How to Run a C# console application with the console hidden.

Question

Is there a way to hide the console window when executing a console application?

I am currently using a Windows Forms application to start a console process but I don't want the console window to be displayed while the task is running.

Answer 1

if you are using the ProcessStartInfo class you can set the window style to hidden.

System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo start =
      new System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo();     
start.FileName = dir + @"\Myprocesstostart.exe";
start.WindowStyle = System.Diagnostics.ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden;

Answer 2

I know I'm not answering exactly what you want, but I am wondering if you're asking the right question.

Why don't you use either:

1. windows service
2. create a new thread and run your process on that

Those sound like better options if all you want is to run a process.

Answer 3

You can use the FreeConsole API to detach the console from the process :

    [DllImport("kernel32.dll")]
    static extern bool FreeConsole();

(of course this is applicable only if you have access to the console application's source code)

Answer 4

If you're creating a program that doesn't require user input you could always just create it as a service. A service won't show any kind of UI.

Answer 5

If you wrote the console application you can make it hidden by default.

Create a new console app then then change the "Output Type" type to "Windows Application" (done in the project properties)

Answer 6

if you are using Process Class then you can write

yourprocess.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false;
yourprocess.StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = true;

before yourprocess.start(); and process will be hidden

Answer 7

Simple answer is that: Go to your console app's properties(project's properties).In the "Application" tab, just change the "Output type" to "Windows Application". That's all.