C# command-line argument with newline fails in C# but not in python. Need to make the c# work

Question

Env: .NET 3.5 Visual Studio 2008 SP1, on Win XP SP3, Python 2.7. Corporate image, no admin rights.

In C# 3.5, I want to pass a parameter to a command-line program, and this parameter contains newlines. It works in Python 2.7 but not in C#.

When body contains newline, c# truncates the result, but python passes it correctly.

Python code

cmd = self.app_path + ' email -Subject "' + subject + '" -From "' + address_from + '" -To "' + address_to +'" -Body "' + body +'"'
cmd_result = subprocess.Popen(cmd, stdout=subprocess.PIPE).communicate()

C# code:

string Command = "<path to executable>";                 
string arguments = "  email -From " + FromAddress + " -To " + ToAddress + " -Subject \"" + SubjectLine + "\" -Body \"" + emailBody + "\" ";
System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo start = new System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo(Command, arguments);
start.WindowStyle = System.Diagnostics.ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden;
start.CreateNoWindow = false;
start.UseShellExecute = true;
System.Diagnostics.Process process = System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(start);

Any idea?

Update: body in the python example and emailBody in the c# example contain the same string, as strings are represented in each language.

Update: noticed the command wasn't terminated correctly in the python code. I added + '"' at the end of line 2. The code ran as before.

Also, as you can tell, the app called sends the body (emailBody) parameter content as an email body.

Answer 1

Sorry but I think it is the process you call that does not take the arguments correctly; it is not the C# that is involved, and as a proof of that:

• Create a new windows form application

• Make sure that the Main signature looks like this:

  static void Main(string[] args)
  

• Make sure that the call of your Main Form (named Form1) looks like this:

      if (args==null)
      {
          Application.Run(new Form1()); 
      }
      else
      {
          Application.Run(new Form1(args)); 
      }
  

• Add a textbox to your form, with the multiline property set to true

• Add a button to your form

• Run the application once

• Then Put this in the code of your button1_Click function (replace TheNameOfTheCurrentApp):

      string Command = "TheNameOfTheCurrentApp";                 
      string arguments = textBox1.Text;
      System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo start = new System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo(Command, arguments);
      start.WindowStyle = System.Diagnostics.ProcessWindowStyle.Maximized;
      start.CreateNoWindow = true;
      start.UseShellExecute = true;
      System.Diagnostics.Process process = System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(start);        
  

• Add this constructor to your form:

  public Form1(string[] args)
  {
      InitializeComponent();
      textBox1.Text = string.Join(" ", args);
  }
  

• Then run your app, insert muliple lines in your textbox and click the button. The same app will appear with the textbox correctly filled with the line breaks