Question

So I was successfully able to run a command line application with various arguments from within my project using the following code:

String f = fileName;
Process process = new System.Diagnostics.Process();
process.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false;
process.StartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
process.StartInfo.FileName = "C:\\projects\\something\\MediaInfo.exe";
process.StartInfo.Arguments = " \"--Inform=Video;%Duration%|%Width%|%Height%;\" \"" + f + "\"";
process.Start();
StreamReader output = process.StandardOutput;
process.WaitForExit();
MessageBox.Show(output.ReadToEnd());

Now, rather than the absolute path I’ve specified for MediaInfo.exe I’d like to specify a relative path so that when I send my application to someone they won’t need to muck about with placing it in the correct place.

In Visual Studio, I select my project and clicked add existing. I added my files. Then selected “Always Copy.” I’ve tried various items for the “Build Action.” I have a feeling “None” is the correct option.

In any case, my goal is to have process.StartInfo.FileName be a relative path. I don’t know how to do this right. Any ideas?

Answer 1

The root directory of your application can be obtained by…

string appRoot = Path.GetDirectoryName(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location);

This statement requires System.IO and System.Diagnostics in order to compile.

You can append to this value to reach a subdirectory, for example “data”, in your application root by…

string dataPath = Path.Combine(appRoot, "data");

The application needs to be running in full trust for these to work…