ProcessStartInfo Class

ProcessStartInfo is used together with the Process component. When you start a process using the Process class, you have access to process information in addition to that available when attaching to a running process.

You can use the ProcessStartInfo class for better control over the process you start. You must at least set the FileName property, either manually or using the constructor. The file name is any application or document. Here a document is defined to be any file type that has an open or default action associated with it. You can view registered file types and their associated applications for your computer by using the Folder Options dialog box, which is available through the operating system. The Advanced button leads to a dialog box that shows whether there is an open action associated with a specific registered file type.

In addition, you can set other properties that define actions to take with that file. You can specify a value specific to the type of the FileName property for the Verb property. For example, you can specify "print" for a document type. Additionally, you can specify Arguments property values to be command-line arguments to pass to the file's open procedure. For example, if you specify a text editor application in the FileName property, you can use the Arguments property to specify a text file to be opened by the editor.

Standard input is usually the keyboard, and standard output and standard error are usually the monitor screen. However, you can use the RedirectStandardInput, RedirectStandardOutput, and RedirectStandardError properties to cause the process to get input from or return output to a file or other device. If you use the StandardInput, StandardOutput, or StandardError properties on the Process component, you must first set the corresponding value on the ProcessStartInfo property. Otherwise, the system throws an exception when you read or write to the stream.

Set UseShellExecute to specify whether to start the process by using the operating system shell.

You can change the value of any ProcessStartInfo property up to the time that the process starts. After you start the process, changing these values has no effect.

Note
This class contains a link demand at the class level that applies to all members. A SecurityException is thrown when the immediate caller does not have full-trust permission. For details about security demands, see Link Demands.

Note

The HostProtectionAttribute attribute applied to this type or member has the following Resources property value: SharedState | SelfAffectingProcessMgmt. The HostProtectionAttribute does not affect desktop applications (which are typically started by double-clicking an icon, typing a command, or entering a URL in a browser). For more information, see the HostProtectionAttribute class or SQL Server Programming and Host Protection Attributes.

The following code example demonstrates how to use the ProcessStartInfo class to start Internet Explorer, providing the destination URLs as ProcessStartInfo arguments.

using System;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.ComponentModel;

namespace MyProcessSample
{
    class MyProcess
    {
        // Opens the Internet Explorer application.
        void OpenApplication(string myFavoritesPath)
        {
            // Start Internet Explorer. Defaults to the home page.
            Process.Start("IExplore.exe");

            // Display the contents of the favorites folder in the browser.
            Process.Start(myFavoritesPath);
        }

        // Opens urls and .html documents using Internet Explorer.
        void OpenWithArguments()
        {
            // url's are not considered documents. They can only be opened
            // by passing them as arguments.
            Process.Start("IExplore.exe", "www.northwindtraders.com");

            // Start a Web page using a browser associated with .html and .asp files.
            Process.Start("IExplore.exe", "C:\\myPath\\myFile.htm");
            Process.Start("IExplore.exe", "C:\\myPath\\myFile.asp");
        }

        // Uses the ProcessStartInfo class to start new processes,
        // both in a minimized mode.
        void OpenWithStartInfo()
        {
            ProcessStartInfo startInfo = new ProcessStartInfo("IExplore.exe");
            startInfo.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Minimized;

            Process.Start(startInfo);

            startInfo.Arguments = "www.northwindtraders.com";

            Process.Start(startInfo);
        }

        static void Main()
        {
            // Get the path that stores favorite links.
            string myFavoritesPath =
                Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.Favorites);

            MyProcess myProcess = new MyProcess();

            myProcess.OpenApplication(myFavoritesPath);
            myProcess.OpenWithArguments();
            myProcess.OpenWithStartInfo();
        }
    }
}

.NET Framework

.NET Framework Client Profile

• SecurityPermission  

  for calling members of ProcessStartInfo. Demand value: LinkDemand; Named Permission Sets: FullTrust.

Windows 8 Release Preview, Windows Server 2012, Windows 7, Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2, Windows Server 2008 R2 (Server Core Role supported with SP1 or later; Itanium not supported)

The .NET Framework does not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.

Reference