How to run a Command Prompt command with Visual Basic code?

Question

I'm trying to code something in Visual Basic, more specifically Visual Studio 2010. I want, with a button click, my program to execute a command. Is that possible?

Answer 1

Here is an example:

Process.Start("CMD", "/C Pause")


/C  Carries out the command specified by string and then terminates
/K  Carries out the command specified by string but remains

And here is a extended function: (Notice the comment-lines using CMD commands.)

#Region " Run Process Function "

' [ Run Process Function ]
'
' // By Elektro H@cker
'
' Examples :
'
' MsgBox(Run_Process("Process.exe")) 
' MsgBox(Run_Process("Process.exe", "Arguments"))
' MsgBox(Run_Process("CMD.exe", "/C Dir /B", True))
' MsgBox(Run_Process("CMD.exe", "/C @Echo OFF & For /L %X in (0,1,50000) Do (Echo %X)", False, False))
' MsgBox(Run_Process("CMD.exe", "/C Dir /B /S %SYSTEMDRIVE%\*", , False, 500))
' If Run_Process("CMD.exe", "/C Dir /B", True).Contains("File.txt") Then MsgBox("File found")

Private Function Run_Process(ByVal Process_Name As String, _
                             Optional Process_Arguments As String = Nothing, _
                             Optional Read_Output As Boolean = False, _
                             Optional Process_Hide As Boolean = False, _
                             Optional Process_TimeOut As Integer = 999999999)

    ' Returns True if "Read_Output" argument is False and Process was finished OK
    ' Returns False if ExitCode is not "0"
    ' Returns Nothing if process can't be found or can't be started
    ' Returns "ErrorOutput" or "StandardOutput" (In that priority) if Read_Output argument is set to True.

    Try

        Dim My_Process As New Process()
        Dim My_Process_Info As New ProcessStartInfo()

        My_Process_Info.FileName = Process_Name ' Process filename
        My_Process_Info.Arguments = Process_Arguments ' Process arguments
        My_Process_Info.CreateNoWindow = Process_Hide ' Show or hide the process Window
        My_Process_Info.UseShellExecute = False ' Don't use system shell to execute the process
        My_Process_Info.RedirectStandardOutput = Read_Output '  Redirect (1) Output
        My_Process_Info.RedirectStandardError = Read_Output ' Redirect non (1) Output
        My_Process.EnableRaisingEvents = True ' Raise events
        My_Process.StartInfo = My_Process_Info
        My_Process.Start() ' Run the process NOW

        My_Process.WaitForExit(Process_TimeOut) ' Wait X ms to kill the process (Default value is 999999999 ms which is 277 Hours)

        Dim ERRORLEVEL = My_Process.ExitCode ' Stores the ExitCode of the process
        If Not ERRORLEVEL = 0 Then Return False ' Returns the Exitcode if is not 0

        If Read_Output = True Then
            Dim Process_ErrorOutput As String = My_Process.StandardOutput.ReadToEnd() ' Stores the Error Output (If any)
            Dim Process_StandardOutput As String = My_Process.StandardOutput.ReadToEnd() ' Stores the Standard Output (If any)
            ' Return output by priority
            If Process_ErrorOutput IsNot Nothing Then Return Process_ErrorOutput ' Returns the ErrorOutput (if any)
            If Process_StandardOutput IsNot Nothing Then Return Process_StandardOutput ' Returns the StandardOutput (if any)
        End If

    Catch ex As Exception
        'MsgBox(ex.Message)
        Return Nothing ' Returns nothing if the process can't be found or started.
    End Try

    Return True ' Returns True if Read_Output argument is set to False and the process finished without errors.

End Function

#End Region