Re: Getting values from tasklist.exe /v - C# Discussion Boards

7-Apr-12 6:24

Hi,

I think it is possible to do this but before I spend another 8 hours on it I would like to ask for some advice please.

Basically I am trying to get the values from tasklist /v into my C# code.

I have tried retrieving the indexes but they are not output as recurring values or some form of table they just keep going until the end of the output.

I am thus trying to send the output of the split string to a foreach value but am ending up with the individual values (as expected). Is there some way I can concatenate these values into a coherent string whose values can be meaningfully separated.

string output = "";
try
    {
//set up and start the process
        Process p = new Process();
        p.StartInfo = new ProcessStartInfo("tasklist");
        p.StartInfo.Arguments = " /v";
        p.StartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
        p.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false;
        p.Start();
//clean up the output
        output = (p.StandardOutput.ReadToEnd());
        output = output.Remove(0,453);// the first 453 char values are column headings, spaces and '=' signs
        output = output.Trim();
        output = output.Replace("           ", " ");
        output = output.Replace("          ", " ");
        output = output.Replace("         ", " ");
        output = output.Replace("        ", " ");
        output = output.Replace("       ", " ");
        output = output.Replace("      ", " ");
        output = output.Replace("     ", " ");
        output = output.Replace("    ", " ");
        output = output.Replace("   ", " ");
        output = output.Replace("  ", " ");
        output = output.Replace('\r', ' ');
        output = output.Replace('\n', ' ');
        while (true)// keep it alive
        {
            string[] s = output.Split(' ');
            {
                foreach (string value in s)
                {
                    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(value))
                    {
                        Console.WriteLine(value);
                        Console.ReadLine();
                    }
                }
            }
            p.WaitForExit();
        }
         
    }
    catch (Exception se)
    {
        Console.WriteLine(se.Message + output.ToString() + se.InnerException);
        Console.ReadLine();
    }

from this I get:
System

Idle

Process

0

Console

0

28

K

Running

NT

AUTHORITY\SY

33:30:14

N/A

Is there a way to "convert" this to:

s[0] = SystemIdleProcess
s[1] = 0
s[2] = Console
s[3] = 0
s[4] = 28K
s[5] = Running
s[6] = NTAUTHORITY\SYSTEM
S[7] = 33:30:14
S[8] = N/A

Thank you for your time..

Richard Andrew x647-Apr-12 6:42

Richard Andrew x64

7-Apr-12 6:42

Why don't you use the Diagnostics namespace to programmatically determine what processes are running?

Process.GetProcesses();

The difficult we do right away...
...the impossible takes slightly longer.

CCodeNewbie7-Apr-12 6:55

7-Apr-12 6:55

I need the total elapsed time of "Idle" to calculate % cpu usage per process. WMI & performance counters are too slow because of their thread.sleep(1000) requirement.

Alan N7-Apr-12 9:55

Alan N

7-Apr-12 9:55

Try opening a command window and type tasklist /? to get all the options.

You'll find that there is /NH to remove the column headers and /FO CSV to dump the output in comma separated value format.

The output from "tasklist /v /nh /fo csv" will be something like this:

"System Idle Process","0","Console","0","28 K","Running","NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM","71:33:38","N/A"
"System","4","Console","0","256 K","Running","NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM","0:24:32","N/A"
"smss.exe","1680","Console","0","924 K","Running","NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM","0:00:00","N/A"

It will be advantageous to capture the output as lines rather than one long string. For this use ReadLine in a loop instead of ReadToEnd.

The final step is subdivision of each line at the comma delimiters to get the individual fields (use the String.Split method).

Alan

Richard Andrew x647-Apr-12 10:23

Richard Andrew x64

7-Apr-12 10:23

Excellent!

The difficult we do right away...
...the impossible takes slightly longer.

CCodeNewbie7-Apr-12 11:18

7-Apr-12 11:18

Hi Alan,

Nice catch on the /nh /fo /csv thing.

Quick question though...
How would you suggest trimming the '"' quote marks from the values & given that you can't split on ',' commas because e.g. "csrss.exe","996","Console","0","7,372 K" (the comma in the memory component 7,732K) would cause a problem.

Luc Pattyn7-Apr-12 11:35

Luc Pattyn

7-Apr-12 11:35

I wouldn't[^]

Blush | :O

Luc Pattyn [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum

CCodeNewbie7-Apr-12 11:55

7-Apr-12 11:55

Hi Luc, gee thanks...didn't know you cared...

The issue is that if you run

Process p = new Process();
p.StartInfo = new ProcessStartInfo("tasklist");
p.StartInfo.Arguments = " /v /nh /fo csv";
p.StartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
p.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false;
p.Start();
while (true)
{
    string o = p.StandardOutput.ReadLine();
    if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(o))
    {
        string [] s = o.Split(',');
        Console.WriteLine(o);
        Console.ReadLine();
    }
}

occasionally, you only get the last 2 values of the first line. Also, you can't do this

Console.WriteLine(a.Remove(0,1).Remove(a.Length -1,1));

without an exception 'System.ArgumentOutOfRangeException: Index and count must refer to a location within the string. Parameter name: count' which doesn't make much sense because if:-
string s = "bob";
s = s.Remove(s.length -1,1)
result = bo
why is Remove(a.Length -1,1) causing an exception?

Could anyone make any (relevant) suggestions...

Luc Pattyn7-Apr-12 12:56

Luc Pattyn

7-Apr-12 12:56

CCodeNewbie wrote:
Console.WriteLine(a.Remove(0,1).Remove(a.Length -1,1));

It is way better to write 5 simple lines you understand, than one complex one you think you understand but you don't.

D'Oh! | :doh:

Luc Pattyn [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum

CCodeNewbie7-Apr-12 14:01

7-Apr-12 14:01

There are a few things I don't understand with this.

Why does this...

string o = p.StandardOutput.ReadLine();
o = o.Replace("\n", string.Empty);
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(o))
{
    Console.WriteLine(o);
}

...which gives me...

"System Idle Process","0","Console","0","28 K","Running","NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM","46:49:36","N/A"

work perfectly, but this...

string o = p.StandardOutput.ReadLine();
o = o.Replace("\n", string.Empty);
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(o))
{
    string [] s = o.Split(',');
    string a = s[0];
    string b = s[1];
    string c = s[2];
    Console.WriteLine(a + b + c);
}

give me a flashing cursor and when I hit enter I get...

"System""4""Console"

where has "System Idle Process" gone?...

and despite having this...

if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(o))

I still get-

System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

Aargh!!!

Eddy Vluggen8-Apr-12 8:53

Eddy Vluggen

8-Apr-12 8:53

CCodeNewbie wrote:
and despite having this...

C#
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(o))
I still get-
System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.

..you're not getting the exception on that particular line, are you?

if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(null))

This is allowed, and doesn't result in an exception.

It helps if you chop your function up into smaller bits. That way you'll also be looking at less code when there's a failure.

You might also want to dump the entire exception to the console;

try
{
 //stuff that might explode 'ere
}
catch(Exception e)
{
 Console.WriteLine(e.ToString());
}

The exception will tell you which line blew up.

..and as someone else mentioned in this thread, it's easier to write a lot of simple statements than to maintain a single complex one.

Bastard Programmer from Hell Suspicious | :suss:

CCodeNewbie8-Apr-12 9:06

8-Apr-12 9:06

That's the irritating part, it doesn't blow up. It just outputs only part of the first line.

just ran it, worked perfectly. ran it again & got

Quote:
"81:15:36","N/A"

as the first line..

Quote:
You might also want to dump the entire exception to the console;

I always put everything inside try..catch, I am not experienced enough to be able to accurately predict what the code is going to do. Smile | :)

try
{
    Process p = new Process();
    p.StartInfo = new ProcessStartInfo("tasklist");
    p.StartInfo.Arguments = " /v /nh /fo csv";
    p.StartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
    p.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false;
    p.Start();
    while (true)
    {
        string o =  p.StandardOutput.ReadLine();
        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(o))
        {
            Console.WriteLine(o);
            string[] s = o.Split(new char[] { ',' }, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries);
            string a = s[0];
            string b = s[1];
            string c = s[2];

            Console.WriteLine(a + " : " + b + " : " + c);
            Console.ReadLine();
        }
    }
}
catch (Exception se)
{
    Console.WriteLine(se.ToString());
    Console.ReadLine();
}

CCodeNewbie8-Apr-12 9:11

Re: Getting values from tasklist.exe /v - update

8-Apr-12 9:11

ran it again and got

81:33:06","N/A"
"System Idle Process" : "0" : "Console"

WT? Could it be that "while (true)" is exiting properly? I am noticing that the Console window doesn't close after the last Readline().

CCodeNewbie7-Apr-12 23:24

programmatically log into yahoo or godaddy

7-Apr-12 23:24

An illustration of what I mean:-

string o =  p.StandardOutput.ReadLine();
if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(o))
    {
        string[] s = o.Split(new char[] { ',' }, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries);
        string a = s[0];
        string b = s[1];
        string c = s[2];
        Console.WriteLine(o);
        Console.WriteLine(a + " : " + b + " : " + c);
        Console.ReadLine();
    }

results in
"System Idle Process","0","Console","0","28 K","Running","NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM","64:59:34","N/A"

"System","4","Console","0","264 K","Running","NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM","0:11:53","N/A"
"System" : "4" : "Console"

Why is there no entry under the "System Idle Process" like the bolded entry under "System"?

DanYELL6-Apr-12 16:55

DanYELL

6-Apr-12 16:55

I found this link:

http://www.dreamincode.net/forums/topic/152297-c%23-log-in-to-website-programmatically/

and it kinda shows how to log into a twitter account. Im trying to do
the same thing to a yahoo account or godaddy account or anything else
just to understand this more.

Can anyone show me how to log into something like yahoo or godaddy or
something else other than twitter? Please any response any one can
give me will be greatly appreciated.

use select statement inside insert statement in ado.net

mrx1006-Apr-12 12:22

mrx100

6-Apr-12 12:22

i use this code

SqlCommand cmd1 = new SqlCommand("insert into '" + comboBox6.SelectedItem.ToString() + "' (name,address,telephone,website,email,info,place_id,cor_x,cor_y)values(" + "'" + textBox_name.Text + "','" + textBox_address.Text + "','" + textBox_telephone.Text + "','" + textBox_website.Text + "','" + textBox_email.Text + "','" + richTextBox_info.Text + "' , select id from places where name= '"+ comboBox6.SelectedItem.ToString() +"','" + textBox_corx.Text + "','" + textBox_cory.Text + "') ", con);

and this error showed

Incorrect syntax near the keyword 'select'.
Incorrect syntax near ','.

what should i do ?

Re: use select statement inside insert statement in ado.net

PIEBALDconsult6-Apr-12 12:55

PIEBALDconsult

6-Apr-12 12:55

I don't know, but that would be easier to read if you used String.Format and a parameterized query (which you should do anyway).

Re: use select statement inside insert statement in ado.net

JOAT-MON6-Apr-12 14:07

JOAT-MON

6-Apr-12 14:07

I don't think you want single quotes around your table name on the 'insert' command.

Jack of all trades ~ Master of none.

modified 6-Apr-12 20:25pm.

Re: use select statement inside insert statement in ado.net

Luc Pattyn6-Apr-12 15:31

Luc Pattyn

6-Apr-12 15:31

I would use two SQL statements, one to get the place ID from its name, then the big insert which needs the result of the former statement.

And I would:
- never publish code in a proportional font (they invented PRE tags to get readable code here);
- not build such complex statements; why not building a string first, so you can see it, log it, whatever;
- not take user input without validating it;
- use SqlParameters.

And finally you could consider creating a stored procedure to do this.

Smile | :)

Luc Pattyn [My Articles] Nil Volentibus Arduum

Code Insertion Syntax Query

mauricemcse6-Apr-12 6:39

mauricemcse

6-Apr-12 6:39

Presently working with C# programming book and using Visual Studio 2008 Tem Suite. One exercise requires that I insert the text:

MessageBox.Show ("Contact List 1.0. \nWritten by: Your Name", "About");

Although I have done this once successfully, I have not been able to repeat because the text within the parentheses is now shown in RED. The message box appears containing the notification "ClassSystem.String Represents text as a series of Unicode characters"

I am a novice and have tried to search this but have not found information to correct this issue. Guidance sought

Wes Aday6-Apr-12 6:59

Wes Aday

6-Apr-12 6:59

mauricemcse wrote:
MessageBox.Show ("Contact List 1.0. \nWritten by: Your Name", "About");

There is nothing wrong with this code.

mauricemcse wrote:
I have not been able to repeat because the text within the parentheses is now
shown in RED.

It's red by default. It's called "syntax coloring" so you can easily see that the item is a string. If you do not like the red color, you can change it from your Tools->Options menu item.

Why is common sense not common?
Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level where they are an expert.
Sometimes it takes a lot of work to be lazy
Please stand in front of my pistol, smile and wait for the flash - JSOP 2012

Big Daddy Farang6-Apr-12 7:03

Big Daddy Farang

6-Apr-12 7:03

The text being shown in red is just Visual Studio's way of telling you that it is a literal string. MessageBox is a light blue because it's a class. Show is black because it's a function, and so on.

The "Class System.String..." message that appears when you hold the mouse pointer over it is Visual Studio telling you about Strings. If you hold the mouse over MessageBox or over Show you will see other helpful messages about them.

What issue is it that you are trying to correct?

BDF

I often make very large prints from unexposed film, and every one of them turns out to be a picture of myself as I once dreamed I would be.
-- BillWoodruff

mauricemcse6-Apr-12 10:11

mauricemcse

6-Apr-12 10:11

The first attempt at the code insertion did not demonstrate a red font and so when the exercise was repeated I assumed the red font was an indication of a problem. I have visited other forums where such queries are met with hostility or ridicule. I am truly appreciative of the responses I get here.

Cordially,
mauriceMCSE