Windows Driver Kit (WDK) Documentation Blog : updates

Changes to XPS Rasterization Filter Sample for Windows Vista SP2 with Platform Client Update

wdkblog — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:43:00 GMT

If you are working with the Windows Vista SP2 with Platform Client Update, you will need to make some minor changes to the Print XPS Rasterization Filter Sample. If you want to know more about the Platform Client Update, see KB article 971644.

Follow these steps to make the sample work in Vista SP2 with Platform Client Update:

Buld the sample using Windows 7.
Change the xpsrassmpl.inf file.
Install the sample on Windows Vista SP2 with Platform Client Update.

For step 2, make these changes to the XPSRASSMPL.INF file:

Change the Manufacturer section to read:

[Manufacturer]%Microsoft%=Microsoft,NTx86.6.1,NTia64.6.1,NTamd64.6.1,NTx86.6.0,NTia64.6.0,NTamd64.6.0

Add the following sections after the Manufacturer section:

[Microsoft.NTx86.6.0]
"XPSRas WDK Sample Driver" = INSTALL_FILTER
[Microsoft.NTia64.6.0]
"XPSRas WDK Sample Driver" = INSTALL_FILTER
[Microsoft.NTamd64.6.0]
"XPSRas WDK Sample Driver" = INSTALL_FILTER

－Seth McEvoy [MSFT], WDK Senior Programming Writer

MSDN Wiki Discontinued for WDK Documentation

wdkblog — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 07:32:00 GMT

We’ve decided to shut off the Community Content (aka “wiki”) section of WDK documentation on MSDN.

A few months ago I provided this blog post, which questioned the usefulness of the Community Content feature for WDK documentation. Your responses to that post, and other feedback that we have received, confirmed our impression that the Community Content feature is providing little value to our customers.

We continue to value your feedback about our documentation. We encourage you to point out errors and provide suggestions, and to send them to us by clicking on the “send feedback” link that’s at the bottom of each topic. The link appears both in the offline documentation that installs with the kit and in the online version on MSDN.

Community Content removal coincides with the Windows 7 RTM update of WDK documentation on MSDN.

— Richard Brown [MSFT], WDK Senior Programming Writer

Do You Have the Very Latest WDK Documentation?

wdkblog — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 01:57:00 GMT

Hopefully you've already downloaded the new Windows 7 version of the WDK, which has all the latest Windows 7 headers, libraries, samples, and test applications: http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/DevTools/WDK/WDKpkg.mspx.

We've also released an even later version of the documentation. It has additional topics that we wrote after the rest of the Windows 7 WDK was frozen. A few examples:

· Device and Driver Installation: Device Metadata Packages (three new topics)

· Display: Installing Display Drivers Optimized for Windows 7 and Later

· Network: Wake-on-Wireless LAN

Grab this latest documentation at: http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/DevTools/WDK/WDKdocs.mspx#.

To view all the new Windows 7 material, in the Table of Contents click on New Information -> New for Windows 7.

－ Mark Lawler [MSFT], WDK Programming Writer

Update to Windows 7 RC Version of the XPS Rasterization Filter Service Sample

wdkblog — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 05:00:00 GMT

Here are two updates that will help Printer driver developers who are working with the RC version of the XPS Rasterization Filter Service sample.

1. If you are using the RC version of the XPS Rasterization Filter Service sample, it is strongly recommended that you work directly with the WIC bitmap returned from the XPS Rasterization service rather than the calls into WIC to encode each band as a TIFF. The sample calls into WIC for encoding each band were for demonstration purposes only and are not recommended for larger applications because they could be inefficient and difficult.

2. In the sample, the output file consists of a series of per-band TIFFs. Because this file will be a series of complete TIFFs and not a single-page TIFF, opening the file in a viewer will only display the first band of the first page. More details can be found in the bitmaphandler.cpp file that is included in the sample source code.

The Windows 7 RTM version of the sample documentation will include this update. In the meantime, until Windows 7 is released, apply these changes to the sample documentation at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd434895.aspx.

－Seth McEvoy [MSFT], WDK Senior Programming Writer

Windows 7 RC WDK Documentation Refresh with Improved Feedback Link

wdkblog — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 10:18:00 GMT

The WDKUA team is pleased to announce that we have refreshed the WDK documentation for Windows 7 RC on MSDN. You can view the documentation at: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa972908.aspx

We have also provided an improved feedback mechanism with this documentation refresh. Near the bottom of each WDK documentation topic is a “Send feedback on this topic” link. You can use the link to provide targeted topic feedback to the WDK documentation team. Please note that while we attempt to address relevant submissions in a timely manner, it may take awhile for us to update any given topic.

The Windows 7 RC WDK documentation has also been posted on WHDC. You can download it at: http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/DevTools/WDK/WDKdocs.mspx

－Kevin Shirley [MSFT], WDK Programming Writer

News Flash - Build 18002 of the WDK has Shipped!

wdkblog — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 03:22:00 GMT

A new Windows Driver Kit has shipped. This is a new release of the WDK and includes the following new features:

New Setup Environment
Updates/fixes to Headers
Added Bluetooth 2.1 headers and samples
Added support for Server 2008 to DifX
Updated WDF 1.7 co-installers
Updated Device Simulation Framework (DSF)
Updated Debugger

This release is especially important if you are working on UMDF or KMDF. For more information about the UMDF and KMDF changes, see http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/driver/wdf.

Since the last release, the WDK doc team has made 900 additions and corrections to the WDK documentation. Whew!

This release will be distributed as an ISO download. What that means is you download an ISO file and then use DVD software to burn a DVD. Presto! You have your own copy of the WDK. No more waiting for the mail carrier. Get your ISO while it's hot at: http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/DevTools/WDK/WDKpkg.mspx.

The formal designation for this release of the WDK (tools, samples, and docs) is WDK6001.18002.

— Seth McEvoy, [MSFT], WDK Doc Blogmaster

WDK Docs Updated for May 2008

wdkblog — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 02:57:00 GMT

The Windows Driver Kit (WDK) documentation set on the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) and the Windows Hardware Developer Central (WHDC) Web sites has been updated for May 2008.

The WDK documentation team has updated the documentation to address typographical errors, technical corrections, enhancements, and other changes. These numerous updates are based on reviews from product development and support teams within Microsoft.

Additionally, we have updated the following topics based on customer feedback that was collected from WDK topics on the MSDN Web site and in Microsoft Document Explorer:

To provide feedback on a WDK topic on the MSDN Web site, click Click to Rate and Give Feedback just above the topic text. Rate the topic with 1 to 5 stars, and then type your feedback in the Give feedback on this content text box.

To provide feedback on a WDK topic in Document Explorer, click Send feedback on this topic at the bottom of the topic. Type your feedback in the e-mail message, and then send the message.

Joe Davies [MSFT], WDK Writing Lead

http://blogs.msdn.com/wdkdocs

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

WDK Docs Updated for February 2008

wdkblog — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 20:29:00 GMT

The Windows Driver Kit (WDK) documentation set on the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) and the Windows Hardware Developer Central (WHDC) Web sites has been updated for February 2008.

Additionally, we have updated the following topics based on customer feedback that was collected from WDK topics on the MSDN Web site and in Microsoft Document Explorer:

To provide feedback on a WDK topic in Document Explorer, click Send feedback on this topic at the bottom of the topic. Type your feedback in the e-mail message, and then send the message.

Joe Davies [MSFT], WDK Writing Lead

http://blogs.msdn.com/wdkdocs