Windows Vista : Application Certification and Compatibility

Workflow

Description

Step One: Test Your Application for Application Compatibility.

Test your application for Windows Vista application compatibility. This testing can be easily performed by installing the Standard User Analyzer, which is now available as part of ACT 5.0.

Step Two: Classify Your Application.

Classify your application as a standard user, administrator, or mixed user application. Administrative applications in Windows Vista often have a mixture of both administrative and standard user functionality.

Step Three: Redesign for UAC Compatibility.

Redesign your applications functionality for UAC compatibility. Use the information in this section, once you have classified your application and determined whether it must be redesigned for UAC.

Step Four: Redesign Your UI for UAC Compatibility.

Redesign your application user interface. Closely adhering to these guidelines in your applications development will ensure that your application will have a consistent and predictable user experience in Windows Vista.

Step Five: Redesign Your Installer.

Redesign your application installer. The best practices in this section are for well-behaved application installations in a Windows Vista or UAC environment.

Step Six: Create and Embed an Application Manifest.

Create and embed an application manifest with your administrative applications. The correct way to mark your applications is to embed an application manifest within your program that tells the operating system what the application needs.

Step Seven: Test Your Application.

Test your redesigned or new application for application compatibility using the Standard User Analyzer.

Step Eight: Authenticode Signature.

Sign the application with an Authenticode signature to prevent tampering with the executable.

Step Nine: Windows Vista Logo Program.

Participate in the Windows Vista Logo Program.