[RESOLVED] detect when a process starts?

I'm trying to detect when a certain program is opened, and from searching i found that the way to do it would be using a code as the one below inside a timer.. i just wanted to ask if there was a better way of doing it, or am i doing it correctly?

Code:

---

        Dim processes() As Process
        processes = Process.GetProcessesByName("notepad")

            For Each Proc In processes
                If Not ListBox1.Items.Contains(Proc.Id) Then
                    ListBox1.Items.Add(Proc.Id)
                    'do something here
                End If
            Next

---

Polling is generally a poor way to do anything. Sometimes it may be necessary but you should always use an alternative if there is one. In this case, there's no simple option for doing what you want to do in managed code. I would expect that there's a way to do it using WMI, which is invoked in managed code via the System.Management namespace. I have no idea what types would be used but I would encourage you to investigate that option as notification has to be better than polling.

I will look into WMI and post back when I've done so.

* edit tab was open while popped out so just repeated what already been said :/

Adding processes to a control inside a timer is certainly not the way to do any thing. Controls are there for a reason, not to be used as variables. You can use the WMI creator and importing System.Management namespace.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...=vs.80%29.aspx

Edited the query from the link above to watch an individual process.

vb Code:

Imports System.Management
 
Public Class Form1
    Private Sub MonitorProcess(ByVal processName As String)
 
        ' Create event query to be notified within 1 second of 
        ' a change in a service
        Dim query As String
        query = "SELECT * FROM" & _
            " __InstanceCreationEvent WITHIN 1 " & _
            "WHERE TargetInstance isa ""Win32_Process""" & _
            "   AND TargetInstance.Name = '" & processName & "'"
 
 
        ' Event options
        Dim eventOptions As New EventWatcherOptions
        eventOptions.Timeout = System.TimeSpan.MaxValue
 
        ' Initialize an event watcher and subscribe to events 
        ' that match this query
        Dim watcher As New ManagementEventWatcher( _
            "root\CIMV2", query, eventOptions)
 
        Dim e As ManagementBaseObject = _
            watcher.WaitForNextEvent()
 
        'Display information from the event
        Debug.WriteLine( _
            "Process {0} has created, path is: {1}", _
            CType(e("TargetInstance"),  _
                ManagementBaseObject)("Name"), _
            CType(e("TargetInstance"),  _
                ManagementBaseObject)("ExecutablePath"))
 
        'Cancel the subscription
        watcher.Stop()
 
    End Sub
 
End Class

thank you ident that works very perfectly.