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I have to give an MSI to a large organisation for it to install (presumably via GPO) on to some of their workstations that are running XP.

I already know that my application is not allowed to write to the application folder. I realise it should be writing to the AppData folder.

The organisation has allocated a folder on a server for the database files and other configuration files. This folder is referenced by UNC naming and not by mapped drives.

My question is: based on normal practices, is my app likely to have the rights to create a sub-folder on this server? Is my app likely to have the rights to create files on this server?

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There is no way we could know what security this company has on this folder. You need to ask them. – EEAA Feb 16 '12 at 14:07
My understand is that unless otherwise specified an application runs under the context of the user that is currently logged on, thus your 'app' doesn't actually have permissions at all. – JohnThePro Feb 16 '12 at 21:50
@JohnThePro: what do you mean it has no rights? The app apparently can access a server folder where the database files are. – CJ7 Feb 17 '12 at 1:38
This is what I mean. stackoverflow.com/questions/8424412/… – JohnThePro Feb 17 '12 at 16:12

closed as off topic by Michael Hampton, Iain♦ Oct 14 '12 at 21:17

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2 Answers

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In our enterprise those sound like reasonable things to do. If they give your write access, create folder and create files are assumed. BUT - I wouldn't assume. Tell them what you are assuming and get some feedback.

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is my app likely to have the rights to create a sub-folder on this server?

A sub-folder to WHAT?

To the folder you are assigned? it should.

Is my app likely to have the rights to create files?

What sense is it to give you a folder for your application files if you can not create them?

Follow windows software best practices as documented for windows since the dawn of time, and ignored by developers since basically they got published. Ever since Windows XP bad programmers get hit in the face by those regulations suddenly enforced ;)

Now:

  • You got folder, use it. You should have all rights there. Create files and folders as well as delete them. It would be good to allow a registry key optionally to redirect that folder -if it gets bigger,admins may want to move it somewhere else (mostly for server software). note you can set registry keys using the MSI.

Now, MSI... do NOT use visual studio tools, get down, learn what MSI are and use WIX from Codeplex ;)

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They have given me a folder on one of their servers. I am wondering whether my app could create a sub-folder to this folder to put some files in. – CJ7 Feb 16 '12 at 14:09
Ask them? Now, if you are given a folder then use it directly. But otherwise they have to answer. Not us. We dont know your IT's policy. – TomTom Feb 16 '12 at 14:12
As I mentioned above, this is entirely depedent on the ACL of this folder, and whether the users running the app have have the necessary ACEs. You need to ask the company. – EEAA Feb 16 '12 at 14:13
You need to ask them whether you will have this right or not. They're the only people who can tell you. – tomfanning Feb 16 '12 at 14:14
@ErikA: I am lucky enough as it is to have this software at this place. They are not very forthcoming with information. It would be best for me to make an educated guess and hope that it works. – CJ7 Feb 16 '12 at 14:14
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