Start command windows and run commands inside - c#

I need to start the command window with some arguments and run more commands inside.
For example, launch a test.cmd and run mkdir.
I can launch the test.cmd with processstartinfo , but i am not sure how to run further commands. Can I pass further arguments to the test.cmd process?
How do I go about this?
Unable to add comments to answer... SO writing here.
Andrea, This is what I was looking for. However the above code doesnt work for me.
I am launching a test.cmd which is new command environment (like razzle build environment) and I need to run further commands.
psi.FileName = #"c:\test.cmd";
psi.Arguments = #"arg0 arg1 arg2";
psi.RedirectStandardInput = true;
psi.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
psi.CreateNoWindow = true;
psi.UseShellExecute = false;
Process p = new Process();
p.StartInfo = psi;
p.Start();
p.StandardInput.WriteLine(#"dir>c:\results.txt");
p.StandardInput.WriteLine(#"dir>c:\results2.txt");

You can send further commands to cmd.exe using the process
standard input. You have to redirect it, in this way:
var startInfo = new ProcessStartInfo
{
FileName = "cmd.exe",
RedirectStandardInput = true,
RedirectStandardOutput = true,
UseShellExecute = false,
CreateNoWindow = true
};
var process = new Process {StartInfo = startInfo};
process.Start();
process.StandardInput.WriteLine(#"dir>c:\results.txt");
process.StandardInput.WriteLine(#"dir>c:\results2.txt");
process.StandardInput.WriteLine("exit");
process.WaitForExit();
Remember to write "exit" as your last command, otherwise the cmd process doesn't terminate correctly...

The /c parameter to cmd.
ProcessStartInfo start = new ProcessStartInfo("cmd.exe", "/c pause");
Process.Start(start);
(pause is just an example of what you can run)
But for creating a directory you can do that and most other file operations from c# directly
System.IO.Directory.CreateDirectory(#"c:\foo\bar");
Start a cmd from c# is useful only if you have some big bat-file that you don't want to replicate in c#.

What are you trying to achieve? Do you actually need to open a command window, or do you need to simply make a directory, for example?
mkdir is a windows executable - you can start this program in the same way you start cmd - there's no need to start a command window process first.
You could also create a batch file containing all the commands you want to run, then simply start it using the Process and ProcessStartInfo classes you're already using.

How come this doesn't work?
var startInfo = new ProcessStartInfo
{
FileName = "cmd.exe",
RedirectStandardInput = true,
RedirectStandardOutput = true,
UseShellExecute = false,
CreateNoWindow = false
};
var process = new Process { StartInfo = startInfo };
process.Start();
process.StandardInput.WriteLine(#" dir");
process.WaitForExit();

Related

c# possible to copy a file from one directory to another using cmd [duplicate]

I need to copy a file from one directory to another and do something with that file. I need to copy it with cmd, rather than File.Copy(), because I need the copy to be done as a part of ProcessStartInfo.
You can use this code and change startInfo.Arguments, but /C should be!
System.Diagnostics.Process process = new System.Diagnostics.Process();
System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo startInfo = new
System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo();
startInfo.WindowStyle = System.Diagnostics.ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden;
startInfo.FileName = "cmd.exe";
startInfo.Arguments = "/C copy example.txt backup.txt";
process.StartInfo = startInfo;
process.Start();
You can create a bat-file to copy one or multiple files (using *). Then execute the batch file.
string batFileName = #"C:\{filePath}\copy.bat";
System.IO.File.WriteAllText(batFileName, #"copy {fileName}.{extension} {destination-filePath}");
System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(batFileName);
I was able to formulate this answer using the DOS Copy syntax along with this Stack Overflow QA
Start cmd window and run commands inside
var startInfo = new ProcessStartInfo {
FileName = "cmd.exe",
RedirectStandardInput = true,
RedirectStandardOutput = true,
UseShellExecute = false,
CreateNoWindow = true
};
var process = new Process {StartInfo = startInfo};
process.Start();
process.StandardInput.WriteLine(#"copy c:\Source\Original.ext D:\Dest\Copy.ext");
process.StandardInput.WriteLine("exit");
process.WaitForExit();

Writing a cmd Command in a Console Application

I'm trying to write a C# console application that will launch runas.exe through cmd then run another application as that user. I've taken one of the suggestions listed below (and added a little bit) as it seems the most promising.
Process cmd = new Process();
ProcessStartInfo startinfo = new ProcessStartInfo("cmd.exe", #"/K C:\Windows\System32\runas.exe /noprofile /user:DOMAIN\USER'c:\windows\system32\notepad.exe\'")
{
RedirectStandardInput = true,
UseShellExecute = false
};
cmd.StartInfo = startinfo;
cmd.Start();
StreamWriter stdInputWriter = cmd.StandardInput;
stdInputWriter.Write("PASSWORD");
cmd.WaitForExit();
When I launch the application it asks for the password before the command itself causing there to be an error with runas.exe
I'm pretty sure UseShellExecute = false is causing the error but the StreamWriter doesn't work without it so I'm not sure what to do.
The /c argument runs comman line and terminates, so you could not see results (and it's a large C), see her : http://ss64.com/nt/cmd.html
Try to use "/K".
I did it with your command and i see results in another window.
ProcessStartInfo startInfo = new ProcessStartInfo("cmd", "/K ping PC -t");
Process.Start(startInfo);
Your process should have RedirectStandardInput = true
var p = new Process();
var startinfo = new ProcessStartInfo("cmd.exe", #"/C C:\temp\input.bat")
{
RedirectStandardInput = true,
UseShellExecute = false
};
p.StartInfo = startinfo;
p.Start();
StreamWriter stdInputWriter = p.StandardInput;
stdInputWriter.Write("y");
This program launches input.bat, and then sends the value y to it's standard input.
For completeness, input.bat example:
set /p input=text?:
echo %input%
I found a solution in the following post. I had to forgo most of the structure I was working with but I can now successfully run notepad as my desired user with the code listed below.
var pass = new SecureString();
pass.AppendChar('p');
pass.AppendChar('a');
pass.AppendChar('s');
pass.AppendChar('s');
pass.AppendChar('w');
pass.AppendChar('o');
pass.AppendChar('r');
pass.AppendChar('d');
var runFileAsUser = new ProcessStartInfo
{
FileName = "notepad",
UserName = "username",
Domain = "domain",
Password = pass,
UseShellExecute = false,
RedirectStandardOutput = true,
RedirectStandardError = true
};
Process.Start(runFileAsUser);

Running multiple commands from C# application

I want to run several commands via C# application like
Previously I had a batch file and I ran it using C# but now few of the commands can take inputs. But how to do that ?
I tried
Process cmdprocess = new Process();
ProcessStartInfo startinfo = new ProcessStartInfo();
Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("filename", FileName);
startinfo.FileName = #"C:\Users\cnandy\Desktop\St\2nd Sep\New_CN\New folder\Encrypt web.config_RSAWebFarm\Decrypt Connection String.bat";
startinfo.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden;
startinfo.CreateNoWindow = true;
startinfo.RedirectStandardInput = true;
startinfo.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
startinfo.UseShellExecute = false;
cmdprocess.StartInfo = startinfo;
cmdprocess.Start();
And in the batch file
cd C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319
aspnet_regiis -pi "CustomKeys2" "C:\Users\cnandy\Desktop\Encryption_keys\CustomEncryptionKeys.xml"
aspnet_regiis -pa "CustomKeys2" "NT AUTHORITY\NETWORK SERVICE"
aspnet_regiis -pdf "connectionStrings" %filename%
But effectively they did not run get executed at all. How to achieve the same where for the last command I can accept an input instead of hard coding
"C:\Users\cnandy\Desktop\Test\Websites\AccountDeduplicationWeb"
?
Try this:
Process p = new Process()
{
StartInfo = new ProcessStartInfo("cmd.exe")
{
RedirectStandardInput = true,
RedirectStandardOutput = true,
UseShellExecute = false,
CreateNoWindow = true
}
};
p.Start();
using (StreamWriter sw = p.StandardInput)
{
sw.WriteLine("First command here");
sw.WriteLine("Second command here");
}
p.StandardInput.WriteLine("exit");
Alternatively, try this more direct way (which also implements the last thing you requested):
string strEntry = ""; // Let the user assign to this string, for example like "C:\Users\cnandy\Desktop\Test\Websites\AccountDeduplicationWeb"
Process p = new Process()
{
StartInfo = new ProcessStartInfo("cmd.exe")
{
RedirectStandardInput = true,
RedirectStandardOutput = true,
UseShellExecute = false,
CreateNoWindow = true
}
};
p.Start();
p.StandardInput.WriteLine("cd C:\\Windows\\Microsoft.NET\\Framework64\\v4.0.30319");
p.StandardInput.WriteLine("aspnet_regiis -pi \"CustomKeys2\" \"C:\\Users\\cnandy\\Desktop\\Encryption_keys\\CustomEncryptionKeys.xml\"");
p.StandardInput.WriteLine("aspnet_regiis -pa \"CustomKeys2\" \"NT AUTHORITY\\NETWORK SERVICE\"");
p.StandardInput.WriteLine("aspnet_regiis -pdf \"connectionStrings\" " + strEntry);
p.StandardInput.WriteLine("exit"); //or even p.Close();
If using the second way, it is recommended to let the user enter the path in a textbox, then grab the string from the textbox's Text property, where all the necessary extra back-slashes will be automatically appended.
It should be mentioned that no cmd will show up running your batch file, or the commands.
You can still make a batch file as you used to. Only change it needs is accepting variables.
Something like
CallYourBatch.bat "MyFileName"
Then in you batch file, you can accept a parameter
SET fileName=%~1
aspnet_regiis -pdf "connectionStrings" %fileName%
Similarly the same functionality can be used while forming your command text, if you must do it as part of C# code.
Also might i suggest using a CALL command to call your batch files? More information on the same is at http://ss64.com/nt/call.html
Start the batch file using Process object. You can use Environment variables to pass the values between processes. in this case, from C# to bat file you can pass values using environment variable.
c#
Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("searchString","*.txt")
in bat file you can access the value as like below
dir %searchString%
To start the bat file from c#
System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("path\commands.bat");
Sample code to start notepad from C# with Batch file and Variables
System.Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("fileName", "test.txt");
System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(System.IO.Path.GetDirectoryName(Assembly.GetEntryAssembly().Location) + "/commands.bat");
Console.ReadLine();
Bat file
#echo "staring note pad"
notepad %fileName%

Stop new command window opening each time command is executed

I have written a C# tool that will launch an application by running a command in the command prompt for me several times, one after the other. The piece of code doing this for me is as follows:
System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("CMD.exe", strCmdText);
So I have this in a loop and all is good. However each time it executes a new command window is opened, which isnt ideal. Is there a way I can close the command window after the command has executed, or better still, not have the command window open at all? Any help is really appreciated!!
Yes, you have to use the ProcessStartInfo class for doing this:
Process.Start(
new ProcessStartInfo("CMD.exe", strCmdText)
{
CreateNoWindow = true
});
Use ProcessStartInfo to start the process (Start has an overload that takes a ProcessStartInfo).
Set the following properties:
var psi = new ProcessStartInfo("cmd.exe", strCmdText);
psi.CreateNoWindow = true;
psi.UseShellExecute = false;
Process.Start(psi);
ProcessStartInfo allows you to specify no window.
using (var p = new Process())
{
p.StartInfo = new ProcessStartInfo
{
FileName = "CMD.exe",
Arguments = strCmdText,
CreateNoWindow = true,
UseShellExecute = false
};
p.Start();
p.WaitForExit();
p.Close();
}

How do I use ProcessStartInfo to run a batch file?

But it doesn't work -meaning the java code is not executed.
Although the batch file runs fine when clicked in Windows explorer or when run in command line ..
Since this works fine when the batch file is a single DOS command, I think this is somehow related to the fact that the Java code needs ~20 minutes to run.
I'm using the following code
var si = new ProcessStartInfo();
si.CreateNoWindow = true;
si.FileName = batchFileName;
si.UseShellExecute = false;
Process.Start(si);
What am I doing wrong?
Set UseShellExecute to true, so it loads cmd.exe to run the batch file.
Check this - a batch file wrapper of ProcessStartInfo:
C:\>ProcessStartJS.bat "cmd.exe" -arguments "/c pause" -style Minimized -priority High -newWindow yes -useshellexecute yes
Started: cmd.exe /c pause
PID:6540
As Lucas Jones mentioned in the comments, if you don't want to use ShellExecute, do it like this:
string fullBatPath = #"C:\path with space\file.bat";
var process = new Process()
{
StartInfo = new ProcessStartInfo
{
FileName = "cmd.exe",
Arguments = $"cmd /C \"{fullBatPath}\"",
UseShellExecute = false,
CreateNoWindow = true,
}
};
process.Start();

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