Exe working only if started manually but I want it to start automatically

Question

I have done a simple VB application with this code:

Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        Dim procName As String = Process.GetCurrentProcess().ProcessName
        Dim processes As Process() = Process.GetProcessesByName(procName)

        If processes.Length > 1 Then
            Process.GetProcessesByName("keyinput")(0).Kill()
        End If

    End Sub


    Public Sub type(ByVal int As Double, str As String)
        For Each c As Char In str
            SendKeys.Send(c)
            System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(int * 1000)
        Next
    End Sub

    Sub vai()
        Dim line As String = ""
        If File.Exists("trans.txt") Then
            Using reader As New StreamReader("trans.txt")
                Do While reader.Peek <> -1
                    line = reader.ReadLine()
                    type(0.155, line)
                    'SendKeys.Send(line)
                    SendKeys.Send("{ENTER}")
                Loop
            End Using

            File.Delete("trans.txt")
        End If
    End Sub


    Private Sub Timer1_Tick(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Timer1.Tick
        vai()
    End Sub

Basically the timer in it check if a file exists, read it and type the content simulating the keyboard. I want this exe to start automatically when user login, it does it, apparently, I can see the form1 pop up but doesn't really works. Everyting is fine only if I run it manually by double-clicking the icon. Why and what can I do? Thanks

ps. i already tried to execute it with windows task manager, or putting a shortcut in the windows startup folder, or calling it from a cmd

EDIT: when app starts automatically , process is running, but windows form is showing like this

Instead starting manually is showing like this:

Answer 1

I don't know this for a fact but I suspect that the issue is the fact that you are not specifying the location of the file. If you provide only the file name then it is assumed to be in the application's current directory. That current directory is often the folder that the EXE is in but it is not always and it can change. DO NOT rely on the current directory being any particular folder. ALWAYS specify the path of a file. If the file is in the program folder then specify that:

Dim filePath = Path.Combine(Application.StartupPath, "trans.txt")

If File.Exists(filePath) Then
    Using reader As New StreamReader(filePath)

EDIT:

If you are running the application at startup by adding a shortcut to the user's Startup folder then, just like any other shortcut, you can set the working directory there. If you haven't set the then the current directory will not be the application folder and thus a file identified only by name will not be assumed to be in that folder.

If you are starting the app that way (which you should have told us in the question) then either set the working directory of the shortcut (which is years-old Windows functionality and nothing to do with VB.NET) or do as I already suggested and specify the full path when referring to the file in code. Better yet, do both. As I already said, DO NOT rely on the current directory being any particular folder, with this being a perfect example of why, but it still doesn't hurt to set the current directory anyway if you have the opportunity.

Answer 2

It was a Windows task scheduler fault, that for some reason didn't executed the exe correctly at logon. I've solved the issue by using Task Till Down and everything works fine now.