How do I execute Windows commands in Java?

Question

I'm working on a project, and it will give you a list of Windows commands. When you select one, it will perform that command. However, I don't know how to do that. I was going to do it in Visual C#, or C++, but C++ classes are too complicated, and I don't want to make the forms and junk in Visual C# (really bad at console applications).

• user2246674: Search for "java run command" to help refine the question better - e.g. which part(s) are there issues with? Note that some commands do not make sense outside of a shell. These include cd and the like and should be emulated accordingly. (Although, I would likely consider it a "better" investment of time to emulate all supported commands - i.e. move/copy/list/delete? - in Java itself or open up a real shell and let the user do whatever they want.)
• user2246674: stackoverflow.com/questions/7112259/…
• user2246674: Also, if you're on Windows, just use VS Express (free) + C# (which is really about the same "difficulty" as Java). It Just Works (TM), including WinForms.
• Akshay Pethani: codepuran.com/java/execute-dos-command-java

Answer 1

I hope this helps :)

You could use:

Runtime.getRuntime().exec("ENTER COMMAND HERE");

Answer 2

an example. 1. create cmd 2. write to cmd -> call a command.

try {
 // Execute command
 String command = "cmd /c start cmd.exe";
 Process child = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(command);
 // Get output stream to write from it
 OutputStream out = child.getOutputStream();
 out.write("cd C:/ /r/n".getBytes());
 out.flush();
 out.write("dir /r/n".getBytes());
 out.close();
} catch (IOException e) {
}

Answer 3

Take advantage of the ProcessBuilder.

It makes it easier to build the process parameters and takes care of issues with having spaces in commands automatically...

public class TestProcessBuilder {
 public static void main(String[] args) {
 try {
 ProcessBuilder pb = new ProcessBuilder("cmd", "/c", "dir");
 pb.redirectError();
 Process p = pb.start();
 InputStreamConsumer isc = new InputStreamConsumer(p.getInputStream());
 isc.start();
 int exitCode = p.waitFor();
 isc.join();
 System.out.println("Process terminated with " + exitCode);
 } catch (IOException | InterruptedException exp) {
 exp.printStackTrace();
 }
 }
 public static class InputStreamConsumer extends Thread {
 private InputStream is;
 public InputStreamConsumer(InputStream is) {
 this.is = is;
 }
 @Override
 public void run() {
 try {
 int value = -1;
 while ((value = is.read()) != -1) {
 System.out.print((char)value);
 }
 } catch (IOException exp) {
 exp.printStackTrace();
 }
 }
 }
}

I'd generally build a all purpose class, which you could pass in the "command" (such as "dir") and it's parameters, that would append the call out to the OS automatically. I would also included the ability to get the output, probably via a listener callback interface and even input, if the command allowed input...

Answer 4

This is a sample code to run and print the output of the ipconfig command in the console window.

import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.InputStream;
public class ExecuteDOSCommand {
 public static void main(String[] args) {
 final String dosCommand = "ipconfig";
 try {
 final Process process = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(dosCommand );
 final InputStream in = process.getInputStream();
 int ch;
 while((ch = in.read()) != -1) {
 System.out.print((char)ch);
 }
 } catch (IOException e) {
 e.printStackTrace();
 }
 }
}

Source: https://www.codepuran.com/java/execute-dos-command-java/

Answer 5

Old question but might help someone passing by. This is a simple and working solution. Some of the above solutions don't work.

import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.InputStream;
public class ExecuteDOSCommand
{
 public static void main(String[] args)
 {
 final String dosCommand = "cmd /c dir /s";
 final String location = "C:\\WINDOWS\\system32";
 try
 {
 final Process process = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(dosCommand + " " + location);
 final InputStream in = process.getInputStream();
 int ch;
 while((ch = in.read()) != -1)
 {
 System.out.print((char)ch);
 }
 }
 catch (IOException e)
 {
 e.printStackTrace();
 }
 }
}

Source: http://www.devx.com/tips/Tip/42644