How to run a C# console application with the conso

Question

Is there a way to hide the console window when executing a console application?

I am currently using a Windows Forms application to start a console process, but I don't want the console window to be displayed while the task is running.

Answer 1

Simple answer is that: Go to your console app's properties(project's properties).In the "Application" tab, just change the "Output type" to "Windows Application". That's all.

Answer 2

You can use the FreeConsole API to detach the console from the process :

[DllImport("kernel32.dll")]
static extern bool FreeConsole();

(of course this is applicable only if you have access to the console application's source code)

Answer 3

Add this to your class to import the DLL file:

[DllImport("user32.dll")]
    static extern bool ShowWindow(IntPtr hWnd, int nCmdShow);

    const int SW_HIDE = 0;
    const int SW_SHOW = 5;

And then if you want to hide it use this command:

var handle = GetConsoleWindow();
ShowWindow(handle, SW_HIDE);

And if you want to show the console:

var handle = GetConsoleWindow();
ShowWindow(handle, SW_SHOW);

Answer 4

If you are using Process Class then you can write

yourprocess.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false;
yourprocess.StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = true;

before yourprocess.start(); and process will be hidden

Answer 5

Based on Adam Markowitz's answer above, following worked for me:

process = new Process();
process.StartInfo = new ProcessStartInfo("cmd.exe", "/k \"" + CmdFilePath + "\"");
process.StartInfo.WindowStyle = System.Diagnostics.ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden;
//process.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false;
//process.StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = true;
process.Start();

Answer 6

If you're interested in the output, you can use this function:

private static string ExecCommand(string filename, string arguments)
{
    Process process = new Process();
    ProcessStartInfo psi = new ProcessStartInfo(filename);
    psi.Arguments = arguments;
    psi.CreateNoWindow = true;
    psi.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
    psi.RedirectStandardError = true;
    psi.UseShellExecute = false;
    process.StartInfo = psi;

    StringBuilder output = new StringBuilder();
    process.OutputDataReceived += (sender, e) => { output.AppendLine(e.Data); };
    process.ErrorDataReceived += (sender, e) => { output.AppendLine(e.Data); };

    // run the process
    process.Start();

    // start reading output to events
    process.BeginOutputReadLine();
    process.BeginErrorReadLine();

    // wait for process to exit
    process.WaitForExit();

    if (process.ExitCode != 0)
        throw new Exception("Command " + psi.FileName + " returned exit code " + process.ExitCode);

    return output.ToString();
}

It runs the given command line program, waits for it to finish and returns the output as string.