Run a command line with c++

Question

I have read several posts about running a command line in c++, but none of them does what I want : no display of the console in an external application when I use the dllfile.

My problem : I want to use a process that picks files from a database. For example : to get a file XYZ.xyz and copy it to the directory MyDirXYZ, I would use the command line "MyDataGenerator XYZ.xyz C:\\MyDirXYZ".

I use Visual studio Let 's take the following example to clarify the issue, I am trying to create a directory with "mkdir" in C++ , without using CreateDirectory :

First method :

std::string lDirectory("c:\\MyDummyDir")
std::string lCmd("mkdir " + lDirectory);
system((lCmd).c_str());

It will work , however it displays the console when I run it with a dllfile on Excel .

Second Method ( convertToRightFormat() convert a char to a TChar)

    std::string lDirectory("c:\\MyDummyDir")
    std::string lCmd("mkdir " + lDirectory);
    BOOL _status = TRUE;
    DWORD _reply, _code;
    STARTUPINFO _si = { sizeof(_si) };
    PROCESS_INFORMATION _pi;
    TCHAR *_cmd = NULL;
   _cmd=convertToRightFormat(lCmd.c_str())
   _status &= CreateProcess(NULL, _cmd, NULL, NULL, FALSE, CREATE_NO_WINDOW, NULL, NULL, &_si, &_pi);

This method does not work(not even creating the folder) , and obviously it does not work either for the process "MyDataGenerator".

I tried to use the executable MKDIR.EXE and put it in the commandline. In that case, it works , but still does not work for MyDataGenerator.

Is there a generic to make all command lines work, without showing the console?

Thanks you.

Answer 1

#include <Windows.h> // FreeConsole, system

int main(int argc, char* argv[])
{   
    system("mkdir newdirectoryname");
    FreeConsole();
}

This will result in cmd popping up for a split second though. It closes after that.

If thats not acceptable just target the windows subsystem instead of the console one and make sure to not draw the window.