Start WSL Script from WPF C# Application

Question

I would like to run a bash script using WSL from a WPF application. I have been using the Process.Start() method to try and run this script, passing some arguments along with it. I thought I had this function running perfectly before, however I am struggling to get the script to run on WSL.

Here is the code I have below, I can include the WSL script if needed. I need to run the WSL script and pass some arguments to the script from the command line.

string path = "\"" + store.LPFolderPath + "\"";
        Debug.WriteLine(path);
        Process p = new Process();
        ProcessStartInfo info = new ProcessStartInfo
        {
            FileName = "cmd.exe",
            RedirectStandardInput = true,
            UseShellExecute = false,
            RedirectStandardOutput = true,
            RedirectStandardError = true
        };
        p.StartInfo = info;
        p.Start();
        if(p.StandardInput.BaseStream.CanWrite)
        {
            p.StandardInput.WriteLine(@"wsl");
            p.StandardInput.WriteLine(@"cd path/To/Script");
                                      //"./lpass == scriptFile "//
            p.StandardInput.WriteLine(@"./lpass " + `ARG`);
            p.StandardInput.WriteLine("exit");
            p.StandardInput.Close();
        };

        p.WaitForExit();

From what I know this script does not run at all. Is there a mistake I am making utilizing Process or how would I go about debugging this C# call in order to find out my error?

NotTheDr01ds · Accepted Answer · 2022-12-16 23:14:07Z

This reminds me a bit of two questions I answered around using Python to launch WSL applications:

This one was using a subprocess.
And this one was using a SendKeys method.

In your case, you are attempting to use standard input, but I think the issue is similar. The first WriteLine launches WSL, but I believe it's now a separate process with its own standard input. The additional lines of standard input are probably going to the original process p, but are probably just waiting there until the WSL process terminates, which doesn't happen until your parent process terminates. Disclaimer - I haven't tried this myself; I'm just basing it on past experience with other languages.

The solution should be the same as I mention in the other answers -- Use arguments to the wsl command itself to call your script. E.g.:

p.StandardInput.WriteLine(@"wsl --cd path/To/Script -e bash -c lpass");

Or something similar. Try it from the command-line first:

wsl --cd path/To/Script -e bash -c lpass

The -e tells it to run the Bash shell, with the -c passing the ./lpass directly to Bash. The --cd is also a WSL argument which will set the initial starting directory, although it should be possible to move it into the Bash command as well:

wsl -e bash -c "cd path/To/Script; ./lpass"

If the lpass script has a shebang line, you can even bypass calling Bash:

wsl --cd path/to/Script -e ./lpass

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