Start a windows forms application before log on to windows

Question

How can i start a windows forms application before log on to windows? Is is possible to start a windows forms application before log on to windows? If it's not, do i have a chance to start a windows service before log on and invoke a windows forms application from the service that is already started before log on?

Answer 1

According to the comments to the question you want to run a standard desktop app, built with WinForms, not a service, that starts before the user has logged on.

This is not possible. What you need is a service.

Answer 2

Very basic, but should give you the gist. You also need to create a ServiceProcessInstaller for it (along with making a call to installutil).

public class WinFormHostService : System.ServiceProcess.ServiceBase
{
  [STAThread]
  public static void Main()
  {
    System.ServiceProcess.ServiceBase.Run(new WinFormHostService());
  }

  protected Process winFormsProcess;

  public WinFormHostService()
  {
    this.ServiceName = "WinForm Host Service";
    this.AutoLog = true;
  }

  protected override void OnStart(String[] args)
  {
    this.winFormsProcess = new Process();
    try
    {
      this.winFormsProcess.UseShellExecute = false;
      this.winFormsProcess.FileName = @"C:\Program Files\MyApp\MyApp.exe";
      this.winFormsProcess.CreateNoWindow = true;
      this.winFormsProcess.Start();
    }
    catch (Exception ex)
    {
      // unable to start process
    }
  }
}

This is basically like hosting a WCF service from a windows service, so if you need more details look up "WCF windows service host" (or alike) and see how that's done. Same premise, you're just using a Process instead.