Launching process in C# Without Distracting Console Window

Question

I figure out how to launch a process. But my problem now is the console window (in this case 7z) pops up frontmost blocking my vision and removing my focus interrupting my sentence or w/e i am doing every few seconds. Its extremely annoying, how do i prevent that from happening. I thought CreateNoWindow solves that but it didnt.

NOTE: sometimes the console needs user input (replace file or not). So hiding it completely may be a problems a well.

This is my current code.

void doSomething(...)
{
    myProcess.StartInfo.FileName = ...;
    myProcess.StartInfo.Arguments = ...;
    myProcess.StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = true;
    myProcess.Start();
    myProcess.WaitForExit();
}

I think I remember CreateNoWindow not working when I used it at my last job. — André Chalella, Apr 10 '09 at 22:59

score 98 · Answer 1 · answered Apr 10 '09 at 23:17

98

If I recall correctly, this worked for me

Process process = new Process();

// Stop the process from opening a new window
process.StartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
process.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false;
process.StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = true;

// Setup executable and parameters
process.StartInfo.FileName = @"c:\test.exe"
process.StartInfo.Arguments = "--test";

// Go
process.Start();

I've been using this from within a C# console application to launch another process, and it stops the application from launching it in a separate window, instead keeping everything in the same window.

answered Apr 10 '09 at 23:17

Mun

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When I set `RedirectStandardOutput ` to `true` I didn't get any output in the default console, commenting that line out gave me output in the default console (I'm creating a console app). – MDMoore313 Nov 29 '16 at 17:23
3

This seems to cause an issue with `process.WaitForExit`. I ended up using `process.StartInfo.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden` instead which appears to work fine. – oscilatingcretin Jun 01 '18 at 23:17
@oscilatingcretin WaitForExit may lead to deadlock due to limited buffer size of standard output. The right way to solve it to read the StandardOutput before calling of WaitForExit method. https://stackoverflow.com/a/139604/852284 – nicolas2008 Oct 06 '21 at 21:46

score 28 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 08 '10 at 22:30

28

@galets In your suggestion, the window is still created, only it begins minimized. This would work better for actually doing what acidzombie24 wanted:

myProcess.StartInfo.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden;

answered Jul 08 '10 at 22:30

codefox

289
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Outstanding suggestion!! Thank you very much. – DoubleDunk May 13 '13 at 17:43

score 4 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 10 '09 at 22:54

4

Try this:

myProcess.StartInfo.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Minimized;

answered Apr 10 '09 at 22:54

galets

17,802
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have tried everything and this is the only thing that has worked – Valamas Feb 28 '18 at 19:52

score 3 · Answer 4 · answered Apr 10 '09 at 23:06

3

I'll have to double check, but I believe you also need to set UseShellExecute = false. This also lets you capture the standard output/error streams.

answered Apr 10 '09 at 23:06

Paul Alexander

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Launching process in C# Without Distracting Console Window

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