How to force C# .net app to run only one instance in Windows?

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4 Answers

I prefer a mutex solution similar to the following. As this way it re-focuses on the app if it is already loaded

using System.Threading;

[DllImport("user32.dll")]
[return: MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)]
static extern bool SetForegroundWindow(IntPtr hWnd);

/// <summary>
/// The main entry point for the application.
/// </summary>
[STAThread]
static void Main()
{
   bool createdNew = true;
   using (Mutex mutex = new Mutex(true, "MyApplicationName", out createdNew))
   {
      if (createdNew)
      {
         Application.EnableVisualStyles();
         Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(false);
         Application.Run(new MainForm());
      }
      else
      {
         Process current = Process.GetCurrentProcess();
         foreach (Process process in Process.GetProcessesByName(current.ProcessName))
         {
            if (process.Id != current.Id)
            {
               SetForegroundWindow(process.MainWindowHandle);
               break;
            }
         }
      }
   }
}

This is what I use in my application:

static void Main()
{
  bool mutexCreated = false;
  System.Threading.Mutex mutex = new System.Threading.Mutex( true, @"Local\slimCODE.slimKEYS.exe", out mutexCreated );

  if( !mutexCreated )
  {
    if( MessageBox.Show(
      "slimKEYS is already running. Hotkeys cannot be shared between different instances. Are you sure you wish to run this second instance?",
      "slimKEYS already running",
      MessageBoxButtons.YesNo,
      MessageBoxIcon.Question ) != DialogResult.Yes )
    {
      mutex.Close();
      return;
    }
  }

  // The usual stuff with Application.Run()

  mutex.Close();
}
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