Question

I currently have mutex in my app that allows only 1 instance to run. My question is, how do I take this code now, and transform it to close the currently running instance and allow a new one to open?

The problem I am trying to solve: My app takes in args and needs to be reopened often with new params. Currently, without mutex it can open an infinite number of times. I would like only 1 instance with the newest set of params to run.

Thanks,
Kevin

Some Code

bool createdMutex = true;

            Mutex mutex = new Mutex(true, "VideoViewerApp", out createdMutex);

            if (createdMutex && mutex.WaitOne())
 
            {

                Application.EnableVisualStyles();
                Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(false);
                Application.Run(new frmVideo(args[0], args[1], args[2], args[4], args[5]));
                mutex.ReleaseMutex();

            }

mutex.close();

Answer 1

The mutex was not meant for interprocess event notification, so there is no way to close another process by using mutexes. What I would recommend would be to do something like what is recommended in this question.

I’ll combine the two answers there into something like what I’ve used:

Process[] processes = Process.GetProcesses();
string thisProcess = Process.GetCurrentProcess().MainModule.FileName;
string thisProcessName = Process.GetCurrentProcess().ProcessName;
foreach (var process in processes)
{
    // Compare process name, this will weed out most processes
    if (thisProcessName.CompareTo(process.ProcessName) != 0) continue;
    // Check the file name of the processes main module
    if (thisProcess.CompareTo(process.MainModule.FileName) != 0) continue;
    if (Process.GetCurrentProcess().Id == process.Id) 
    {
        // We don't want to commit suicide
        continue;
    }

    // Tell the other instance to die
    process.CloseMainWindow();
}