Registration-free COM doesn't work when run from a service - service

I'm quite experienced with Registration-Free COM and manifests, but I'm stumped by a problem that I cannot overcome. I have an executable that is run as a windows service, and it spawns another executable (using CreateProcess). The spawned executable uses a COM library (that we make as well), and has a manifest file that defines the COM assembly.
It should be noted that the windows service can be run as a console mode from a command-prompt as well, for debugging purposes. When I run the service in console mode, the spawned executable "sees" the COM library, so the manifest is working correctly. When it is run as a service, I always get a "Class not registered" error in the spawned process.
I don't know why it's not working. Is it a registration-free limitation? If I register the COM library then all works fine (in console mode or service mode), but I'd obviously like to avoid that.
Thanks,
Normand

Might it be that the current directory of a windows service is the system32 folder? Try changing the environment once you are running and see if it'll then resolve the manifest file.
Odds are this is the problem but I don't want to spend the hour it would take to mock it all up and test it. :)

Related

How to Build a definition and publish test results for a Java project with maven, Junit and selenium on Visual Studios Team Services VSTS

I have an automation script that uses maven POM.xml to import all the dependencies needed from selenium and junit. The main test uses selenium to open a browser, verify some information, close the browser and the test ends.
When run as Junit it works fine: run as Junit test
When run as Maven Test it works fine as well: run as maven test
In both scenarios, the program opens the browser and navigates through the website as it should do for an automated test.
Now I need to integrate it to VSTS so I can visualize the overall pass/fail test on the VSTS dashboard but I'm not familiarized with this tool too much yet.
So far this is what I have managed to do:
Deploy an agent on my WindowsPC (I want to execute and deploy the project on an Azure VM or another azure instance later on) NOTE: this is the same pc I'm successfully running the program using eclipse as shown in the screenshoots above. https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/vsts/build-release/actions/agents/v2-windows?view=vsts
Create a build definition on VSTS but when I queue the definition the build fails: build definition and the build fail.
I don't know why it can't find mt config.txt file since it is located on the same hosted agent in that same directory. I'll appreciate if someone is capable of guiding me through this process so I can run the program from the VSTS and visualize the overall tests that fail and pass on the VSTS dashboard.
UPDATE: I moved the config.txt file to the public directory and the build was successful(I still need to fix this issue because I do not want my work in a public folder).
Now the problem I have is that even though the build is successful and it looks like it is running my "3 tests", When I look at my pc, nothing is happening. it should open chrome and take a screenshot, then open Firefox and take another screenshot and finally open internet explorer and take another screenshot and save each test on different folders but it is only generating folders for chrome and internet explorer (but still those folders does not have the screenshot I'm asking, maybe because the browser is not being open on the computer.)
Here is the log: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1S_MhAUmzj8i9phPQiqS06s0_1cCRrbF0
test output report generated on my computer
test output on vsts
Look at the error message. The error message tells you precisely what the problem is: java.io.FileNotFoundException: Y:\Automation Team\CopaQA\Architecture\local\config.txt (The system cannot find the path specified)
You need to not rely on hard-coded paths.
You say you registered a build agent against your VSTS account... but did you change the agent queue for your build? If the agent queue is "Hosted", you're using Microsoft's hosted agent.
I don't know why it can't find mt config.txt file since it is located on the same hosted agent in that same directory.
It turns out that Java.IO. can't read files located on a shared network drive, I solved this by using the UNC path to that file (//"computername"/"directory"/"file.txt")
Now the problem I have is that even though the build is successful and
it looks like it is running my "3 tests", When I look at my pc,
nothing is happening.
It took me a little reading to realize that to perform UI tests my agent needs to be set up in INTERACTIVE MODE. it can be done following this guide: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/vsts/build-release/actions/agents/v2-windows?view=vsts

How to run scheduled Coded UI Tests on Virtual Machine without having a RDP connection

Situation in short:
Virtual Machine with Visual Studio 2013 installed. PowerShell script
runs on the VM to execute Get Latest, Build and Execute Coded UI
Tests. Windows Scheduled Task to execute PowerShell nightly.
auto-logon is enabled (or I'm doing something wrong?)
yes, I've read post Is it possible to run Coded UI tests without having to connect via remote desktop?
I've seen posts about TCM. Does this help and how can I use it in my
situation?
I made some tests in Microsoft Test Manager and I also executed and recorded them.
I've loaded these tests in a test project (and changed the script providing categories and custom checks).
I then categorized these (as Development or Acceptance).
I executed out using a PowerShell script on a VM (with Visual Studio 2013 installed) with following actions:
Get Latest
Build
Run latest build with a selected set aka category using mstest.exe
So far everything is going perfectly. All the tests pass.
However, when I create a Scheduled Task on my VM run the PowerShell script everything fails because of a missing session.
Do I have the VM (I have no knowledge of Virtual Machines) then unlock or something?
Side-Note:
I also tried to fix this with a Test Agent and Controller, but once I had installed these, all other users of TFS lost their rights, so I prefer not to do this again.
I would be very grateful if you know something that can solve this.
I spent hours on Google finding a solution for this issue, but no solution helped me.
Do I need to provide more information?
The problem you're seeming to have is that the testagent is not setup correctly. You need an active desktop session for Coded UI to be able to run (it needs it to perform all the actions such as clicks).
Microsoft has some nice info about setting up your test agent here.
But to tackle your exact problem of the test failing because of a missing session I'd suggest the following:
Run AutoLogOn.exe from the sysinternals suite (can be found at http://live.sysinternals.com/). It will automatically log in with specified user when the machine starts, and keeps the desktop session active.
Alright...I'm making progress.
I've installed test agent and controller. It's all running fine.
Next I've opened Lab Center on my own MTM to create a new environment.
Test Controller is found, but I receive the message in this post "Microsoft Test Manager cannot install test agent on these machines" when creating new Lab Center environment
File and Printer sharing exception is enabled. I don't get the other message.
I don't understand what is wrong.
Maybe I'm completely on the wrong track and it's not necessary to use the Lab Center.
Then the only remaining issue is the non-active desktop issue.

Proxy DLL for ieframe.dll

I have created a template proxy dll for ieframe.dll using wrappit (http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/16541/Create-your-Proxy-DLLs-automatically)
Currently, I am trying to hook it to test if it works before modifying any function, however, when I tried it, Windows starts throwing out DEP errors and explorer.exe keeps crashing, as such, I tried disabling DEP for Windows Explorer, but explorer still keep crashing. Restarting the machine doesn't work either.
I am wondering if there is ieframe.dll is anything different about ieframe.dll in particular as compared to other dlls. Previously, I have created a proxy dll for advapi32.dll using the same method and there wasn't any issue with the hooking nor the DEP. Any ideas?
EDIT: I am using Windows XP SP3

What is the best way put a program in windows startup?

There are many methods to make a program run at windows startup.
For example:
Start Menu --> All Programs --> Startup
Registry (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run)
Task Scheduler
More methods I don't know yet?
So the questions are:
What is the differences between all those ways? (in the startup sequence/pipeline, technical, priority, system resources management, etc.)
What is the best way to put a program in the windows startup?
You can use the Startup Folder Trick:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
Or Win.ini Trick.
Info
Edit: Sorry I went too fast.
The common way a program is executed at startup is via the Registry or via a Windows Services. I believe the Services' way might be executed before the ones in the registry (..\CurrentVersion\Run).
I dont think however the program have been executed changes how this program consume resources.

build failed executing nant

I've got a nant build script (.86 beta) and it is telling me this:
BUILD FAILED
Failed to initialize the 'Microsoft
.Net Framework 2.0' target
framework.
The process cannot access the file
'C:\Users\cconway\AppData\Local\Temp\tmp25E3.tmp'
because it is being used by another
process.
This file does not even exist on my machine. Does anyone know the cause of this? Rebooting seems to allow me to run the script once successfully, but every time after that I get this message (though the name of the tmp file changes per reboot).
Thanks!
Are there any third-party tasks which might leave temp files open or keep running in the background, thus leaving file locked?
Maybe try sysinternals process monitor which will allow you to see the process which has the handle on this file.
Also, make sure that you have all the right versions of .Net installed and they are the correct ones (SDK vs Runtime). If you open the config file for nant you can see where it expects the .net version to be go check to make sure it's there and that you can see hte compiler methods (csc, vbc, etc). So it could have something that is trying to find it but it's not there or the pathing is off.
It is beta so there could even be a typo in the config file.
The answer is my anti-virus. I should have tried disabling that first! Once I disabled it, everything worked like a charm.
Hope this helps someone.