I did see Sung M Kim (DbmwS) answer in the newsgroup : Is there an equivalent of the DOS shell "start /wait" in ...
and his remark :
Now the powershell will hang after "$notepad.WaitForExit()" until you exit
notepad..
And did think do we need Hang ? , so I started a powershell console, here is the session script :
PoSH> $notepad.WaitForExit
MemberType : Method
OverloadDefinitions : {System.Boolean WaitForExit(Int32 milliseconds), System.Void WaitForExit()}
TypeNameOfValue : System.Management.Automation.PSMethod
Value : System.Boolean WaitForExit(Int32 milliseconds), System.Void WaitForExit()
Name : WaitForExit
IsInstance : True
PoSH> $notepad.WaitForExit(2000)
False
PoSH> if ( $notepad.WaitForExit(2000) ) {
>> "Notepad did quit in 2 seconds"} Else {
>> "Notepad did NOT quit in 2 seconds"}
>>
Notepad did NOT quit in 2 seconds
PoSH> if ( $notepad.WaitForExit(10000) ) {
>> "Notepad did quit in 10 seconds"} Else {
>> "Notepad did NOT quit in 10 seconds"}
>>
Notepad did quit in 10 seconds
PoSH> $notepad = [System.Diagnostics.Process]::Start( "notepad.exe" )
PoSH> $notepad
Handles NPM(K) PM(K) WS(K) VM(M) CPU(s) Id ProcessName
------- ------ ----- ----- ----- ------ -- -----------
48 2 1252 5016 53 0.06 2328 notepad
PoSH> $notepad | fll *
The term 'fll' is not recognized as a cmdlet, function, operable program, or script file. Verify the term and try again
.
At line:1 char:16
+ $notepad | fll <<<< *
PoSH> $notepad | fl *
__NounName : Process
Name : notepad
Handles : 48
VM : 55730176
WS : 5136384
PM : 1282048
NPM : 2544
Path : C:\Windows\System32\notepad.exe
Company : Microsoft Corporation
CPU : 0.0625
FileVersion : 6.0.6000.16386 (vista_rtm.061101-2205)
ProductVersion : 6.0.6000.16386
Description : Notepad
Product : Microsoftr Windowsr Operating System
Id : 2328
PriorityClass : Normal
HandleCount : 48
WorkingSet : 5136384
PagedMemorySize : 1282048
PrivateMemorySize : 1282048
VirtualMemorySize : 55730176
TotalProcessorTime : 00:00:00.0625000
BasePriority : 8
ExitCode :
HasExited : False
ExitTime :
Handle : 3880
MachineName : .
MainWindowHandle : 2818496
MainWindowTitle : Untitled - Notepad
MainModule : System.Diagnostics.ProcessModule (notepad.exe)
MaxWorkingSet : 1413120
MinWorkingSet : 204800
Modules : {notepad.exe, ntdll.dll, kernel32.dll, ADVAPI32.dll...}
NonpagedSystemMemorySize : 2544
NonpagedSystemMemorySize64 : 2544
PagedMemorySize64 : 1282048
PagedSystemMemorySize : 107216
PagedSystemMemorySize64 : 107216
PeakPagedMemorySize : 1290240
PeakPagedMemorySize64 : 1290240
PeakWorkingSet : 5136384
PeakWorkingSet64 : 5136384
PeakVirtualMemorySize : 55746560
PeakVirtualMemorySize64 : 55746560
PriorityBoostEnabled : True
PrivateMemorySize64 : 1282048
PrivilegedProcessorTime : 00:00:00.0468750
ProcessName : notepad
ProcessorAffinity : 1
Responding : True
SessionId : 1
StartInfo : System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo
StartTime : 1/16/2007 8:06:28 PM
SynchronizingObject :
Threads : {6052}
UserProcessorTime : 00:00:00.0156250
VirtualMemorySize64 : 55730176
EnableRaisingEvents : False
StandardInput :
StandardOutput :
StandardError :
WorkingSet64 : 5136384
Site :
Container :
PoSH> if ( $notepad.WaitForExit(10000) ) {
>> "running for $( getdate - $notepad.StartTime )"
>> }
>>
The term 'getdate' is not recognized as a cmdlet, function, operable program, or script file. Verify the term and try a
gain.
At line:1 char:9
+ getdate <<<< - $notepad.StartTime
running for
PoSH> if ( $notepad.WaitForExit(10000) ) {
>>
PoSH> $notepad = [System.Diagnostics.Process]::Start( "notepad.exe" )
PoSH> if ( $notepad.WaitForExit(10000) ) {
>> "running for $( get-date - $notepad.StartTime )"
>>
>> }
>>
Get-Date : A parameter cannot be found that matches parameter name '-'.
At line:1 char:10
+ get-date <<<< - $notepad.StartTime
running for
PoSH> $notepad = [System.Diagnostics.Process]::Start( "notepad.exe" )
PoSH> if ( $notepad.WaitForExit(10000) ) {
>> "running for $( (get-date) - $notepad.StartTime )"
>> }
>>
running for 00:00:30.9150135
All this without leaving the commandshell, but by using the UP and Down arrows a lot, and that PowerShell lets you use more lines for a command.
now I can just copy the parts I need from the console to notepad the create the final script, a very quick way to do it ! .
I really love this admin development model !!!
*edit* for some more advanced samples of using .NET to start a process in PowerShell see the following posts on my old blog, they are in Monad beta 2 but everything works still the same (Including the Loop Bug)
/\/\o\/\/ PowerShelled: do the MSH - CMD- MSH loop. & RunAs in MSH
/\/\o\/\/ PowerShelled: Runas with loading Profile script in MSH
Enjoy
Greetings /\/\o\/\/