Invoking an unmanaged exe

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JTnospam@verizon.net - 15 Oct 2004 19:27 GMT

Hi,
I am just beginning to explore this area, so my question may seem ignorant.
But,
here goes...

I am trying to design a Windows service in VB.NET that would grab a file and
send it over a modem to an electronic bulletin board system. I have software
(Symantec Procomm Plus) that will do the transmission, and can even handle
scripts. How do I invoke Procomm Plus with my windows service and pass it my
file? I have tried creating a RCW from the Procomm DLL's but get an error
message saying that they are not recognized as properly manifested.

Thanks.

JT

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Mattias Sj?gren - 16 Oct 2004 20:04 GMT

>How do I invoke Procomm Plus with my windows service and pass it my
>file?

Have you tried System.Diagnostics.Process.Start() ?

Mattias

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Mattias Sjögren [MVP] mattias @ mvps.org
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JTnospam@verizon.net - 18 Oct 2004 17:27 GMT

Thanks Mattias. I have done some experimenting with this, and can pass in
the args I need for the scripts. The problem I have with this method is
getting an indication of success or failure of the transmission. I can
access the exitcode for pw5.exe by listening for .HasExited, but that exit
code only indicates whether the program terminated abnormally or not and does
not give me any indication of the success or failure of my transmission.

JT

"Mattias Sjögren" wrote:

> >How do I invoke Procomm Plus with my windows service and pass it my
> >file?
>
> Have you tried System.Diagnostics.Process.Start() ?
>
> Mattias

Reply to this Message

William DePalo [MVP VC++] - 18 Oct 2004 19:09 GMT

> Thanks Mattias. I have done some experimenting with this, and can pass in
> the args I need for the scripts. The problem I have with this method is
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> does
> not give me any indication of the success or failure of my transmission.

Check the docs for HasExited and you will find this:

<quote>
If a handle is open to the process, the operating system releases the
process memory when the process has exited, but retains administrative
information about the process, such as the handle, exit code, and exit time.
To get this information, you can use the ExitCode and ExitTime properties.
These properties are populated automatically for processes that were started
by this component. The administrative information is released when all the
Process components that are associated with the system process are destroyed
and hold no more handles to the exited process.
</quote>

Regards,
Will

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JTnospam@verizon.net - 18 Oct 2004 20:01 GMT

Thanks William,

I have read the documentation, but I am not sure what to do with it to get
the return value I seek. My code is as follows;

Private Function TransmitFiles(ByVal strScriptArgs As String) As Integer

Try

If strScriptArgs.Length > 0 Then

    Dim myProcomm As New Process

    With myProcomm.StartInfo
    .FileName = "pw5.exe"
    .Arguments = strScriptArgs
    .WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden

    End With

With myProcomm

    If .Start() Then

        If .HasExited Then

            Return .ExitCode

        End If

    Else
        Return 1                        'Failed to start
    End If

    End With

End If

Catch ex As System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception
    If ex.NativeErrorCode = 2 Then            'File Not Found Error
        Return 2
    ElseIf ex.NativeErrorCode = 5 Then            'Access Denied Error

        Return 5
    End If

End Try

End Function

JT

> > Thanks Mattias. I have done some experimenting with this, and can pass in
> > the args I need for the scripts. The problem I have with this method is
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
> Regards,
> Will

Reply to this Message

William DePalo [MVP VC++] - 18 Oct 2004 20:04 GMT

> Thanks William,

You are welcome.

> I have read the documentation, but I am not sure what to do with it to get
> the return value I seek. My code is as follows;

If the process you start returns a return code then ExitCode should pick it
up. Many processes simply return 0.

Regards,
Will

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Invoking an unmanaged exe

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