This sort of question has been asked before in varying degrees, but I feel it has not been answered in a concise way and so I ask it again.
I want to run a script in Python. Let's say it's this:
if __name__ == '__main__':
with open(sys.argv[1], 'r') as f:
s = f.read()
print s
Which gets a file location, reads it, then prints its contents. Not so complicated.
Okay, so how do I run this in C#?
This is what I have now:
private void run_cmd(string cmd, string args)
{
ProcessStartInfo start = new ProcessStartInfo();
start.FileName = cmd;
start.Arguments = args;
start.UseShellExecute = false;
start.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
using (Process process = Process.Start(start))
{
using (StreamReader reader = process.StandardOutput)
{
string result = reader.ReadToEnd();
Console.Write(result);
}
}
}
When I pass the code.py location as cmd and the filename location as args it doesn't work. I was told I should pass python.exe as the cmd, and then code.py filename as the args.
I have been looking for a while now and can only find people suggesting to use IronPython or such. But there must be a way to call a Python script from C#.
Some clarification:
I need to run it from C#, I need to capture the output, and I can't use IronPython or anything else. Whatever hack you have will be fine.
P.S.: The actual Python code I'm running is much more complex than this, and it returns output which I need in C#, and the C# code will be constantly calling the Python code.
Pretend this is my code:
private void get_vals()
{
for (int i = 0; i < 100; i++)
{
run_cmd("code.py", i);
}
}
The reason it isn't working is because you have UseShellExecute = false.
If you don't use the shell, you will have to supply the complete path to the python executable as FileName, and build the Arguments string to supply both your script and the file you want to read.
Also note, that you can't RedirectStandardOutput unless UseShellExecute = false.
I'm not quite sure how the argument string should be formatted for python, but you will need something like this:
private void run_cmd(string cmd, string args)
{
ProcessStartInfo start = new ProcessStartInfo();
start.FileName = "my/full/path/to/python.exe";
start.Arguments = string.Format("{0} {1}", cmd, args);
start.UseShellExecute = false;
start.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
using(Process process = Process.Start(start))
{
using(StreamReader reader = process.StandardOutput)
{
string result = reader.ReadToEnd();
Console.Write(result);
}
}
}
If you're willing to use IronPython, you can execute scripts directly in C#:
using IronPython.Hosting;
using Microsoft.Scripting.Hosting;
private static void doPython()
{
ScriptEngine engine = Python.CreateEngine();
engine.ExecuteFile(#"test.py");
}
Get IronPython here.
Execute Python script from C
Create a C# project and write the following code.
using System;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.IO;
using System.Threading.Tasks;
using System.Windows.Forms;
namespace WindowsFormsApplication1
{
public partial class Form1 : Form
{
public Form1()
{
InitializeComponent();
}
private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
run_cmd();
}
private void run_cmd()
{
string fileName = #"C:\sample_script.py";
Process p = new Process();
p.StartInfo = new ProcessStartInfo(#"C:\Python27\python.exe", fileName)
{
RedirectStandardOutput = true,
UseShellExecute = false,
CreateNoWindow = true
};
p.Start();
string output = p.StandardOutput.ReadToEnd();
p.WaitForExit();
Console.WriteLine(output);
Console.ReadLine();
}
}
}
Python sample_script
print "Python C# Test"
You will see the 'Python C# Test' in the console of C#.
I ran into the same problem and Master Morality's answer didn't do it for me. The following, which is based on the previous answer, worked:
private void run_cmd(string cmd, string args)
{
ProcessStartInfo start = new ProcessStartInfo();
start.FileName = cmd;//cmd is full path to python.exe
start.Arguments = args;//args is path to .py file and any cmd line args
start.UseShellExecute = false;
start.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
using(Process process = Process.Start(start))
{
using(StreamReader reader = process.StandardOutput)
{
string result = reader.ReadToEnd();
Console.Write(result);
}
}
}
As an example, cmd would be #C:/Python26/python.exe and args would be C://Python26//test.py 100 if you wanted to execute test.py with cmd line argument 100. Note that the path the .py file does not have the # symbol.
Actually its pretty easy to make integration between Csharp (VS) and Python with IronPython. It's not that much complex... As Chris Dunaway already said in answer section I started to build this inegration for my own project. N its pretty simple.
Just follow these steps N you will get your results.
step 1 : Open VS and create new empty ConsoleApp project.
step 2 : Go to tools --> NuGet Package Manager --> Package Manager Console.
step 3 : After this open this link in your browser and copy the NuGet Command.
Link: https://www.nuget.org/packages/IronPython/2.7.9
step 4 : After opening the above link copy the PM>Install-Package IronPython -Version 2.7.9
command and paste it in NuGet Console in VS.
It will install the supportive packages.
step 5 : This is my code that I have used to run a .py file stored in my Python.exe
directory.
using IronPython.Hosting;//for DLHE
using Microsoft.Scripting.Hosting;//provides scripting abilities comparable to batch files
using System;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.IO;
using System.Net;
using System.Net.Sockets;
class Hi
{
private static void Main(string []args)
{
Process process = new Process(); //to make a process call
ScriptEngine engine = Python.CreateEngine(); //For Engine to initiate the script
engine.ExecuteFile(#"C:\Users\daulmalik\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python37\p1.py");//Path of my .py file that I would like to see running in console after running my .cs file from VS.//process.StandardInput.Flush();
process.StandardInput.Close();//to close
process.WaitForExit();//to hold the process i.e. cmd screen as output
}
}
step 6 : save and execute the code
Set WorkingDirectory or specify the full path of the python script in the Argument
ProcessStartInfo start = new ProcessStartInfo();
start.FileName = "C:\\Python27\\python.exe";
//start.WorkingDirectory = #"D:\script";
start.Arguments = string.Format("D:\\script\\test.py -a {0} -b {1} ", "some param", "some other param");
start.UseShellExecute = false;
start.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
using (Process process = Process.Start(start))
{
using (StreamReader reader = process.StandardOutput)
{
string result = reader.ReadToEnd();
Console.Write(result);
}
}
I am having problems with stdin/stout - when payload size exceeds several kilobytes it hangs. I need to call Python functions not only with some short arguments, but with a custom payload that could be big.
A while ago, I wrote a virtual actor library that allows to distribute task on different machines via Redis. To call Python code, I added functionality to listen for messages from Python, process them and return results back to .NET.
Here is a brief description of how it works.
It works on a single machine as well, but requires a Redis instance. Redis adds some reliability guarantees - payload is stored until a worked acknowledges completion. If a worked dies, the payload is returned to a job queue and then is reprocessed by another worker.
had same issure and this worked for me:
using IronPython.Hosting;
var engine = Python.CreateEngine();
engine.ExecuteFile("") //put the directory of the program in the quote marks
i have one batch file and in that i am trying to access environment variable. its able to get that variable if i just click it and run but when i run it from the C# code its not able to accees the environment variable and and shows blank.
for example in the batch say its written - echo %ENV_VAR_NAMe%
this will work if i just click the batch. but from c# code it shows blank.
C# code is given below. please help
try
{
myProcess.StartInfo.FileName = exe;
myProcess.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = true;
myProcess.StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = true;
myProcess.StartInfo.ErrorDialog = false;
myProcess.StartInfo.WorkingDirectory =
Path.GetDirectoryName(exe);
myProcess.Start();
myProcess.WaitForExit();
myProcess.Close();
return true;
}
catch (Exception e)
{
return false;
}
Why not using Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable() ?
using System;
using System.IO;
public class Example
{
public static void Main()
{
// Change the directory to %WINDIR%
Environment.CurrentDirectory = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("windir");
DirectoryInfo info = new DirectoryInfo(".");
Console.WriteLine("Directory Info: " + info.FullName);
}
}
// The example displays output like the following: // Directory Info: C:\windows
See MSDN
As I aksed in another post, I am trying to automate running processing ide from c#. Finally I found the way to run the processing sketch via cmd, with setting the installed processing folder in the path of evironment variable.
I find it works with inputting command directly in cmd.exe, but when I want to do the same thing through some c# code in Visual Studio, it doesn't run the .pde file.
Here is the code,
using System;
using System.Diagnostics;
namespace ConsoleApplication1
{
class Runprocessing
{
static void Main()
{
Process process = new Process();
ProcessStartInfo stinfo = new ProcessStartInfo();
stinfo.FileName = "cmd.exe";
stinfo.Arguments = "/c"+"processing-java --run --sketch=D:\\pw --output=D:\\pw\\output";
stinfo.CreateNoWindow = true;
stinfo.UseShellExecute = false;
process = Process.Start(stinfo);
process.WaitForExit();
process.Close();
process.Dispose();
}
}
}
My question is, how should I properly use processing-java to activate the sketch. because here I am stating
stinfo.FileName = "cmd.exe";
stinfo.Arguments = "/c"+"processing-java --run --sketch=D:\\pw --output=D:\\pw\\output";
Is this the right way to use processing-java in cmd?
Below is the scenario.
Logged in to windows using user name "JOHN"
Run the Windows application writtern in c# . This tool name is BootStrapper.exe. But this tool I executed using different user called "ALEX" using Run As feature.
Boot strapper will show some button called "Launch Application". On clicking Launch executing Application.exe using Process class of c#. Note that i am not passing any user name and password. So Application.exe is also running under "ALEX" User.
How do I run the Application.exe under "JOHN" from Bootstrapper.exe even though it is started by "ALEX".
Note that the password of the "JOHN" will not be known to Application.exe to impersonate JOHN user.
Host a WCF service in a process started by JOHN (maybe by putting it in the startup folder).
Call the WCF service from the ALEX process with a command telling what process to start.
Start the process from the WCF service and it will be running as JOHN.
I apologize for my bad English. Maybe I wrong understand you... Compile it, and copy result to "C:\test" directory. Now run it.
using System;
using System.Text;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Security;
using System.Reflection;
using System.IO;
namespace ConsoleApplication6 {
class Program {
unsafe static void Main(string[] args) {
Process process = new Process();
String dir = Path.GetDirectoryName(typeof(Program).Assembly.Location);
String txtFile = Path.Combine(dir, "example.txt");
if (!File.Exists(txtFile)) {
StreamWriter sw = File.CreateText(txtFile);
sw.Close();
sw.Dispose();
}
ProcessStartInfo info = new ProcessStartInfo();
info.Domain = "myDomainName";
info.UserName = "userName";
String pass = "userPassword";
fixed (char* password = pass) {
info.Password = new SecureString(password, pass.Length);
}
// Will be run notepad.exe
info.FileName = Environment.ExpandEnvironmentVariables(#"%winDir%\NOTEPAD.EXE");
// in notepad.exe will be open example.txt file.
info.Arguments = txtFile;
info.LoadUserProfile = false;
info.UseShellExecute = false;
info.WorkingDirectory = dir;
process.StartInfo = info;
process.Start();
}
}
}
Regards
UPDATE
** STILL LOOKING FOR A CORRECT ANSWER **
I have the following code in my windows service and I want to run a batch file. I want the command prompt window up so I can see progress
here is my code but my batch file code doesnt work
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Data;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Linq;
using System.ServiceProcess;
using System.Text;
using System.IO;
namespace Watcher
{
public partial class Watcher : ServiceBase
{
public Watcher()
{
InitializeComponent();
FolderWatcher.Created += FolderWatcher_Created;
FolderWatcher.Deleted += FolderWatcher_Deleted;
FolderWatcher.Renamed += FolderWatcher_Renamed;
}
protected override void OnStart(string[] args)
{
// Start the child process.
Process p = new Process();
// Redirect the output stream of the child process.
p.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false;
p.StartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
p.StartInfo.FileName = "C:\\myFile.bat";
p.Start();
// Do not wait for the child process to exit before
// reading to the end of its redirected stream.
// p.WaitForExit();
// Read the output stream first and then wait.
string output = p.StandardOutput.ReadToEnd();
p.WaitForExit();
}
protected override void OnStop()
{
}
private void FolderWatcher_Created(object sender, System.IO.FileSystemEventArgs e)
{
TextWriter writer = new StreamWriter("C:\\folder\\FolderLog.txt", true);
writer.WriteLine(DateTime.Now + " A new folder/file with name " + e.Name + " has been created. ");
writer.Close();
}
private void FolderWatcher_Deleted(object sender, System.IO.FileSystemEventArgs e)
{
TextWriter writer = new StreamWriter("C:\\folder\\FolderLog.txt", true);
writer.WriteLine(DateTime.Now + " A new folder/file with name " + e.Name + " has been deleted. ");
writer.Close();
}
private void FolderWatcher_Renamed(object sender, System.IO.RenamedEventArgs e)
{
TextWriter writer = new StreamWriter("C:\\folder\\log.txt", true);
writer.WriteLine(DateTime.Now + " A new folder/file with name " + e.Name + " has been renamed. ");
writer.Close();
}
}
}
It does not execute the batch file. I am a newbie in .net and C# and I am not sure what to do from here.
thanks
How to run console application from Windows Service?
You will want to the set the p.StartInfo with FileName="cmd.exe" and Arguments="c:\\thebatfile.bat" i believe
The problem is that you have UseShellExecute as false, but you aren't passing the name of an executable.
When ShellExecute is being used its similar to double clicking on a file in explorer - it knows that .doc files need to be opened with Word, and that .bat files need to be opened with cmd.exe. When you have this disabled however it knows none of these things and you need to pass an executable in order for anything to be run successfully.
As you are setting RedirectStandardOutput to true you need to instead run the batch file via cmd.exe by setting FileName to cmd.exe and the arguments to /C "c:\myFile.bat":
p.StartInfo.FileName = "cmd.exe";
p.StartInfo.Arguments = "/C \"c:\\myFile.bat\"";
It looks like it's running the batch script when the service is first run and then it quits (p.WaitForExit();) before the other functions get the ability to be called. Is that the intended behavior? That would explain why you can see it do the folder operations and not see the script being run.
Try this code to bring up the console window. It should give you an idea of when the batch script is running.
protected override void OnStart(string[] args)
{
// Start the child process.
Process p = new Process();
// Redirect the output stream of the child process.
p.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false;
/*
This is commented out so we can see what the script is doing
inside the cmd console.
*/
//p.StartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
p.StartInfo.FileName = "C:\\myFile.bat";
p.Start();
// Do not wait for the child process to exit before
// reading to the end of its redirected stream.
// p.WaitForExit();
// Read the output stream first and then wait.
/*
Since we aren't redirecting the output, we have to comment out
this line or we get an error
*/
//string output = p.StandardOutput.ReadToEnd();
p.WaitForExit();
}
i am doubting your service or the bat file. modify the source code to open a notepad! check if notepad shows up!! if yes then we can investigate further!
What is your batch file doing? Assume you've confirmed that this IS running OK.
Windows services run under a desktopless user account. To see the cmd window you must impersonate the current logged user and start the cmd window on this user's desktop. See this:
Windows Impersonation from C#