Comments on: Change of Win-API semantics via application manifest! http://blog.kalmbach-software.de/2009/03/18/change-of-win-api-semantics-via-application-manifest/ Infos about Windows development and dotNET Framework Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:54:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Ben Voigt [C++ MVP] http://blog.kalmbach-software.de/2009/03/18/change-of-win-api-semantics-via-application-manifest/#comment-258 Ben Voigt [C++ MVP] Tue, 05 May 2009 01:42:44 +0000 http://blog.kalmbach-software.de/2009/03/18/change-of-win-api-semantics-via-application-manifest/#comment-258 And we need XML to accomplish this? The PE header already has fields for exactly this purpose: WORD MajorOperatingSystemVersion WORD MinorOperatingSystemVersion Well, not _exactly_ this purpose. Much of what the manifest does is cause assertion failures in the face of poor practices. It's entirely possible for an application to do things the right Windows 7 way and still run on downlevel OSes, which requires the PE header to continue to hold the version of the earliest compatible OS. And we need XML to accomplish this? The PE header already has fields for exactly this purpose:

WORD MajorOperatingSystemVersion
WORD MinorOperatingSystemVersion

Well, not _exactly_ this purpose. Much of what the manifest does is cause assertion failures in the face of poor practices. It’s entirely possible for an application to do things the right Windows 7 way and still run on downlevel OSes, which requires the PE header to continue to hold the version of the earliest compatible OS.

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