[wix-users] Running elevated functions from non-elevated UI

[Vanniekerk, Tyrel (GE Healthcare)]

Hi,

I have some time to look at this again, so I am trying to revisit the elevated permissions issue in the installer UI.  Our current solution is that we give an error if the installer is not running with elevated permissions and if they run it "As Administrator", then everything works.  It would be easier if one could just get the installer to elevate, but that's not an option.

Assuming then that an installer with a custom bootstrapper UI is running in the prescribed WiX toolset mode, what suggestions do you have to run some check that requires elevated permissions?  There are cases where we might have to check more than one thing per install and I would prefer not to have to call another exe that will escalate, do the check and return a result somehow, just to have call it again and escalate again when the user goes back to the previous page or we need to check something else.

I was thinking I would create an exe that I can start if I need to escalate and communicate with that exe to make multiple calls for various checks.  Just not sure what would be a good way to talk between the installer UI and the exe.  Remoting is an option or web API or something like that.

Any ideas?  Every solution I have though of seems rather clunky.

Thanks,
Tyrel