How do I redirect console output to string correctly?

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Hello
I work with Windows Form with command lines. I'm trying to redirect console output to string correctly so I can grab the text using Regex but it does not what i wanted to, It just output something like this:

Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.15063]
(c) 2017 Microsoft Corporation. Alle rettigheder forbeholdes.

D:\example\test >> "D:\example\test\log.txt"

D:\example>aapt.exe dump badging <filepath>

D:\example>

See, it outputs copyright and my inputs. It doesn't really output something from aapt.exe.

This is the code i used

C#

p.StartInfo.FileName = "cmd.exe";
p.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false;
p.StartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
p.StartInfo.RedirectStandardError = true;
p.StartInfo.RedirectStandardInput = true;
p.StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = true;

p.Start();
p.StandardInput.WriteLine("aapt.exe dump badging \"" + path + "\"");
p.StandardInput.Close();
string str = p.StandardOutput.ReadToEnd();

What I have tried:

I tried to try other codes i found on the internet but it does the same way as mine, outputs copyright, version and inputs, doesn't output anything useful. There is nothing much useful infomation on the internet.

I always had to redirect console output to file as a workaround, like this:

C#

p.Start();
p.StandardInput.WriteLine("aapt.exe dump badging \"" + path + "\" >> \"" + logs + "\" 2>&1");
p.StandardInput.Close();

So it outputs the following without copyright, windows version and my inputs

package: name='org.schabi.newpipe' versionCode='27' versionName='0.9.0' platformBuildVersionName='7.1.1'
sdkVersion:'15'
targetSdkVersion:'25'
uses-permission: name='android.permission.INTERNET'
uses-permission: name='android.permission.WAKE_LOCK'
uses-permission: name='android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE'
uses-permission: name='android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE'
uses-permission: name='android.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW'
application-label:'NewPipe'
application-label-af:'NewPipe'
...

I hope you can help me.
Thank you.

Posted 7-Oct-17 7:55am

mynametaken

Updated 8-Oct-17 7:57am

v2

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Comments

Richard MacCutchan 8-Oct-17 3:53am

Your StartInfo.FileName is cmd.exe, but it should be the full path of aapt.exe.

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Steve44 · Answer 1 · 2017-10-08T07:57:00

One problem could be that you have no way of knowing, when the aapt.exe completes execution and read the streams before any output happened. Remember, you are creating a process that is running in parallel with your application.

You are making this unnecessary complex by invoking a shell and then simulating an input. Here a snippet that should do the same for you and gives you more control, e.g. over waiting for your process to complete:

// Execute the program
p.StartInfo.FileName = "aapt.exe";
p.StartInfo.WorkingDirectory = "<path to aapt.exe>";
p.StartInfo.Arguments = "dump badging \"" + path + "\"";
p.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false;
p.StartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
p.StartInfo.RedirectStandardError = true;
p.StartInfo.RedirectStandardInput = true;
p.StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = true;
p.Start();
string str = p.StandardOutput.ReadToEnd();
p.WaitForExit();

// Execute another program
p2.StartInfo.FileName = "adb.exe";
p2.StartInfo.WorkingDirectory = "<path to adb.exe>";
p2.StartInfo.Arguments = "<arguments for adb.exe>";
p2.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false;
p2.StartInfo.RedirectStandardOutput = true;
p2.StartInfo.RedirectStandardError = true;
p2.StartInfo.RedirectStandardInput = true;
p2.StartInfo.CreateNoWindow = true;
p2.Start();
string str2 = p2.StandardOutput.ReadToEnd();
p2.WaitForExit();

Now the output should be in str.
Depending to which stream the application writes its output, you might need to read p.StandardError.ReadToEnd(). (In your second sample you are redirecting both to the same log file with "2>&1".)