Dave's Brain

Browse - programming tips - embed manifest in your program

Date: 2010apr27
OS: Windows

Q.  How can I embed a manifest in my program?

A.  Starting with Vista manifests have two purposes (that I know of):

	- Turning on the Aero (glass) look of the controls

	- Turning on elevated security for your program when UAC is enabled

The manifest usually lives in a file called <YourProgram>.exe.manifest in
the same folder as your .cpp files.

For Aero make it contain this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0">
	<assemblyIdentity version="1.0.0.0" processorArchitecture="X86" name="<YourProgamHumanName>" type="win32" />
	
	<!-- the <description> tag is required but you don't have to fill it out -->
	<description></description>

	<!-- for Aero add this ... Usually you DO want this -->
	<dependency>
		<dependentAssembly>
			<assemblyIdentity type="win32" name="Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls" version="6.0.0.0" processorArchitecture="X86" publicKeyToken="6595b64144ccf1df" language="*" />
		</dependentAssembly>
	</dependency>

	<!-- for elevated permissions add this... Usually you do NOT want this -->
	<trustInfo xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v3">
		<security>
			<requestedPrivileges>
				<requestedExecutionLevel level="requireAdministrator" uiAccess="false"/>
			</requestedPrivileges>
		</security>
	</trustInfo>

</assembly> 

Here's how you embed it in your program.

In Microsoft Visual C++ 2005 and later add it as add would a .cpp file
(under "Source Files") and it will be correctly embedded when you build.

In Borland C++ 5.02 open your .rc (resource) file in a text editor
and paste in:

	#define RT_MANIFEST 24
	#define APP_MANIFEST 1

	APP_MANIFEST RT_MANIFEST <YourProgram>.exe.manifest

and build.

It would be nice to be able to embed a manifest in a DLL.
Eg make your DLL use Aero when invoked by a older EXE (that doesn't have a
manifest).  You can embed a manifest in a DLL but my experiments have shown
that its ignored.  Maybe because the common controls are already initialized
by the time the DLL is called?

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