Script breaks when Run As Admin Topic is solved

[SirSocks]

Hello,
When I run a script or compiled script (.exe) as admin, the script fails to run as intended.
See the code below, the gui will display the file path, but if it's launched with Admin privilege's the gui will not display the file path.
I would like the user to be able to "Run as Admin" if they'd like to, or run normally.

How can a script function as intended when "Running as Admin" and running normally?
All help and guidance is appreciated.

Code: Select all

#NoEnv 
#Singleinstance, Force

gui, add, text, center, Drag and drop file here
gui, add, text, w260 vTXT_1, File path is: %FileNameVar%
gui, show, w280 ,Admin_ahk
return

GuiDropFiles:
GuiControl,, TXT_1, % "File path is: " A_GuiEvent
return

[mikeyww]

Some info, though not necessarily a solution:

https://autohotkey.com/board/topic/46176-half-solvedguidropfiles-for-uncompiled-scripts-in-vista/

https://autohotkey.com/board/topic/47133-guidropfile-with-admin-rights/

[JBensimon]

Most AHK scripts do run as intended even when elevated. The issue with your particular script is that File Explorer (which is attempting to perform the drag/drop operation) always runs at the Medium integrity level (i.e. non-elevated) whereas your target window (the AHK script's) runs at the High integrity level (i.e. elevated) when it's being run "as admin", and Windows does not by default allow a process (in your case Explorer) to send window messages (including drop messages) to processes running at a higher integrity level (like your script, when it's running "as admin").

There is however a solution available via the Windows API: your script can explicitly "declare" that it will accept certain types of messages from lower integrity processes. Insert the following lines after the gui show command, before return:

Code: Select all

DllCall("ChangeWindowMessageFilter", uint, 0x49, uint, 1)	; WM_COPYGLOBALDATA
DllCall("ChangeWindowMessageFilter", uint, 0x233, uint, 1)	; WM_DROPFILES

JB

[SirSocks]

@JBensimon That's a very good explanation, very educational, thank you!
@mikeyww Thanks for the links, they are helpful.

[JBensimon]

Q: are you Chris Hoffman https://twitter.com/chrisbhoffman or did you just swipe his photo?