calling an exe from asp.net mvc

Question

I have an application written in C#. Basically its an exe. This application scans for the network at 3 seconds interval and populates the database with the network information.

I want to run this application from asp.net mvc for few seconds and then stop it and again start and stop.

I need to start the exe at the click of a start button and need to stop it at the click of a stop button. The exe will be running continuously until I click on the stop button after it gets invoked.

Is it possible to call this exe from asp.net mvc framework?

If yes, how can it be done? I need some pointers. Please provide me.

Answer 1

You will need namespaces System.Diagnostics & System.Timers. Then follow below steps.

    static System.Timers.Timer tTimer;
    const Int32 iInterval = 30;
    static Boolean IsProcessRunning = false;
    static Int32 iProcessID = 0;

    static Int32 SetTimerInterval(Int32 minute)
    {
        if (minute <= 0)
            minute = 60;
        DateTime now = DateTime.Now;

        DateTime next = now.AddMinutes((minute - (now.Minute % minute))).AddSeconds(now.Second * -1).AddMilliseconds(now.Millisecond * -1);

        TimeSpan interval = next - now;

        return (Int32)interval.TotalMilliseconds;
    }

    static void timer_Elapsed(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {   
        if (!IsProcessRunning)
        {   
            ProcessStartInfo objStartInfo = new ProcessStartInfo();
            objStartInfo.FileName = "C:\\Windows\\notepad.exe";

            Process objProcess = new Process();
            objProcess.StartInfo = objStartInfo;
            objProcess.Start();

            iProcessID = objProcess.Id;
            IsProcessRunning = true;
        }
        else
        {
            Process objProcess = Process.GetProcessById(iProcessID);
            objProcess.Kill();
            IsProcessRunning = false;
        }

        tTimer.Interval = SetTimerInterval(iInterval);
    }

Then on your start button click...

    tTimer = new System.Timers.Timer();
    tTimer.Interval = SetTimerInterval(iInterval);
    tTimer.Elapsed += new System.Timers.ElapsedEventHandler(timer_Elapsed);
    tTimer.Start();

You can stop this anytime by...

    tTimer.Stop();

And you are ready to go...