ProcessStartInfo.Verbs Property

Definition

Namespace:

System.Diagnostics

Assembly:

System.Diagnostics.Process.dll

Source:

ProcessStartInfo.Unix.cs

Gets the set of verbs associated with the type of file specified by the FileName property.

public:
 property cli::array <System::String ^> ^ Verbs { cli::array <System::String ^> ^ get(); };

public string[] Verbs { get; }

member this.Verbs : string[]

Public ReadOnly Property Verbs As String()

Property Value

String[]

The actions that the system can apply to the file indicated by the FileName property.

Examples

The following code example displays the defined verbs for the chosen file name. If the user selects one of the defined verbs, the example starts a new process using the selected verb and the input file name.

using System;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.IO;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.Windows.Forms;

class ProcessInformation
{
    [STAThread]
    static void Main()
    {
        OpenFileDialog openFileDialog1 = new OpenFileDialog();

        openFileDialog1.InitialDirectory = "c:\\";
        openFileDialog1.Filter = "txt files (*.txt)|*.txt|All files (*.*)|*.*";
        openFileDialog1.FilterIndex = 2;
        openFileDialog1.RestoreDirectory = true;
        openFileDialog1.CheckFileExists = true;

        if (openFileDialog1.ShowDialog() == DialogResult.OK)
        {
            var fileName = openFileDialog1.FileName;

            int i = 0;
            var startInfo = new ProcessStartInfo(fileName);

            // Display the possible verbs.
            foreach (var verb in startInfo.Verbs)
            {
                Console.WriteLine($"  {i++}. {verb}");
            }

            Console.Write("Select the index of the verb: ");
            var indexInput = Console.ReadLine();
            int index;
            if (Int32.TryParse(indexInput, out index))
            {
                if (index < 0 || index >= i)
                {
                    Console.WriteLine("Invalid index value.");
                    return;
                }

                var verbToUse = startInfo.Verbs[index];

                startInfo.Verb = verbToUse;
                if (verbToUse.ToLower().IndexOf("printto") >= 0)
                {
                    // printto implies a specific printer. Ask for the network address.
                    // The address must be in the form \\server\printer.
                    // The printer address is passed as the Arguments property.
                    Console.Write("Enter the network address of the target printer: ");
                    var arguments = Console.ReadLine();
                    startInfo.Arguments = arguments;
                }

                try
                {
                    using (var newProcess = new Process())
                    {
                        newProcess.StartInfo = startInfo;
                        newProcess.Start();

                        Console.WriteLine($"{newProcess.ProcessName} for file {fileName} " +
                                          $"started successfully with verb '{startInfo.Verb}'!");
                    }
                }
                catch (Win32Exception e)
                {
                    Console.WriteLine("  Win32Exception caught!");
                    Console.WriteLine($"  Win32 error = {e.Message}");
                }
                catch (InvalidOperationException)
                {
                    // Catch this exception if the process exits quickly,
                    // and the properties are not accessible.
                    Console.WriteLine($"Unable to start '{fileName}' with verb {verbToUse}");
                }
            }
        }
        else
        {
            {
                Console.WriteLine("You did not enter a number.");
            }
        }
    }
}

Imports System.ComponentModel
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Diagnostics
Imports System.Windows.Forms

Module ProcessInformation
    Public Shared Sub Main()
        Dim openFileDialog1 As New OpenFileDialog()

        openFileDialog1.InitialDirectory = "c:\"
        openFileDialog1.Filter = "txt files (*.txt)|*.txt|All files (*.*)|*.*"
        openFileDialog1.FilterIndex = 2
        openFileDialog1.RestoreDirectory = True
        openFileDialog1.CheckFileExists = True

        If openFileDialog1.ShowDialog() = DialogResult.OK Then
            Dim fileName = openFileDialog1.FileName

            Dim i = 0
            Dim startInfo = New ProcessStartInfo(fileName)

            Dim verb As String
            For Each verb In startInfo.Verbs
                ' Display the possible verbs.
                Console.WriteLine($"  {i}. {verb}")
                i += 1
            Next

            Console.Write("Select the index of the verb: ")
            Dim indexInput = Console.ReadLine()
            Dim index As Integer
            If Int32.TryParse(indexInput, index) Then
                If index < 0 OrElse index >= i Then
                    Console.WriteLine("Invalid index value.")
                    Return
                End If

                Dim verbToUse = startInfo.Verbs(Convert.ToInt32(index))

                startInfo.Verb = verbToUse
                If verbToUse.ToLower().IndexOf("printto") >= 0 Then
                    ' printto implies a specific printer.  Ask for the network address.
                    ' The address must be in the form \\server\printer.
                    Console.Write("Enter the network address of the target printer: ")
                    Dim arguments = Console.ReadLine()
                    startInfo.Arguments = arguments
                End If

                Try
                    Using newProcess As New Process
                        newProcess.StartInfo = startInfo
                        newProcess.Start()

                        Console.WriteLine($"{newProcess.ProcessName} for file {fileName} " +
                                          $"started successfully with verb '{startInfo.Verb}'!")
                    End Using
                Catch e As Win32Exception
                    Console.WriteLine("  Win32Exception caught!")
                    Console.WriteLine($"  Win32 error = {e.Message}")
                Catch e As InvalidOperationException
                    Console.WriteLine($"Unable to start '{fileName}' with verb {verbToUse}")
                End Try
            Else
                Console.WriteLine("You did not enter a number.")
            End If
        End If
    End Sub
End Module

Remarks

The Verbs property enables you to determine the verbs that can be used with the file specified by the FileName property. You can set the Verb property to the value of any verb in the set. Examples of verbs are "Edit", "Open", "OpenAsReadOnly", "Print", and "Printto".

Be aware that the resulting list of verbs may not contain all possible values, e.g. "New" is by design not added to the list and other possible verbs are not always detected depending on your system setup.

When you use the Verbs property, you must include the file name extension when you set the value of the FileName property. The file name extension determines the set of possible verbs.

See also

• Verb