Question

I’m trying to run a batch file via VB and I need to wait for it to complete/exit before progressing. The issue I believe I am having is that when a batch file is executed, it opens cmd.exe and not the batch file.

This is what I am executing with VB

        My.Computer.FileSystem.DeleteFile(My.Application.Info.DirectoryPath & "\PingCheck\machines.txt")
    FileCopy(My.Application.Info.DirectoryPath & "\machines.txt", My.Application.Info.DirectoryPath & "\PingCheck\machines.txt")

    Dim psi As New ProcessStartInfo(My.Application.Info.DirectoryPath & "\PingCheck\go.bat")
    psi.RedirectStandardError = True
    psi.RedirectStandardOutput = True
    psi.CreateNoWindow = False
    psi.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden
    psi.UseShellExecute = False

    Dim process As Process = process.Start(psi)
    process.WaitForExit()

    ProgressBar1.Value = ProgressBar1.Value + 2
    FileCopy(My.Application.Info.DirectoryPath & "\PingCheck\machines.txt", My.Application.Info.DirectoryPath & "\machines.txt")
    'My.Computer.FileSystem.DeleteFile(My.Application.Info.DirectoryPath & "\ping.bat")
    MsgBox("Ping Check Complete")

The problem im having is that it will just delete ping.bat before it completes.
How do I go about monitoring the process from the batch file I call. Then once it exits, continue with the script?

Answer 1

RHicke shows a nice example of how to run a batch process in VB.NET here, Run batch file in vb.net?.

To expand, you should use the function WaitForExit() to wait for the process to complete.

Dim psi As New ProcessStartInfo("Path TO Batch File")
psi.RedirectStandardError = True
psi.RedirectStandardOutput = True
psi.CreateNoWindow = False
psi.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden
psi.UseShellExecute = False

Dim process As Process = Process.Start(psi)

process.WaitForExit()