.net application running silently

Question

I need to run a .net application c# or preferably VB that will just perform a given task then close itself.

This app will receive arguments from the command line, process calculations, write result text to a file and then end.

Currently I run it as a console app, therefore the user can see the console black window and then the windoiw vanishes.

How can I get rid of the visual element?

Also, once the project is compiled, how can I include it within another solution so that both projects will be published together with clickOnce?

I need two separate projects in the same solution because one of them (the silent one) must run in x86 mode and the other as x64.

why does it need to be a separate app? cant the other app perform the function? — Ňɏssa Pøngjǣrdenlarp, Mar 14 '15 at 00:48
possible duplicate of [Show/Hide the console window of a C# console application](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3571627/show-hide-the-console-window-of-a-c-sharp-console-application) — Pierre-Luc Pineault, Mar 14 '15 at 00:55
The function has been developed as x86 dll by a third party and I don't want my new app to be limited to x86.... — user3553401, Mar 14 '15 at 00:55

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 14 '15 at 00:55

2

Assuming you're using a recent version of Visual Studio, go into your project properties (Application tab) and change the "Output type" dropdown from Console Application to Windows Application.

Not sure about the click-once requirement, though... haven't been down that road, but it may warrant a separate question.

answered Mar 14 '15 at 00:55

Mark Waterman

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2

Reasonable option if application does not take long time to run (seconds), otherwise I think Windows may get uneasy about lack of window/message processing. – Alexei Levenkov Mar 14 '15 at 01:14

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Mar 14 '15 at 00:58

1

Run the app as a process and set the window style to hidden.

System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo start = new System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo();     
start.FileName = dir + @"\silentApp.exe";
start.WindowStyle = System.Diagnostics.ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden;

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.diagnostics.process.start%28v=vs.110%29.aspx

answered Mar 14 '15 at 00:58

This looks fine, but how do you then START the application? – user3553401 Mar 14 '15 at 01:14
Found it! process.start(start) LOL – user3553401 Mar 14 '15 at 01:17
Check the link above. – Mar 14 '15 at 01:19

.net application running silently

2 Answers2