Process Builder Demo

January 13, 2011

In order to create operating system processes (even another java application), running a command, and defining an environment variable; a simple approach is succeeded by using "java.lang.ProcessBuilder" class in Java.

Process process = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("cmd /c java -cp bin B");
BufferedReader inputStream = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(process.getInputStream()));
String line;
while( (line = inputStream.readLine()) != null) {
 // inputStream is enabling this thread(main method) 
 // to read "System.out" prints of started process (B.main method)
 System.out.println("#read from inputStream: " + line);
}

The above example illustrates how to start a java application from another one. /c option has vital importance since the rest of the parameters that command line is fed to run them properly. java command must be in environment variables to run B (which consists the "main(String[] args)" method) and -cp is standart java parameter that indicates the classpath. inputStream variable reads the inputs that comes from the java process B which simply outputs to System.out.

In principle, the below lines of java code executes the same process; but also it enables the developer to run the command instance (pb) more than once.

ProcessBuilder pb = new ProcessBuilder("cmd","/c","java","-cp","bin","B");
Process process = pb.start();

Another usage is running an non java application from a java application is more simple than running a java application. For instance, runing notepad.exe on windows NT is as seen below.

try {
 // ...
 Process process = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("notepad.exe");
 // ...
} catch (Exception e) { 
 System.err.println(e.getMessage());
}

Third but not least, environment variables of operating system (in windows: Computer>Properties>Advance>Environment Settings) can be accessible from a java application with using environment method of ProcessBuilder. Manipulating of this map, reflecting directly to operating system environment variables set.

ProcessBuilder pb = new ProcessBuilder("something");
Map<String,String> env = pb.environment();
Set<String> keys = env.keySet();
if (keys != null) {
 for (String key : keys) {
  System.out.println(key+":"+env.get(key));
 }
}

ProcessBuilder is a powerful tool to manage specific aspects of operating system from a system independent and abstract point of view.

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Comments

SACHIN SHARMAApril 14, 2012 at 7:49 AM
THANKS!!
But how create a subprocess using processbuilder class ?
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Oguzhan AcargilJuly 20, 2012 at 2:25 PM
The ProcessBuilder.start() method is invoked to create new subprocesses.
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UnknownAugust 3, 2012 at 6:15 PM
I want to run java program from another java program. It works fine with using Runtime exec, however after doing some search I found out that processbuilder is better approach,since I need to handle output,input and error streams of the process.How to do this using processbuilder?
Process p1 = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("javac -d C:/Users/Dinara/Desktop/D/bin "
+ "C:/Users/Dinara/Desktop/D/src/test.java");
Process p2 = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(System.getProperty("java.home") + "/bin/java -classpath C:/Users/Dinara/Desktop/D/bin test");
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UnknownAugust 3, 2012 at 6:18 PM
Could you please help, how to run java program from another java program using ProcessBuilder? I did it using Runtime exec and it works ok. However after searching the Internet I found out that ProcessBuilder is better approach, since I need to handle output, input and error streams of the process.
Process p1 = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("javac -d C:/Users/Dinara/Desktop/D/bin "
+ "C:/Users/Dinara/Desktop/D/src/test.java");
Process p2 = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(System.getProperty("java.home") + "/bin/java -classpath C:/Users/Dinara/Desktop/D/bin test");
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KrishnaAugust 28, 2012 at 5:47 PM
HI
I am using the below code to run a command : "testrunner.bat -r -a -j -f" + "C:/DEMO" + " -I -S -t " + "\"C:/Documents and Settings/n415554/soapui-settings.xml\"" + " -i " + "\"C:/Documents and Settings/n415554/Desktop/RUN_INSCFC-FEI-soapui-project.xml\"";

and it will take around 5 to 10 mins to complete to run the batch file.
--- Heere the proble is that.. I could able to run the batch file once i terminat the mail class. Please let me know any issue with this code.

String s = "testrunner.bat -r -a -j -f" + "C:/DEMO" + " -I -S -t " + "\"C:/Documents and Settings/n415554/soapui-settings.xml\"" + " -i " + "\"C:/Documents and Settings/n415554/Desktop/RUN_INSCFC-FEI-soapui-project.xml\"";

String[] command = {"CMD", "/C", s};
ProcessBuilder probuilder = new ProcessBuilder( command );
//You can set up your work directory
probuilder.directory(new File("c:\\soapUI-4.0.0.b\\bin"));
// c:\\soapUI-4.0.0.b\\bin for c:\\xyzwsdemo
Process process = probuilder.start();
//Read out dir output
InputStream is = process.getInputStream();
InputStreamReader isr = new InputStreamReader(is);
BufferedReader br = new BufferedReader(isr);
String line;
System.out.printf("Output of running %s is:\n",Arrays.toString(command));

while ((line = br.readLine()) != null) {
System.out.println(line);
}

//Wait to get exit value
try {
int exitValue = process.waitFor();
System.out.println("\n\nExit Value is " + exitValue);
}
catch (InterruptedException e) {
// TODO Auto-generated catch block
e.printStackTrace(); }
}
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