CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c#
vvavepacket
vvavepacket

Reputation: 1929

run a foreign exe inside a windows form app

i have a c# powered windows form app and i want to run a exe inside it. that program is another seperate executable file. lets say that that exe is not a dot net app, but written in another language, does it matter ?

so i would want that program to lie inside my winforms, how can i do it?? Also, can i place it anywhere in the winforms? are there like properties already included by default? thanks. hage u tried doing these? if so what are the steps to take? thank you stackoverflow for making a nice developer community. i really cherish this

Upvotes: 3

Views: 16834

Answers (2)

fardjad
fardjad

Reputation: 20424

You can do this by PInvoking SetParent():

[DllImport("user32.dll")]
        static extern IntPtr SetParent(IntPtr hWndChild, IntPtr hWndNewParent);

First you need to start the third party application within your application:

var clientApplication = Process.Start("PATH_TO_YOUR_EXECUTABLE");

then set its MainWindowHandle to your main window handle:

SetParent(clientApplication.MainWindowHandle, YourMainWindowOrAContainerControl.Handle);

Upvotes: 6

donbok
donbok

Reputation: 31

    [DllImport("user32.dll")]
        static extern IntPtr SetParent(IntPtr hWndChild, IntPtr hWndNewParent);    

        private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            try
            {

                Process p = Process.Start(textBox1.Text);
                p.WaitForInputIdle();
                SetParent(p.MainWindowHandle, panel1.Handle);
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                MessageBox.Show(ex.Message);
            }
        }
}

Reference to fardjad but it can only run small programs like notepad, firefox, safari

Upvotes: 3

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