如何在VB.NET代码中触发事件？

我有一个具有开始按钮的表单(允许用户根据需要反复运行进程),并且我想在表单加载时发送btnStart.Click事件,以便进程自动启动.

我有btnStart.Click事件的以下函数,但我如何实际告诉Visual Basic’假装有人点击了按钮并触发此事件’？

我试过非常简单,基本上可行.但是,Visual studio给我一个警告变量’sender’在被赋值之前被使用,所以我猜这不是真正的方法：

Dim sender As Object
btnStart_Click(sender,New EventArgs())

我也尝试过使用RaiseEvent btnStart.Click,但是会出现以下错误：

码

Imports System.ComponentModel

Partial Public Class frmProgress

    Private bw As BACkgroundWorker = New BACkgroundWorker

    Public Sub New()

        InitializeComponent()

        ' Set up the BACkgroundWorker
        bw.WorkerReportsProgress = True
        bw.WorkerSupportsCancellation = True
        AddHandler bw.DoWork,AddressOf bw_DoWork
        AddHandler bw.ProgressChanged,AddressOf bw_ProgressChanged
        AddHandler bw.RunWorkerCompleted,AddressOf bw_RunWorkerCompleted

        ' Fire the 'btnStart.click' event when the form loads
        Dim sender As Object
        btnStart_Click(sender,New EventArgs())

    End Sub

    Private Sub btnStart_Click(sender As Object,e As EventArgs) Handles btnStart.Click

        If Not bw.IsBusy = True Then

            ' Enable the 'More >>' button on the form,as there will now be details for users to view
            Me.btnMore.Enabled = True

            ' update the form control setTings so that they correctly formatted when the processing starts
            set_form_on_start()

            bw.RunWorkerAsync()

        End If

    End Sub

    ' Other functions exist here

End Class

btnStart_Click(btnStart,New EventArgs())