Launch console app from console apps - c++

Question

I am using this piece of code to launch a process from a GUI app. but, according to the notes of this code it is not possible to launch a process from a console app. actually i want to do that, I want a console app to launch another console process, please do you have any idea how to do that?
// This technique must be used for "console-less" parents such as GUI
// applications or detached applications.
// Using the STARTUPINFO STARTF_USESTDHANDLES flag, requires that
// the CreateProcess fInheritHandles parameter be set TRUE so that
// the file handles specified in the STARTUPINFO structure will be
// inherited by the child.
// setup the child process's handles for stdin, stdout, & stderr.
STARTUPINFO childProcStartupInfo;
memset( &childProcStartupInfo, 0, sizeof(childProcStartupInfo));
childProcStartupInfo.cb = sizeof(childProcStartupInfo);
childProcStartupInfo.hStdInput = hFromParent; // stdin
childProcStartupInfo.hStdOutput = hToParent; // stdout
childProcStartupInfo.hStdError = hToParentDup; // stderr
childProcStartupInfo.dwFlags = STARTF_USESTDHANDLES | STARTF_USESHOWWINDOW;
childProcStartupInfo.wShowWindow = SW_HIDE;
// Now create the child process, inheriting handles
PROCESS_INFORMATION childProcInfo; /* for CreateProcess call */
bOk = CreateProcess(
NULL, // filename
pCmdLine, // full command line for child
NULL, // process security descriptor */
NULL, // thread security descriptor */
TRUE, // inherit handles? Also use if STARTF_USESTDHANDLES */
0, // creation flags */
NULL, // inherited environment address */
NULL, // startup dir; NULL = start in current */
&childProcStartupInfo, // pointer to startup info (input) */
&childProcInfo); // pointer to process info (output) */

Answer 1

did you try shellexecute? I think that works..

Answer 2

You can try:
ShellExecute(), ShellExecuteEx(), CreateProcess(), system(), _wsystem().
There are a few more, but one of these got to work for you!
Personally, I would go with CreateProcess and than wait for the process to quit (found on google this example: http://www.codeproject.com/Tips/333559/CreateProcess-and-wait-for-result). Notice that system()/_wsystem() are the easiest to use, but if you're not careful they can be exploited !!!
Hope it helps! :-)

Answer 3

Try this code:
#include <Windows.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <string.h>
int main(int argc, char* argv[])
{
char* app_to_launch=new char[80];
strcpy(app_to_launch,"app.exe");
STARTUPINFO si;
PROCESS_INFORMATION pi;
ZeroMemory( &si, sizeof(si) );
si.cb = sizeof(si);
ZeroMemory( &pi, sizeof(pi) );
// Start the child process.
if( !CreateProcess( NULL, // No module name (use command line)
app_to_launch, // Command line
NULL, // Process handle not inheritable
NULL, // Thread handle not inheritable
FALSE, // Set handle inheritance to FALSE
0, // No creation flags
NULL, // Use parent's environment block
NULL, // Use parent's starting directory
&si, // Pointer to STARTUPINFO structure
&pi ) // Pointer to PROCESS_INFORMATION structure
)
{
printf( "CreateProcess failed (%d).\n", GetLastError() );
}
// Wait until child process exits.
WaitForSingleObject( pi.hProcess, INFINITE );
// Close process and thread handles.
CloseHandle( pi.hProcess );
CloseHandle( pi.hThread );
return 0;
}