Need help to put Code together..

[Matthew.Kaulfers]

I need this

 Dim driveletter As String = ""
        Dim allDrives() As System.IO.DriveInfo = System.IO.DriveInfo.GetDrives()
        For Each drive As System.IO.DriveInfo In allDrives
            If drive.DriveType = IO.DriveType.CDRom Then
                'OK Now we have the CDRom
                driveletter = drive.RootDirectory.ToString()
            End If
        Next

and this combined

    Private Sub Button2_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click
        Process.Start("C:\data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe").WaitForExit()
        Process.Start("C:\data\Malwarebytes\mbam.exe")
    End Sub

I am trying to get the program to recognize the CD/DVD drive.... where it is highlighted C:.

The idea of the program is to make a launcher to automatically launch various freeware programs ergo CCleaner,Malwarebytes,SuperAntiSpyware, etc. Once I get the program to recognize what drive it is then I also need to figure out how to make it Start, Close, then start the next one.... So obviously

Process.Start("C:\data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe").waitforexit()
Process.Start("C:\data\Malwarebytes\mbam.exe").Waitforexit()

Won't work because the .waitforexit() isn't waiting for exit of CCleaner.. WHY? And could a delay be incorporated into this to make it wait for the .waitforexit()? BTW for you trolls I am very very new to VB so as simple as this may be it is my way of learning so GTFO if you have hate mail.

[Shaggy Hiker]

Trolls don't last long around here.

In this line:

Process.Start("C:\data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe").WaitForExit()

it appears taht you want to replace the C: with whatever is in your variable. To do that, the line would look like this:

Process.Start(driveletter & "\data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe").WaitForExit()

Of course, this would only work if driveletter actually has someting, but you mostly have the code for that. There are two issues to consider. The first is whether or not that first code could fail in such a way that driveletter was never set. That seems unlikely, but possible. Therefore, you'd probably want to explicitly check that driveletter was not an empty string.

Combined, they would look like this:

Private Sub Button2_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click
        Dim driveletter As String = ""
        Dim allDrives() As System.IO.DriveInfo = System.IO.DriveInfo.GetDrives()
        For Each drive As System.IO.DriveInfo In allDrives
            If drive.DriveType = IO.DriveType.CDRom Then
                'OK Now we have the CDRom
                driveletter = drive.RootDirectory.ToString()
            End If
        Next
       
        'Check that there is a letter.
        if driveLetter <> string.empty Then
         Process.Start(driveLetter & "\data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe").WaitForExit()
         Process.Start(driveLetter & "\data\Malwarebytes\mbam.exe")
        Else
         Windows.Forms.Messagebox.Show("No Drive Letters Found","Nothing Doing")
        End If
    End Sub

I don't have an answer for why WaitForExit isn't. Not really my area.

[kaliman79912]

Shaggy, could I ask what a Troll in here means? its the third time I have seen that word in the past week but I do not know what does it refer to.

* If driveletter is getting the root directory it will get something like "D:\", so the line Shaggy proposes would be

Process.Start(driveLetter & "data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe.WaitForExit()

notice the lack of the first "\"

But most of all, they are not going to be there because those calls are for the malware software installed in the pc and nothing to do with the cd detected, but you may want to look into a parameter to pass the utility to scan the CD and not the whole PC.

On the other hand, if CCleaner and Malwarebytes are correctly installed then you could run them by just

Process.Start("CCleaner").WaitForExit()
Process.Start("mbam").WaitForExit()

[Shaggy Hiker]

Shaggy, could I ask what a Troll in here means? its the third time I have seen that word in the past week but I do not know what does it refer to.

The meaning is somewhat loose, but it generally refers to people who take pleasure at abusing other people. Lots of forums suffer from people who's sole roll in life is to make denigrating comments at others without being helpful. Quite often, this is directed at the ignorance which comes from being new to something. It's a pretty stupid position, because we are all ignorant before we learn, and we are all learning. That type of person is generally removed from this place pretty quickly, which is one of the things I like about it.

* If driveletter is getting the root directory it will get something like "D:\", so the line Shaggy proposes would be

Process.Start(driveLetter & "data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe.WaitForExit()

notice the lack of the first "\"

Oops. I edited a bit too far when I combined those. Still, the points you made after that are even more significant. I was just combining, without considering whether or not it would really work, but I believe that you are right. What I had posted would only apply (had it not had the typo) if the programs were on the CD. I don't even know whether that is possible, though it does seem like this would allow a person to carry around a CD of cleaner apps that could be run, as needed. So, I guess I don't know whether or not the concept is valid or not.

[Techno]

that is incorrect. the software in question may not be registered as a shortcut type to the system (environment variables for example) so when you do Process.Start("CCleaner") it will not work if it hasnt registered it like this to the system

WaitForExit() does work but there seems to be something wrong somewhere else.

WaitForExit does just that.... its a threadblocking method

[Matthew.Kaulfers]

Trolls don't last long around here.

In this line:

Process.Start("C:\data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe").WaitForExit()

it appears taht you want to replace the C: with whatever is in your variable. To do that, the line would look like this:

Process.Start(driveletter & "\data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe").WaitForExit()

Of course, this would only work if driveletter actually has someting, but you mostly have the code for that. There are two issues to consider. The first is whether or not that first code could fail in such a way that driveletter was never set. That seems unlikely, but possible. Therefore, you'd probably want to explicitly check that driveletter was not an empty string.

Combined, they would look like this:

Private Sub Button2_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click
        Dim driveletter As String = ""
        Dim allDrives() As System.IO.DriveInfo = System.IO.DriveInfo.GetDrives()
        For Each drive As System.IO.DriveInfo In allDrives
            If drive.DriveType = IO.DriveType.CDRom Then
                'OK Now we have the CDRom
                driveletter = drive.RootDirectory.ToString()
            End If
        Next
       
        'Check that there is a letter.
        if driveLetter <> string.empty Then
         Process.Start(driveLetter & "C:\data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe").WaitForExit()
         Process.Start(driveLetter & "\data\Malwarebytes\mbam.exe")
        Else
         Windows.Forms.Messagebox.Show("No Drive Letters Found","Nothing Doing")
        End If
    End Sub

I don't have an answer for why WaitForExit isn't. Not really my area.

I went and tried to place that code in there. Nothing happened it kicked back and said file could not be found...

[Matthew.Kaulfers]

A troll is someone who goes around not offering any help whatsoever but they are sure to post hate mail. Like "You don't know what you are doing you noob" or "Are you an idiot" things of that nature. They have nothing good to say only bad.

[kaliman79912]

there is an overload of WaitForExit() where you put the number of milliseconds to wait as maximum. But the process exit takes precedence.
Process.WaitForExit(10000)

[Shaggy Hiker]

Boy did I screw up that code. Not only the missing \ that Kaliman pointed out, but I see that I actually left the C: in one of the lines in the final snippet. I've gone back and edited that to correct it.

[Matthew.Kaulfers]

Shaggy, could I ask what a Troll in here means? its the third time I have seen that word in the past week but I do not know what does it refer to.

* If driveletter is getting the root directory it will get something like "D:\", so the line Shaggy proposes would be

Process.Start(driveLetter & "data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe.WaitForExit()

notice the lack of the first "\"

But most of all, they are not going to be there because those calls are for the malware software installed in the pc and nothing to do with the cd detected, but you may want to look into a parameter to pass the utility to scan the CD and not the whole PC.

On the other hand, if CCleaner and Malwarebytes are correctly installed then you could run them by just

Process.Start("CCleaner").WaitForExit()
Process.Start("mbam").WaitForExit()

Actually I just want the program to locate the CD/DVD drive because that is where I ahve the CCleaner and mbam and all that other mumbo jumbo installed at.(on the CD) but if i leave it as process.start(ccleaner.exe).waitforexit() then it will come back and say file could not be found because it is installed on the CD not the PC. That is why I need it to have a directory.

[Techno]

with the code supplied, it will work now. as long as the path exists and file exists... then of course when you start the process, it will work otherwise... you will get the exception that the file/path was not found

[Matthew.Kaulfers]

with the code supplied, it will work now. as long as the path exists and file exists... then of course when you start the process, it will work otherwise... you will get the exception that the file/path was not found

Not working I have checked and double checked the directories and the files they exist where they are supposed to be but it is still unhandled.

[Techno]

ok if its unhandled.... then that tells you something. if the file/folder was not found then that is correct. not found

can you paste and inspect the file path/folder the code is obtaining against the actual location. if there is a difference - thats the problem.

[Techno]

Do this:

if File.Exists(driveLetter & "data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe") then MessageBox.Show("File exists")
else MessageBox.Show("Not exists")

[kaliman79912]

but does the process start? or does your program just dont wait for it to exit?

[Matthew.Kaulfers]

    Private Sub Button2_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click
        Dim driveletter As String = ""
        Dim allDrives() As System.IO.DriveInfo = System.IO.DriveInfo.GetDrives()
        For Each drive As System.IO.DriveInfo In allDrives
            If drive.DriveType = IO.DriveType.CDRom Then
                'OK Now we have the CDRom
                driveletter = drive.RootDirectory.ToString()
            End If
        Next

        'Check that there is a letter.
        If driveLetter <> String.empty Then
            Process.Start(driveletter & "data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe").WaitForExit()
            Process.Start(driveletter & "data\Malwarebytes\mbam.exe")
        Else
            Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show("If you got this message then go home.", "Ooop's We messed up.")
        End If
    End Sub

That's what I have... Still isn't working and I assure you the files are located at D:\data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe and D:\data\Malwarebytes\mbam.exe.

[Techno]

the poster indicated it did not start and throws an Exception saying that the file was not found

[Matthew.Kaulfers]

but does the process start? or does your program just dont wait for it to exit?

LOL right now I just need to get it to launch the program when the CD/DVD drive letter isn't blatantly put out there then I will move to that problem xD

[Techno]

did you do the suggestion I posted for debugging purposes?
did you step through the code line by line and inspecting the values, seeing if they are sane?

[Matthew.Kaulfers]

I have a feeling the problem lies here somewhere. It isn't the directory.

            Process.Start(driveletter & "data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe").WaitForExit()
            Process.Start(driveletter & "data\Malwarebytes\mbam.exe")

So.... any ideas? I am 110% stumped...

[Matthew.Kaulfers]

did you do the suggestion I posted for debugging purposes?
did you step through the code line by line and inspecting the values, seeing if they are sane?

I tried removing the "\" but it didn't change anything still an unhandled exception file not found jada jada BS... XD

[Techno]

I have a feeling the problem lies here somewhere. It isn't the directory.

            Process.Start(driveletter & "data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe").WaitForExit()
            Process.Start(driveletter & "data\Malwarebytes\mbam.exe")

So.... any ideas? I am 110% stumped...

I think it was mentioned before, there is a \ missing at the beginning. include it but I cannot remember if the DriveLetter will contain a leading backslash, so for sanity sake now:

if not driveletter.EndsWith("\") then driveletter = driveletter & "\"
Process.Start(driveletter & "data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe").WaitForExit()
Process.Start(driveletter & "data\Malwarebytes\mbam.exe")

again, did you do the suggestion I had posted?

[Techno]

if the file wasnt found then clearly the path being constructed is incorrect. .NET/computer doesnt lie

[kaliman79912]

Actually I just want the program to locate the CD/DVD drive because that is where I ahve the CCleaner and mbam and all that other mumbo jumbo installed at.(on the CD) but if i leave it as process.start(ccleaner.exe).waitforexit() then it will come back and say file could not be found because it is installed on the CD not the PC. That is why I need it to have a directory.

The poster said that if he leaves it as process.start(ccleaner.exe).waitforexit() then it will come back and say file could not be found.

So the question was valid.

You may want to do other validation as you can have more than one CD on the PC and your loop will only remember the last one. Or if you have a virtual drive is almost always detected as a CD. Even some USB Flash Drives register as CD.

Do as Teco said and put a breakpoint and look at the contents of driveletter

[Matthew.Kaulfers]

I think it was mentioned before, there is a \ missing at the beginning. include it but I cannot remember if the DriveLetter will contain a leading backslash, so for sanity sake now:

if not driveletter.EndsWith("\") then driveletter = driveletter & "\"
Process.Start(driveletter & "data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe").WaitForExit()
Process.Start(driveletter & "data\Malwarebytes\mbam.exe")

again, did you do the suggestion I had posted?

Did as you suggested to no avail

[kaliman79912]

Did you stop the code with a breakpoint and step through it looking at the variables? particulary driveLetter?

[Techno]

Did as you suggested to no avail

you didnt quite do what I said
print out the path to a messagebox. what does it say?

[kaliman79912]

Another test you can do is to put the whole path as you know it is right now instead of the detected drive. Something like:

"D:\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe"

does it work that way?

[Techno]

the user indicated that it does work hardcoding it.... they dont want it hardcoded.

the problem is clear - the file is not found. the path is formed incorrectly.

[kaliman79912]

the user indicated that it does work hardcoding it.... they dont want it hardcoded.

the problem is clear - the file is not found. the path is formed incorrectly.

Again... The user oroginally hardcoded it using his hard drive. Now he is trying to use the CD drive.

Please read the posts before dismissing everything I write. This is the second time in this thread that you have mistakenly corrected me.

[Techno]

we are all trying to help kaliman relax. sorry you feel that way but nothing I can do about that. in future I wont contribute.
its a community effort, a team effort, not an individual effort. if you cannot accept this then really it wont work. needlessly to say no one is perfect... and you arent either.
things like this is off putting to everyone.
ill leave it here for now.
I wish the OP the best in this problem and im sure its easily resolved.

[Matthew.Kaulfers]

Another test you can do is to put the whole path as you know it is right now instead of the detected drive. Something like:

"D:\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe"

does it work that way?

It does launch whenever i put

process.start("D:\data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe").waitforexit()

Not perfectly but it does find the file.

[Matthew.Kaulfers]

Again... The user oroginally hardcoded it using his hard drive. Now he is trying to use the CD drive.

Please read the posts before dismissing everything I write. This is the second time in this thread that you have mistakenly corrected me.

Yes I originally hardcoded with the "D:\" but that is a random variable from PC to PC. Lets not get upset over this thing I appreciate help from all. And I am trying each individual idea to see if we can work this thing out. Thanks kaliman I probably should have said that originally but it is my fault for the confusion.

[Matthew.Kaulfers]

the user indicated that it does work hardcoding it.... they dont want it hardcoded.

the problem is clear - the file is not found. the path is formed incorrectly.

Is there a different way to code it to find the drive in a different manner?? It isn't the file being in the wrong way I believe we are just pointing it in the wrong direction.

[Matthew.Kaulfers]

we are all trying to help kaliman relax. sorry you feel that way but nothing I can do about that. in future I wont contribute.
its a community effort, a team effort, not an individual effort. if you cannot accept this then really it wont work. needlessly to say no one is perfect... and you arent either.
things like this is off putting to everyone.
ill leave it here for now.
I wish the OP the best in this problem and im sure its easily resolved.

Please continue to contribute. This is a program I would love to send to CNet and put some names on. BTW if you continue to help all peoples involved will have their name on this program.

[Matthew.Kaulfers]

Okay here is what I have now. It doesn't work.

    Private Sub Button2_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click
        Dim driveletter As String = ""
        Dim allDrives() As System.IO.DriveInfo = System.IO.DriveInfo.GetDrives()
        For Each drive As System.IO.DriveInfo In allDrives
            If drive.DriveType = IO.DriveType.CDRom Then
                'OK Now we have the CDRom
                driveletter = drive.RootDirectory.ToString()
            End If
        Next

        'Check that there is a letter.
        If driveLetter <> String.empty Then
            Process.Start(driveletter & "data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe").WaitForExit()
            Process.Start(driveletter & "data\Malwarebytes\mbam.exe")
        Else
            Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show("If you got this message then go home.", "Ooop's We messed up.")
        End If

I tried this and it launches the program but only on "D:" Drive. Won't work in all computers.....

    Private Sub Button2_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click
        Process.start("D:\data\CCLeaner\ccleaner.exe").waitforexit()
        Process.start("D:\data\malwarebytes\mbam.exe").waitforexit()
    End Sub
End Class

So I think the problem is here...

Dim driveletter As String = ""
        Dim allDrives() As System.IO.DriveInfo = System.IO.DriveInfo.GetDrives()
        For Each drive As System.IO.DriveInfo In allDrives
            If drive.DriveType = IO.DriveType.CDRom Then
                'OK Now we have the CDRom
                driveletter = drive.RootDirectory.ToString()
            End If
        Next

        'Check that there is a letter.
        If driveLetter <> String.empty Then
*****************************************************************
        Else
            Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show("If you got this message then go home.", "Ooop's We messed up.")
        End If

(****) Represents the process.start in which I say again. THE DIRECTORY IS THERE.

[Shaggy Hiker]

Man, glad I went home for dinner.

This is a situation where a bit of debugging is needed. There isn't going to be a good way around this. The code I posted is mostly right, but there is something slightly off about it, and it is probably as Techno suggested: The driveletter is not just the letter. What is it? I don't know. I could find out, but you can find out even faster. Here's how:

Put a breakpoint on this line:

Process.Start(driveletter & "data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe").WaitForExit()

when execution stops on the breakpoint, take a look at what is in 'driveletter'. What is it? Next, highlight this portion:

driveletter & "data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe"

and press Shift+F9. In some way, that is not "D:\data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe". Either a character is added, or a character is missing. Knowing what the difference is will tell you how to correct the line of code.

[Ashaelon]

When you break it on the first Process.Start(...).WaitForExit(), what does DriveLetter contain? I think that is the issue at hand. It will be helpful to everyone if they knew what DriveLetter contained when the program stopped at the breakpoint. I think everyone is assuming that it is either blank, or it is the correct letter. Post what it says it is.

Note: I just read this from top to bottom, so if you mentioned it in an earlier post, I apologize for forgetting.

[Matthew.Kaulfers]

Man, glad I went home for dinner.

This is a situation where a bit of debugging is needed. There isn't going to be a good way around this. The code I posted is mostly right, but there is something slightly off about it, and it is probably as Techno suggested: The driveletter is not just the letter. What is it? I don't know. I could find out, but you can find out even faster. Here's how:

Put a breakpoint on this line:

Process.Start(driveletter & "data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe").WaitForExit()

when execution stops on the breakpoint, take a look at what is in 'driveletter'. What is it? Next, highlight this portion:

driveletter & "data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe"

and press Shift+F9. In some way, that is not "D:\data\CCleaner\CCleaner.exe". Either a character is added, or a character is missing. Knowing what the difference is will tell you how to correct the line of code.

Okay waiting for VB to re install. I am on a friends computer. It is almost done. I CAN FEEL WE ARE CLOSE AS idk.... the hair on our jewels...

[Shaggy Hiker]

I don't even want to consider that metaphor.