如何在VB.Net代码中触发事件？

我对btnStart.Click事件有以下功能，但是如何实际告诉VB？假装有人点击了按钮并启动了这个事件？

我已经尝试过非常简单，这基本上是有用的。然而，Visual Studio给了我一个警告变量’发件人’被使用之前它已被分配一个值，所以我猜这不是真的做到这一点 –

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 –

‘btnStart’ is not an event of ‘MyProject.MyFormClass

关于我应该如何实现这一点的任何提示将不胜感激。谢谢。

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