Set Workstation Agent elevation during installation

Note: Applicable to Workstation Agent v25.12.11.1628 and above.

OpenLM Workstation Agent can be configured to ask for elevated privileges (Administrator rights) when running under a user that has them or to run under the standard user context (non-elevated). This configuration is determined during installation through the installer property RUN_AS_ELEVATED or by modifying the settings.json file post-installation.

Set elevation in the installer

Use the installer UI

1. Run the installer.

2. Find the Run as elevated check box.

   

3. Select the check box to run the Workstation Agent with administrator rights, or clear it to run the Workstation Agent as a standard user.

Use the command line

When you install from the command line, set the RUN_AS_ELEVATED parameter.

• Parameter: RUN_AS_ELEVATED=true|false
• Default: true (when omitted)

Example:

msiexec /i "MSIPATH" AUTHORIZATION_TYPE="1" AUTHORIZATION_FILE_PATH="JSONFILEPATH" SERVER_ADDRESS=OpenLMServerFQDN SERVER_PORT=5015 USE_ENDUSERS_SERVICES=true ENDUSERS_SERVICES_ADDRESS=OpenLMServerFQDN ENDUSERS_SERVICES_PORT=53555 USE_APP_MANAGER=true APPMANAGER_ADDRESS=OpenLMServerFQDN APPMANAGER_PORT=27080 INSTALL_ARCGIS="1" INSTALL_AUTOCAD="1" INSTALL_MATLAB="1" INSTALL_SOLIDWORKS="1" INSTALL_ARCGISPRO="1" RUN_AS_ELEVATED=false /q

Silent installation: first-run behavior

When you run a silent installation with RUN_AS_ELEVATED=false, the Workstation Agent doesn't prompt for elevated permissions. Its first run depends on the deployment method.

Installed from an elevated command prompt

When you run the installer manually as an administrator, for example through msiexec:

• First run: launches immediately with Elevated (Admin) privileges for this session only.
• Subsequent runs: after a reboot, re-login, or manual restart, it reverts to Non-Elevated as configured.

Installed through SCCM (System account)

When you deploy through the System account:

• First run: the Workstation Agent doesn't start automatically under the current user account immediately after installation.
• Subsequent runs: starts automatically the next time the user logs in (or launches it manually), running as a Non-Elevated process.

Neither method shows a User Account Control (UAC) prompt.

Set elevation in the configuration file

To switch elevation after installation, edit settings.json in the Workstation Agent installation folder.

1. Open settings.json.
2. Find the permissions object.
3. Set runAsElevated to true or false:
   • true: allow the Workstation Agent to request elevation
   • false: run as a standard user

Example configuration:

{
  "process": {
    "processSyncInterval": 2000,
    "trackingMs": 30000
  },
  "permissions": {
    "runAsElevated": true
  },
  "security": {
    "enabled": false
  }
}

Feature availability by privilege level

The functionality of the Workstation Agent depends on the combination of the Workstation Agent's privilege level and the target application's privilege level.

Workstation Agent state	Target application state	Feature support
Elevated	Any (Elevated or Non-Elevated)	Full support
Non-Elevated	Non-Elevated	Full support
Non-Elevated	Elevated	Partial support (see details below)

Limitations: Non-Elevated Agent versus Elevated process

When a Non-Elevated Workstation Agent interacts with an Elevated process, access to some process information is restricted:

• Command line argument parsing: command-line arguments cannot be read. Impact: Applications Manager rules that rely on specific start arguments will not trigger.
• Process suspension: cannot suspend the process, and minimizing the window before suspension is not supported.
• WM extensions: Catia, Harmony, Kingdom, Petra.

Supported features (Non-Elevated Workstation Agent versus Elevated process)

• Web monitoring
• Dongle monitoring
• Process management, including:
  • Resource monitoring: CPU usage, I/O usage, user usage.
  • Idle time tracking: process idle time and user-specific idle time.
  • Process path: executable location is available.
  • Release by extension
  • Process termination: through Workstation Agent procedure or Applications Manager.
  • Screenshots of the monitored process (when activated)