CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#console-applicationprogram-entry-point
Alex
Alex

Reputation: 389

How can I return a List<string> from a console application?

I am calling a console application from a Windows forms application. I want to get a list of strings back from the console application. This is my simplified code...

[STAThread]
static List<string> Main(string[] args)
{      
    List<string> returnValues = new List<string>();
    returnValues.Add("str_1");
    returnValues.Add("str_2");
    returnValues.Add("str_3");

    return returnValues;
}

Upvotes: 2

Views: 5564

Answers (5)

user3651845
user3651845

Reputation: 37

Main method is not made for this. But if you want to print your list here is the code :

    public void showList(List<String> list)
    {
        foreach (string s in list)
        {
            Console.WriteLine(s);
        }
    }

Upvotes: 0

BWA
BWA

Reputation: 5764

In this way you cannot. Main can return only void or int. But you can send list to standard output and read it in another app.

In console app add this:

Console.WriteLine(JsonConvert.SerializeObject(returnValues));

And in caller app:

Process yourApp= new Process();
yourApp.StartInfo.FileName = "exe file";
yourApp.StartInfo.Arguments = "params";
yourApp.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false;
yourApp.StartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
yourApp.Start();    

string output = yourApp.StandardOutput.ReadToEnd();
List<string> list = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<List<string>>(output);

yourApp.WaitForExit();

Upvotes: 6

hdkhardik
hdkhardik

Reputation: 662

Return type for Main methods is either void or int.

Upvotes: 0

Patrick Hofman
Patrick Hofman

Reputation: 156978

You can't just return a list, you have to serialize it in a way the other end can pick it up.

One option would be to serialize the list to JSON and send it over the Console.Out stream. Then, on the other end, read from the process' output stream and deserialize it.

Upvotes: 6

Roman Marusyk
Roman Marusyk

Reputation: 24579

No, you cannot return a string or list of string. The Main method can only return void or int

See MSDN

Upvotes: 2

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