Unable to write to a file created by an AutoHotKey script

Question

I have a Dell PC with Win7 64 using what I believe is the latest version of AutoHotKey.

I wrote an Installer App with AutoHotKey to create two directories with a number of sub directories then install an exe program and a number of data files into those directories. The App installs into the existing C:\Program Files and C:\Program Data directories.

The Installer App creates the sub directory C:\Program Files\DSOSort then installs the file DSOSort.exe. The installer App then creates the sub directory C:\Program Data\DSOSort and installs a number of additional sub directories with all the associated text data files.

I used the FileCreateDir and FileInstall instructions in the Installation App to create the directories and install the files.

Everything in the Installer App and in the exe program works as it should except that the exe will not make any changes to the text data files in the newly created C:\Program Data\DSOSort directory. I have to open the directory with Properties and allow Users to Write. Once that is done the exe will change data in the text data files correctly and all is well.

If I change the Installer App to create a directory C:\DSOSort then install all the sub directories and data files in there instead of into C:\Program Data\DSOSort the exe can write to the text file. I do not have to change any permissions with Properties.

I tried using the various copies of the C:\Program Data\DSOSort directory I found in C:\Documents and Settings and also in C:\Users. The exe can read them but no Write.

I only have this problem with newly installed directories and again as I said earlier it can be corrected with Properties.

The exe program was written for people with enough knowledge to run the Installation App but do not understand Properties or making changes to the directories.

I could just leave the data files in a C:\DSOSort directory but would prefer to put them in a C:\Program Data\DSOSort directory.

Is there a way for AutoHotKey to check the user permissions and changing them if necessary before installing the data files?

Is my PC behaving properly? Is it supposed to create directories without allowing Write to the files?

Answer 1

Some of these directories, like "Program Files", require admin privileges to modify. I believe that is why you're experiencing that. Have your app run as an admin and it should be fine. The setting for you EXE can be found in the properties.

The A_IsAdmin built-in variable returns whether the current user has admin rights.