How to run a console application without showing the console window - vb.net

Question

I have written an application with the following sub main:
Public Sub Main()
Dim Value As String() = Environment.GetCommandLineArgs
Dim F As Form
Select Case Value.Last.ToLower
Case "-character"
F = New frmCharacterSheet
Case "-viewer"
F = New frmClient
Case Else
F = New frmCombat
End Select
Application.Run(F)
End Sub
This is because I want to be able to install my app with three different startup modes based on the command line. I did have a form that did this, but this has made error trapping very hard because the main form just reports the error.
This console seems to work well but I don't want the user to see the black console screen at startup.
I have searched for the answer but most solutions are 'switch back to a windows forms application'. I don't want to do this though for the above reason. (I cannot use application.run(f) in a winforms start situation because I get a threading error.
I need to know either how to hide the console window, or alternatively how to code a main menu that will launch one of the other three forms (but making them the startup form).
Any help would be appreciated....

Answer 1

Try:
Private Declare Auto Function ShowWindow Lib "user32.dll" (ByVal hWnd As IntPtr, ByVal nCmdShow As Integer) As Boolean
Private Declare Auto Function GetConsoleWindow Lib "kernel32.dll" () As IntPtr
Private Const SW_HIDE As Integer = 0
Sub Main()
Dim hWndConsole As IntPtr
hWndConsole = GetConsoleWindow()
ShowWindow(hWndConsole, SW_HIDE)
'continue your code
End Sub
It has a side effect that the window will be shown and then immediately hidden
valter

Answer 2

"or alternatively how to code a main menu that will launch one of the other three forms (but making them the startup form)."
Start with a standard WinForms Project and use the Application.Startup() event. From there you can check your startup parameters and then dynamically change the Startup form by assigning your desired instance to "My.Application.MainForm". This will cause that form to load as if it was the one originally assigned to the "Startup Form" entry.
Click on Project --> Properties --> Application Tab --> "View Application Events" Button (bottom right; scroll down).
Change the Left dropdown from "(General)" to "(MyApplication Events)".
Change the Right dropdown from "Declarations" to "Startup".
Simplified code:
Namespace My
' The following events are available for MyApplication:
'
' Startup: Raised when the application starts, before the startup form is created.
' Shutdown: Raised after all application forms are closed. This event is not raised if the application terminates abnormally.
' UnhandledException: Raised if the application encounters an unhandled exception.
' StartupNextInstance: Raised when launching a single-instance application and the application is already active.
' NetworkAvailabilityChanged: Raised when the network connection is connected or disconnected.
Partial Friend Class MyApplication
Private Sub MyApplication_Startup(sender As Object, e As ApplicationServices.StartupEventArgs) Handles Me.Startup
If True Then
My.Application.MainForm = New Form1 ' <-- pass your desired instance to MainForm
End If
End Sub
End Class
End Namespace

Answer 3

Just go to Project Properties> Application> Application Type> and select Windows Forms Application
At this point your ConsoleApplication turns totally invisible, with no User-Interface.

Answer 4

I just want to add another solution although Idle_Mind has already provided an excellent one. This demonstrates that you can use Application.Run(Form) inside a WinForms app.
Public Class Form1
Private Shared applicationThread As New Threading.Thread(AddressOf Main)
Private Shared Sub Main()
Dim myForm As Form
Dim config = 2 ' if 3, will run Form3
Select Case config
Case 2
myForm = New Form2
Case 3
myForm = New Form3
Case Else
MessageBox.Show("Bad config!")
Exit Sub
End Select
Application.Run(myForm)
End Sub
Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
applicationThread.Start()
' immediately dispose Form1 so it's not even shown
Dispose()
End Sub
End Class