Execute a application and wait for it to be loaded - vb.net

Question

I'm searching for a way to execute Steam (Steam.exe) and wait for it to be loaded (Not to exited).
I was think a good idea is to list all the child handles and search for a string in the title handles because when steam loads exist a window handle named "Friends", but this is hard to do it for me (APIs) so maybe exist a easy way to wait for a program to load...
Example of what I will do:
' First process
Process.start("Process 1.exe")
' Here will goes an efficient method to wait for application is loaded,
' not sleeping X seconds measuring the loading time or any of that.
' Second process
' Depends on first process fully loaded.
' If first process is not fully loaded (libraries and that) then this process can't run.
Process.start("Processs 2.exe")
UPDATE:
The Main question is how to wait for X process to be loaded, but about the Steam.exe I've noticed too when Steam is loaded tries to read/open some regkeys:
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/6599/prtscrcapture4u.jpg
Maybe I can do something with code to monitor if one of that RegKeys is accesed?
Something like this?:
Dim RegKey = "HKLM\...blablabla"
Process.start("steam.exe")
While not Regkey.IsAccessed
' Do nothing and wait
Loop
Process.start("Second process.exe")
UPDATE 2:
I'm trying to make a function taking by reference the solution of Amegon, I don't finished the code because I'm getting an error in the line:
Memory = hprocess.PrivateMemorySize64
But I only get the error when I try to launch a "big" application (application that needs much time to load like Photoshop), with "little" apps works good.
Please if someone can help me to simplify/improve the Amegon's solution to make a Generic function and to correct the memory overflow error... Thank you!
This is my code:
' This is the sub that launchs the unfinished function:
Private Sub Launch_Game()
'Wait_For_Application_To_Load("C:\Games\Steam.exe", "-applaunch 0")
Wait_For_Application_To_Load("C:\Program Files\Adobe Photoshop CS6 (64 Bit)\Photoshop.exe")
End Sub
Private Function Wait_For_Application_To_Load(ByVal APP_Path As String, Optional ByVal APP_Arguments As String = Nothing)
Dim File = My.Computer.FileSystem.GetFileInfo(APP_Path)
Process.Start(APP_Path, APP_Arguments)
Timer_CheckCPU.Tag = File.Name.Substring(0, File.Name.Length - 4) ' Photoshop
Timer_CheckCPU.Enabled = True
End Function
Private Declare Function ReadProcessMemory Lib "kernel32" (ByVal hProcess As Integer, ByVal lpBaseAddress As Integer, ByVal lpBuffer As Integer, ByVal nSize As Integer, ByRef lpNumberOfBytesWritten As Integer) As Integer
Private WithEvents Timer_CheckCPU As New Timer
Dim Memory_Value_Changed As Boolean
Dim CPU_Changed As Boolean
Dim CPU_Time As Boolean
Dim Running_Time As Boolean
Private _desiredTime_ms As Integer = 1500
Private Sub Timer_CheckCPU_Tick(sender As Object, ev As EventArgs) Handles Timer_CheckCPU.Tick
Timer_CheckCPU.Enabled = False
Dim pProcess() As Process = System.Diagnostics.Process.GetProcessesByName(Timer_CheckCPU.Tag)
Dim hprocess As Process = pProcess(0)
If hprocess Is Nothing Then
Running = False
Timer_CheckCPU.Enabled = True
Return
End If
Running = True
' Here is the error:
Memory = hprocess.PrivateMemorySize64
' MsgBox(hprocess.PrivateMemorySize64.ToString)
CPUTotal = hprocess.TotalProcessorTime.TotalMilliseconds
If AllConditionsGood() Then
If Not (_countdown.IsRunning) Then
_countdown.Reset()
_countdown.Start()
End If
Dim _elapsed As Integer = _countdown.ElapsedMilliseconds
If _elapsed >= _desiredTime_ms Then
Me.TopMost = True
MsgBox("process loaded")
Return
End If
Else
_countdown.Reset()
End If
Timer_CheckCPU.Enabled = True
End Sub
Private Function AllConditionsGood() As Boolean
If CPU_Time Then Return False
If Memory_Value_Changed Then Return False
If Running_Time Then Return False
Return True
End Function
Private _countdown As New Stopwatch
Private _Running As Boolean = False
Public WriteOnly Property Running() As Boolean
Set(ByVal value As Boolean)
_Running = value
If value Then
Running_Time = False
Else
Running_Time = True
End If
End Set
End Property
Private _CPUTotal As Integer
Public WriteOnly Property CPUTotal() As Integer
Set(ByVal value As Integer)
CPU = value - _CPUTotal 'used cputime since last check
_CPUTotal = value
End Set
End Property
Private _CPU As Integer
Public WriteOnly Property CPU() As Integer
Set(ByVal value As Integer)
If value = 0 Then
CPU_Time = False
Else
CPU_Time = True
End If
_CPU = value
End Set
End Property
Private _Memory As Integer
Public WriteOnly Property Memory() As Integer
Set(ByVal value As Integer)
MemoryDiff = Math.Abs(value - _Memory)
_Memory = value
End Set
End Property
Private _MemoryDiff As Integer
Public WriteOnly Property MemoryDiff() As Integer
Set(ByVal value As Integer)
If value = _MemoryDiff Then
Memory_Value_Changed = False
Else
Memory_Value_Changed = True
End If
_MemoryDiff = value
End Set
End Property

Answer 1

The WaitForInputIdle method waits until the application has started and is waiting for input
Dim psi As New ProcessStartInfo("fileName", "arguments")
Dim p As New Process
p.StartInfo = psi
p.Start()
p.WaitForInputIdle()
Note: This will not work for service applications.

Answer 2

Update I have build an example program to show this memory and cpu observing
To run it create a new project, windows form application, then open the code part and insert the following code. -no need to add any controls, I added them in code manually. I as able to successfully run the code with VS 2012 ultimate on win8 prof x64- :
Option Strict On
Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Public Class Form1
Private WithEvents btnStart As New Button
Private WithEvents tmrCheckCPU As New Timer
Private tbRunning As New TextBox
Private tbCPU As New TextBox
Private tbMemory As New TextBox
Private tbTime As New TextBox
Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
Me.Size = New Size(400, 400)
With btnStart
'.Text = "Start DxDiag"
.Text = "Start Photoshop"
Me.Controls.Add(btnStart)
.Location = New Point(50, 50)
.Size = New Size(200, 50)
End With
With tmrCheckCPU
.Interval = 100
.Enabled = False
End With
With tbRunning
Me.Controls.Add(tbRunning)
.Location = New Point(50, 110)
.Size = New Size(100, 40)
End With
With tbCPU
Me.Controls.Add(tbCPU)
.Location = New Point(50, 150)
.Size = New Size(100, 40)
End With
With tbMemory
Me.Controls.Add(tbMemory)
.Location = New Point(50, 200)
.Size = New Size(100, 40)
End With
With tbTime
Me.Controls.Add(tbTime)
.Location = New Point(50, 250)
.Size = New Size(100, 40)
End With
End Sub
Private Sub btnStart_Clicked(sender As Object, ev As EventArgs) Handles btnStart.Click
'start Process
'Process.Start("dxdiag.exe", "/whql:on")
Process.Start("C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CS6 (64 Bit)\Photoshop.exe")
'start watching Timer
tmrCheckCPU.Enabled = True
End Sub
Private Function FindProcess(MainWindowTitle As String) As System.Diagnostics.Process
For Each ele As System.Diagnostics.Process In Process.GetProcesses
If ele.MainWindowTitle = MainWindowTitle Then Return ele
Next
Return Nothing
End Function
Private Sub tmrCheckCPU_Tick(sender As Object, ev As EventArgs) Handles tmrCheckCPU.Tick
tmrCheckCPU.Enabled = False
'Dim name As String = "DirectX Diagnostic Tool"
Dim name As String = "Adobe Photoshop CS6 Extended"
Dim hprocess As Process = FindProcess(name)
If hprocess Is Nothing Then
Running = False
tmrCheckCPU.Enabled = True
Return
End If
Running = True
Memory = hprocess.PrivateMemorySize64
CPUTotal = hprocess.TotalProcessorTime.TotalMilliseconds
If AllConditionsGood() Then
If Not (_countdown.IsRunning) Then
_countdown.Reset()
_countdown.Start()
End If
Dim _elapsed As Long = _countdown.ElapsedMilliseconds
If _elapsed >= _desiredTime_ms Then
tbTime.Text = _desiredTime_ms.ToString
tbTime.BackColor = Color.LightGreen
Me.TopMost = True
Me.Focus()
MsgBox("process loaded")
Return
Else
tbTime.Text = _elapsed.ToString
tbTime.BackColor = Color.LightGreen
End If
Else
_countdown.Reset()
End If
tmrCheckCPU.Enabled = True
End Sub
Private _desiredTime_ms As Integer = 1500
Private Function AllConditionsGood() As Boolean
If tbCPU.BackColor <> Color.LightGreen Then Return False
If tbMemory.BackColor <> Color.LightGreen Then Return False
If tbRunning.BackColor <> Color.LightGreen Then Return False
Return True
End Function
Private _countdown As New Stopwatch
Private _Running As Boolean = False
Public WriteOnly Property Running() As Boolean
Set(ByVal value As Boolean)
_Running = value
If value Then
tbRunning.Text = "Running"
tbRunning.BackColor = Color.LightGreen
Else
tbRunning.Text = "Not Running"
tbRunning.BackColor = Color.LightPink
End If
End Set
End Property
Private _CPUTotal As Double
Public WriteOnly Property CPUTotal() As Double
Set(ByVal value As Double)
CPU = value - _CPUTotal 'used cputime since last check
_CPUTotal = value
End Set
End Property
Private _CPU As Double
Public WriteOnly Property CPU() As Double
Set(ByVal value As Double)
If value = 0 Then
tbCPU.BackColor = Color.LightGreen
Else
tbCPU.BackColor = Color.LightPink
End If
_CPU = value
tbCPU.Text = value.ToString
End Set
End Property
Private _Memory As Long
Public WriteOnly Property Memory() As Long
Set(ByVal value As Long)
MemoryDiff = Math.Abs(value - _Memory)
_Memory = value
End Set
End Property
Private _MemoryDiff As Long
Public WriteOnly Property MemoryDiff() As Long
Set(ByVal value As Long)
If value = _MemoryDiff Then
tbMemory.BackColor = Color.LightGreen
Else
tbMemory.BackColor = Color.LightPink
End If
_MemoryDiff = value
tbMemory.Text = value.ToString
End Set
End Property
End Class
If you click on the button, it will start dxdiag and shows the change of memory and the difference of total cpu time (compared with last time) in textboxes. If all conditions are met (running, no cpu total time change, no memory change) then a stopwatch will count to 1500 and then a messagebox will say 'finished'
It is dirty written, but I guess you understand the main core (how to find the correct process without any dll declare method), how to read some information of that process after finding it, and in what way to apply the conditions.
The waiting time is meant to assure that a second of pure hard drive loading time will not create the wrong impression that loading is done (no memory or cpu change maybe).
The risk is that.. if a page will automatically appear and show content/advertisement, then maybe the cpu is constantly used. so you may only check for memory change or any other value tht you can access from the Process.
Update corrected code (fixed the wrong data types). Now Option strict is not complaining about my code :)