[RESOLVED] Can't access files below root when using Process to run a command line program.

[donatwnkj]

Hello,

I am trying to create a program that downloads audio files via FTP, converts the audio to mp2 if necessary and copies them to a certain directory for consumption by our automation system. (I am a radio station engineer.)

I am using the open source converter FFMpeg to convert audio files to mp2. This is a command line exectuted program. Here is the command line that I use to execute the external program with the input and output audio files at the root level:

cmd.exe /k ""C:\New Folder\ffmpeg.exe" -i "C:\Test.mp3" -y "C:\Test.mp2""

This command line works correctly whether I am using Shell() or System.Diagnostics.Process (Process) to execute the external program. I am going the Process route so I can know when the conversion has finished.

Now, I really don't want to use the root directory for this but when I go below root with this line using Process the external program will not execute:

cmd.exe /k ""C:\New Folder\ffmpeg.exe" -i "C:\New Folder\Test.mp3" -y "C:\New Folder\Test.mp2""

Can anyone tell me why that line will not work with Process though it works as expected with Shell()? I can't figure out how to stop the external program to get some feedback as to what its problem is.

Thanks

[wild_bill]

Can you post code? I think it should be something along the lines of

Dim fileName As String = "C:\New Folder\ffmpeg.exe"
Dim args As String = "-i ""C:\New Folder\Test.mp3"" -y ""C:\New Folder\Test.mp2"""
Dim info As New ProcessStartInfo(filename, args)
Dim p As Process = Process.Start(info)

[donatwnkj]

I'll be happy to post the code. The code I am using is what I have found online. I have tried a couple of different versions. Here is the pertinent code in subroutines. Cmd1 is the program name, cmd2 has the arguments for the program:

The first one is from Microsoft documentation
Private Sub CurrentProc(ByVal cmd1 As String, ByVal cmd2 As String)
Dim procID As Integer
Dim newProc As Diagnostics.Process
newProc = Diagnostics.Process.Start(cmd1.ToString, cmd2.ToString)
procID = newProc.Id
newProc.WaitForExit()
Dim procEC As Integer = -1
If newProc.HasExited Then
procEC = newProc.ExitCode
End If
MsgBox("Process with ID " & CStr(procID) & _
" terminated with exit code " & CStr(procEC))

End Sub

Private Sub CurrentProc2(ByVal cmd1 As String, ByVal cmd2 As String)
Dim process As System.Diagnostics.Process = Nothing
Dim processStartInfo As System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo
processStartInfo = New System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo()

processStartInfo.FileName = cmd1 '"notepad.exe" 'program to run

If System.Environment.OSVersion.Version.Major >= 6 Then
' Run as admin on Windows Vista or higher
processStartInfo.Verb = "runas"
End If
processStartInfo.Arguments = cmd2 '"C:\test.txt" 'file to open as argument
processStartInfo.WindowStyle = System.Diagnostics.ProcessWindowStyle.Normal
processStartInfo.UseShellExecute = True

Try
process = System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(processStartInfo)
Catch ex As Exception
MessageBox.Show(ex.Message, "Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error)
Finally

If Not (process Is Nothing) Then
process.Dispose()
End If

End Try


End Sub

Both subroutines had the same net result. All of the logic for executing the external program is in those subroutines.

Thanks

[wild_bill]

Did you try the code I posted?

[donatwnkj]

Hello Wild Bill,

Sorry for the delay. I've been out of the office. Yes your code does work. Now I need to be able to have it terminate and trap the return value to see if it was successful.

Thanks

[wild_bill]

Does this work:

Dim fileName As String = "C:\New Folder\ffmpeg.exe"
Dim args As String = "-i ""C:\New Folder\Test.mp3"" -y ""C:\New Folder\Test.mp2"""
Dim info As New ProcessStartInfo(fileName, args)
Dim p As Process = Process.Start(info)
p.WaitForExit()
Console.WriteLine(p.ExitCode)

[donatwnkj]

Yes that work's just fine. I added the p.WaitForExit() code after the last reply but just kept the message box approach from the other code and it works great. The problem was that Process was expecting quotes where the cmd.exe wasn't which I am sure you figured out to begin with.

Now off to play with FTP. Thanks again for the help.

[wild_bill]

No problem, please mark the thread resolved by going to "Thread Tools" > "Mark Thread Resolved"