Microsoft® Visual Basic® .NET Programmer's Cookbook

Start a Windows Application with a Main Subroutine

Problem

You want to start a Windows application without a startup form.

Solution

Create a module with a public Main method. Show all forms modally, or use the Application.Run method.

Discussion

There are several reasons that you might want to start a Windows application without using a startup form, including:

• You want to show several forms at once.

• You need to process command-line parameters (as described in recipe Retrieve Command-Line Parameters).

• You need to programmatically decide which form to show initially.

• You want to run your program in the background and provide a system tray icon that allows the user to access the full interface.

In these cases, you can start your application using a startup ...