Question Main form minimized after opening form in a different thread

[nlobak]

In the main form the user can choose to download information from a device.
Since this request takes time, when "download information" is pressed I open new form in a separate thread:

Private Sub RunDownload()
       
            Me.Enabled = False
            Me.Cursor = Cursors.WaitCursor

            Shell(Query, AppWinStyle.Hide, False, -1)

            'show progress
            ProgressBarProcess.RunWorkerAsync()
        End If
    End Sub

Private Sub ProgressBarProcess_DoWork(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.ComponentModel.DoWorkEventArgs) Handles ProgressBarProcess.DoWork
        Dim NewProgressBarForm As New ProgressBarForm
        NewProgressBarForm.ShowDialog()
        NewProgressBarForm.Dispose()
        NewProgressBarForm = Nothing
    End Sub

Private Sub ProgressBarProcess_RunWorkerCompleted(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.ComponentModel.RunWorkerCompletedEventArgs) Handles ProgressBarProcess.RunWorkerCompleted
        ProgressBarProcess.CancelAsync()
        ProgressBarProcess.Dispose()

        Me.Enabled = True
        Me.Activate()        
        Me.Cursor = Cursors.Default
End Sub

I need the ProgressBarForm to show progress and write the log of the progress.

The problem is: after the user closes the ProgressBarForm the main window is minimized, and I need to activate it to bring it back up.
But the user can see the bringing back from minimized, and it doesn't looks good and gives a feeling that the program is not stable.

Does anyone know why is this happening and how to make the main form not to minimize itself?

 

[grmbl]

The progressbarform, do you show it modal or not?

progressbarform.show or progressbarform.showdialog?

EDIT: sorry I missed it in your code. Try progressbarform.show? Play around with focus?

 

[nlobak]

progressbarform.show doesn't work - the progressbarform appears minimized, and when opened - it's white and nothing can be seen.

I've played with the focus but nothing changes...

 

[picoflop]

Any code in the main form's "deactivated" event?
What's the purpose of the Shell... statement?