How to type on command window at an instance?

[Dave Kreskowiak]

You can't type into a Shell'd process from VB.NET. You have to create your own process using the Process class. You can then redirect the StandardInput stream so you can have your code type in the command window. You can't do this using Shell.

Dave Kreskowiak Microsoft MVP - Visual Basic

[barkanb]

Thanks. I will try. It will take some time. But will post the result.;) B.B.

[barkanb]

Is it right below? To start monitoring? It does not seem to work properly. Dim objProcess As New Process ' Start the Command and redirect the output objProcess.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = False objProcess.StartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = True objProcess.StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = False objProcess.StartInfo.RedirectStandardError = True objProcess.StartInfo.WorkingDirectory = CurDir() objProcess.StartInfo.FileName() = "mon" objProcess.StartInfo.Arguments = " 10.0.0.99 4000" objProcess.Start()

[Dave Kreskowiak]

Well, you got most of it right. The only stream you didn't redirect was StandardInput. That's the keyboard stream that let's you "type" something into that console session.

Dim objProcess As New Process
With objProcess.StartInfo
    .UseShellExecute = False
    .CreateNoWindow = False
    .RedirectStandardInput = True
    .RedirectStandardOutput = True
    .RedirectStandardError = True
    .FileName = "mon"
    .Arguments = " 10.0.0.99 4000"
End With
objProcess.Start()

Then to write to the console keyboard stream:

Dim kb As StreamWriter = objProcess.StandardInput
kb.WriteLine("This is being typed in the console session...")

Dave Kreskowiak Microsoft MVP - Visual Basic

[barkanb]

When I make the StandardInput = True objProcess.StartInfo.RedirectStandardInput = True it opens the command window but does not give any result of mon.exe. It is not enabled also. If StandardInput = False then mon.exe works fine but command window only lets input from keyboard. Should I Import any dll? B.B.

[Dave Kreskowiak]

I have no idea. I've never sen anything like that. You might want to try it with a different executable. When I did something like this, it took some playing around to get all the redirect settings to work properly. You've got everything that I've used before working. If your app isn't worried about what's comming back from MON, turn off the redirection of StandardError and StandardOutput.

Dave Kreskowiak Microsoft MVP - Visual Basic

[barkanb]

You are right about the code. It is working for cmd.exe or notepad.exe.. I also tested the code below tried a trick to work on cmd but second writeline command executes for cmd.exe only. I also tried SendKey.SendWait(). Do you think there is something to do with security permissions? Because when I make RedirectStandardInput = True, command window is opened but not responding(blank). That's why I am saving the debug info into a txt file. Dim objProcess As New Process With objProcess.StartInfo .UseShellExecute = False .CreateNoWindow = False .FileName = "cmd" .RedirectStandardInput = True .RedirectStandardOutput = True .RedirectStandardError = False End With objProcess.Start() Dim param(2) As String param(0) = Chr(34) & CurDir() & "/mon.exe" & Chr(34) & " 10.0.0.99 4000 > C:\a.txt" param(1) = "SET IP 10.0.0.98 > C:\b.txt" kb.WriteLine(param) kb.WriteLine(param(1)) B.B.

[barkanb]

Sorry for the confusion. I couldn't make it run on notepad also. Could you post me a sample code to print on notepad other than the one below. Dim objProcess As New Process With objProcess.StartInfo .UseShellExecute = False .CreateNoWindow = True .FileName = "notepad" .RedirectStandardInput = True .RedirectStandardOutput = False .RedirectStandardError = False End With objProcess.Start() Dim kb As StreamWriter = objProcess.StandardInput kb.WriteLine("A1233 ") I assume StreamWriter acts as keyboard but it is not. Maybe there is something small I am missing. I have to leave now. Appriciated for your help. Regards B.B.

[Dave Kreskowiak]

Actually, there's something large you're missing. You can't redirect Notepad because there are no streams in a Windows app to redirect. You can only do this with DOS applications that use the standard console and keyboard devices themselves, like the FTP app (FTP.EXE) that comes with Windows.

Dave Kreskowiak Microsoft MVP - Visual Basic

[barkanb]

By adding System.Environment.NewLine into writeline command, it is working now. Thanks for your help and support. :-D ' The code below enables you to run a command ' window application (exe), and send special input ' commands to that exe application. 'Execute mon.exe file by creating a new process Dim objProcess As New Process With objProcess.StartInfo .UseShellExecute = False .CreateNoWindow = True .WorkingDirectory = CurDir() .FileName = "mon.exe" .Arguments = " " & ipno & " 4000" .RedirectStandardInput = True .RedirectStandardOutput = True .RedirectStandardError = False End With objProcess.Start() Dim sIn As StreamWriter = objProcess.StandardInput Dim sOut As StreamReader = objProcess.StandardOutput Dim s as String sIn.AutoFlush = True sIn.Write("SET IP " & ipnoNEW & System.Environment.NewLine) s = sOut.ReadToEnd() objProcess.WaitForExit(5) If Not objProcess.HasExited Then objProcess.Kill() End If MsgBox(s) B.B.

[Dave Kreskowiak]

barkanb wrote:

sIn.Write("SET IP " & ipnoNEW & System.Environment.NewLine)

Or, you could have just used sIn.Write**Line**("SET IP" & ipnoNEW).

Dave Kreskowiak Microsoft MVP - Visual Basic