windows_gui_service-cookbook

This cookbook solves a nasty Windows(>=7) problem of trying to run services that create some GUI elements. Usually you will encouter this problem

• during automated GUI testing
• when running continuous integration agent (like Jenkins) as a windows service
• when trying to run old services/applications on new windows

Solution

There are official, correct methods to deal with windows session 0 isolation. This cookbook provides alternative, when it is impossible or impractical to use IPC/ many processes, many users, etc.

General concept is to configure auto-login, then add shortcuts in windows autostart folder to processes which should run right after desktop starts.

Because of the auto-login security is gone. So do not use this cookbook in unsecure network.

Supported Platforms

Windows 7 and above.

Attributes

• node[:windows_gui_service][:autologin][:user] - User to use for auto log-in. Default 'Admin'
• node[:windows_gui_service][:autologin][:password] - Password of user to use for auto log-in. Default 'Admin'

Usage

Recipe windows_gui_service::default

Include windows_gui_service in your node's run_list:

{
  "run_list": [
    "recipe[windows_gui_service::default]"
  ]
}

This will configure auto-login and install extra script needed by this cookbook to elevate shortcut permissions.

Recipe windows_gui_service::autologin

Configures auto-login. Adds/updates user and password if missing. Requires attributes:

• node[:windows_gui_service][:autologin][:user] - User to use for auto log-in. Default 'Admin'
• node[:windows_gui_service][:autologin][:password] - Password of user to use for auto log-in. Default 'Admin'

LWRP windows_gui_service

You can use windows_gui_service LWRP to add services.

The following properties are available

• executable - string path to program or script to start. A shortcut to it will be created in autostart.
• elevate - boolean, when true shortcut has 'Runs as Administrator' flag.

Examples

• Start notepad after auto-login:

include_recipe 'windows_gui_service::default'

windows_gui_service 'notepad' do
  executable 'C:/Windows/notepad.exe'
  action  :create
end

• If you need to simulate 'Run As Administrator':

include_recipe 'windows_gui_service::default'

windows_gui_service 'notepad' do
  executable 'C:/Windows/notepad.exe'
  action  :create
  elevate true
end

Contributing

If you have better/another way of dealing with this then open an issue. Let's talk. Pull requests welcome.

License and Authors

Author:: Tomasz Setkowski ([email protected])