Launching an application (.EXE) from C#?

Question

How can I launch an application using C#?

Requirements: Must work on Windows XP and Windows Vista.

I have seen a sample from DinnerNow.net sampler that only works in Windows Vista.

Solution 1

Use System.Diagnostics.Process.Start() method.

Check out this article on how to use it.

Process.Start("notepad", "readme.txt");

string winpath = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("windir");
string path = System.IO.Path.GetDirectoryName(
              System.Windows.Forms.Application.ExecutablePath);

Process.Start(winpath + @"\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v1.0.3705\Installutil.exe",
path + "\\MyService.exe");

Solution 2

Here's a snippet of helpful code:

using System.Diagnostics;

// Prepare the process to run
ProcessStartInfo start = new ProcessStartInfo();
// Enter in the command line arguments, everything you would enter after the executable name itself
start.Arguments = arguments; 
// Enter the executable to run, including the complete path
start.FileName = ExeName;
// Do you want to show a console window?
start.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden;
start.CreateNoWindow = true;
int exitCode;


// Run the external process & wait for it to finish
using (Process proc = Process.Start(start))
{
     proc.WaitForExit();

     // Retrieve the app's exit code
     exitCode = proc.ExitCode;
}

There is much more you can do with these objects, you should read the documentation: ProcessStartInfo, Process.

Solution 3

System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("PathToExe.exe");

Solution 4

System.Diagnostics.Process.Start( @"C:\Windows\System32\Notepad.exe" );

Solution 5

If you have problems using System.Diagnostics like I had, use the following simple code that will work without it:

using System.Diagnostics;

Process notePad = new Process();
notePad.StartInfo.FileName   = "notepad.exe";
notePad.StartInfo.Arguments = "mytextfile.txt";
notePad.Start();

View more solutions

Comments

[DLeh]

Just wanted to point out that this also seems to work with other filetypes than .exes. Just point to the file you want to open and Windows will do its best to open it: System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(@"C:\Users\Blank\Desktop\Pd‌​fFile.pdf");

[Barton]

WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden is for non-GUI. The first time I ran this it failed without UseShellExecute = false, but it works now. Not sure what's going on there...

[mustaccio]

How does your answer improve on all the previous ones?

[Paul Sinclair]

How is this "without System.Diagonostics"? Process is in System.Diagnostics.

[vishal]

What if i don't know the full name of the exe, i want to call "PathTo*.exe" Is this possible?

[vishal]

What if i don't know the full name of the exe, i want to call "PathTo*.exe" Is this possible? Can i use " * " for the rest of the name?

[sfuqua]

@vishal, this process is for calling a specific executable. You can certainly try using PathTo*.exe but I would not expect it to work. (a) what if there are multiple matches? (b) I would hope Microsoft's code would not allow this, as it would be weak security.

[KADEM Mohammed]

@vishal you need to code a procedure of search to find the executable

[Amin Mohamed]

Most of people coming to see this post got confused about the path of a file which usually they put in debug folder so when they use my hint "File.exe" directly understand no need a path in this case.