C# console app can't run a batch file but batch file works fine in command prompt

Question

I have a batch file which runs perfectly fine if I give this command in the command prompt.

C:\app> C:\app\Process.bat C:\app\files\uploads c:\app\files file2 <- WORKS

So there are just 3 input parameters.

C:\app\files\uploads : the folder location of input files 
c:\app\files         : the output folder
file2                : output file name

If I run the batch file from C:\app folder I see the output file I want to automate the process from a console app which will be scheduled job But running in visual studio debug mode or clicking the exe file does nothing. I don't get any kind of exception either.

What can be wrong - permission or other thing I am doing wrong?

This is the C# code

static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            RunBatchFile(@"C:\app\Process.bat", @"C:\app\files\uploads c:\app\files 123456");
        }

public static string RunBatchFile(string fullPathToBatch, string args)
        {            
            using (var proc = new Process
            {
                StartInfo =
                {
                    Arguments = args,                    
                    FileName = fullPathToBatch,

                    UseShellExecute = false,
                    CreateNoWindow = true,
                    RedirectStandardOutput = false,
                    RedirectStandardError = false
                }
            })
            {
                try
                {
                    proc.Start();
                }
                catch (Win32Exception e)
                {
                    if (e.NativeErrorCode == 2)
                    {
                        return "File not found exception";
                    }
                    else if (e.NativeErrorCode == 5)
                    {
                        return "Access Denied Exception";
                    }
                }
            }

            return "OK";
        }

T McKeown · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-13 19:24:03Z

1

2 Issues here:

First problem is you need to execute cmd.exe not the batch file.
Second, you are executing it but you need to wait for the process to complete. Your app is the parent process and because you're not waiting the child process doesn't complete.

You need to issue a WaitForExit():

var process = Process.Start(...);
process.WaitForExit();

Here is what you want to do:

static void ExecuteCommand(string command)
{
    int exitCode;
    ProcessStartInfo processInfo;
    Process process;

    processInfo = new ProcessStartInfo("cmd.exe", "/c " + command);
    processInfo.CreateNoWindow = true;
    processInfo.UseShellExecute = false;
    process = Process.Start(processInfo);
    process.WaitForExit();
    exitCode = process.ExitCode;
    process.Close();
}

To run your batch file do this from the main():

ExecuteCommand("C:\app\Process.bat C:\app\files\uploads c:\app\files file2");

edited Jan 13, 2014 at 19:24

answered Jan 13, 2014 at 3:42

T McKeown

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10 Comments

kheya Over a year ago

You saying I can't run a xyz.bat file from C# code? Sounds odd to me

T McKeown Over a year ago

no you cannot, a batch file runs inside the process of cmd.exe

kheya Over a year ago

The batch file little complex. I would have to find a solution of calling it by name rather than passing the big complex commands directly.

T McKeown Over a year ago

I think you are missing the point, you can execute your batch file but you do that by creating a method like I have posted in my answer. The command argument to the ExecuteCommand function would be the name of your batch file.

T McKeown Over a year ago

I have modified my answer to tell you what to do. Not sure why you are not understanding this answer.

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