Public Property SomePath As String
        Public Property SomeInt As Integer
    End Class

    Sub Main()
        ' get location of public pictures
        Dim thePath As String = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonPictures)

        ' Generate some settings
        Dim CurrentSettings As New MySettings
        CurrentSettings.SomePath = thePath
        CurrentSettings.SomeInt = 2

        ' Save settings
        Dim formatter As New BinaryFormatter
        Using s As New IO.FileStream(".\settings.bin", IO.FileMode.Create)
            formatter.Serialize(s, CurrentSettings)
        End Using

        ' Load settings again
        Dim PrevSavedSetting As MySettings
        Using s As New IO.FileStream(".\settings.bin", IO.FileMode.Open)
            PrevSavedSetting = formatter.Deserialize(s)
        End Using

        ' Write the settings we just read to screen
        Console.WriteLine(PrevSavedSetting.SomePath)
        Console.WriteLine(PrevSavedSetting.SomeInt)
        Console.ReadKey()
    End Sub

End Module

Bastard Programmer from Hell
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]

Sonhospa wrote:

Doesn't that slow down the application massively?

Bastard Programmer from Hell
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]

tsunamigang wrote:

I cant understand it properly when i read it from Msdn website

Public Sub AddListItemMethod()
    Dim myItem As String
    Dim max As Integer = 50
    Dim i As Integer
    Dim percent As Integer

    For i = 1 To max
        myItem = "MyListItem" + i.ToString()
        percent = CInt(i / max * 100)
        ProgressBar1.Value = percent
        StatusStrip1.Refresh()
        myListBox.Items.Add(myItem)
        myListBox.Update()
        myLabel.Text = String.Format("{0} entries ({1}%) added.", CStr(i), percent)
        myLabel.Update()
        Thread.Sleep(30)
    Next i
End Sub