I have a very simple program which I want to be able to use multiple user interfaces with. One of those interfaces is going to be an asp netCore 3.1* web app.
For example, if the console application is launched with no parameters and the detected platform is Linux, I would like to start an AspNetCore project and launch a browser which points to the appropriate URL. Alternatively, if the console application is launched with parameters I would like the input and output to continue in a console window. I would also like to leave the possibility for other user interface types.
The result I want is that if certain conditions are met, a factory creates a web app project.
My basic approach so far has to been
WebUi.ProgramWebUi webUi = new ProgramWebUi();
Where ProgramWebUi is the class name in the Program.cs file in an aspWebApp project. This seems to create the project correctly however I also want it to launch the site using the systems default browser.
I have seen approaches for this in Windows. Those approaches being either
Process.Start("Url-Here");
Unfortunately, this doesn't work as it tries to launch an application with the name of the URL. I have also seen others for windows which involved registry lookups. However, I would like this to work cross-platform.
Is it possible to detect a systems default browser on a cross-platform basis?
Additionally, even when I manually add a path I do not seem to be able to get
Process.Start("Application Name here");
to work as expected. Even when launching something in the same working directly which is owned by the same user I am getting exceptions telling me permission is denied.
All help gratefully received.
The approach I have found which works for this is to start with an asp app, which is at its core essentially a console application anyway. Then in the program.cs (or whichever class holds your startup) remove the line
CreateHostBuilder(args).Build().Run();
and its associated entry
public static IHostBuilder CreateHostBuilder(string[] args) =>
Host.CreateDefaultBuilder(args)
.ConfigureWebHostDefaults(webBuilder => { webBuilder.UseStartup<Startup>(); });
Add these to another class, which can be part of a factory pattern. This way, you can choose whether actually to start the WebUI or not. This approach also allows easy launching of multiple consoles(because it's type is a console app).
When it comes to launching a browser along with the webserver, the approach between operating systems varies. I found lots of articles stating to use Process.Start("URL-here") however I could not make this work in Linux or Windows. In Windows 10, you have to look up the information in the registry. I found a working solution for this bit here. Then use
Process process = new Process();
process.StartInfo.FileName = browserPath;
process.StartInfo.Arguments = "your-url";
process.Start();
For Linux, I tried using a similar approach using xdg-open. However, this wouldn't launch without the full path, which can vary based on distribution. Instead, the answer is to create an executable bash script and use:
Process process = new Process();
process.StartInfo.FileName = "myBashScript.sh";
process.Start();
The bash script is elementary, just two lines of code.
#!/usr/bin/env bash
xdg-open "your-url-here/"
mac users will need (this is based on reading, I do not have a Mac actually to test this)
#!/usr/bin/env bash
open "your-url-here/"
Pulling all this together. Immediately before you run the
CreateHostBuilder(args).Build().Run();
Launch a process to start the browser and add a short thread sleep to give the webserver time to initialise. Finally, get the environment and launch accordingly.
System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(5000);
Process process = new Process();
if (Environment.OSVersion.Platform == PlatformID.Unix)
{
process.StartInfo.FileName = "./BrowserLaunch/BrowserLaunchLinux.sh";
}
else if (Environment.OSVersion.Platform == PlatformID.MacOSX)
{
process.StartInfo.FileName = "./BrowserLaunchBrowserLaunchMacOSx.sh";
}
else if (Environment.OSVersion.Platform == PlatformID.Win32Windows ||
Environment.OSVersion.Platform == PlatformID.Win32NT)
{
string browserPath = GetPathToDefaultBrowser();
process.StartInfo.FileName = browserPath;
process.StartInfo.Arguments = "your-url";
}
else
{
//do something else
}
process.Start();
Related
Its hard to place everything in the title, but I hope I can explain this as good as I can. Basicly I made a C# Console Application that reads a certain file every now and then. The Application runs on a Virtual Machine from Google Instances. Now I have created another Console Application that is capable of managing the other application, like closing them or restarting the executables.
The Issue:
When I start the Console Application by hand (manual), it works fine and reads the files like it should. I could close and open this as much as I like and it still works. The problem is when my second Console Application tries to restart the first Console Application. The restart works fine and most functions like certain ftp connections work, but it stops reading files and gives a null back as result. There happen to be no debug errors nor does it display an error on the console.
What I want is that the second application could restart my first application without making it run where some functions appear to be blocked.
The Code I use:
string loc = File.ReadAllText(Directory.GetCurrentDirectory() + "\\"+ "location.txt");
Process p = new Process();
p.StartInfo.FileName = loc;
p.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = true;
p.Start();
I tried running it as p.StartInfo.Verb = "runas"; but this has no positive result either. Could this be an issue with the Google Virtual Machine, possible firewall settings or code related issues.
Extra
This code does work on my own laptop and so does it work after restarting.
I have a Windows console application that is launched via a schedule setup in Task Scheduler. This console application, as part of its normal runtime, will launch a command prompt in order to run a java program. No, I have no control over the design of the Java program. It was supplied to me as is and I have no rights or access to make changes to it. I also cannot implement it in another language. I must use what was given to me.
At any rate, when my console application tries to run the command prompt it will work just fine if I'm launching the application manually. However, when I try it as an action within Task Scheduler, my console application will start and run as expected until it needs to launch the command prompt. At this point, the console application exits. No error message or code is provided.
How do I get the command prompt window to start as a new window from within my console application when no one is logged into the server?
Thanks for any hints or suggestions you can provide.
* UPDATE *
Here is the code snippet that launches the program from within my console application:
string parameter_save_path = #"C:\output\folder"
System.Diagnostics.Process process = new System.Diagnostics.Process();
System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo start_info = new System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo();
start_info.WorkingDirectory = #"C:\mtselect-client";
start_info.FileName = "cmd.exe";
start_info.Arguments = "/C run.bat \"" + parameter_save_path + "\"";
process.StartInfo = start_info;
process.Start();
process.WaitForExit();
The run.bat is what launches the java program.
I think it's too late for this message, but...
Maybe in your batch file you are running your java application with something like: java -jar ApplicationName
First I would do should be comment out the "#echo off" from the batch file, next trace out the batch lines with one echo "x" (being x a natural number starting from 1 and increasing by 1 in each ocurrence). Next I will add a line with java -version, and so I will be sure java app is installed and accesible.
Maybe java needs be ran by an authenticated user and so have java_home defined. Maybe the application needs some JVM parameters like memory size, etc.
Have good luck, tell me and I will try to help
I made new project (ASP.NET MVC Web Application) using Visual Studio Web 2013 Express Edition. Loading index page, redirects and everything works fine, except that in some part of my code I need to create Process and execute it, wait for it to finish, parse output of that external application and show that output to the user. However I get nothing. While debugging the code line by line:
ProcessStartInfo info = new ProcessStartInfo();
info.FileName = Tool;
info.Arguments = filename + " " + avArray;
info.CreateNoWindow = true;
info.UseShellExecute = false;
info.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
Process p = new Process();
p.StartInfo = info;
p.Start();
p.WaitForExit();
Process exits immediately, someone would say it is pretty fast program, but application needs at least 5 seconds (sometimes 20 seconds) to complete.
What I think is happening is that process is not created in the first place, as my IIS settings or whatever other settings are not allowing me to run this EXE. What do I do to change this?
I've been trying to this for the past 2 weeks, I've read probably every post about it, and tried every solution suggested. I am choosing to write on this post since it is the most recent.
First of all, I am using VS2013, testing on IIS Express, and then on IIS 8.5., the webpages version is 3, and the target framework 4.5. And I am assuming that (as with my case) the goal is to launch the process on the server.
What I learned:
Using IIS Express should allow you to run the process without problems. You can try to allow it to launch the window, or start your process through the shell just to be sure that it is actually launching (a shell window should popup and close). If this happens, verify that you are giving the correct path to to your program, etc. So far so good.
Going into the IIS 8.5 is a totally different matter. Theoretically, the bad way of doing it should be preatty straight-forward: you create an app-pool for that server, give it a high privileged account (local system or network system, for instance); go to AdministrativeTools->Services->IIS, LogOn tab, and allow interaction with the desktop. You should be able to do the same as in IISExpress, but in my case is just the same as with a low privilege account.
I actually started by trying just to use impersonation, but also was not able to launch the process with IIS8.5. EDIT: I retried this again today, and the api won't even run if I enable impersonation.
I've spent more time than I would like with this, any input on why I can't get this to work properly with IIS8.5 (#clzola: IIS Express should do the job) is very welcome.
I am creating a service which runs an .exe file on Windows 7. It must be done as a service due to complex requirements, so a console application is not possible.
I have written the following code, which works perfectly in a console application, however when placed in the service, the executable is never run.
ProcessStartInfo startInfo = new ProcessStartInfo();
try
{
startInfo.WorkingDirectory = "C:\\Folder";
startInfo.FileName = "MyApp.exe";
Process myProcess = Process.Start(startInfo);
}
catch (Exception ex)
{
using (StreamWriter writer = File.AppendText(path))
{
writer.WriteLine(ex.Message);
}
}
}
No errors are being thrown, but the application is simply not starting.
I have read that services cannot run an executable in a straightforward manner, and have modified the above code based on suggestions, however it does not work.
EDIT: I have configured the service manually as follows:
This question has been the cause of great frustration, and I have finally solved my problem. Yes, I have managed to make a service load a GUI application, even though everyone says that it is impossible. There is a warning though - the "fix" can be considered as exploiting a loophole in Windows, as the code which I used basically passes the Vista and Windows 7 UAC. Essentially, the application is always executed with full rights and bypasses the UAC.
If anyone has this same problem, what you need to do is iterate through a list of logged in users on the PC, and choose to open the UI application in this session (which has the user's desktop), rather than in session 0 where the service is supposed to be running (and which does not have a desktop).
For some people, this might not be a solution as it is not secure. But in my case, security is not a main concern, and I just needed it to work (had to be a service by force).
Hope this helps anyone who has the same problem that I had.
Is there a way to launch a desktop application from a Metro-style app on Windows 8? I'm trying to create some simple shortcuts to desktop applications to replace the desktop icons on the start screen, which look out of place.
I just need something super simple, preferably in C#, to open an application as soon as the app loads. I'm planning on making these shortcuts for some games, photoshop, etc, not anything I've made myself. They're also just for personal use, so I can use direct paths to applications like "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim\TESV.exe"
If you simply want to run a desktop application like (notepad, wordpad, internet explorer etc) then go through Process Methods and ProcessStartInfo Class
try
{
// Start the child process.
Process p = new Process();
// Redirect the output stream of the child process.
p.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false;
p.StartInfo.FileName = "C:\Path\To\App.exe";
p.Start();
}
// Exp 2
// Uses the ProcessStartInfo class to start new processes,
// both in a minimized mode.
void OpenWithStartInfo()
{
ProcessStartInfo startInfo = new ProcessStartInfo("IExplore.exe");
startInfo.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Minimized;
Process.Start(startInfo);
startInfo.Arguments = "www.northwindtraders.com";
Process.Start(startInfo);
}
On Windows 8 Metro application i discovered this: How to Start a
external Program from Metro App.
All the Metro-style applications work in the highly sand boxed
environment and there is no way to directly start an external
application.
You can try to use Launcher class – depends on your need it may
provide you a feasible solution.
Check this:
Can I use Windows.System.Launcher.LauncherDefaultProgram(Uri) to invoke another metro style app?
Ref: How to launch a Desktop app from within a Metro app?
Metro IE is a special app. You cannot invoke an executable from Metro style apps.
Try this - I have not test yet but may be it will help you..
Launcher.LaunchFileAsync
// Path to the file in the app package to launch
string exeFile = #"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim\TESV.exe";
var file = await Windows.ApplicationModel.Package.Current.InstalledLocation.GetFileAsync(exeFile);
if (file != null)
{
// Set the option to show the picker
var options = new Windows.System.LauncherOptions();
options.DisplayApplicationPicker = true;
// Launch the retrieved file
bool success = await Windows.System.Launcher.LaunchFileAsync(file, options);
if (success)
{
// File launched
}
else
{
// File launch failed
}
}
I found a solution which is suitable for me. I just made an empty textfile in my app and called it launcher.yourappyouwanttostart and then executed it with
Windows.System.Launcher.LaunchFileAsync("launcher.yourappyouwanttostart");
On the first startup it asks you for the assocation for this file and then you choose the exe file you want to run and from now on every time you execute this file, your app will be started.
I haven't actually tried if it works and it's not really a beautiful solution, but I guess Metro-style apps can launch a URI.
You could then create a desktop-program that is registered for a custom URI scheme that would then do the actual program launching.
What you can do is host external WCF service on your computer with separate installation and connect to it from metro style application using localhost. Then you can do pretty much anything including Process.Start.
I love simple things, so my solution was to use this:
Process.Start("explorer", "shell:AppsFolder\Microsoft.MicrosoftStickyNotes_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App")
This will start the "new" Sticky Notes coming with Anniversary Update to Windows 10, but it works with all other "Metro" apps I tested.
To find the name of the metro app, from Windows Explorer you have to find it in shell:appsfolder using the AppUserModelId column.