Running a DOS Command WITHOUT the Command window appearing

Hi,

I want to run a DOS command from my Visual Basic program - and I can do that fine, but I want to do it without the Command Window popping up. Is there a way to do this?? because if the command window pops up it makes my app look very scruffy.

Robin

What dos commands are you trying to run? Chances are there is a windows equivalent command that you can run instead so that you dont get the command prompt.

I'm trying to run the ping command.

I need to get the output (I dont care about the time - I just need to know if it worked or failed) so I was thinking of doing ping 192.168.0.1 > ping.txt or summat like that.

Thanks

Robin

thanks for your help but I've just found a way to do ping without using the DOS Command prompt.

Thanks

RObin

Hi rob,

could you pls tell me how do you ping without using the dos command.

thanx..

Look at this site:

http://vbnet.mvps.org/index.html?code/internet/ping.htm

Robin

VB Code:

Shell "cmd /k ping 127.0.0.1 >e:\ping.txt ", vbHide

But cmd is still going to be loaded as a process.

Hadn't noticed that! Thanks for telling me - but it works fine and I cant see the command window!

Thanks

Robin

FYI I hear WinXP SP2 turns off response to a PING request so it seems PING is becoming less useful thanks to M$.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jmacp

VB Code:

Shell "cmd /k ping 127.0.0.1 >e:\ping.txt ", vbHide

But cmd is still going to be loaded as a process.

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I was searching how to do this for quite some time... I was about to create a thread too..
Thanks a lot...

It'd be great if you could elaborate what /k is.
Also what does the > before the Location of the File mean?

>elaborate what /k is
Open a Command (cmp) prompt window; type in cmd /? and press Return; it will provide help for the options for the cmd command

I suggest it may be preferrable to use the /C option, otherwise you may end up with an invisible Command prompt window/ process (each time you do the call) and that (all of them) will remain until the computer is restarted.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by TheThinker

Also what does the > before the Location of the File mean?

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It's called Redirection.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Magic Ink

Open a Command (cmp) prompt window; type in cmd /? and press Return; it will provide help for the options for the cmd command

I suggest it may be preferrable to use the /C option, otherwise you may end up with an invisible Command prompt window/ process (each time you do the call) and that (all of them) will remain until the computer is restarted.

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bonnie West

It's called Redirection.

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So If i want to output the file to a folder tat doesn't exist, I'll have to create the Folder via MD/MKDIR
Right?
Thanks a lot.

That would be MD /MKDIR; note the space.
However vb has the MkDir Statement so you do not need to do it via the Command (cmd) window.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Magic Ink

That would be MD /MKDIR; note the space.

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Doesn't MD and MKDIR refer to the same command?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bonnie West

Doesn't MD and MKDIR refer to the same command?

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Yes it does... Which is why I made use of the /

Sorry I misunderstood - you meant 'MD or MkDir' of course.