Launch File on Client's Computer from PHP?

Question

I have written a utility that requires an installation key for uninstallation to ensure that only authorized users are uninstalling. After logging in to our website, the user will be presented with a uninstallation key, but then I would like to also launch the uninstallation wizard on the clients computer. I know this is possible, as I've done it before... just don't remember the code, nor did I save it.

Thanks in advance for any input.

Answer 1

Assuming Windows, you could tell your installer to register a custom URL protocol with a custom scheme for uninstallation. Then your php app could present a link using the custom URL scheme (uninstall-my-product://12345678-ABCD).

Users without your uninstaller would see an "i don't know what to do with this protocol" message. Users who had installed your product would launch the uninstall program.

You could accomplish a similar function by delivering a file type which was registered to open the uninstall program.

If you're using a commercial installation program, then in both cases it would probably be easier to write a little launcher application to run the uninstaller, rather than modifying the uninstaller itself.

Answer 2

PHP runs on the server-side and has no control over the client whatsoever. Neither can you use JavaScript to launch applications due to security reasons.

The only way you could do this is by using an ActiveX control or some kind of custom browser plugin. Or, if your uninstall wizard has registered some protocol handler on the client (say myuninstall://) then you could use JavaScript to redirect the user to a URL of this protocol, which will in turn then launch your program.