Question

I’m VERY new at VB .NET and have recently downloaded MS Visual Studio Express 2012. I’m trying to design an application to replace a VBScript I created and can’t find the answer to Two of the main design phase features I require so I apologize ahead of time for my ignorance.

I’m trying to create an application to edit the configuration parameters of an existing application I support. the configurations are edited in both the Files System and in the Windows Registry.

I’m looking for a way to pass a “/q” or “/quiet” and allow the application to run silently. I have developed the program far enough to edit the options in the form and save them. I can run code (so far only messages displaying the options) from the start configuration button from a “Windows Form Application”.

I’m also needing to make sure that when running silently the application does not need UAC elevation. In the original VBScript I need to elevate UAC when editing the Windows Registry.

I know this is a lot to ask for with my current knowledge level. But I’m still in the design stage and trying to learn fast and really need to know if this is even possible before I go too far.

Answer 1

If the original application required UAC elevation to edit the registry then the new one will too. The level of access is on a per user basis not a per application basis so unless you run the application as a different user you will have the same problem with your new application.

As to running without showing the form you will need to edit Main something like this:

 <STAThread()> _
 Shared Sub Main()
    ' Read the arguments    
    ' Starts the application.
    if (argument == "/q" or argument == "/quiet") then
        ' Edit the other program configurations here
    else
        Application.Run(New Form1())
    End if
 End Sub

You can call a version of Run(ApplicationContext ) that doesn’t show a form, but as the starts the message loop you’d still need some way of actually editing the other program’s configuration, perhaps in response to key strokes.