Batch, Registry & UAC

[Propaganist]

Hi all,

I've written a batch file which adds registry keys (with dynamic driveletter recognition) upon startup, launches a program and deletes the keys when closing the program.

My only concern now is that when launching the batch, I get a UAC dialog for the registry changes.

Is there some way I can tell Windows through the batch file that I really don't need any dialog (for this file only)?

I don't know anything about the creation process of EXEs, but I've never seen any UAC for registry changes made by EXEs...? So it has to be possible I guess...

Thanks!
Propa

 

[dmex]

Hi all,

I've written a batch file which adds registry keys (with dynamic driveletter recognition) upon startup, launches a program and deletes the keys when closing the program.

My only concern now is that when launching the batch, I get a UAC dialog for the registry changes.

Is there some way I can tell Windows through the batch file that I really don't need any dialog (for this file only)?

I don't know anything about the creation process of EXEs, but I've never seen any UAC for registry changes made by EXEs...? So it has to be possible I guess...

Thanks!
Propa

Hi Propa,

It depends where you write these keys, if your just using the HKCU (Current User) hive then you wont need UAC elevation, however every other hive will result in a UAC prompt

Steven

 

[Dwarf]

Can you attach the file so that we can see how you've coded it?

 

[Propaganist]

Hi Propa,

It depends where you write these keys, if your just using the HKCU (Current User) hive then you wont need UAC elevation, however every other hive will result in a UAC prompt

Steven

That's odd... The keys are all going in HKCU but I still get a dialog..

Can you attach the file so that we can see how you've coded it?

The file is my workaround for a highly portable Virtual DJ Installation. By running it through this batch, it enables me to run one single installation from usb on every possible computer.

Anyway, here you go.

(PS: I do have a valid license)

/EDIT: attachment removed

 

[Propaganist]

Ok. I got some sort of breakthrough...

If I run the batch as Administrator, none of the dialogs appear, but running cmd as Administrator also changes the initial working directory.

This is fixed by inserting cd /d %~dp0 to the very beginning of the file (or just after @echo off).

So now I don't have registry dialogs anymore, but I have to select Run as Administrator & confirm...

Any other ideas to completely hide all dialogs?

 

[WindowsStar]

Do you have to have the BAT file create the REG file?

 

[Propaganist]

Do you have to have the BAT file create the REG file?

Yes, the bat file catches the working driveletter, which is necessary for the registry keys.

 

[Propaganist]

Got it!

Instead of calling REGEDIT, I need to call REG(.exe), which doesn't interfere with UAC.

So

START /WAIT REGEDIT /S

becomes

REG IMPORT

 

[WindowsStar]

Ok I understand now. Yes there is a way to make it work transparent however the Batch would need to be converted to VBScript. It would take a bit of time to convert it and then add the extra code to make it work as you need it. I have a lot of the code already written (saved somewhere, I need to look for it).

I don't have the time tonight to re-write it and then I don't have the means to test it. Maybe if no-one here comes up with a better idea I can look at it over the weekend. I will keep re-viewing this thread.

 

[Propaganist]

Ok I understand now. Yes there is a way to make it work transparent however the Batch would need to be converted to VBScript. It would take a bit of time to convert it and then add the extra code to make it work as you need it. I have a lot of the code already written (saved somewhere, I need to look for it).

I don't have the time tonight to re-write it and then I don't have the means to test it. Maybe if no-one here comes up with a better idea I can look at it over the weekend. I will keep re-viewing this thread.

Got it already. See my previous post.

 

[Propaganist]

For further reference if anyone wants to build something similar, here's a dummy code. You only need to modify the red parts:

@ECHO OFF

:: Are we intruders?
REG QUERY [COLOR=Red]HKCU\Software\SOFTWARE TREE[/COLOR] /v [COLOR=Red]SOME SOFTWARE KEY (eg Version)[/COLOR] > nul 2>&1
IF %ErrorLevel%==0 GOTO Error
IF %ErrorLevel%==1 GOTO Ok

:Ok
:: I really dislike loops
SET del=

:: How about getting the driveletter?
set ltr=%cd:~0,3%

:: Write to temporary REG
ECHO Adding keys...
> %TEMP%.\TEMPREG.REG ECHO Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
>>%TEMP%.\TEMPREG.REG ECHO.

[COLOR=Green]:: Use and copy the following line to add more trees (copy it below your keys for another tree!)[/COLOR]
>>%TEMP%.\TEMPREG.REG ECHO [[COLOR=Red]HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SOFTWARE TREE[COLOR=Black]][/COLOR][/COLOR]

[COLOR=Green]:: Use and copy the following line to add more keys (copy it below the right tree!)[/COLOR]
>>%TEMP%.\TEMPREG.REG ECHO "[COLOR=Red]KEY NAME[/COLOR]"="[COLOR=Red]VALUE[/COLOR]"

[COLOR=Green]:: For a key that requires a path, let's point it using the current drive letter (if your path contains spaces, enclose it with speech marks. eg \"Program Files"\\Software)[/COLOR]
>>%TEMP%.\TEMPREG.REG ECHO "[COLOR=Red]KEYNAME[/COLOR]"="%ltr%\[COLOR=Red]path[/COLOR]\\[COLOR=Red]path[/COLOR]"

:: Merge Temporary REG with Registry
REG IMPORT %TEMP%.\TEMPREG.REG

:: We're not doing this without purpose... Start program! (if your path contains spaces, enclose it with speech marks. eg \"Program Files"\Software)
echo Starting program...
start /wait %CD%\[COLOR=Red]path[/COLOR]\[COLOR=Red]program[/COLOR].exe
GOTO Regdelete

:Error
echo There are already some registry keys for this program!
echo.
SET /P del=Do you want to overwrite all registry keys and start the application (Y/N)?
if /i {%del%}=={Y} (GOTO Regdelete)
if /i {%del%}=={Yes} (GOTO Regdelete)
GOTO End

:Regdelete
:: Everybody's tired, let's delete the keys
ECHO Deleting keys...
> %TEMP%.\TEMPREG.REG ECHO Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
>>%TEMP%.\TEMPREG.REG ECHO.

:: Copy this line for every created tree
>>%TEMP%.\TEMPREG.REG ECHO [-[COLOR=Red]HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\[/COLOR][COLOR=Red]SOFTWARE TREE[/COLOR]]

REG IMPORT %TEMP%.\TEMPREG.REG
DEL %TEMP%.\TEMPREG.REG

if /i {%del%}=={Y} (GOTO Ok)
if /i {%del%}=={Yes} (GOTO Ok)

:End
:: Let's end this. Clear out the last variable.
SET ltr=

Save it as something.bat

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello Propaganistas, glad you got it sorted; thanks for the info!