UPnP APIs

The UPnP framework enables dynamic networking of intelligent appliances, wireless devices, and PCs. There are two APIs for working with UPnP-certified devices:

• The Control Point API, which consists of a set of COM interfaces used to find and control devices.
• The Device Host API, which consists of a set of COM interfaces used to implement devices that are hosted by a computer.

The Control Point API enables developers to write applications that search for and control UPnP-certified devices. The Device Host API enables developers to implement the functionality of UPnP-certified devices, and use the device host to manage the discovery, description, control, presentation, and eventing functions of a UPnP-certified device.

Developers using the Control Point APIs and Device Host APIs must be familiar with the UPnP device architecture. For more information, see the UPnP Implementation Documentation and the UPnP Forum.

Developers who are using the Device Host APIs should be familiar with the Active Template Library (ATL) and COM interfaces.

The Control Point APIs and Device Host APIs are used by a variety of applications, from scripts embedded in HTML pages to full-fledged C++ and Microsoft Visual Basic programs.

Only the Control Point API supports Visual Basic Scripting Edition (VBScript).

The Control Point API is used on computers running Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition, Windows XP, Windows XP Professional, and Windows CE .NET.

The Device Host API is used on computers running Windows XP, Windows XP Professional, and Windows CE .NET.

For more specific information about which operating systems support a particular function, refer to "Requirements" in the documentation.