3

I need my application to run on windows startup. I always used registry to do this on windows XP, however in this way I'm getting blocked from vista/7.

How can I avoid this? I can only think about writing a shortcut in startup folder, but I don't know how and I'm not sure if it works.

Are there any guideline I can follow to allow my application to work withot any problems connected with UAC? Expecially related to windows startup in this case

Thanks a lot for any answer

Note: This is a WPF application

Francesco Belladonna
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4 Answers4

11

Don't know what you mean about Vista/Windows7, but I use folowing code in WPF application and it works on XP/Vista/Win7. 

 void InstallMeOnStartUp()
 {
      try
      {
          Microsoft.Win32.RegistryKey key = Microsoft.Win32.Registry.CurrentUser.OpenSubKey("SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Run", true);
          Assembly curAssembly = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly();
          key.SetValue(curAssembly.GetName().Name, curAssembly.Location);
      }
      catch{ 
      }
 }

Let me know, if this is not what you're searching for.

Tigran
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  • The problem is that the application recognize the program as mine and won't block it (it's compiled on this machine). When you are on windows Vista (it happened there), if you do some operations your application will be blocked on startup, I don't know which operations but I suppose Registry could be one. – Francesco Belladonna Jan 06 '12 at 22:25
  • What do you mean saying "StartUp" ? Startup of `Windows` or startup of **your** application ? – Tigran Jan 06 '12 at 22:28
  • You have to create an exception with Windows Firewall for that particular app/port. & it will be fine. – uday Jan 06 '12 at 22:43
  • @Tigran: It's written on the title **run on windows startup** (and not *window* startup). Why should I create an exception with the firewall?I'm not using any net code (and I don't know how to create an exception by code!). – Francesco Belladonna Jan 06 '12 at 22:46
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    @Fire-Dragon-DoL: so the **real** problem *could be* that on startup your program does something that requieres `Administrator` previliges.If, so you can add a `manifest` and declare in it for `UAC` that your program requires those kind of previliges. Look here, for more details: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1850768/how-to-give-my-c-sharp-app-administrative-rights-manifest-file – Tigran Jan 06 '12 at 23:09
1

You could place a shortcut inside the startup folder.

In C# this location can be found using

Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonStartup (all users)
Environment.SpecialFolder.Startup       (current user)

For outside of C# this is a nice article:

taming-all-users-desktop-and-start-menu

jzacharuk
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1

You could create a scheduled task that runs at user logon which launches your application.

Larry Osterman
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0

If doing this into your application is not mandatory, Inno Setup can configure the run at Windows startup.

Here's how to edit your setup.iss file

[Tasks]
...
Name: startup; Description: "Automatically start on login"; GroupDescription: "{cm:AdditionalIcons}"

[Icons]
....
Name: "{userstartup}\{#MyAppName}"; Filename: "{app}\{#MyAppExeName}"; Tasks: startup

Documentation can be found HERE

JiBéDoublevé
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