c# - Start a windows service and launch cmd

Question

Do I need to enable Interactive desktp for it to work and what is the correct code to start an EXE or cmd window? I'm still unable to start the service even when I had enable it to interact with desktop.

I would be using an chat engine so it is easier to manage as a windows service.

What wrong with my code?

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.ServiceProcess;
using System.Diagnostics;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Threading;

namespace MyNewService
{
    class Program : ServiceBase
    {
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
        }

        public Program()
        {
            this.ServiceName = "Chatter";
        }

        protected override void OnStart(string[] args)
        {
            base.OnStart(args);

            //TODO: place your start code here
            ThreadStart starter = new ThreadStart(bw_DoWork);
            Thread t = new Thread(starter);
            t.Start();

        }

        private void bw_DoWork()
        {
            Process p = new Process();
            p.StartInfo = new ProcessStartInfo(@"C:Windowssystem32cmd.exe");
            p.Start();
            p.WaitForExit();
            base.Stop();
        }

        protected override void OnStop()
        {
            base.OnStop();

            //TODO: clean up any variables and stop any threads
        }
    }
}

Answer 1

I have gone through all the pain of doing this.

Under windows 7/Vista/2008 it is not possible to load any interactive process from a service - without calling a number of Win API. = BLACK MAGIC

Have a look here and here.

The code below does the trick, use it with your own risk:

public static class ProcessAsCurrentUser
{

    /// <summary>
    /// Connection state of a session.
    /// </summary>
    public enum ConnectionState
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// A user is logged on to the session.
        /// </summary>
        Active,
        /// <summary>
        /// A client is connected to the session.
        /// </summary>
        Connected,
        /// <summary>
        /// The session is in the process of connecting to a client.
        /// </summary>
        ConnectQuery,
        /// <summary>
        /// This session is shadowing another session.
        /// </summary>
        Shadowing,
        /// <summary>
        /// The session is active, but the client has disconnected from it.
        /// </summary>
        Disconnected,
        /// <summary>
        /// The session is waiting for a client to connect.
        /// </summary>
        Idle,
        /// <summary>
        /// The session is listening for connections.
        /// </summary>
        Listening,
        /// <summary>
        /// The session is being reset.
        /// </summary>
        Reset,
        /// <summary>
        /// The session is down due to an error.
        /// </summary>
        Down,
        /// <summary>
        /// The session is initializing.
        /// </summary>
        Initializing
    }


    [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
    class SECURITY_ATTRIBUTES
    {
        public int nLength;
        public IntPtr lpSecurityDescriptor;
        public int bInheritHandle;
    }


    [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential, CharSet = CharSet.Unicode)]
    struct STARTUPINFO
    {
        public Int32 cb;
        public string lpReserved;
        public string lpDesktop;
        public string lpTitle;
        public Int32 dwX;
        public Int32 dwY;
        public Int32 dwXSize;
        public Int32 dwYSize;
        public Int32 dwXCountChars;
        public Int32 dwYCountChars;
        public Int32 dwFillAttribute;
        public Int32 dwFlags;
        public Int16 wShowWindow;
        public Int16 cbReserved2;
        public IntPtr lpReserved2;
        public IntPtr hStdInput;
        public IntPtr hStdOutput;
        public IntPtr hStdError;
    }

    [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
    internal struct PROCESS_INFORMATION
    {
        public IntPtr hProcess;
        public IntPtr hThread;
        public int dwProcessId;
        public int dwThreadId;
    }

    enum LOGON_TYPE
    {
        LOGON32_LOGON_INTERACTIVE = 2,
        LOGON32_LOGON_NETWORK,
        LOGON32_LOGON_BATCH,
        LOGON32_LOGON_SERVICE,
        LOGON32_LOGON_UNLOCK = 7,
        LOGON32_LOGON_NETWORK_CLEARTEXT,
        LOGON32_LOGON_NEW_CREDENTIALS
    }

    enum LOGON_PROVIDER
    {
        LOGON32_PROVIDER_DEFAULT,
        LOGON32_PROVIDER_WINNT35,
        LOGON32_PROVIDER_WINNT40,
        LOGON32_PROVIDER_WINNT50
    }

    [Flags]
    enum CreateProcessFlags : uint
    {
        CREATE_BREAKAWAY_FROM_JOB = 0x01000000,
        CREATE_DEFAULT_ERROR_MODE = 0x04000000,
        CREATE_NEW_CONSOLE = 0x00000010,
        CREATE_NEW_PROCESS_GROUP = 0x00000200,
        CREATE_NO_WINDOW = 0x08000000,
        CREATE_PROTECTED_PROCESS = 0x00040000,
        CREATE_PRESERVE_CODE_AUTHZ_LEVEL = 0x02000000,
        CREATE_SEPARATE_WOW_VDM = 0x00000800,
        CREATE_SHARED_WOW_VDM = 0x00001000,
        CREATE_SUSPENDED = 0x00000004,
        CREATE_UNICODE_ENVIRONMENT = 0x00000400,
        DEBUG_ONLY_THIS_PROCESS = 0x00000002,
        DEBUG_PROCESS = 0x00000001,
        DETACHED_PROCESS = 0x00000008,
        EXTENDED_STARTUPINFO_PRESENT = 0x00080000,
        INHERIT_PARENT_AFFINITY = 0x00010000
    }

    [StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)]
    public struct WTS_SESSION_INFO
    {
        public int SessionID;
        [MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPTStr)]
        public string WinStationName;
        public ConnectionState State;
    }

    [DllImport("wtsapi32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Auto, SetLastError = true)]
    public static extern Int32 WTSEnumerateSessions(IntPtr hServer, int reserved, int version,
                                                    ref IntPtr sessionInfo, ref int count);


    [DllImport("advapi32.dll", EntryPoint = "CreateProcessAsUserW", SetLastError = true, CharSet = CharSet.Auto)]
    static extern bool CreateProcessAsUser(
        IntPtr hToken,
        string lpApplicationName,
        string lpCommandLine,
        IntPtr lpProcessAttributes,
        IntPtr lpThreadAttributes,
        bool bInheritHandles,
        UInt32 dwCreationFlags,
        IntPtr lpEnvironment,
        string lpCurrentDirectory,
        ref STARTUPINFO lpStartupInfo,
        out PROCESS_INFORMATION lpProcessInformation);

    [DllImport("wtsapi32.dll")]
    public static extern void WTSFreeMemory(IntPtr memory);

    [DllImport("kernel32.dll")]
    private static extern UInt32 WTSGetActiveConsoleSessionId();

    [DllImport("wtsapi32.dll", SetLastError = true)]
    static extern int WTSQueryUserToken(UInt32 sessionId, out IntPtr Token);

    [DllImport("advapi32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Auto, SetLastError = true)]
    public extern static bool DuplicateTokenEx(
        IntPtr hExistingToken,
        uint dwDesiredAccess,
        IntPtr lpTokenAttributes,
        int ImpersonationLevel,
        int TokenType,
        out IntPtr phNewToken);

    private const int TokenImpersonation = 2;
    private const int SecurityIdentification = 1;
    private const int MAXIMUM_ALLOWED = 0x2000000;
    private const int TOKEN_DUPLICATE = 0x2;
    private const int TOKEN_QUERY = 0x00000008;

    /// <summary>
    /// Launches a process for the current logged on user if there are any.
    /// If none, return false as well as in case of 
    /// 
    /// ##### !!! BEWARE !!! ####  ------------------------------------------
    /// This code will only work when running in a windows service (where it is really needed)
    /// so in case you need to test it, it needs to run in the service. Reason
    /// is a security privileg which only services have (SE_??? something, cant remember)!
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="processExe"></param>
    /// <returns></returns>
    public static bool CreateProcessAsCurrentUser(string processExe)
    {

        IntPtr duplicate = new IntPtr();
        STARTUPINFO info = new STARTUPINFO();
        PROCESS_INFORMATION procInfo = new PROCESS_INFORMATION();

        Debug.WriteLine(string.Format("CreateProcessAsCurrentUser. processExe: " + processExe));

        IntPtr p = GetCurrentUserToken();

        bool result = DuplicateTokenEx(p, MAXIMUM_ALLOWED | TOKEN_QUERY | TOKEN_DUPLICATE, IntPtr.Zero, SecurityIdentification, SecurityIdentification, out duplicate);
        Debug.WriteLine(string.Format("DuplicateTokenEx result: {0}", result));
        Debug.WriteLine(string.Format("duplicate: {0}", duplicate));


        if (result)
        {
            result = CreateProcessAsUser(duplicate, processExe, null,
                IntPtr.Zero, IntPtr.Zero, false, (UInt32)CreateProcessFlags.CREATE_NEW_CONSOLE, IntPtr.Zero, null,
                ref info, out procInfo);
            Debug.WriteLine(string.Format("CreateProcessAsUser result: {0}", result));

        }


        if (p.ToInt32() != 0)
        {
            Marshal.Release(p);
            Debug.WriteLine(string.Format("Released handle p: {0}", p));
        }


        if (duplicate.ToInt32() != 0)
        {
            Marshal.Release(duplicate);
            Debug.WriteLine(string.Format("Released handle duplicate: {0}", duplicate));
        }



        return result;
    }

    public static int GetCurrentSessionId()
    {
        uint sessionId = WTSGetActiveConsoleSessionId();
        Debug.WriteLine(string.Format("sessionId: {0}", sessionId));

        if (sessionId == 0xFFFFFFFF)
            return -1;
        else
            return (int)sessionId;
    }

    public static bool IsUserLoggedOn()
    {
        List<WTS_SESSION_INFO> wtsSessionInfos = ListSessions();
        Debug.WriteLine(string.Format("Number of sessions: {0}", wtsSessionInfos.Count));
        return wtsSessionInfos.Where(x => x.State == ConnectionState.Active).Count() > 0;
    }

    private static IntPtr GetCurrentUserToken()
    {
        List<WTS_SESSION_INFO> wtsSessionInfos = ListSessions();
        int sessionId = wtsSessionInfos.Where(x => x.State == ConnectionState.Active).FirstOrDefault().SessionID;
        //int sessionId = GetCurrentSessionId();

        Debug.WriteLine(string.Format("sessionId: {0}", sessionId));
        if (sessionId == int.MaxValue)
        {
            return IntPtr.Zero;
        }
        else
        {
            IntPtr p = new IntPtr();
            int result = WTSQueryUserToken((UInt32)sessionId, out p);
            Debug.WriteLine(string.Format("WTSQueryUserToken result: {0}", result));
            Debug.WriteLine(string.Format("WTSQueryUserToken p: {0}", p));

            return p;
        }
    }

    public static List<WTS_SESSION_INFO> ListSessions()
    {
        IntPtr server = IntPtr.Zero;
        List<WTS_SESSION_INFO> ret = new List<WTS_SESSION_INFO>();

        try
        {
            IntPtr ppSessionInfo = IntPtr.Zero;

            Int32 count = 0;
            Int32 retval = WTSEnumerateSessions(IntPtr.Zero, 0, 1, ref ppSessionInfo, ref count);
            Int32 dataSize = Marshal.SizeOf(typeof(WTS_SESSION_INFO));

            Int64 current = (int)ppSessionInfo;

            if (retval != 0)
            {
                for (int i = 0; i < count; i++)
                {
                    WTS_SESSION_INFO si = (WTS_SESSION_INFO)Marshal.PtrToStructure((System.IntPtr)current, typeof(WTS_SESSION_INFO));
                    current += dataSize;

                    ret.Add(si);
                }

                WTSFreeMemory(ppSessionInfo);
            }
        }
        catch (Exception exception)
        {
            Debug.WriteLine(exception.ToString());
        }

        return ret;
    }

}