Realtime console redirection issue - vb.net

Question

First of all, I did spend quite some time trying to find an answer to my issue but so far, nothing.
Here is the issue.
I have to run a cli command with arguments and redirect the output (REALTIME) to a textbox.
The command will look like this:
smcli - n name -f "script.scr"
Since smcli is not in the system PATH variable, I first need to go to the right Dir
So, I end up running the full command that looks like this:
cmd /c cd "c:\Program Files(x86)\bla\" && smcli - n name -f "script.scr"
I'll put the code in one sec but basically, the thing is working just fine, I get to the correct directory, run the command, it runs the script, all good.
I tried to redirect the output to a different form but then it doen't work anymore at all; anyway, that would be the bonus question.
The thing is though, when the script runs, it does say step by step what it is doing and sends that info to the output (i.e. restoring the name, restoring the disk config, ...)
As I said, I do get all those outputs....once EVERYTHING is completed (i.e. after 5 minutes of apparent freeze).
NOT redirecting the output to the textbox (i.e. leaving the console window open), I get the output real time.
So here is the code now (there is a bit of it, sorry):
Private Sub ReadMDcfgToolStripButton_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles ReadMDcfgToolStripButton.Click
Dim exitcode As Int32
smcli = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("ProgramFiles") & "\Dell\MD Storage Manager\client\" 'SMcli.exe"
Dim gotosmclidir As String = "cd """ & smcli & """"
Dim smclicommand As String
smclicommand = "smcli -n " & mdname & " -c ""save storagearray configuration file=\""" & saveFileDialog2.FileName & "\"" allconfig"";"
cmd = gotosmclidir & " && " & smclicommand
exitcode = RunCommandCom(cmd, "", False)
End Sub
Private Function RunCommandCom(command As String, arguments As String, permanent As Boolean) As Int32
' Usage:
'RunCommandCom("DIR", "/W", true)
'For the multiple command on one line the key are the & | && and || command connectors
'•A & B -> execute command A, then execute command B.
'•A | B -> execute command A, and redirect all it's output into the input of command B.
'•A && B -> execute command A, evaluate the errorlevel after running Command A, and if the exit code (errorlevel) is 0, only then execute command B.
'•A || B -> execute Command A, evalutate the exit code of this command and if it's anything but 0, only then execute command B.
TextBox1.Text = "Communication in progress..." & vbCrLf
exitcodelbl.Text = ""
CmdCloseBtn.Enabled = False
ToolStrip1.Enabled = False
CmdOutputPanel.Visible = True
Dim p As Process = New Process()
Dim pi As ProcessStartInfo = New ProcessStartInfo()
pi.FileName = "cmd.exe"
pi.Arguments = " " + If(permanent = True, "/K", "/C") + " " + command + " " + arguments
MsgBox(pi.Arguments)
pi.CreateNoWindow = True
pi.UseShellExecute = False
pi.RedirectStandardOutput = True
pi.RedirectStandardError = True
pi.CreateNoWindow = True
p.StartInfo = pi
AddHandler p.OutputDataReceived, AddressOf GotData
p.Start()
p.BeginOutputReadLine()
Do Until p.HasExited
Loop
exitcodelbl.Text = p.ExitCode
Select Case p.ExitCode
Case 0
exitcodelbl.Text += " - Command completed successfully."
Case 1
exitcodelbl.Text += " - Could not communicate with the Array."
Case 9
exitcodelbl.Text += " - Could not communicate with the Array."
Case 14
exitcodelbl.Text += " - Could not communicate with the Array."
Case Else
exitcodelbl.Text += " - Unknown code."
End Select
Return p.ExitCode
End Function
Sub GotData(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As DataReceivedEventArgs)
UpdateTextBox(e.Data)
End Sub
Private Delegate Sub UpdateTextBoxDelegate(ByVal Text As String)
Private Sub UpdateTextBox(ByVal Tex As String)
If Me.InvokeRequired Then
Dim del As New UpdateTextBoxDelegate(AddressOf UpdateTextBox)
Dim args As Object() = {Tex}
Me.Invoke(del, args)
Else
TextBox1.Text &= Tex & Environment.NewLine
End If
End Sub
Apart from the command itself, everything else is comming from researches and they are just put together, the way to run the command on one hand and the redirection on the other hand.
I believe the issue is with my command (looks like that part is VERY sensible).
Either I can have it done a different way (again, it works but not real time) or I missed something trivial...?
Thanks for your help.
Following tinstaafl here is the updated code:
Private Sub MainForm_Shown(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Shown
copyrightlbl.Focus()
wait(1000)
Await RunCommandCom("", "192.168.219.152", False) '172.16.1.55
CmdCloseBtn.Enabled = True
End Sub
Private Async Function RunCommandCom(command As String, arguments As String, permanent As Boolean) As Task(Of Int32)
TextBox1.Text = "Communication in progress..." & vbCrLf
exitcodelbl.Text = ""
CmdCloseBtn.Enabled = False
ToolStrip1.Enabled = False
CmdOutputPanel.Visible = True
Dim p As Process = New Process()
With p.StartInfo
.WorkingDirectory = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("ProgramFiles") & "\Dell\MD Storage Manager\client\" 'Directory for SMcli.exe"
.FileName = "ping.exe"
.Arguments = command + " " + arguments
.CreateNoWindow = True
.UseShellExecute = False
.RedirectStandardOutput = True
.RedirectStandardError = True
End With
p.Start()
Do Until p.HasExited
TextBox1.Text &= Await p.StandardOutput.ReadLineAsync
Loop
exitcodelbl.Text = p.ExitCode
Return p.ExitCode
End Function

Answer 1

Instead of using a delegate try reading the output directly to the textbox. The StandardOutput property of the Process is a stream that you can use the ReadLineAsync method to get the output. Something like this should work:
pi.CreateNoWindow = True
pi.UseShellExecute = False
pi.RedirectStandardOutput = True
pi.RedirectStandardError = True
p.StartInfo = pi
p.Start()
Do Until p.HasExited
TextBox1.Text &= Await p.StandardOutput.ReadLineAsync
Loop
Intellisense will prompt you to make the sub routine Async, but with that you should get the output you want.
Private Async Function RunCommandCom(command As String, arguments As String, permanent As Boolean) As Task(Of Int32)
Await RunCommandCom("", "192.168.219.152", False)