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(I've searched SO answers and found no clear solution to this problem.)

I'm working on a MFC GUI program. This program runs various child programs including console program and shell command script(.cmd).

Initially it displayed one GUI window and one console window (created with AllocConsole) because there are many console output from the child processes. But many users complained about the console window so we decided to hide the console window.

Firstly tried like below: 

if (AllocConsole())
{
    ::ShowWindow(::GetConsoleWindow(), SW_HIDE);
}

Okay, no console window but there are visible flicker at the console creation time. I've tried several CreateProcess options for child process creation to prevent showing of console window altogether but failed at short and I think it is practically impossible.

It is not a big deal. We can ignore temporary window flicker at the startup.

But is it really impossible to hide child console window completely?

9dan
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    The flicker is expected; you're creating a console window and then hiding it. The question is, why do you create a console window at all, if you don't want the user to see it? What's wrong with `ShellExecute` or `CreateProcess`? – Cody Gray - on strike Jan 20 '11 at 04:58
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    @Code Gray This program CreateProcess various console programs. Without AllocConsole, separated and uncontrollable console window will be created, destroyed all the time. – 9dan Jan 20 '11 at 05:07
  • I have no idea what that means. You're running several *different* console programs, and if you use `CreateProcess` each time will create a new console window instead of reusing the old one? Yeah...so? What's wrong with that? – Cody Gray - on strike Jan 20 '11 at 05:09
  • @Code Gray You'd better reread the title. I want to execute child console programs without showing the console window. – 9dan Jan 20 '11 at 05:12
  • The problem is, I don't know what "child console programs" are. I read the title carefully, and just now again. You are only asking how to make a child console window invisible. I'm questioning why you need the window at all, if the user doesn't need to be able to interact with the program running in that console window (your question indicates that you originally thought this to be the case, but have since changed your design). It's still not at all clear why these console applications you're running all need to be started from the *same* console window. – Cody Gray - on strike Jan 20 '11 at 05:14
  • Changed the title to avoid confusion. – 9dan Jan 20 '11 at 05:22
  • @Alf: See my comments above. I've already suggested this, but apparently there's something secret about what the OP is trying to do that involves running all of the console applications in the *same* console window, but requiring it to be hidden as if it didn't exist at all. Confused? Me too. – Cody Gray - on strike Jan 20 '11 at 05:32
  • @Cody, @Alf The point is not on the executing/CreateProcess but on the create console process invisibly. I'm sorry if this confused you that much. But I don't think your comments have any positive values. Almost spamming. I said this is already completed program. How the hell do you suppose to build such a program without calling CrateProcess ?? What did you mean with `CreateProcess` is really confusing me. Did you found `CreateProcess` some day before today? So wanted to sharing the knowledge with me? – 9dan Jan 20 '11 at 16:01

1 Answers1

16

Setup the STARTUPINFO like this for the CreateProcess call:

    STARTUPINFO si = { 0 };
    si.cb = sizeof(si);
    si.dwFlags = STARTF_USESTDHANDLES | STARTF_USESHOWWINDOW;
    si.hStdInput = GetStdHandle(STD_INPUT_HANDLE);
    si.hStdOutput =  GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE);
    si.hStdError = GetStdHandle(STD_ERROR_HANDLE);
    si.wShowWindow = SW_HIDE;
John
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    Thank you! It works perfectly when use CreateProcess with CREATE_NO_WINDOW option. – 9dan Jan 20 '11 at 07:01
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    @Cody Gray: the problem is that `CreateProcess` by itself is insufficient, not that it's wrong. The I/O redirection and the `CREATE_NO_WINDOW` flag were also needed. – MSalters Jan 20 '11 at 13:13
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    In `C#` use `ProcessStartInfo` and set `WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Hidden`. Pretty much the same just .NET Frameworked. – Bitterblue Aug 12 '13 at 08:35