What is the best way to create background application?

[bonzaiholding]

Thanks. I need it to backup files in my system and to sync between some computer in my office.

[Saksida Bojan]

Then i suggest writing it so that it will move to system tray

[Baeltazor]

Why not try chucking it in the system tray?

Regards, Jason Pezzimenti.

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[Natural_Demon]

you can't make an application without a window. but you can hide it. you can make a DLL and hook it windows explorer, like a service or something. but don't ask me how to do it, because i never tried

Bad = knowing 2 much

[Saksida Bojan]

Natural_Demon wrote:

you can't make an application without a window.

That is only expection for service. They don't have any window.

[Mycroft Holmes]

Your sig says it all - you are quite wrong. A windows/web service does not cannot have a form. This is lousy advice, although admitting you have no idea at least puts it in context. Please be a little more careful about what advice you give. If you had been the first responder and the asker was a newbie then you may have damaged a potential developer.

Never underestimate the power of human stupidity RAH

[Natural_Demon]

eh, i remember i asked the same question when i played with MFC c++ 5,6 years ago. it's impossible for an normal application to operate without a form/cmd. than as solution, i said, you can write a DLL and hooked it the windows explorer, be it as service or something else, like a virus.

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Threading;

namespace nowindow_application
{
static class Program
{
/// <summary>
/// The main entry point for the application.
/// </summary>
[STAThread]
static void Main()
{
Application.EnableVisualStyles();
Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(false);
//MessageBox.Show(bobo(1, 2).ToString(), "", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Information);
Thread.Sleep(1000);
Main();
//Application.Run(new Form1(bobo(1, 2)));
}

    private static int bobo(int a, int b)
    {
        return (a + b);
    }
}

}

this application wil not not produce an executable file using visual studio 2008 //MessageBox.Show(bobo(1, 2).ToString(), "", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Information); uncomment this file and you have a executable file in your bin folder. so you can't build a application without a CMD or form layout. i dind't spread any false hope or something, i asked this question before.

Bad = knowing 2 much

[Natural_Demon]

or try to compile this

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using System.Threading;

namespace nowindow_application
{
static class Program
{
/// <summary>
/// The main entry point for the application.
/// </summary>
[STAThread]
static void Main()
{
Application.EnableVisualStyles();
Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(false);
//MessageBox.Show(bobo(1, 2).ToString(), "", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Information);
bobo(1, 2);
Thread.Sleep(1000);
Main();
//Application.Run(new Form1(bobo(1, 2)));
}

    private static int bobo(int a, int b)
    {
        return (a + b);
    }
}

}

Bad = knowing 2 much

[Alan N]

Hi, What's your point here? Apart from the recursive call to Main there is nothing that would prevent your example from running to completion. When a program is compiled as a console application then a window, the console, is always created. Counter intuitively a windows application only has a message loop and window if the programmer writes the appropriate code, usually Application.Run(new Form1());. A simple windowless windows application does not show in the taskbar but will be present in Task Manager's process list.

static void Main() {
  System.IO.File.AppendAllText(
    "log.txt",
    "NoWindow started at " + System.DateTime.Now.ToString() + System.Environment.NewLine);
  System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(20 \* 1000);
  System.IO.File.AppendAllText(
    "log.txt",
    "and ended at " + System.DateTime.Now.ToString() + System.Environment.NewLine);
}

Alan.

[Natural_Demon]

hi, i have been playing with you code. i tried with threading and other methods. creating endless/limited loops. again .... whitout System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(20 * 1000); or MessageBox you code want compile, wel it doesn't produce an executable. i have achieved 99% cpu usage on a intel 9450. i think this is a very lousy methode off programming. to get something valueble on this methode of programming.

    static void Main()
    {
        begin:
        if (!testLoop())
        {
            // System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(1 \* 1000);
            // MessageBox.Show("new", "", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Information);
            goto begin;
        }
        
    }

    private static bool testLoop()
    {
        while (baba != 101)
        {
            //Thread.Sleep(1 \* 100);
            baba++;
        }
        baba = 0;
        return false;
    }

this code comsumes 25% cpu usages and is self sustainable. but it doesn't produce an executable. but if you uncomment System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(1 * 1000); it wil compile but terribly remove the realtime feeling. it's like imitating the Assembler

Bad = knowing 2 much