Answered Ways to show what application are running ?

[Matthew Rodwell]

Afternoon, i am creating an app for our Admins. and i want it to show what app is used by what users. So for example i want to check on a server which users have say word open. Firstly is this possible in C# or is there a better way to do this. I want to be able to show them incase there are any issues with tthat software

thank you...be kind

 

[Skydiver]

What's wrong with Task Manager? Why make your own app?

Anyway see:

Process.GetProcesses Method (System.Diagnostics)

Creates an array of new Process components and associates them with existing process resources.

docs.microsoft.com

 

[Matthew Rodwell]

What's wrong with Task Manager?

As we use Citrix and have around 20 serves with about 20 people on each that isn't the easiest way to do it

 

[Skydiver]

I updated post #2 while you were replying.

 

[Matthew Rodwell]

I updated post #2 while you were replying.

That's perfect...thank you for spending time to find that too. i couldn't find anything like that

 

[NoUserHere]

Yea it's possible. Of course it is, if it can be done in task manager it can be done in your own app.

Depending on what you're trying to do, perhaps a mutex would be a better way to go? Going the way of Mutex you could grant access to a process. You can use this pseudo code as your example to get started :

        public string GetOwnerOfProcess(string nameOfProcess)
        {
            using (Mutex mutex = new Mutex(false, nameOfProcess, out bool gotAccess))
            {
                try
                {
                    if (!mutex.WaitOne(0, false))
                    {
                        /* Already running */
                        return null;
                    }
                    /* Start your process */
                    Console.WriteLine("Launch me");
                }
                catch (AbandonedMutexException amex)
                {
                    /* Log if abandoned */
                }
                finally
                {
                    mutex.ReleaseMutex();
                }
            }
            return null;
        }

I think the Mutex approach is better, because you can also take back control of the application. Or if you want to go the route Skydiver suggested, try something like this. I've tested the one below, and it works fine :

        public bool IsRunning(string nameOfProcess)
        {
            Process thisProcess_FromID = Array.Find(Process.GetProcesses(), cur_ProcessID => cur_ProcessID.ProcessName == nameOfProcess && cur_ProcessID.SessionId == Array.Find(Process.GetProcesses(), cur_Process => cur_Process.ProcessName.StartsWith(nameOfProcess)).SessionId);

            if (thisProcess_FromID == null)
                Console.WriteLine("Launch me");
            return false;
        }