VB.Net Updating UI from Seperate thread

We need to see some code to be able to suggest code that is appropriate to your situation, however, here's an example I gave to a previous question.

Public Class Form1
    WithEvents xworker As New System.ComponentModel.BackgroundWorker
    Sub New()
        Dim runGet As New SomeClass
        With runGet
            .id = 5
        End With
        xworker.RunWorkerAsync(runGet)

    End Sub

    Private Sub xWorker_DoWork(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.ComponentModel.DoWorkEventArgs) Handles xworker.DoWork
        Dim qWorker = CType(sender, System.ComponentModel.BackgroundWorker)
        Dim WC As SomeClass = CType(e.Argument, SomeClass)
        WC.DoSomething(qWorker, e)
    End Sub

    Private Sub xWorker_Progress(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.ComponentModel.ProgressChangedEventArgs) Handles xworker.ProgressChanged
        'we expect a string as a progress return value which you can update the ui with
        Dim ResString As String = e.UserState

    End Sub

    Private Sub xWorker_Completed(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.ComponentModel.RunWorkerCompletedEventArgs) Handles xworker.RunWorkerCompleted
        'here we expect a list of string which you can update the ui with
        Dim ResList As List(Of String) = e.Result
    End Sub
End Class

Public Class SomeClassInsideYourModule

    Public name As String = ""
    Public id As Integer = 0

    Public Sub DoSomething(ByVal worker As System.ComponentModel.BackgroundWorker, ByVal e As System.ComponentModel.DoWorkEventArgs)
        worker.WorkerReportsProgress = True
        'here test progress
        name = "Progress Name"
        worker.ReportProgress(0, name)
        'here test result
        name = "Result Name"
        id = 15
        e.Result = New List(Of String) From {name, id}
    End Sub
End Class

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Sorry should have realised.   The references to Textbox 3 4 and 5 is what I'm trying to update on the form.  Thanks for you help.


Imports System.Threading
Imports System.IO
Module AnalyzeFiles
   
    Public Sub StartAnalyze()
         Dim t As Thread
        t = New Thread(AddressOf AnalyzeFiles.backgroundprocess)
        t.Start()
    End Sub

    Private Sub backgroundprocess()
        SelectedFolderPath = Form1.TextBox1.Text
        OutputPath = Form1.TextBox2.Text
        Using sw As New System.IO.StreamWriter(OutputPath)
            FindFiles(SelectedFolderPath, sw)
        End Using
    End Sub

    Private Sub FindFiles(ByVal folder As String, ByVal sw As System.IO.StreamWriter)
        Dim dt As DateTime = DateTime.Today
        Dim di As System.IO.DirectoryInfo
        Dim foldersToProcess As New List(Of System.IO.DirectoryInfo)
        foldersToProcess.Add(New System.IO.DirectoryInfo(folder))
        While foldersToProcess.Count > 0
            di = foldersToProcess(0)
            foldersToProcess.RemoveAt(0)

            Try
                For Each fi As System.IO.FileInfo In di.GetFiles  
                  NumberOfFiles = NumberOfFiles + 1
                    sw.WriteLine(fi.FullName)
                 Next
            Catch ex As Exception
      Textbox3.appendtext("Cannot access folder: "  &  fi.fullname)
                  NumberOfErrors = NumberOfErrors + 1
            End Try

                  For Each subDi As System.IO.DirectoryInfo In di.GetDirectories
                    foldersToProcess.Add(subDi)
                Next
      
      Textbox4.text = NumberofFiles.tostring
      Textbox5.text = NumberofErrors.tostring

        End While

   End Sub
End Module

PS.
1. You can always intiate a streamwriter within the class and not have to pass it to the class.
2. Declare the backgroundworker (and add the handlers) in the form where the textboxes that you want updated reside. (You can also add the backgroundworker through the designer)
3. If you want to update textboxes 4 and 5 during the loop, you can always change the report progress routine to suit, e.g

While foldersToProcess.Count > 0
    ....
    Catch ex as Exception
        worker.ReportProgress(0, "Cannot access folder: " & erFile)
    End Try
    ....
   worker.ReportProgress(10, New List(Of Integer) From {NumberOfFiles, NumberOfErrors}
)
End While

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The simply change the progress handler to filter on the progress percentage, 0 for updating textbox3 and 10 for updating textboxes 4 and 5 (also bear in mind the different types being returned by each percentage, i.e string and list of integer respectively)

I have a sample at http://emoreau.com/Entries/Articles/2006/12/The-BackgroundWorker-component.aspx

Here's another approach without the backgroundworker, using a class that raises events.  The events are marshaled to the main UI thread using a SynchronizationContext:

Public Class Form1

    Private Sub btnSetStartFolder_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnSetStartFolder.Click
        Using fbd As New FolderBrowserDialog
            If fbd.ShowDialog = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK Then
                TextBox1.Text = fbd.SelectedPath
            End If
        End Using
    End Sub

    Private Sub btnSetOutpuFile_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnSetOutpuFile.Click
        Using sfd As New SaveFileDialog
            If sfd.ShowDialog = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK Then
                TextBox2.Text = sfd.FileName
            End If
        End Using
    End Sub

    Private Sub btnStartFindFiles_Click(sender As System.Object, e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnStartFindFiles.Click
        btnStartFindFiles.Enabled = False
        TextBox3.Clear()
        TextBox4.Clear()
        TextBox5.Clear()

        Dim FF As New FindFiles(TextBox1.Text, TextBox2.Text)
        AddHandler FF.FindFilesError, AddressOf FF_FindFilesError
        AddHandler FF.FindFilesProgress, AddressOf FF_FindFilesProgress
        AddHandler FF.FindFilesFailed, AddressOf FF_FindFilesFailed
        AddHandler FF.FindFilesComplete, AddressOf FF_FindFilesComplete
        FF.StartAnalyze()
    End Sub

    Private Sub FF_FindFilesError(FileName As String)
        TextBox3.AppendText(FileName & vbCrLf)
    End Sub

    Private Sub FF_FindFilesProgress(NumberOfFiles As Integer, NumberOfErrors As Integer)
        TextBox4.Text = NumberOfFiles
        TextBox5.Text = NumberOfErrors
    End Sub

    Private Sub FF_FindFilesFailed(Failure As String)
        MessageBox.Show(Failure, "FindFiles() Failed!")
    End Sub

    Private Sub FF_FindFilesComplete()
        MessageBox.Show("Done!", "FindFiles() Complete!")
        btnStartFindFiles.Enabled = True
    End Sub

End Class

Public Class FindFiles

    Private _OutputPath As String = ""
    Private _SelectedFolderPath As String = ""
    Private T As System.Threading.Thread = Nothing
    Private SC As System.Threading.SynchronizationContext = Nothing

    Public Event FindFilesError(ByVal FileName As String)
    Public Event FindFilesProgress(ByVal NumberOfFiles As Integer, ByVal NumberOfErrors As Integer)
    Public Event FindFilesFailed(ByVal Failure As String)
    Public Event FindFilesComplete()

    Private Sub New()
    End Sub

    Public Sub New(ByVal SelectedFolderPath As String, ByVal OutputPath As String)
        _OutputPath = OutputPath
        _SelectedFolderPath = SelectedFolderPath
        SC = System.Windows.Forms.WindowsFormsSynchronizationContext.Current
    End Sub

    Public Sub StartAnalyze()
        If IsNothing(T) Then
            T = New System.Threading.Thread(AddressOf BackgroundProcess)
            T.Start()
        End If
    End Sub

    Private Sub BackgroundProcess()
        Try
            Using sw As New System.IO.StreamWriter(_OutputPath)
                FindFiles(_SelectedFolderPath, sw)
            End Using
        Catch ex As Exception
            If Not IsNothing(SC) Then
                SC.Post(New System.Threading.SendOrPostCallback(AddressOf RaiseFailed), ex.Message)
            End If
        End Try

        If Not IsNothing(SC) Then
            SC.Post(New System.Threading.SendOrPostCallback(AddressOf RaiseComplete), Nothing)
        End If
    End Sub

    Private Sub FindFiles(ByVal folder As String, ByVal sw As System.IO.StreamWriter)
        Dim NumberOfFiles As Integer = 0
        Dim NumberOfErrors As Integer = 0

        Dim dt As DateTime = DateTime.Today
        Dim di As System.IO.DirectoryInfo
        Dim fi As System.IO.FileInfo
        Dim foldersToProcess As New List(Of System.IO.DirectoryInfo)
        Try
            foldersToProcess.Add(New System.IO.DirectoryInfo(folder))
        Catch ex As Exception
            If Not IsNothing(SC) Then
                SC.Post(New System.Threading.SendOrPostCallback(AddressOf RaiseFailed), ex.Message)
            End If
            Exit Sub
        End Try

        While foldersToProcess.Count > 0
            di = foldersToProcess(0)
            foldersToProcess.RemoveAt(0)

            Try
                For Each fi In di.GetFiles
                    NumberOfFiles = NumberOfFiles + 1
                    sw.WriteLine(fi.FullName)
                Next
            Catch ex As Exception
                If Not IsNothing(SC) Then
                    SC.Post(New System.Threading.SendOrPostCallback(AddressOf RaiseError), di.FullName)
                End If
                NumberOfErrors = NumberOfErrors + 1
            End Try

            Try
                foldersToProcess.AddRange(di.GetDirectories)
            Catch ex As Exception
                If Not IsNothing(SC) Then
                    SC.Post(New System.Threading.SendOrPostCallback(AddressOf RaiseError), di.FullName)
                End If
            End Try

            If Not IsNothing(SC) Then
                SC.Post(New System.Threading.SendOrPostCallback(AddressOf RaiseProgress), New Integer() {NumberOfFiles, NumberOfErrors})
            End If
        End While
    End Sub

    Private Sub RaiseError(ByVal state As Object)
        ' *** DO NOT CALL DIRECTLY! ***   
        ' Already Post()ed with the SynchronizationContext:
        RaiseEvent FindFilesError(state)
    End Sub

    Private Sub RaiseProgress(ByVal state As Object)
        ' *** DO NOT CALL DIRECTLY! ***   
        ' Already Post()ed with the SynchronizationContext:
        Dim values() As Integer = CType(state, Integer())
        RaiseEvent FindFilesProgress(values(0), values(1))
    End Sub

    Private Sub RaiseFailed(ByVal state As Object)
        ' *** DO NOT CALL DIRECTLY! ***   
        ' Already Post()ed with the SynchronizationContext:
        RaiseEvent FindFilesFailed(state.ToString)
    End Sub

    Private Sub RaiseComplete(ByVal state As Object)
        ' *** DO NOT CALL DIRECTLY! ***   
        ' Already Post()ed with the SynchronizationContext:
        RaiseEvent FindFilesComplete()
    End Sub

End Class

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