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c#javascriptwebbrowser-controlsettimeoutinvokescript

Why code scheduled via setTimeout method in WebBrowser control is not invoked


using System;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
using System.Windows.Forms;

public static class Program
{
    [STAThread]
    public static void Main()
    {
        using (var browser = new WebBrowser())
        {
            browser.Navigate(string.Empty);

            browser.Document.InvokeScript("execScript", new object[] { "function set_obj(obj) { window.obj = obj }" });
            browser.Document.InvokeScript("execScript", new object[] { "function say_hello() { window.obj.WriteLine('Hello world') }" });

            browser.Document.InvokeScript("set_obj", new object[] { new Obj() });
            browser.Document.InvokeScript("say_hello");

            browser.Document.InvokeScript("setTimeout", new object[] { "say_hello()", 100 });
            Console.ReadKey();
        }
    }
}

[ComVisible(true)]
public sealed class Obj
{
    public void WriteLine(string message)
    {
        Console.WriteLine(message);
    }
}

An immediate invocation of the method say_hello works fine, but when I postpone it using setTimeout, it is not invoked. Why? Is there any workaround?


Solution

  • As user @controlflow pointed, I need a message loop in my application to make setTimeout work. Adding the following line helps:

    Application.Run(new Form { Controls = { browser }, WindowState = FormWindowState.Minimized, ShowInTaskbar = false });