Calling a .net executable from a .net executable

Question

0.00/5 (No votes)

See more:

Hi All,

I have a .net application "A" (but no source code available). I have a c# application "B" with source code. I need to call B from A on click of a button.

If yes, could you please share some ideas.

Thanks in Advance
Venkat

Posted 22-Feb-11 20:48pm

Venkat Eswaran

Add a Solution

Comments

Olivier Levrey 23-Feb-11 3:42am

I think this is doable through reflection but this certainly not a good idea. What does this button do at the first place in the application "A"?

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 23-Feb-11 3:55am

Not only through reflection. Nobody said it should be the same way. Reflection is not wrong either.
Do you mean finding something by name? Of course very bad. How about special assembly attribute (reference from another assembly by both referencing and referenced), which should point out what class to load? There are very safe methods, if you use some thinking...
Please see my Answer...
--SA

2 solutions

Solution 2

There is another way, often a better way. Unlike native *.DLL and *.EXE, in .NET there is no principal difference between *.DLL and *.EXE (surprise!). Of course, a library cannot be started from Shell as *.EXE, but the opposite is perfectly legitimate: you can use *.EXE like a normal library (surprise!): reference it statically or load dynamically using Reflection to find an entry point you want (not only "standard" entry point).

This operation will be quite different: the code of executable will run in the same process; new process will not be created.

—SA

Posted 22-Feb-11 21:50pm

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov

Comments

Olivier Levrey 23-Feb-11 4:08am

I knew *.exe could be loaded as a library (I already did it once). But I doubt OP can access the button he wants like that since this button should be public in a public class... am I wrong?

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 23-Feb-11 4:23am

Yes and no.

Too things: 1) for Reflection, all is visible. 2) OP does not say if the "called" assembly's source code is available or not. If it is, one can make public whatever desired.

Please understand, I just bring "yes another" possibility which is not, formally speaking, disqualified by the Question as it is formulated, so why not? A legitimate Answer, useful to know... is it not?

--SA

Olivier Levrey 23-Feb-11 4:59am

Indeed, loading an Exe as a library is something interesting to know.
1) For reflection, all is visible: I agree. But it doesn't mean we can access private components (instanciating private classes, calling private methods, ...).
2) Unless I can't read properly (or maybe my english level makes me understand things unproperly), OP said he has 'B' source code but he doesn't have 'A' source code...

Venkat Eswaran 23-Feb-11 5:01am

Sorry for the confusion. I meant "Call" in the context. Application A should execute Application B on click of a button from A. Mimic the following code code from application A

private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{

Process.start("ApplicationB.exe");

}

Olivier Levrey 23-Feb-11 5:10am

OK forget what I said then. OriginalGriff and SA are right --> 5 for both!

Add a Solution

Add your solution here

Treat my content as plain text, not as HTML

Preview 0

…

Existing Members

Sign in to your account

...or Join us

Download, Vote, Comment, Publish.

Your Email
Password
Forgot your password?

Your Email
This email is in use. Do you need your password?
Optional Password

I have read and agree to the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
Please subscribe me to the CodeProject newsletters

When answering a question please:

Read the question carefully.
Understand that English isn't everyone's first language so be lenient of bad spelling and grammar.
If a question is poorly phrased then either ask for clarification, ignore it, or edit the question and fix the problem. Insults are not welcome.
Don't tell someone to read the manual. Chances are they have and don't get it. Provide an answer or move on to the next question.

Let's work to help developers, not make them feel stupid.

This content, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)

OriginalGriff · Accepted Answer · 2011-02-22T20:59:00

Solution 1

See Process.Start[^] - it allows you to execute any executable from within your program.

Posted 22-Feb-11 20:59pm

OriginalGriff

Comments

Venkat Eswaran 23-Feb-11 3:28am

Since I dont have the source code for Application A. I cannnot insert this code into it. Any clues in reflection.

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 23-Feb-11 3:52am

My 5, but... do you know a very different way I describe in my Answer? It's very useful in some cases and perfectly legal.
--SA

Olivier Levrey 23-Feb-11 4:09am

Why 5? This doesn't solve OP's problem at all...

Sergey Alexandrovich Kryukov 23-Feb-11 4:28am

Simply because OP does not describe what is a "call" of application. Griff took the most trivial of the possible meanings and offered the Answer: "call" is actually interpreted running the process using entry point. What's so wrong with it?

If you disagree, put you vote and would you please explain what's wrong?

--SA

Olivier Levrey 23-Feb-11 4:51am

OP sayed: "I want to start application 'B' from a button contained in application 'A', but I don't have source code of 'A'"... Application.Start would be nice inside 'A' but since OP can't modify its source code, this can't be the solution.

Olivier Levrey 23-Feb-11 5:11am

Forget what I said. This is the correct answer. My 5.

Venkat Eswaran 23-Feb-11 5:35am

Olivier,

I need to "mimic" not the exact code. source for application A is lost.

So how will i put the code into Aplication A.