How to limit just one C# application on windows xp?

[Jason Huang]

Hi,

In my C# windows form application project, I built MyApp.exe and installed
on client's Windows XP.
Is it possilbe to limit just one MyApp.exe runnig on client's PC? And how?
Thanks for help.


Jason

 

[Greg Young]

Yes you can use the Mutex class to do this.

http://www.codeproject.com/csharp/SingleInstanceApplication.asp includes an
example.

You could also check running processes but it is prone to errors (i.e. they
rename your .exe).

Cheers,

Greg Young
MVP - C#

 

[Jon Skeet [C# MVP]]

Yes you can use the Mutex class to do this.

http://www.codeproject.com/csharp/SingleInstanceApplication.asp includes an
example.

Unfortunately it's a bad example. The mutex can be garbage collected
(and thus released) at any point after the check. You either need a
call to GC.KeepAlive(mutex) or (my preference)

using (Mutex mutex = ...)
{
// Do the check then run the app or exit, all within the using block
}

 

[Greg Young]

You are correct Jon (just googled for a quick example ) .. although simply
creating a class that has it as a private static variable would do the trick
as well.