.Net Core – Process() running an exe console and how to get the data in my app calling

Question

Hello all,
I currently have a .Net Core app that is calling a UPS API. (This API is unsupported by .Net Core that is why I am doing it this way) I have my .Net Core calling the exe and inputting a parameter. All of the correct info displays on the console of this exe. Now I am wanting to retrieve the input that displays in my .Net Core app. I have been unsuccessful so far, im assuming its with DataReceivedEventArgs.
Thank you for your time.
[HttpGet("GetUPSPackage")]
public async Task<IActionResult> GetUPSPackage(string trackingNumber)
{
var x = 3;
using (var process = new Process())
{
try
{
process.StartInfo.FileName = @"TrackWSSample.exe";
process.StartInfo.Arguments = $"{trackingNumber}";

                    process.StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = false;
                    process.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false;

                    process.StartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
                    process.StartInfo.RedirectStandardError = true;


                    //process.OutputDataReceived += (sender, data) => _logger.LogInformation(data.Data);
                    process.OutputDataReceived += Process_OutputDataReceived;


                    process.ErrorDataReceived += (sender, data) => _logger.LogError(data.Data);
                    _logger.LogInformation("Exe Starting..");

                    process.Start();
                    process.BeginOutputReadLine();
                    process.BeginErrorReadLine();

                    _logger.LogInformation(ShipmentPackage);



                    var exited = process.WaitForExit(1000 * 6);     // (optional) wait up to 6 seconds
                     _logger.LogInformation($"exit {exited}");

                    return Ok();
                }
                catch (Exception ex) { }
            }

//Here is the .Net Framework console exe
TrackService track = new TrackService();
                TrackRequest tr = new TrackRequest();
                UPSSecurity upss = new UPSSecurity();
                UPSSecurityServiceAccessToken upssSvcAccessToken = new UPSSecurityServiceAccessToken();
                upssSvcAccessToken.AccessLicenseNumber = "theid";
                upss.ServiceAccessToken = upssSvcAccessToken;
                UPSSecurityUsernameToken upssUsrNameToken = new UPSSecurityUsernameToken();
                upssUsrNameToken.Username = "username";
                upssUsrNameToken.Password = "pass!";
                upss.UsernameToken = upssUsrNameToken;
                track.UPSSecurityValue = upss;
                RequestType request = new RequestType();
                String[] requestOption = { "15" };
                request.RequestOption = requestOption;
                tr.Request = request;
                tr.InquiryNumber = "1Z5811560241454350";//"1Z648616E192760718";// "990728071";// "1Z12345E0205271688";//"Your track inquiry number";
                System.Net.ServicePointManager.SecurityProtocol = System.Net.SecurityProtocolType.Tls12 | System.Net.SecurityProtocolType.Tls | System.Net.SecurityProtocolType.Tls11; //This line will ensure the latest security protocol for consuming the web service call.
                TrackResponse trackResponse = track.ProcessTrack(tr);
                Console.WriteLine("The transaction was a " + trackResponse.Response.ResponseStatus.Description);
                Console.WriteLine("Shipment Service " + trackResponse.Shipment[0].Service.Description);
                Console.WriteLine("Shipment Code " + trackResponse.Shipment[0].Service.Code);

Answer 1

Hi @Andrew Harkins ,

When using the Process() class running the exe console application, you can get the console output after the process has existed.

Please refer the following sample:

Console application:

namespace HelloWorld  
{  
    class Program  
    {  
        static void Main(string[] args)  
        {   
            Console.WriteLine("This is hello word application, the input value is :" + string.Join("_", args));  
            Console.WriteLine("The transaction was a " + "DescriptionA");  
            Console.WriteLine("Shipment Service " + "DescriptionB");  
            Console.WriteLine("Shipment Code " + "Service.Code");  
        }  
    }  
}  

API method:

[Route("api/[controller]")]  
[ApiController]  
public class ToDoController : ControllerBase  
{  
    private readonly IWebHostEnvironment _environment;  
    public ToDoController(IWebHostEnvironment environment)  
    {  
        _environment = environment;  
    }  
    // GET api/<ToDoController>/5  
    [HttpGet("{id}")]  
    public List<string> Get(int id)  
    {  
        List<string> result = new List<string>();  
        using (var process = new Process())  
        {  
            process.StartInfo.FileName =  Path.Combine(_environment.WebRootPath,"files","HelloWorld.exe"); // relative path. absolute path works too.   
            process.StartInfo.Arguments = $"{id}";   
            process.StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = true;  
            process.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false;  
            process.StartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = true;  
            process.StartInfo.RedirectStandardError = true;  


            process.OutputDataReceived += (sender, data) => result.Add(data.Data);  
            process.ErrorDataReceived += (sender, data) => result.Add(data.Data);  
            Console.WriteLine("starting");  
            process.Start();  
            process.BeginOutputReadLine();  
            process.BeginErrorReadLine();     // (optional) wait up to 10 seconds  
            do  
            {  
                if (!process.HasExited)  
                {  
                    // Refresh the current process property values.  
                    process.Refresh();   
                    Console.WriteLine($"exit {process.HasExited}");  
                }  
            }  
            while (!process.WaitForExit(1000));  

        }   
        return result;  
    }  

Then, the result as below:

[Note] In the above sample, I Copy the exe file to the wwwroot/files folder, if the console application code update, we should also update the exe file in the wwwroot/files folder.

Besides, in the console application, you can also export the output data to a temporary file under the wwwroot folder. Then, in the API action method you can get data from the temporary file.

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Best regards,
Dillion