launching an app within a vb.net project - vb.net

I try to lunch an executable file within my windows form vb.net application, but the first screen lunched were maximized..i want to be as it is, in minimized state..
my code is:
Dim oProcess As System.Diagnostics.Process
Dim oPSI As New System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo
oPSI.WindowStyle = System.Diagnostics.ProcessWindowStyle.Maximized
oPSI.FileName = "path\application.exe"
oPSI.Arguments = ""
oProcess = Process.Start(oPSI)

oPSI.WindowStyle = System.Diagnostics.ProcessWindowStyle.Maximized
Remove this line

I you launch you application from a terminal does i work?
if yes you can use
System.Console.Write()
to do it like in the terminal but from your programm.
I think you can tell the terminal to open it in minimize like so:
System.Console.WriteLine("start /min apli.exe")
Good luck!

Related

Import-Module not working from within WinForms Application

I have a VB.net app where I invoke Import-Module on a PowerShell from within my vb.net Window Application but the error says it could not find the module. Error as below.
Import-Module : The specified module 'MSOnline' was not loaded because no valid module file was found in any module directory.
When I load the same Module by launching the PowerShell externally in the usual way it works fine. Image as below.
The VB script is as below
Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
Dim procStartInfo As New ProcessStartInfo
Dim procExecuting As New Process
With procStartInfo
.UseShellExecute = True
.FileName = "powershell.exe"
.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Normal
.Verb = "runas" 'add this to prompt for elevation
Dim psscript As String = My.Resources.mymsolPS
procStartInfo.Arguments = psscript
procExecuting = Process.Start(procStartInfo)
End With
End Sub
My PowerShell Script is saved in my.resource as a txt file. My PowerShell Script is as below.
Import-Module Msonline
Connect-msolService
I replaced the PowerShell script to Get-Help and that works only it dosnt work when I use Import-Module Msonline.
One more information that can be shared is the module is stored in the below location.
C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\MSOnline\MSOnline.psd1
Any Help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks in Advance
Update 2:
More fiddling with it found some thing which i am not sure if is relevant.
If I launch the powershell from within my VB.net and run the below command I cant see the MSOnline module.
PS C:\windows\system32>> cd $env:WINDIR\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\
PS C:\windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules>> dir
If I run the PowerShell directly from my system and run the above script I can see the Module
d----- 11/22/2017 2:59 PM MSOnline
Still a mystery for me which I cant crack. :(
A difference I notice is when launching from your app, or locally, the directory is either your user, or system.. so maybe the way PS is being loaded it can't find the module.
What about if you provide a full path to the module?
I've had much better luck using RunSpace - I use it to pass any powershell commands - here are a snippet from one of the sites and some examples to look at:
'Create the runspace.
Using R As System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.Runspace = _
System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.RunspaceFactory.CreateRunspace()
'Create the pipeline
Using P As System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.Pipeline = R.CreatePipeline()
'Open the runspace.
R.Open()
'Create each command (in this case just one)...
Dim Cmd As New System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.Command("C:\script.ps1", True)
'...and add it to the pipeline.
P.Commands.Add(Cmd)
'Execute the commands and get the response.
Dim Result As System.Collections.ObjectModel.Collection(Of _
System.Management.Automation.PSObject) = P.Invoke()
'Close the runspace.
R.Close()
'Display the result in the console window.
For Each O As System.Management.Automation.PSObject In Result
Console.WriteLine(O.ToString())
Next
End Using
End Using
http://www.winsoft.se/2009/08/execute-a-cmdlet-or-ps1-script-from-visual-basic/
https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/vstudio/en-US/5d2279c8-e02c-45eb-a631-951c56067bb5/run-powershell-script-from-vbnet?forum=vbgeneral
https://code.msdn.microsoft.com/windowsdesktop/VBPowerShell-6b4f83ea
The last one provides a pretty solid breakdown of what it's doing. Let me know if you can't get it to work, I can try to see if this import works on an app.
I actually found the solution after hours of pain. This is pretty silly solution.
Went I went to my application Properties I found that the Preferred run was set to 32 bit hence when my PowerShell was launched from within it was looking for the module under SYSWOW where its suppose to look it under System32. I unchecked the "Preferred 32 BIT" and not it imports the module from system 32.
Thought I should share this silly miss so that others should not suffer the same.

vb.net external dos command hangs without returning output

I am running a dos command from my app, however the dos window just hangs without returning any output. It does work under Windows 8, but not Windows 7.
This is my code:
Private Sub Button3_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button3.Click
Dim process As New Process()
process.StartInfo.FileName = "C:\Program Files (x86)\Pico Technology\PicoScope6\picoscope.com"
process.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = False
process.StartInfo.Arguments = "/a Measurements.CSV?"
process.StartInfo.RedirectStandardInput = True
process.StartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = True
process.Start()
Dim reader As StreamReader = process.StandardOutput
Dim output As String = reader.ReadToEnd()
RichTextBox1.Text = output
End Sub
picoscope.com is a 'wrapper' supplied by the PicoScope vendor - it appears to be a very small .net app, which calls the main PicoScope.exe program with some commands (unknown). The PicoScope.exe app needs to be running for this to work.
I wrote a small console app, and this works just fine - however I can't even call my console app from a forms based application.
Code for console app:
Sub Main()
Dim process As New Process()
process.StartInfo.FileName = "C:\Program Files (x86)\Pico Technology\PicoScope6\picoscope.com"
process.StartInfo.Arguments = "/a Measurements.CSV?"
process.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = False
process.StartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = True
process.Start()
' Synchronously read the standard output of the spawned process.
Dim reader As StreamReader = process.StandardOutput
Dim output As String = reader.ReadToEnd()
process.WaitForExit()
process.Close()
End Sub
This seems to be some strange issue with Windows 7.
I can open cmd.exe without any issue, as well as spawn other applications.
It's almost as if there is some conflict between the running picoscope programs and my application.
Attempting to debug doesn't seem to help at all, with the exception of this:
A first chance exception of type 'System.InvalidOperationException' occurred in System.dll
I have tried several different approaches, disabling shell redirection, even trying to redirect the output to a file. But it would appear that anything to do with this Picoscope app just prevents it working.
I even tried writing another console app to redirect text output to the console and to a file and they worked (because the picoscope app wasn't involved!).
Likewise, a simple dos batch file with "echo Hello World" in it is successfully redirected to my forms app - so I'm sure my code is correct.
I am now at a loss as to what the issue could be here.
I'm using Visual Studio 2013, Windows 7 on SP1.
Can anyone offer any suggestions?
Apologies for the long post, I was trying to give as much detail as possible.
EDIT: Even more curious is that I tried my working app on another Windows 7 PC and it works...
I suspect this must be related to my specific Windows 7 PC (a fresh build).
I compared UAC settings with the other PC - they are the same.
Thanks.

How to open the SCCM Configuration Manager in VB - Visual Studio 2015

I'm creating a tool in VB using Visual Studio 2015 and I'm having some issues with forcing one item on a menu strip when clicked to open the SCCM Configuration Manager.
So far I've tried:
Option 1
Dim ProcID As Integer
ProcID = Shell("control smscfgrc", AppWinStyle.NormalFocus)
Option 2
Process.Start("cmd.exe", "control smscfgrc")
Option 3
Dim p as Process = new Process()
Dim pi as ProcessStartInfo = new ProcessStartInfo()
pi.Arguments = "control smscfgrc"
pi.FileName = "cmd.exe"
p.StartInfo = pi
Option 4
Shell=("control smscfgrc", 0)
None of the above work, they just open the console but nothing else.
If I open a regular cmd window using "windows + R" and type the command "control smscfgrc" it open the SCCM Configuration Manager as it should.
I really need this to complete my tool, any help is much appreciated!
Thank you for the time you took to read this.
I'm not a guru with VS nor VB, but your commands to open cmd.exe looks incorrect. You need to add a /c. The command in the Run window ( + R) would look like this ...
cmd.exe /c control smscfgrc
Of course, control is actually control.exe, so you don't even need cmd.exe:
control.exe smscfgrc
Tested and confirmed that this opens the Configuration Manager Properties window from the Run windows on my computer.
You also may need the full path to control.exe. I would use environment variables; I think this is how it would be done in VB:
Dim control_exe As String
control_exe = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("SystemRoot") & "\System32\control.exe"
You will automatically get redirected to SysWOW64 if running on as a 32-bit process on a 64-bit OS.
Option 2
Process.Start(control_exe, "smscfgrc")
Option 3
Dim p as Process = new Process()
Dim pi as ProcessStartInfo = new ProcessStartInfo()
pi.Arguments = "smscfgrc"
pi.FileName = control_exe
p.StartInfo = pi

VB.net - Running a java application using Shell() and set its appdata folder. multiple commands?

Alright guys I have a copy of minecraft wich is a java program launched by Minecraft.exe.
Inside the same folder is my program (lets call it launcher.exe) wich I am programming in VB.net and a Folder called LocalAppData.
If I place a shortcut in the same folder as Minecraft.exe, clear the "start in" field and put this in the target field:
C:\Windows\System32\cmd.exe /c start cd LocalAppData&& set APPDATA=%cd%\LocalAppData&& javaw -Xms4096M -Xmx4096M -cp LocalAppData\Minecraft.exe net.minecraft.LauncherFrame
then minecraft launches with my custom memory allocation from inside the LocalAppData folder. Two command windows appear as well. One closes when minecraft does, but the other does not and needs to be closed by the user
My Question is: How do I acheive the same result in VB.net instead of with a windows shortcut and is there a way to either stop the command windows appearing or setting them both to close automatically?
My goal is to launch minecraft from a subfolder, so local filepaths would be far preferrable to global filepaths, but figuring out the location of the application at runtime and working from a subfolder would be ok as well.
I thought I would be able to use the same code inside a Shell() command to produce the same effect, but it appears not.
Ideally I want to create a program that runs minecraft with:
Custom memory allocation
Local filepaths so that it can be run portably
The appdata folder changed to the subfolder so that it can be run portably
Those command windows either gone or minimised and then close automatically when minecraft is closed by the user.
I know this is a big ask, but I'm 6 months into a programming course and I'll admit that I'm not the best programmer out there.
Once I know how to do this I can create the rest of the program that manages multiple installations in seperate subfolders and lets you choose wich one to launch, but I just need help with the actual launching of the java application itself.
Note:
I should clarify that Minecraft.exe is not something that I have made and that I don't program java. I'm just looking for a solution in VB.Net.
Thank you for reading all this and sorry for the long post.
Edit
Thank you for the help. This is what I have so far, but it produces an error "Error: Could not create the JavaVirtualMachine. Error: A fatal exception has occurred. Program will exit"
'Declare Processes
Dim appDataStartInfo As ProcessStartInfo = New ProcessStartInfo()
Dim javaStartInfo As ProcessStartInfo = New ProcessStartInfo()
Dim appPath As String = Application.StartupPath()
'Launch appdata relocation process
appDataStartInfo.FileName = "cmd.exe"
appDataStartInfo.Arguments = "/c start cd " & appPath & "&& set APPDATA=" & appPath & "\LocalAppData"
appDataStartInfo.UseShellExecute = True
Process.Start(appDataStartInfo)
'Launch Minecraft
javaStartInfo.FileName = "javaw.exe"
javaStartInfo.Arguments = "-Xms4096M -Xmx4096M -cp " & appPath & "\LocalAppData\.minecraft\bin\Minecraft.jar net.minecraft.LauncherFrame"
javaStartInfo.UseShellExecute = True
Process.Start(javaStartInfo)
Does anyone see where I've gone wrong?
The Process class (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.diagnostics.process.aspx )allows you to launch a process. You set it up with a ProcessStartInfo instance (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.diagnostics.processstartinfo(v=vs.80).aspx ).
I don't have the time to give you all the details, but this pseudo-code should get you started :
Dim startInfo As ProcessStartInfo = new ProcessStartInfo()
startInfo.FileName = "javaw.exe" 'That's the name of your executable
startInfo.Arguments = "your argument line"
startInfo.UseShellExecute = true 'Needed to open a command window
Process.Start(startInfo)

how to open a vb.application from another vb.application with parameters

i have 2 vb applications. this is the code for the first one which when a button is clicked it will check if the other application is already open. If not, it'll open that application -
Dim sComputer As String
sComputer = Environ("COMPUTERNAME")
Dim LocalByName As Process() = Process.GetProcessesByName("ticket.prices", sComputer)
If LocalByName.Length = 0 Then
System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("http://ticket.prices.application")
End If
this runs fine. but what i need is that the customerid on the application 1 that is calling application 2, should be transfered while opening app 2.
e.g -
Customer 10001 screen is open on app 1. When i click open app 2, the above code runs and opens app 2. how do i make app 2 open to customer 10001 screen. Is there any way to pass parameters while opening app 2 in System.Diagnostics.Process.Start ?
Use the version of 'Process.Start' that takes 2 strings, the second being the commandline parameters. See here for details.
You want the ProcessStartInfo class, or use the Start method taking to strings. ProcessStartInfo gives you a lot of options about how to start your program, which often comes in handy. Its good to get familiar with it.
Dim info as New ProcessStartInfo()
info.Arguments = "10001"
info.FileName = "exename"
Dim LocalByName as New Process()
LocalByName.StartInfo = info
LocalByName.Start()
Getting the arguments in the new program is accomplished via Environment.GetCommandLineArgs()
For Each arg As String In Environment.GetCommandLineArgs()
Console.WriteLine(arg)
Next arg
It looks like what you ultimately want to accomplish is getting the currently selected row from App 1 and passing that to the second program, though. Is this correct? That opens a whole new ball of wax involving interprocess communication.
EDIT: The simplest way to get the selected edit would be to write the id out to a text file. You have to be careful when doing this because if you just write System.IO.File.WriteAllText("selectedrow.txt", "123"), you'll write to the app's startup path directory. You'll want to get the exe's current path as below
Dim u as New Uri(System.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().GetName().CodeBase)
dim exepath as String = System.IO.Path.GetDirectoryName(u.LocalPath)
dim fullPath as String = System.IO.Path.Combine(exepath, "selectedrow.txt")
System.IO.File.WriteAllText(fullpath, "123")
This will overwrite the text in the file every time you change rows. You want to wrap this in a try/catch block so as not to crash the program. Make sure you log the errors; don't just swallow them. To read the data, you just do
dim id as string = System.IO.File.ReadAllText(PathToFileYoureWritingToInTheOtherProgram)
in the other program.
This isn't necessarily the best way to go about things, but its the simplest way I know of off the top of my head.
You might could look at MessageQueues if you a better solution, but as long as you're not changing selected rows every 100ms, writing the file should work fine.