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48

answers:

2

A co-worker of mine had downloaded a vb example project a while back to see how to make a call or two, he discovered it today again, and noticed that while sitting in the IDE the time/date is updating automatically when the entire project is not even running.

How does this work, we looked around for code but can't find anything giving it away.

Any ideas?

+5  A: 

No enough info, really, but is it possible the time and date are part of a user control sited on the main form? In the IDE, user controls operate in a hybrid mode where their code can be running when the app itself is not.

I can't think of any other scenario where if the IDE is truly stopped, any code can be running.

Jim Mack
+3  A: 

The StatusBar control in Windows Common Controls can automatically display the current date and time. It updates its display even in design mode.

If you have ever developed controls yourself, you might have experienced an AHA! moment when you realised that your control code is running when the control is being used at design time in the IDE.

MarkJ