c# run command not executing the command

Question

I want to run this:

string command = "echo test > test.txt";
System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("cmd.exe", command);

It's not working, what am I doing wrong?

It's not exactly a C# question. Did you try just executing an echo test and see if it works? Or any other command. — dutzu, Dec 24 '12 at 11:19
Can you provide more code, an error which is being output? It is fairly impossible to identify what is wrong with what you have provided. — bobble14988, Dec 24 '12 at 11:20
A command prompt opens up and nothing, and then the file is not crated — Dasher Labs, Dec 24 '12 at 11:21
You need to add the /C or /K switch to your command. Check my answer to a similar question here. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/14020109/why-does-process-startcmd-exe-process-not-work/14020225#14020225 — Ravi Y, Dec 24 '12 at 11:21
Is that how you pass parameters to cmd.exe? Sorry, not very experienced, but that might be the problem. — , Dec 24 '12 at 11:21
Are you sure it's not just creating the file but in a place you might not expect? — Ross Dargan, Dec 24 '12 at 11:24

score 13 · Accepted Answer · answered Dec 24 '12 at 11:24

13

You are missing to pass the /C switch to cmd.exe to indicate that you want to execute a command. Also notice that the command is put in double quotes:

string command = "/C \"echo test > test.txt\"";
System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("cmd.exe", command).WaitForExit();

And if you don't want to see the shell window you could use the following:

string command = "/C \"echo test > test.txt\"";
var psi = new ProcessStartInfo("cmd.exe")
{
    Arguments = command,
    UseShellExecute = false,
    CreateNoWindow = true
};

using (var process = Process.Start(psi))
{
    process.WaitForExit();
}

answered Dec 24 '12 at 11:24

Darin Dimitrov

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But he [says](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/14020664/c-sharp-run-command-not-doing-the-command/14020720#comment19362727_14020664) – Soner Gönül Dec 24 '12 at 11:26
1

@Soner Gönül, yes, that's why he should use the `/C` switch as shown in my answer. Did you read it? – Darin Dimitrov Dec 24 '12 at 11:26

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 24 '12 at 11:25

This should sort of get you started:

//create your command
string cmd = string.Format(@"/c echo Hello World > mydata.txt");
//prepare how you want to execute cmd.exe
ProcessStartInfo psi = new ProcessStartInfo("cmd.exe");
psi.Arguments = cmd;//<<pass in your command
//this will make echo's and any outputs accessiblen on the output stream
psi.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
psi.UseShellExecute = false;
psi.CreateNoWindow = true;
Process p = Process.Start(psi);
//read the output our command generated
string result = p.StandardOutput.ReadToEnd();

c# run command not executing the command

2 Answers2