[VB6] Code snippet: Run unelevated app from elevated app

[fafalone]

Surprised I didn't see an example of this, so wanted to post it.

Here's a quick implementation of a method to run unelevated apps from your elevated app by routing it through Explorer, as outlined by Raymond Chen.

Requirements
-VB6: oleexp.tlb v5.01 or higher, with included addon mIID.bas (released the same day as this snippet... I had a partial set of the shell automation objects in oleeximp.tlb, not sure why it was complete, or not in oleexp.tlb, so for convenience I put out a quick new version with a complete set in oleexp.tlb. So you only need oleexp.tlb 5.01+ (and mIID.bas) if you get the new version. Otherwise that, oleexpimp.tlb, and shell32).

-twinBASIC: Windows Development Library for twinBASIC (WinDevLib). References->Available Packages

-Windows XP or newer

Code

Public Sub LaunchUnelevated(sPath As String, Optional sArgs As String = "")
Dim pShWin As ShellWindows
Set pShWin = New ShellWindows
#If TWINBASIC Then
Dim pDispView As IDispatch
#Else
Dim pDispView As oleexp.IDispatch 'VB6 has a built in hidden version that will cause an error if you try to use it. Specify oleexp's unrestricted version.
#End If
Dim pServ As IServiceProvider
Dim pSB As IShellBrowser
Dim pDual As IShellFolderViewDual
Dim pView As IShellView
Dim hwnd As LongPtr 
Dim vrEmpty As Variant
 

Set pServ = pShWin.FindWindowSW(CVar(CSIDL_DESKTOP), vrEmpty, SWC_DESKTOP, hwnd, SWFO_NEEDDISPATCH)

pServ.QueryService SID_STopLevelBrowser, IID_IShellBrowser, pSB

pSB.QueryActiveShellView pView

pView.GetItemObject SVGIO_BACKGROUND, IID_IDispatch, pDispView
Set pDual = pDispView
 
Dim pDispShell As IShellDispatch2
Set pDispShell = pDual.Application

If sArgs <> "" Then
    pDispShell.ShellExecute sPath, CVar(sArgs)
Else
    pDispShell.ShellExecute sPath
End If
End Sub

And it's that simple. Just call LaunchUnelevated with a path to the exe.