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Answer 1

A:

You can Pinvoke a call to FindWindow() to get a handle to your window and then call ShowWindow() to hide the window OR Start your application from another one using ProcessStartInfo.CreateNoWindow

Ovidiu Pacurar 2010-05-04 07:58:14

I have no idea if that works, but it sure reads out funny! :)Call ShowWindow() to hide it... ;)

noocyte 2010-05-04 08:00:03

It does work though.

Şafak Gezer 2010-05-04 08:03:02

Instead of the hacky `FindWindow()` solution, I’d much prefer [retrieving the console handle properly](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3571627)...

Timwi 2010-08-26 02:30:00

Answer 2

+12 A:

Compile it as a Windows Forms application. Then it won't display any UI, if you do not explicitly open any Windows.

driis 2010-05-04 08:00:12

Good idea, I'll give it a try...

menacheb 2010-05-04 08:06:25

This is probably the most common and easiest way to accomplish this.

David Neale 2010-05-04 08:09:09

Not really. Why change the whole baseline just not to show a console window? Not the best idea.

Nayan 2010-05-04 08:32:16

@Nayan: What 'baseline' are you talking about? It's simply changing the "Output type" in the project properties. Takes two seconds flat.

Allon Guralnek 2010-05-04 09:24:19

I'm sure about the speed. It's the design change and assembly dependency and bloated executable due to unnecessary assembly reference and implementation of some abstract and interfaces I'm talking about. I'm talking about **design-modification-without-thinking** problem.

Nayan 2010-05-04 15:04:04

@Nayan, there need not be any design change. No one says you should implement any interfaces nor reference any assemblies. It is just switching the compile mode, which really just sets a flag in the assembly as "I am a console program" vs "I am a Windows program".In fact, you can compile as a Windows program without referencing anything else than mscorlib.

driis 2010-05-04 15:31:10

@driis: I agree with you, mostly. But my point was that it's not always so simple because a console program is supposed to run in console (and it may have access to GUI components), and vice-versa too, if you really want to complicate it. In the end, its the OP who is going to decide what actually works for him. I just provided my version of aesthetic coding practice.

Nayan 2010-05-04 15:41:49

Answer 3

+3 A:

Sounds like you don't want a console application, but a windows GUI application that doesn't open a (visible) window.

peSHIr 2010-05-04 08:00:32

Answer 4

+1 A:

Create a console application "MyAppProxy" with following code, and put MyAppProxy in start up dir,

public static void main(string[] args)
{
   Process p = new Process("MyApp");
   ProcessStartUpInfo pinfo = new ProcessStartUpInfo();
   p.StartupInfo = pinfo;
   pinfo.CreateNoWindow = true;
   pinfo.ShellExecute = false;

   p.RaiseEvents = true;

   AutoResetEvent wait = new AutoResetEvent(false);
   p.ProcessExit += (s,e)=>{ wait.Set(); };

   p.Start();
   wait.WaitOne();
}

You may need to fix certain items here as I didnt check correctness of the code, it may not compile because some property names may be different, but hope you get the idea.

Akash Kava 2010-05-04 08:07:34

Answer 5

A:

Create a wcf service and host it as per your need.

Archie 2010-05-04 08:08:09

Answer 6

+1 A:

The best way is to start the process without window.

        Process p = new Process();
        p.StartInfo.FileName = "cmd.exe";
        p.StartInfo.Arguments = "echo Hello!";
        //either..
        p.StartInfo.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden;
        //or..
        p.StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = true;
        p.Start();

See other probable solutions -

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2647820/toggle-process-startinfo-windowstyle-processwindowstyle-hidden-at-runtime

and,

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2636721/bring-another-processes-window-to-foreground-when-it-has-showintaskbar-false

Nayan 2010-05-04 08:34:16

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How to hide a console application in C#

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