OpenSCManager function

Establishes a connection to the service control manager on the specified computer and opens the specified service control manager database.

Syntax

SC_HANDLE WINAPI OpenSCManager(
  _In_opt_ LPCTSTR lpMachineName,
  _In_opt_ LPCTSTR lpDatabaseName,
  _In_     DWORD   dwDesiredAccess
);

Parameters

lpMachineName [in, optional]

The name of the target computer. If the pointer is NULL or points to an empty string, the function connects to the service control manager on the local computer.

lpDatabaseName [in, optional]

The name of the service control manager database. This parameter should be set to SERVICES_ACTIVE_DATABASE. If it is NULL, the SERVICES_ACTIVE_DATABASE database is opened by default.

dwDesiredAccess [in]

The access to the service control manager. For a list of access rights, see Service Security and Access Rights.

Before granting the requested access rights, the system checks the access token of the calling process against the discretionary access-control list of the security descriptor associated with the service control manager.

The SC_MANAGER_CONNECT access right is implicitly specified by calling this function.

Return value

If the function succeeds, the return value is a handle to the specified service control manager database.

If the function fails, the return value is NULL. To get extended error information, call GetLastError.

The following error codes can be set by the SCM. Other error codes can be set by the registry functions that are called by the SCM.

Remarks

When a process uses the OpenSCManager function to open a handle to a service control manager database, the system performs a security check before granting the requested access. For more information, see Service Security and Access Rights.

If the current user does not have proper access when connecting to a service on another computer, the OpenSCManager function call fails. To connect to a service remotely, call the LogonUser function with LOGON32_LOGON_NEW_CREDENTIALS and then call ImpersonateLoggedOnUser before calling OpenSCManager. For more information about connecting to services remotely, see Services and RPC/TCP.

Only processes with Administrator privileges are able to open a database handle that can be used by the CreateService function.

The returned handle is only valid for the process that called the OpenSCManager function. It can be closed by calling the CloseServiceHandle function.

Examples

For an example, see Changing a Service's Configuration.

Requirements

See also

CloseServiceHandle

CreateService

EnumServicesStatusEx

OpenService

SCM Handles

Service Functions