AutoHotkey Permissions

[Alexander2]

When I start Microsoft Outlook manually by clicking on its shortcut, the program automatically signs me in into my Gmail account at startup. But when I start Microsoft Outlook through AutoHotkey’s Run command, Outlook requires me to sign in manually. This may have to do with AutoHotkey’s permissions.

Does anyone know how to start Outlook through AutoHotkey with the highest permissions in order that Outlook may sign me in automatically into the Gmail account at startup?

[gregster]

Just a guess what the actual difference might be: A shortcut usually has information about a working directory for the program it runs.
You can try to add that same working directory as the second parameter of Run. For some programs, it really makes a difference.

[Alexander2]

Just a guess what the actual difference might be: A shortcut usually has information about a working directory for the program it runs.
You can try to add that same working directory as the second parameter of Run. For some programs, it really makes a difference.

The following is the command which I use to start Outlook:

Code: Select all

run % """C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\OUTLOOK.EXE"""

Can you explain what exactly has to be added or changed?

[boiler]

The suggestion is to add its directory as the second parameter, which is the WorkingDir parameter:

Code: Select all

Run, "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\OUTLOOK.EXE", C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16

By the way, I'm usually a big proponent of using expression syntax over legacy syntax, but I don't see the advantage of forcing an expression for the first parameter in this case, so I showed it using legacy syntax (as I did for the second parameter).

[Alexander2]

The suggestion is to add its directory as the second parameter, which is the WorkingDir parameter:

Code: Select all

Run, "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\OUTLOOK.EXE", C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16

By the way, I'm usually a big proponent of using expression syntax over legacy syntax, but I don't see the advantage of forcing an expression for the first parameter in this case, so I showed it using legacy syntax (as I did for the second parameter).

Thank you. I have tried using the above command, but Outlook still does not sign in automatically when it is launched through AutoHotkey automatically at system startup through the Task Scheduler. (The option “At logon” is selected in the Task Scheduler.)

[boiler]

You might want to show all the properties in the shortcut you use manually because it may be passing some arguments to Outlook as it runs it that you could add to your Run command.

[Alexander2]

You might want to show all the properties in the shortcut you use manually because it may be passing some arguments to Outlook as it runs it that you could add to your Run command.

The shortcut is ordinary. It does not have any parameters added.

1.png (51.79 KiB) Viewed 2372 times

[MrDodel]

I think you need to specify the profile in your command line arg:

Code: Select all

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\OUTLOOK.EXE /profile "NAMEOFPROFILE"

[Alexander2]

I think you need to specify the profile in your command line arg:

Code: Select all

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\OUTLOOK.EXE /profile "NAMEOFPROFILE"

Do you mean the Windows user name or the computer name (both of which are chosen during Windows 11 installation)?
Should this name be specified in the Outlook.exe file shortcut or in the AutoHotkey Run command?

[MrDodel]

I think you need to specify the profile in your command line arg:

Code: Select all

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\OUTLOOK.EXE /profile "NAMEOFPROFILE"

Do you mean the Windows user name or the computer name (both of which are chosen during Windows 11 installation)?
Should this name be specified in the Outlook.exe file shortcut or in the AutoHotkey Run command?

It's the email profile name, so if you go to control panel, select mail, then the profile tab you can see the name of the profile you have setup in outlook, you then pass that profile name to outlook.exe as shown above.

[Alexander2]

Thank you for the explanation.
The Control Panel shows that that the name of the profile is “Outlook”:

2.png (20.15 KiB) Viewed 2197 times

I have added the parameter in Outlook’s shortcut:

1.png (24.24 KiB) Viewed 2197 times

However, Outlook still does not sign in automatically when its shortcut is opened by AutoHotkey at system log on.

[boiler]

You didn’t say you were running the shortcut from your AHK script, at least not that I saw. Is that what you are trying now? Can you show that script?

[Alexander2]

You didn’t say you were running the shortcut from your AHK script, at least not that I saw. Is that what you are trying now? Can you show that script?

Yes, I have tried launching Outlook also through its shortcut with the use of AutoHotkey.

I have tried running both of the following commands, but in each instance Outlook does not sign in automatically when it is launched through Autohotkey at system log on:

Code: Select all

run "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\OUTLOOK.EXE" /profile Outlook

Code: Select all

run % """C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Outlook.lnk"""

However, Outlook signs in when I launch it with the use of AutoHotkey some time after system log on. It seems that the problem lies with the permissions at system log on, as if AutoHotkey does not have all the permissions immediately after the system starts but gains those permissions some time after the startup.

[TrebleTA]

Have you tried shellrun, I'm having the same problem tring to run explorer as the loged in user, when running the script as a admin. Yet shellrun may work for you?

[Alexander2]

Have you tried shellrun, I'm having the same problem tring to run explorer as the loged in user, when running the script as a admin. Yet shellrun may work for you?

I can try using this command. How can this command be run in an AutoHotkey script to launch Outlook with the specified profile name?

[TrebleTA]

Try here, were I see info. viewtopic.php?t=92700
Also my topic almost about the same problem here
viewtopic.php?t=102099

Also how do you start via task scheduler, what user, are you run with highest privileges, as could be due to this. To start outlook it would need ahk to be running as that user with standard privileges. Also you can add a delay to the task start like 5seconds or more.
Running as a admin then as x users profile may be the problem

Sorry for the edit, it's late.

[Alexander2]

Try here, were I see info. viewtopic.php?t=92700
Also my topic almost about the same problem here
viewtopic.php?t=102099

Thank you for the information. Since I do not have much programming knowledge, I do not understand what is stated in those threads. Perhaps there may be a simpler way to run Outlook normally.

Also how do you start via task scheduler, what user, are you run with highest privileges, as could be due to this. To start outlook it would need ahk to be running as that user with standard privileges.

The following are the parameters in the Task Scheduler:

1.png (32.53 KiB) Viewed 1907 times

2.png (31.62 KiB) Viewed 1907 times

3.png (21.99 KiB) Viewed 1907 times

The option “Run with the highest privileges” is checked because the AutoHotkey script runs at system log only when this option is selected.

Also you can add a delay to the task start like 5seconds or more.

The delay is already added in the AutoHotkey script. The script launches Outlook more than a minute after the script is run. But Outloook still does not sign in automatically.

[tank]

seems you might try the RunAs command for your script to apply the correct user context. the scheduled task causes an administrative context to the script which needs to be specific to the current user

[TrebleTA]

In picture 2 edit trigger, delay task for put 30 seconds. See if that works else can try this

Code: Select all

/*
  ShellRun by Lexikos
    requires: AutoHotkey v1.1
    license: http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

  Credit for explaining this method goes to BrandonLive:
  http://brandonlive.com/2008/04/27/getting-the-shell-to-run-an-application-for-you-part-2-how/
 
  Shell.ShellExecute(File [, Arguments, Directory, Operation, Show])
  http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/gg537745
*/
ShellRun(prms*)
{
    shellWindows := ComObjCreate("Shell.Application").Windows
    VarSetCapacity(_hwnd, 4, 0)
    desktop := shellWindows.FindWindowSW(0, "", 8, ComObj(0x4003, &_hwnd), 1)
   
    ; Retrieve top-level browser object.
    if ptlb := ComObjQuery(desktop
        , "{4C96BE40-915C-11CF-99D3-00AA004AE837}"  ; SID_STopLevelBrowser
        , "{000214E2-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}") ; IID_IShellBrowser
    {
        ; IShellBrowser.QueryActiveShellView -> IShellView
        if DllCall(NumGet(NumGet(ptlb+0)+15*A_PtrSize), "ptr", ptlb, "ptr*", psv:=0) = 0
        {
            ; Define IID_IDispatch.
            VarSetCapacity(IID_IDispatch, 16)
            NumPut(0x46000000000000C0, NumPut(0x20400, IID_IDispatch, "int64"), "int64")
           
            ; IShellView.GetItemObject -> IDispatch (object which implements IShellFolderViewDual)
            DllCall(NumGet(NumGet(psv+0)+15*A_PtrSize), "ptr", psv
                , "uint", 0, "ptr", &IID_IDispatch, "ptr*", pdisp:=0)
           
            ; Get Shell object.
            shell := ComObj(9,pdisp,1).Application
           
            ; IShellDispatch2.ShellExecute
            shell.ShellExecute(prms*)
           
            ObjRelease(psv)
        }
        ObjRelease(ptlb)
    }
}
; ------------ here you put your run line ----------
ShellRun("outlook.exe /profile")

The first part of the code is to get your command to run as a user. Just not sure if it will work. The bottom command can then be put in your script to replace the run.

[TrebleTA]

Or shellrun("outlook.exe")