Path for storing the 'per machine' application details

Question

My application needs to write some information to a file and keep it common to the machine(common to all users).

Currently I stored it in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data

But the problem is whenever the file is created by admin all the other users doesn't have write permission to it.

But I want write permission to the file for all users, so that all the users can modify data in it. Could any one help me in this?

EDIT: I want a store an xml file that is common to all users.

thanks

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 04 '11 at 06:13

0

will the registry be a good place for you? (depends what you want to store). you can create a node on the HKLM hive to be accessed by all users

answered Jul 04 '11 at 06:13

NirMH

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No it wont be, I want to store an xml file. – Bhaskar Jul 04 '11 at 06:16

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jul 04 '11 at 06:57

I would suggest you study the File.SetAccessControl() method and FileSecurity class. In particular, the FileSecurity documentation provides a complete example of modifying the file access control list (permissions set) for a given file. Here is a simplified version of that example, which gives everyone read and write permission for C:\TEMP\junk.txt:

using System;
using System.IO;
using System.Security.AccessControl;
using System.Security.Principal;

class WorldWrite
{
    static void Main()
    {
        string filename = @"C:\TEMP\junk.txt";
        if (!File.Exists(filename)) {
            Console.WriteLine("No such file " + filename);
            return;
        }

        /* Get the previous ACL, add a rule to give everyone read
         * and write permission, and write back the resulting ACL. */
        FileSecurity fileACLs = File.GetAccessControl(filename);
        fileACLs.AddAccessRule(new FileSystemAccessRule(
            // For everyone 
            new SecurityIdentifier (
                WellKnownSidType.WorldSid, 
                null /* domain SID; ignored for Everyone */
            ),
            // Allow read and write (of data and metadata), 
            // but not delete or execute
            FileSystemRights.Read | FileSystemRights.Write,
            AccessControlType.Allow
        ));
        File.SetAccessControl(filename, fileACLs);
        Console.WriteLine("Success!");
    }
}

I'm also concerned about how you are specifying the shared application data directory. If you're hard-coding the name C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data, then your code won't work on non-English versions of Windows, or Vista or Windows 7 for that matter. It may be better to use the SpecialFolder enum to find the right directory to use.

I have already tried this, but the problem is only the owner of the file will be able to change access of the file. So I am planning to change write access to user group 'Everyone' as soon as it is created for the first time. Anyhow thanks for your answer! — Bhaskar, Jul 04 '11 at 07:24
Wait, so you needed someone *other* than the file owner to change its permissions?! I hope you understand why only trusted users (such as admins!) normally have that right... — Michael Ratanapintha, Jul 04 '11 at 17:51

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jul 07 '11 at 23:10

0

If you are using ClickOnce deployment, this will be difficult to do, because you have to elevate privileges in order to read/write to a common folder, and ClickOnce apps won't do that.

You could create a small exe file that does what you want, and have the clickonce application invoke that and let it elevate privileges. That's about the only option you have.

answered Jul 07 '11 at 23:10

RobinDotNet

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I have fixed it by granting write permission to everyone while creating the file for the first time.. Now the other users are able to modify the file :) – Bhaskar Jul 08 '11 at 04:00
So are you manually creating the file? Or are you doing it from the ClickOnce app, and if so, how? – RobinDotNet Jul 08 '11 at 07:59
But how did you grant write permission to everyone? Did you do that programmatically or manually? – RobinDotNet Jul 11 '11 at 05:07
In the ClickOnce app? It let you create the folder and give write permission to everyone when you created it? I get this question a lot, so it's great if that's how you got it to work, and I can recommend the same solution to others. – RobinDotNet Jul 13 '11 at 16:39
This would help you I think http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6533433/creating-xml-file-with-write-access-given-to-all-the-windows-account-users – Bhaskar Jul 14 '11 at 03:47

Path for storing the 'per machine' application details

3 Answers3