Start application before User Logon

[LLcoolQ]

I have a desktop application that is distributed to our clients and
has been working for the past few years.

I now have a requirement for an application to start up at windows
startup so that it is running before a user log on. I'm think that a
Windows Service will work.

However, here are some things this application currently does and I am
not sure all of them are supported via a service:

1) Desktop Interaction. Though this is an unattended application,
there can be desktop interaction for changing settings, etc. I think
I can do this by allowing desktop interaction

2) Internet access. This application connects to a Secure FTP server
to see if there are any files to be distributed. At the point that
the login dialog is displayed, does the machine have access to the
internet?

3) Printing - This app has an option to print files as they are
downloaded from the SFTP Server. Are printers available at the point
that the login dialog is displayed.

4) ProcessStartInfo- This application calls an executable to convert a
PDF to Postscript. Can this be done form a service?


As for Application settings, they are currently embedded in the
application. If a service can do all of the above, i am thinking of
creating a second executable just for the purposes of configuration.

Thoughts on any of this? Thanx.....Jay

 

[Family Tree Mike]

I have a desktop application that is distributed to our clients and
has been working for the past few years.

I now have a requirement for an application to start up at windows
startup so that it is running before a user log on. I'm think that a
Windows Service will work.

However, here are some things this application currently does and I am
not sure all of them are supported via a service:

1) Desktop Interaction. Though this is an unattended application,
there can be desktop interaction for changing settings, etc. I think
I can do this by allowing desktop interaction

2) Internet access. This application connects to a Secure FTP server
to see if there are any files to be distributed. At the point that
the login dialog is displayed, does the machine have access to the
internet?

3) Printing - This app has an option to print files as they are
downloaded from the SFTP Server. Are printers available at the point
that the login dialog is displayed.

4) ProcessStartInfo- This application calls an executable to convert a
PDF to Postscript. Can this be done form a service?


As for Application settings, they are currently embedded in the
application. If a service can do all of the above, i am thinking of
creating a second executable just for the purposes of configuration.

Thoughts on any of this? Thanx.....Jay

Sometimes you need to question the requirements....

What user is the software running as before the user logs in, in the new
version? I presume that if multiple users were using the software in its
present mode, some files or logs have the user's name in them, or at least
the SFTP session uses their login. If this becomes a service, then you
could run the service as a user, but not 'all' users, nor is that mode
usually desired. Most services run with limited permissions.

Maybe if your site only has single users per computer, this is not an issue,
but it would be my first question.

Everything you asked can be done in a service, but I'm just not seeing what
occurs before there is a valid login.

 

[Cor Ligthert[MVP]]

LLCool,

A service is always running, so it is a waste to set everything what you
want in that service.
(Beside that it is not possible anymore, as services are disconnected from
the UI as much as possible).

Why not make simple a service and let it communicate with a desktop
application.
Samples on MSDN are all doing it that way.

Cor

 

[LLcoolQ]

Thanx for for prompt replies

This application gets files from a lab. These files can be available
any time around the clock. The machine that it is installed on is
usually shared thoughout the day and/or week by different users. When
a user leaves for a day, they log out. The application needs to be
running when noone is logged in.

I tried putting a startup in

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
\Run

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

but the application doe snot appear to start until someone actually
logs in at the login dialog

 

[Cor Ligthert[MVP]]

You can use a service which is running by the Server, however let the
service only do those tasks that should be done all day, visititing a
website you can do as well in a non service program and give the results
back to the service, the same as letting a user set values for the service.

Cor