Is there an easy way to set the text of the WPF StatusBar?

Question

I want to set the TextBlock text to my StatusBar before the user will wait for a short moment while my program runs a little.

Apparently, instead of making such a small function like this (which doesn't work):

Function Load(ByVal Id As Guid) As Thing Cursor = Cursors.Wait TextBlockStatus.Text = "Loading..." TextBlockStatus.UpdateLayout() Dim Found = From t In db.Thing _ Where t.Id = Id _ Select t TextBlockStatus.Text = String.Empty Cursor = Cursors.Arrow Return Found End Function 

I have to use this monster:

 Private WithEvents LoadWorker As BackgroundWorker Private Sub Window1_Loaded(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.Windows.RoutedEventArgs) Handles MyBase.Loaded InitializeLoadWorker() End Sub Private Sub InitializeLoadWorker() LoadWorker = New BackgroundWorker LoadWorker.WorkerSupportsCancellation = False LoadWorker.WorkerReportsProgress = False AddHandler LoadWorker.DoWork, AddressOf LoadBackgroundWorker_DoWork AddHandler LoadWorker.RunWorkerCompleted, AddressOf LoadBackgroundWorker_RunWorkerCompleted End Sub Sub Load(ByVal Id As Guid) Cursor = Cursors.Wait LoadWorker.RunWorkerAsync(Argument) End Sub Private Sub LoadBackgroundWorker_DoWork(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As DoWorkEventArgs) Dim Worker As BackgroundWorker = DirectCast(sender, BackgroundWorker) Dim Id As Guid = DirectCast(e.Argument, Guid) e.Result = From t In db.Thing _ Where t.Id = Id _ Select t End Sub Private Sub LoadBackgroundWorker_RunWorkerCompleted(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As RunWorkerCompletedEventArgs) TextBlockStatus.Text = String.Empty Cursor = Cursors.Arrow Dim Found As Thing = DirectCast(e.Result, Thing) 'now do something with the found thing here instead of where Load() is called.' End Sub 

And the Load () function is now Sub !!

There must be a better way to deal with such a simple situation. This does not have to be asynchronous.

Answer 1

Take a look at this question: Show standby screen in WPF .

The accepted answer has a way of doing what I think you want, without a working class class.

From the link in the answer to another question, this might work for VB.NET (I haven't tried it yet)

 Public Sub AllowUIToUpdate() Dim frame As New DispatcherFrame() Dispatcher.CurrentDispatcher.BeginInvoke(DispatcherPriority.Render, New DispatcherOperationCallback(AddressOf JunkMethod), frame) Dispatcher.PushFrame(frame) End Sub Private Function JunkMethod(ByVal arg As Object) As Object DirectCast(arg, DispatcherFrame).Continue = False Return Nothing End Function