Create a Visual Studio 2010 like splash screen

Question

Hello,

I was intending to create a Splash screen like the one sported by Visual Studio 2010 for my desktop application (feel free to use any version of C#/VB/CLR).

As per the Visual Studio blogs, the splash screen was not developed using WPF since it would involve the CLR and WPF libraries to load causing a substantial delay in app loading. Hence, they reverted to C++ and Win32 stack to do that same for performance reasons.

Is there a feasible option available for WinForms or WPF developer to leverage the same branding? The idea is to have similar rich branding in a splash screen without loosing performance and start-up time.

Using PNGs and Transparency effects doesnot help on WinForms (a known issue, and i have read related questions on this site for that). Just to emphasise: its a splash screen, so start-up time can't be compromised.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Answer 1

I Had to do something similar with a patcher for an MMO and we like pretty splash screens in games. I made a custom ONLOAD event (instead of OnShown or Load event that both present a few inconveniences in this case) and put my code for displaying the pretty picture there

    protected override void OnLoad(EventArgs args)
{
    base.OnLoad(args);

    Application.Idle += new EventHandler(OnLoaded);
}

private void OnLoaded(object sender,
                      EventArgs args)
{
    Application.Idle -= new EventHandler(OnLoaded);

    // TODO: add relevant code here
}

As for the picture, surely is there a way for displaying png's using native behavior (for partial transparency like in the VS Splash screen)

Answer 2

Have you had a look at this resource ? Or this one ?

Answer 3

The guys that wrote it actually did a post on it ...

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/visualstudio/archive/2009/11/11/behind-the-scenes-splash-screen.aspx