What's New in the Windows SDK
The Windows SDK introduces several new features. Additionally, many programming elements topics for existing technologies have been updated to indicate support for Windows Vista™.
The following table describes new and updated features in Windows Vista.
Feature | Description |
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.NET Framework 2.0 |
In this release, .NET Framework documentation has been refreshed and updated since Visual Studio 2005 and the .NET Framework SDK were released. |
ASP.NET 2.0 |
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Base |
New APIs have been added for Windows Vista. For a list of new functions, see Windows Vista. |
C/C++ Code Analysis Tool |
The C/C++ Code Analysis tool provides information to developers about possible defects in their C/C++ source code. Common coding errors reported by the tool include buffer overrun, un-initialized memory, null pointer dereference, memory and resource leaks. #pragma Header Developers can use the #pragma directive to treat warnings as errors; and enable or disable warnings, as shown in the following examples: #pragma warning (error: 6260) #pragma warning (disable: 6011) #pragma warning (enable: 6056) Annotation Support Annotations improve the accuracy of the code analysis. Annotations provide additional information about pre- and post- conditions on function parameters and return types. For example:
In the preceding example: [Post ( MustCheck=SA_Yes)] requires caller to check the return value of CalcSquareRoot. [Pre ( Null=SA_No)] requires caller to pass non-null parameter "source" to CalcSquareRoot. Command-line support Developers can the analysis tool from the command line, as shown in the following example:
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Core Audio APIs |
In Windows Vista, a new set of user-mode audio components provides client applications with improved audio capabilities. These capabilities include:
The Core Audio APIs serve as the foundation for the following higher-level APIs:
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File Services |
Common Log File System (CLFS) provides high-performance persistent log services to user-mode and kernel-mode applications. To learn more, see About Common Log File System. Transactional NTFS (TxF) is new to Windows Vista. It integrates transactions into the NTFS file system, which makes it easier for application developers and administrators to gracefully handle errors and preserve data integrity. To learn more about Transaction NTFS, the impact of transactions on storage, and the impact of transactions on the Win32® programming layer, see About Transactional NTFS. Virtual Disk Service (VDS) is a Microsoft® Windows® service that performs query and configuration operations at the request of end users, scripts, and applications. The service extends the existing storage capabilities of the Windows Server family by providing an API to the existing volume and disk management features in Windows, and unifying volume management and hardware Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) management under a single API. To learn more about the VDS, see About VDS. Volume Shadow Copy Service(VSS) is a Microsoft® Windows® service to create shadow copies of volumes. The service ensures file system consistency of the shadow copies and also provides API’s to involve applications in the creation process thus enabling Application level consistency too. |
Gadgets |
Gadgets are small Windows applications that are developed using HTML and script. They are installed locally and reside on the Windows desktop or in the sidebar. Gadget development follows a process that should be familiar to any web developer, and includes creating an HTML file that does something interesting and an XML manifest file to store the gadget's properties, such as name, icon, and description. Windows Sidebar Gadgets can be extended to Windows SideShow. To learn more about Gadgets, see Windows Sidebar Gadget Development Overview. |
HTTP API |
New HTTP APIs have been added for Windows Vista, and platform information has been updated in existing API documentation to indicate support for this version of Windows. |
Internet Explorer 7.0 |
Internet Explorer 7.0 introduces new functionality, including enhanced security and privacy, additional browser features such as tabbed browsing and enhanced usability for platform developers. To learn more, see What's New in Internet Explorer 7. |
Internet Information Services (IIS) 7.0 |
The Windows SDK includes the IIS 7.0 SDK documentation. The binaries are not yet available in the SDK. To learn more about IIS 7.0 SDK content, see Internet Information Services (IIS) 7.0 SDK. |
Management |
Web Services for Management (WS-Management) is the Microsoft implementation of the WS-Management public standard protocol for enterprise management. The WS-Management protocol provides a common way for systems to locate and exchange management information. To learn more, see About WS-Management. The Windows Event Log enables an application to publish, access, and process events. Using the Windows Event Log API, an application can define a custom event and publish it either to an event log or to a specified publisher channel (a named logical stream of events). To access an event, an application either queries or subscribes to the log or channel. To learn more, see About Windows Event Log. |
Media Foundation |
Microsoft Media Foundation is the next generation multimedia platform and infrastructure for Microsoft Windows. The first release of Media Foundation in Microsoft Windows Vista focuses on content protection, audio and video quality, and interoperability for digital rights management (DRM). |
Memory Management |
The Memory Limits for Windows Releases topic has been updated to include memory limits information for Windows Vista. |
Microsoft Management Console (MMC) |
This release includes documentation for Microsoft Management Console 2.1. MMC is a framework that includes a graphical user interface (GUI) and programming platform in which snap-ins (collections of administrative tools) can be created, opened, and saved. This version provides tools for writing .NET-based snap-ins for managing applications. Improvements include easier development and reduced snap-in development costs, increased reliability, integrated Windows Forms support, new view types, and improved usability. For more information, see What's New in MMC. |
Mobile PC Development |
The new auxiliary display platform has been introduced in Windows Vista, allowing instant access to PC data, even in hibernate mode. |
Monitor Configuration |
The new Monitor Configuration APIs make it possible to calibrate color, adjust the monitor's display area, save and restore display settings, and use vendor-specific monitor features. |
Network Connected Devices |
Function Discovery is a new technology that integrates and unifies the discovery and delivery of metadata for both installed hardware devices and software components so that applications can easily query and build lists of devices and objects sorted by function or class. To learn more, see About Function Discovery. Web Services for Devices (WSDAPI) is a complete implementation of the Devices Profile for Web Services (DPWS). The DPWS describes a set of requirements that enable a device to be discovered by clients and describe available services to those clients. To learn more about Web Services for Devices, see About Web Service for Devices. |
Networking |
Windows Vista introduces three new networking technologies: Network Access Protocol, Network Location Awareness, and Windows Filtering Platform. Network Access Protection (NAP) is designed to help administrators maintain the health of the computers on the network, which in turns helps maintain the network’s overall integrity. To learn more about Network Access Protocol, see About NAP. The Network Location Awareness (NLA) API enables applications to avoid randomly selecting a network to connect to. NLA identifies available networks and returns network attribute data to the application. To learn more, see About NLA. With the Windows Filtering Platform (WFP) API, developers can create code that allows applications to participate in filtering that happens at all layers in the networking stack. To learn more, see About Windows Filtering Platform. |
Rights Management |
Rights Management provides the ability for client computers to run applications based on Rights Management technologies. This release does not include three functions (DRMGetClientVersion, DRMGetIntervalTime, DRMSetIntervalTime) and the server lockbox that are available in Version 1.0 SP1. For more information about functionality available in each version of Rights Management, see What's New in Rights Management Services. |
Shell and Common Controls |
This release includes several new programming elements for the Shell and Common Controls, as well flags and controls for use with existing elements. |
Tablet PC Development |
The Tablet PC platform as added new Ink Analysis APIs for improved parsing and recognition of digital ink, and a COM version of the RealTimeStylus API. For a list of changes in this release, see What's New in Tablet PC Development. |
Task Scheduler |
This release includes APIs that support programming for Task Scheduler. The Task Scheduler service enables performing automated tasks on a chosen computer. To learn more, see About the Task Scheduler. |
VCIntegrate |
The VCIntegrate tool provides Visual Studio Integration and VCBuild Support for the Windows SDK build environment. The tool integrates Windows SDK path variables with Visual Studio, adds appropriate paths to execute a project on any platform (x86, x64, IA64) from the Windows SDK command line using VCBuild. The tool integrates with any product in the Visual Studio 2005 family of products and all versions of the Windows family of operating systems that support the Windows SDK. |
Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) |
The Microsoft Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) interface is both an application programming interface (API) and a device driver interface (DDI). Dozens of new WIA APIs are introduced in this release. To learn more, see What's New in Windows Image Acquisition. |
Windows Imaging Codec (WIC) |
Codecs are a fundamental component of imaging applications and the Microsoft Windows Imaging Codec (WIC) application programming interfaces (APIs) provide a single, authoritative source of imaging codecs. The WIC APIs provide 3rd party independent software vendors (ISVs) the ability to develop their own imaging codec components and integrate them with the platform, both programmatically and through automatic component discovery. To learn more about WIC, see About Windows Imaging Codec. |
Windows Contacts |
In Windows Vista, Windows Contacts replaces Windows Address Book (WAB) as an application programming interface (API) for extending the contacts functionality. |
Windows Mail |
Outlook Express has changed its name in Windows Vista to Windows Mail. |
Windows Media DRM Client Extended APIs |
The Windows Media DRM Client Extended APIs, which are part of the Windows Media Format 11 SDK, include objects that can be used to manage Windows Media Digital Rights Management (DRM) operations on a client computer. The primary focus of these objects is the management of licenses for protected digital media content. |
Windows Media Player 11 SDK |
The Windows Media Player 11 SDK has been significantly updated with the last release, and includes documentation and samples for many new features, including player control, skins, plug-ins, and more. For a complete list, see What's New in Windows Media Player 11. |
Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) |
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Windows Forms |
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Windows Portable Devices |
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Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) |
All Panel elements now expose a property that explicitly identifies the order in which children are rendered. The higher a child's ZIndex value, the more likely it is to appear in the foreground. Conversely, the lower the value, the more likely it is to appear in the background. This is particularly useful for Panel elements like Grid and Canvas, which allow children to share the same coordinate space. In previous releases of the Windows Presentation Foundation, the z-plane order was determined by the order of children in the visual tree.
Schemas have changed for WPF and XAML. Instead of: https://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/avalon/2005 Use: https://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation Instead of: https://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation Use: https://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml 3D Updates Windows Presentation Foundation 3D APIs were updated to reflect a more consistent model. A few specific changes to make note of:
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Windows Workflow Foundation (WF) |
Windows Workflow Foundation (WF) is an extensible programming model and runtime components for building solutions on the Windows platform. As a platform component, Windows Workflow Foundation will be included with the WinFX Runtime Components 3.0. To learn more, see Windows Workflow Foundation. |
See Also
Other Resources
Visual C++ Compiler Options
Code Analysis for C/C++ Warnings
Using Annotations to Reduce C/C++ Code Defects