My batch file works, running it from VB does not

[Kal2219]

Hi, I have a batch file that runs a .exe with a command line parameter. When I double-click the .bat file, it runs fine and the .exe generates the correct log file in the correct directory. However, when I use code like this:

Dim p As New Process
p.StartInfo.FileName = Chr(34) & Directory.GetCurrentDirectory() & "\test.bat" & Chr(34)
p.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = True
p.Start()

or code like this:

Shell(Chr(34) & Directory.GetCurrentDirectory() & "\test.bat" & Chr(34))

The result is that the .bat file says it can't find the .exe file. This ONLY happens when I try to run the batch file from VB. I can run it manually and the batch file works perfectly.

The batch file looks like this:

echo off
if exist log.exe echo "It exists!"
if not exist log.exe echo "I can't find it!"
start log.exe /log-file=..\Logs\testlog.txt
pause

When I run the batch file manually I see "It exists!" and the log file is generated. When I run it via VB code I get "I can't find it!" and an error about the system not finding the file. Any ideas what might be happening?

 

[Kal2219]

Nevermind, the problem has been fixed. As it turns out the current directory issue is the cause of this. If I put in a line like:

cd C:\someDirectory\LocationOfExe

Then VB can run the batch file correctly. However, the batch file was just a workaround for another problem I was having where I could not run the log.exe directly from VB. When I changed my code to include a line like:

Directory.SetCurrentDirectory(pathToExe)

I was able to run the exe from VB. When I used VB code to run a different exe in the past, I didn't have to set the current directory. For some reason it's different this time.

 

[Hackzorzzz]

Why would you use a batch file anyway? Just use VB.NET to make the "check".