Detecting a Process.

[Michaelk]

Hi, how can i workout if a process is running, for example test.exe. For my app i need to detect if MSN Messenger is running, and if it is, to close it.
Is there a way i can detect it, and then close it if it's open?

Thanks.

 

[JuggaloBrotha]

Private Sub KillProcess(byval ProcessName as string)
        Dim prc() As Process
        Dim ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND As Integer = 2
        Dim ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED As Integer = 5
        Try
            prc = System.Diagnostics.Process.GetProcessesByName("ProcessName")
            Dim eprc As IEnumerator = prc.GetEnumerator
            eprc.Reset()

            While eprc.MoveNext
                Dim proc As Process = CType(eprc.Current, Process)
                proc.Kill()
                proc = Nothing
            End While

            eprc = Nothing
            prc = Nothing

        Catch e As Win32Exception
            If e.NativeErrorCode = ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND Then
                MessageBox.Show(e.Message + ". Process not found.")

            Else
                If e.NativeErrorCode = ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED Then
                    ' Note that if your word processor might generate exceptions 
                    ' such as this, which are handled first. 
                    MessageBox.Show(e.Message + ". You do not have permission to kill this process.")
                End If
            End If
        End Try
    End Sub

Call KillProcess("test.exe")
Call KillProcess("msnmsgr.exe") 'MSN Messenger

 

[Michaelk]

Hi thx for the reply. I'm getting the error "Win32Exception" is not defined? Whats is the namespace for this?

 

[JuggaloBrotha]

oh shyt, i always forget namespaces..

Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Imports System.Diagnostics
Imports System.ComponentModel

 

[Michaelk]

hehe thx, will try that

 

[Michaelk]

Hmm, i'm using this code now.

[size=2]#[/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]Region[/color][/size][size=2] " Disable MSN Messenger "

[/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]Sub[/color][/size][size=2] KillMessenger()

[/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]Call[/color][/size][size=2] KillProcess("msnmsgr.exe") [/size][size=2][color=#008000]'MSN Messenger

[/color][/size][size=2][/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]End[/color][/size][size=2] [/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]Sub[/color][/size]
[size=2][color=#0000ff] 
[/color][/size][size=2][/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]Private[/color][/size][size=2] [/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]Sub[/color][/size][size=2] KillProcess([/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]ByVal[/color][/size][size=2] ProcessName [/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]As[/color][/size][size=2] [/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]String[/color][/size][size=2])

[/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]Dim[/color][/size][size=2] prc() [/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]As[/color][/size][size=2] Process

[/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]Dim[/color][/size][size=2] ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND [/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]As[/color][/size][size=2] [/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]Integer[/color][/size][size=2] = 2

[/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]Dim[/color][/size][size=2] ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED [/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]As[/color][/size][size=2] [/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]Integer[/color][/size][size=2] = 5

[/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]Try

[/color][/size][size=2]prc = System.Diagnostics.Process.GetProcessesByName("ProcessName")

[/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]Dim[/color][/size][size=2] eprc [/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]As[/color][/size][size=2] IEnumerator = prc.GetEnumerator

eprc.Reset()

[/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]While[/color][/size][size=2] eprc.MoveNext

[/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]Dim[/color][/size][size=2] proc [/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]As[/color][/size][size=2] Process = [/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]CType[/color][/size][size=2](eprc.Current, Process)

proc.Kill()

proc = [/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]Nothing

[/color][/size][size=2][/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]End[/color][/size][size=2] [/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]While

[/color][/size][size=2]eprc = [/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]Nothing

[/color][/size][size=2]prc = [/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]Nothing

[/color][/size][size=2][/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]Catch[/color][/size][size=2] e [/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]As[/color][/size][size=2] Win32Exception

[/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]If[/color][/size][size=2] e.NativeErrorCode = ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND [/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]Then

[/color][/size][size=2]MessageBox.Show(e.Message + ". Process not found.")

[/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]Else

[/color][/size][size=2][/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]If[/color][/size][size=2] e.NativeErrorCode = ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED [/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]Then

[/color][/size][size=2][/size][size=2][color=#008000]' Note that if your word processor might generate exceptions 

[/color][/size][size=2][/size][size=2][color=#008000]' such as this, which are handled first. 

[/color][/size][size=2]MessageBox.Show(e.Message + ". You do not have permission to kill this process.")

[/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]End[/color][/size][size=2] [/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]If

[/color][/size][size=2][/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]End[/color][/size][size=2] [/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]If

[/color][/size][size=2][/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]End[/color][/size][size=2] [/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]Try

[/color][/size][size=2][/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]End[/color][/size][size=2] [/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]Sub

[/color][/size][size=2]#[/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]End[/color][/size][size=2] [/size][size=2][color=#0000ff]Region[/color][/size]

I run the sub at the Formload, it pauses to think about it, but then continues with the formload, and doesn't kill the process. I tried it with other processes, and still nothing?
Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[JuggaloBrotha]

hmmm, i dunno that exact code kills msn messenger on my system (i even set it ta kill msn on app startup)

 

[Paszt]

Change this line:

prc = System.Diagnostics.Process.GetProcessesByName("ProcessName")

To this:

prc = System.Diagnostics.Process.GetProcessesByName(ProcessName)

i.e. remove the quotes around ProcessName.

Hmm, for some reason spaces are being inserted into 'ProcessName' with the code blocks. Should read like this:

prc = System.Diagnostics.Process.GetProcessesByName(ProcessName)

OK, it does it without the code blocks too. Anyway, hopefully you know what I mean.

 

[Michaelk]

It just doesn't seem to want to work! I tried removing the quotes, still nothing. My computer pauses the first time the code is run, for example if i put it behind a button.click event. but then does nothing. It doesn't even show any of the error messages?

It seems strange that it works fine for you and not at all for me. But oh well. Thanks for your help.
Just out of interest what OS you using? I've tried on XP SP2, and Server 2003 Pro.

 

[JuggaloBrotha]

i'm on xp sp1 and another system wit xp sp2, works on both (my friend uses it on win2k sp4)

 

[Michaelk]

Ok, thanks for all of your help. I ended up using a differant way to solve my initial problem (the alert window of messenger), and it solved several other issues at the same time.
Thanks.

 

[JuggaloBrotha]

glad ta see ya got around the dilemma

 

[levyuk]

Ok you know you have this program to run and close MSN or whatever process you choose. Well I was wondering, is this program of yours a service that runs at startup or something like that, or do you have to run it manually?

 

[Michaelk]

It is manual, and is only run when the user manually enters several option fields, and then click's a button.

 

[krodenjr]

Michaelk,

I have played around with the code that JuggaloBrotha provided, and it does work.

The catch is you have to leave the ".exe" off when passing the process name to the Sub.

Hope this helps!