Automate App via WIN32 possible?

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I'm in a situation where I need to launch a new process then automate
it to navigate its single menu and thru a file dialog. The main
application to launch the new process and automate it needs to be able
to wake up during a specifc web request (web app initiated) or act as
an always waiting / always on windows service (windows service
initiated) so that when the call comes in, the new process is created
and automation begins.

From what i gather launching a new process via a web app or a windows
service (Log On either as Local System w/ Interactive or This Account -
Admin) will prevent automation via SendMessage / PostMessage since
there is no interactive desktop.

My question is could the Terminal Services API or
CreateProcessAsUser / CreatDesktop / CreateWindowStation win32 api be
my solution around this non-interactive desktop in order to get
PostMessage to function for my automation process. Or is there a
better approach to automating this external process when a user is NOT
logged onto the desktop? There is no custom API available for the
launched process.

So far Im eyeing CreateProcessAsUser. On MSDN:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms682429.aspx at the
lpStartupInfo section it explains: "If you want the process to be
interactive, specify winsta0\default."

Thanks.

.

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