[RESOLVED] Make my application run at startup - Windows Seven Problem

[Witis]

I tried to run this code to make my application run at startup, and it works in XP (in dev environment and compiled), although when I tried to use it on windows seven it works only when I am running it in the development environment, not when it is compiled which I find strange... Actually the returned error code from the function is 5 which in winerror.h is "access denied" (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms819773.aspx) although I am logged in as a user that has full admin rights?

Here is the code:
0. In a new Project
1. Add a module:

Option Explicit

Public Const REG_SZ = 1 ' Unicode nul terminated string
Public Const REG_BINARY = 3 ' Free form binary

Public Const HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT = &H80000000
Public Const HKEY_CURRENT_USER = &H80000001
Public Const HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE = &H80000002
Public Const HKEY_USERS = &H80000003
Public Const HKEY_PERFORMANCE_DATA = &H80000004
Public Const HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG = &H80000005
Public Const HKEY_DYN_DATA = &H80000006

Private Const ERROR_SUCCESS = 0&

Private Declare Function RegCloseKey Lib "advapi32.dll" (ByVal hKey As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function RegCreateKey Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "RegCreateKeyA" (ByVal hKey As Long, ByVal lpSubKey As String, phkResult As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function RegSetValueEx Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "RegSetValueExA" (ByVal hKey As Long, ByVal lpValueName As String, ByVal Reserved As Long, ByVal dwType As Long, lpData As Any, ByVal cbData As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function RegDeleteValue Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "RegDeleteValueA" (ByVal hKey As Long, ByVal lpValueName As String) As Long

Public Function RegistrySaveString(hKey As Long, strPath As String, strValue As String, strData As String) As String
    Dim h&, r

    'Create a new key, or open the key already existing in that location, and return the handle to into h
    r = RegCreateKey(hKey, strPath, h)
    If r <> ERROR_SUCCESS Then RegistrySaveString = r: Exit Function
    
    'create a subkey beneath the key just created/opened and store a string in it.
    r = RegSetValueEx(h, strValue, 0, REG_SZ, ByVal strData, Len(strData))
    If r = ERROR_SUCCESS Then RegistrySaveString = "Success" Else RegistrySaveString = r
    
    'close the key
    r = RegCloseKey(h)
    
End Function

Public Function RegistryDeleteString(hKey As Long, strPath As String, strValue As String) As String
    Dim h&, r
    'Create a new key
    r = RegCreateKey(hKey, strPath, h)
    If r <> ERROR_SUCCESS Then RegistryDeleteString = r: Exit Function
    
    'Delete the key's value
    r = RegDeleteValue(h, strValue)
    If r = ERROR_SUCCESS Then RegistryDeleteString = "Success" Else RegistryDeleteString = r
    'close the key
    RegCloseKey h
End Function

Public Function MakeThisAppRunAtStartup() As String
    MakeThisAppRunAtStartup = RegistrySaveString(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, "SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\RUN", App.EXEName, App.Path & "\" & App.EXEName & ".exe")
End Function

Public Function UnMakeThisAppRunAtStartup() As String
    UnMakeThisAppRunAtStartup = RegistryDeleteString(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, "SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\RUN", App.EXEName)
End Function

' Errors from these function are in winnerror.h
' 1 is invalid function
' 2 is specified file is not found
' 3 is specified path is not found
' 4 is too many open files
' 5 is access denied



' Most used keys to write to
'"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run"
'"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run"

' CAUTION: make sure the registry setting is deleted when your application is removed.

2. Change the project-> Properties -> Make -> Title
To a custom title which will appear in the registry

3. Add two command buttons and a label to a form

4. Add this code in the form

Private Sub Command1_Click()
MsgBox MakeThisAppRunAtStartup
End Sub

Private Sub Command2_Click()
MsgBox UnMakeThisAppRunAtStartup
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Load()
Me.Label1 = "Registry Run at Startup" & vbCrLf & App.EXEName & vbCrLf & App.Path & "\" & App.EXEName & ".exe"
Me.Label1.BackColor = &HFFFFFF
Me.Command1.Caption = "Run at Startup"
Me.Command2.Caption = "Do Not Run at Startup"
End Sub

or just download the attachment.

[westconn1]

in windows 7 you need to elevate to run as administrator (even if an admin user is logged in), to write to hklm, you may be able to set values on a per user basis in hkcu, then each user can choose whether to run the program at start up

[Witis]

Thanks for the reply westconn1, I tried enabling SeDebugPrivilege, although it still fails with error code 5 "access denied".

[si_the_geek]

Rather than code, right-click on your programs shortcut, and click "Run as administrator".

You can make that permanent (but still interactive) by altering the properties of the shortcut, or by using code to run another executable (which can be the same one).

[Witis]

Thanks si_the_geek, now I remember setting the advanced properties of the shortcut to VB6 on windows 7 to run as administrator so that I could set references and components in my VB6 projects.

So in order to be able to access:
"HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run"
I need to elevate my application's priviledges to "run as administrator" even when I am already logged in with administrator rights - genius.

I found a solution:
1. Open a text file and paste this code in:

<assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0">
<description>[b]Application Name</description>

<trustInfo xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v2">
  <security>
    <requestedPrivileges>
      <requestedExecutionLevel level="requireAdministrator" uiAccess="false"></requestedExecutionLevel>
    </requestedPrivileges>
  </security>
</trustInfo>
</assembly>

2. Change the Application Name (coloured red above) to your Application's Name.
3. Save the text file as YourCompiledApplication'sName.exe.manifest eg Project1.exe.manifest.
4. Put the saved text file (called a manifest file) in the same directory as the compiled exe.

That's it, just 1 Little text file, problem solved.
I tried adding it as a VB6 custom resource although it didn't work, perhaps there are other resource editors that can do it...