How Can I Execute a Command-Line Program and Capture its Output in C#?

Running Command-Line Programs and Capturing Output in C#

This guide demonstrates how to execute command-line applications from within a C# program and retrieve their standard output. This is useful for integrating external tools or performing system tasks directly from your application. A common example is running a 'diff' command on two files and using the results.

The System.Diagnostics.Process class provides the necessary functionality. Here's a step-by-step approach:

1. Create a Process Instance: Instantiate a Process object to represent the command-line program.

2. Configure Process Parameters:

   • Set UseShellExecute to false. This prevents the command from running through the system shell.
   • Set RedirectStandardOutput to true to redirect the program's output to your C# application.
   • Specify the executable's path in FileName. For batch files, this would be "YOURBATCHFILE.bat". You'll also need to specify the arguments in Arguments.

3. Start the Process: Use the Start() method to execute the command. This method doesn't block; the process runs asynchronously.

4. Read Standard Output: Access the StandardOutput property to retrieve the output. Use ReadToEnd() to get the complete output before the process finishes.

5. Wait for Process Completion: Call WaitForExit() to ensure the command-line program has completed before proceeding. This prevents reading incomplete or corrupted output.

This method allows you to easily capture the output and display it (e.g., in a text box) or process it further within your C# application.

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