I have created a code, which compares XML files on the client side (in PC) with the XML file located on the FTP server; where once it detects that client is running older version of the program, it will download the latest build (so that user has always up to date program).
Here is the trick. Due to the fact, that I am overwriting files at run-time, I had to create an external console application which is being called from the main app if user wants to update. This way, first console application is executed and afterwards main app is closed, so that no files are locked by the system (application's .exe file would otherwise be locked and we could not replace it with the new one).
This process runs perfectly, if it is being installed somewhere else other than under the system folder (by that I mean e.g. C:\Program Files\ drive). If user has decided to install main application there, then suddenly my app crashes as it does not have admin privileges.
I am using Install Shield LE when disbursing this app, and users that are using this program are not administrators (which means that I go to every computer and type admin password when I/users install this program).
Is there a way, how to execute my updated console application with admin rights, or how to define via Install Shield that once this app has been executed, I always want it to be executed as admin?
Hope that my explanation has not been confusing. I am more than happy to share additional details if necessary, as I need to figure out how to solve this thing.
I imagine you don't have an AD configuration as Emmanuel suggest, because in this case you would push the updates without any problems and would not have to design an automatic updater.
I don't know if InstallShield has something like this, but Advanced Installer has the support to install a dedicated updater that runs as a service, thus it has all the permissions required to install an application under Program Files.
Of course this means you need to replace your updater with the one from Advanced Installer and also that the initial installation of the application on the end user machines will still require admin credentials. (future installs can install silently, without the user's intervention)
You'll need to add the following line to your app manifest:
<requestedExecutionLevel level="requireAdministrator" uiAccess="false" />
Documentation on the msdn is here.
Related
I have made an application running on Windows 10 1809. It needs to be run As Administrator and sometimes with command line parameters. One way to do this, would be to run cmd As Administrator, navigate to the folder and run the app with the corrent parameters. Upon starting it creates a logging folder under %APPDATA%\AppName using the built-in functionality of the logging library.
The app has been developed in C#, .Net 4.6 and uses log4net as the logging library, for which the configuration file states:
<file type="log4net.Util.PatternString" value="${AppData}\\AppName\\FileName.log" />
Now I have one user, claiming this wouldn't work for him. The app does neither create the subdirectory (AppName) nor does it create any log files. Since I can't take a direct look at their machine, I'd like to gather some possible reasons for that (also in order to mitigate such behaviour in the future).
On older Windows operating systems I know that running an app As Administrator would sometimes actually run the app with another user account, the admin account. Then the other user's APPDATA folder would be used. I don't know if this could happen on Windows 10 as well, though.
Could there be some kind of misconfiguration on their side?
Also I can't just add workarounds like a FallbackAppender, since it'd have to be discussed with the client.
What could be reasons for an app being able to write to the calling user's APPDATA folder on one Windows 10 machine, but not on another?
IMHO the cause is that the AppData used for logging is in the Administrator folder (you tell us it's run as administrator).
There's not much you can do other than refactoring the app to write the log in a shared folder (eg the app folder itself or "%systemdrive%\ProgramData\your-app-name" folder).
I created a setup project in VS2008. This setup copy some folders/files to the program files folder. Also, it adds some windows environment variables.
During the instalation, I am requested to confirm something in a UAC dialog.
This works fine, and all files are copied.
The problem begins when my program is running and I have to modify the a file´s content.
An exception is thrown, saying that I have no permission. Also, if I try to do the same operation in Windows Explorer => same problem.
My question is:
If I have the permission to install my software in program files folder, shouldn´t I be able to write in this folder as well?
Well, it seems that this is a general permission problem. By default normal users (and applications) cannot write to %PROGRAMFILES%. There are folders specially provided for application data storage such as ApplicationData
The reason the setup does install into program files is because this default behaviour of the Windows Installer. Check this link for more info on the Windows Installer and clickonce setup
I have found strange issue during execution of installatio file made by VS 2010. The installer should copy some files into App Data of current user. When I run installer on account with admin privileges, everything is ok. Problem appears while installing on guest account. For example I try to install app on guset account A. I must select run as option. I choose user B with admin privileges. After installation all files are copied into folder App Data of user B, not A as I expected... why? Is there any solution for this?
It is called deployment project and it is outdated and broken technology - I suggest using WIX. Those stupid proejcts should hnever have been in Visual Studio - they dont even adhere to the basics how MSI files should work.
One thing you can not nicely control is the elevation request needed for activating admin priviledges. WIX allows you full control over the MSI features.
I must select run as option. I choose user B with admin privileges. After installation all files
are copied into folder App Data of user B, not A as I expected... why?
Ah - logic? You install AS USER B - so surely the files go into User b's folder.
in general you need admin priviledges to install softawre. A gues can not do it. Point. Installation is a tricky high priviledge thing, not something for someone who has no rights on the computer.
The installer should copy some files into App Data of current user.
Invalid per definition. Point. A normal install run should not install anything into a user's app data - what is another user runs the software? The software can make copies when it starts (from shared app data), but a NORMAL install (not a per user install) should never put stuff into the users personal AppData folder. This is a violation of basic MSI principles.
Symantec has a good documentation on the only valid way to do that (and sorry, setup proejcts just dont support advanced features for MSI:
http://www.symantec.com/business/support/index?page=content&id=HOWTO4840
As it reads:
In order to install files to each user's profile, a self-repair of the application must occur.
WIX has similar answers in a post:
http://windows-installer-xml-wix-toolset.687559.n2.nabble.com/installing-files-to-user-s-application-data-folder-td5377311.html
I assume you don'd o a per user install ;)
I also assume you don't set the registry key according to ICE38 (setup warning):
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa368961%28VS.85%29.aspx
In general: DO NOT DO IT. User AppData can / should happen when the user starts the app.
When I install my C# app in windows 7, UAC always shows. I'm not logged in as Administrator but I want my application to be installed without the UAC.
Can you give me ways on how to do it?
The UAC prompt shows for any number of reasons, none of which is "the code inside the exe calls function X or tries to write to place Y." These include:
the name contains setup, patch, update etc (eg setup21.exe) and there is no manifest
you embedded a manifest that asks for requireAdministrator. You would have done this on purpose in Visual Studio.
there is an external manifest (for NewApp.exe it would be NewApp.exe.manifest) in the same folder that asks for requireAdministrator. You would have done this on purpose too.
you have right-clicked the exe, and on the Properties Compatibility you have chosen to elevate it, or to run as XPSP2 which for 7 also elevates
someone in your company has applied a Group Policy that this installation app should run elevated (unlikely)
you once ran it, got a dialog from Windows saying "that may not have worked right" and agreed to try again with "recommended settings"
Do any of these seem likely? If so, correct them and see if the UAC prompt goes away.
Single Package Authoring link text
You'll want to use Windows Installer / Windows Installer XML to make this install behave the way you request.
If you want to install an app without UAC then you can only touch folders that the currently logged in user can write to. Google Chrome does this--it installs the entire application to the user's local application data folder.
It's very non-standard and I would argue MS should prohibit running code from this location, but it's a working solution to requiring administrator/UAC access to install applications.
Incidentally, Google Chrome more recently made a traditional installer available so one user can install it to be used by all users on the computer.
If you want your application to be installed without triggering the UAC, install to %APPDATA% (instead of installing to %ProgramFiles%) and write to the HKCU hive only in the registry (i.e. don't try to write to HKLM, HKCR, etc.)
I have a simplest form of an application, in which I am showing a SysTray Icon and adding the application in Startup items. Application is developed in C#. I want tray icon to be shown even after restart of the machine. Currently, I am facing a strange behavior while running the exe using "Run as Administrator". When I use under administrator rights , icon doesn't come after machine restart (though exe is still running). I am using following Metadata values in metadata "requestedExecutionLevel level="asInvoker" uiAccess="false"":
I had to use "invoker" (not "administrator") because it was not adding it as startup items without it. It is working fine if I run exe using double click( as now it runs under current user domain instead of administrator) but this exe would start by installer thus started in System domain. Can any one help me to sort out this issue?
Either provide me solution so that it can show Systray icon while running as administrator or better if you can provide me any way so that I can start this Exe under current user domain instead of admin?
Regards
Sumeet Garg
I am calling exe now from another component (A Shell extension), which always run in user Domain. Hence the called exe working User domain by default. Thanks for all the support.