In an effort to provide additional security in Windows Vista, Microsoft has added the User Account Control (UAC) dialog prompts. Since these run on a special ’secure’ desktop that is technically just an image of your actual desktop, so traditional means of manipulating the dialogs don’t work. However, Microsoft hasn’t left MSI developers out in the cold. The Windows Vista blog has a great article about automatically handling the different types of UAC dialogs you’ll encounter in Vista. As a developer, you’ve probably turned the UAC off on your machine, but you obviously have to assume your end users have it turned on, so this is a hurdle that must be overcome when packaging apps for deployment.
Most of the work you’ll need to do involves the application’s manifest, which the blog article clearly sketches out and provides an example of. There is the typical amount of grousing in the comments, no doubt since Vista is uncharted territory and Microsoft isn’t the greatest at providing an immediate response on new problems in their technology. However, it’s great to see that these additional security features have been added without entirely handicapping developers–although there will no doubt be a slight learning / frustration curve to overcome first.
Now, to install InstallShield 11.5 on a new Vista box. Exciting commentary and reviews to follow!
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