Run an exe/batch file from UWP app

Question

How to run an exe or batch file on a button click from a UWP app?

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A!

You could check the following steps to do this. 1. Right click project->Add reference->Universal Windows-> Extensions->Windows Desktop Extensions for the UWP 2. Right click Assets folder->Add-> existing item-> your .exe file 3. Open Package.appxmanifest, you could refer to this document to do like following.

     <Package xmlns=http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/foundation/windows10
     ….
         xmlns:desktop="http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/desktop/windows10"
         xmlns:rescap=http://schemas.microsoft.com/appx/manifest/foundation/windows10/restrictedcapabilities
     IgnorableNamespaces="uap mp">
       ...

     <Applications>
     <Application Id="App"..>
           ..
           <Extensions>
               <desktop:Extension Category="windows.fullTrustProcess" Executable="Assets\Launcher.exe" />
             </Extensions>
     </Application>
     </Applications>

     <Capabilities>
         <Capability Name="internetClient" />
         <rescap:Capability Name="runFullTrust"/>
     </Capabilities>
     </Package>

4.Add click event for the button.

       private async void Button_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
                  {
                      await FullTrustProcessLauncher.LaunchFullTrustProcessForCurrentAppAsync();
                 }

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Answer 2

Following this thread I got my exe file to run, but I still cant get the parameters to load, making the exe file close right away.

  <Extensions>
    <desktop:Extension Category="windows.fullTrustProcess" Executable="Assets\app.exe">
    <desktop:FullTrustProcess>
        <desktop:ParameterGroup GroupId="exec" Parameters="Assets\param.txt"/>
      </desktop:FullTrustProcess>
    </desktop:Extension>
  </Extensions>

Am I missing something?
Thanks.

Answer 3

I have a concern over the above process of executing the batch file/exe from a UWP app, which is, if the UWP app is minimised then the batch file/executable doesn't get executed. It means that the UWP app should be in a maximised state to execute the the batch file/ executable. Can we avoid such a situation, i want the batch file/exe to get executed even if the UWP app is minimised. Please help me out asap.