Preventing screen updates during initialisation?

[Martin Robins]

Due to the performance issues of Windows Forms on PPC, I am looking at the
option of creating all forms during the initialisation of the main
application form, or alternatively, creating all forms as required, but then
maintaining the instance of the form throughout the life of the application.

This is working fairly well and has resulted in much less flicker when
showing a new form, either on the second showing or when all forms are
created at the beginning.

The problem with the initial creation remains however and even when creating
the forms when the application starts, I am then seeing screen flicker
whilst these forms are created even though they are not being shown.

Is there a way to prevent the screen from accepting any updates whilst this
initialisation is going on, and then reactivating the updates? Effectively,
I am looking to "switch off" the screen whilst the forms are created,
although I do not actually want to switch off and blank the screen.

Cheers.

 

[Erwin Sommerauer]

I worked around this problem by using only one single form. All form
contents are placed on panels that are turned on and off as the program
needs it; all controls placed on the panels become invisible together with
the panels.
This increases the first form load time somewhat, but you have absolutely no
flicker when you activate or deactivate your panels.

Greetings
E.S.