Tips for Windows developers
On Jan 12, 2016, IE11 will be the only supported version of IE on the most Windows versions. In this post, I will cover the essentials to jumpstart your migration. There are three main areas to plan for when you migrate: deployment, configuration, and compatibility. Deployment There are several ways to deploy IE. Choose the … Read moreInternet Explorer 11 Migration Quick Start
If you have a embedded browser in your Windows application, you may be encountering a rendering or some other kind of compatibility issue with the content you are trying to display. In this post, I’ll talk about some options to try to fix those issues. The web browser control is known by many names: WebBrowser … Read moreControlling WebBrowser Control Compatibility
Believe it or not, way back when Windows Vista was in beta, there were a bunch of “app compat guys”. Over the years, many of us have moved on to other things but one guy has stood the test of time. Chris Jackson has earned the title of “The App Compat Guy” hands down. Chris … Read moreTHE “App Compat Guy” – Still Crazy After All These Years
My earlier post on Interactive Services Detection is very popular. It was targeted toward developers. Based on the comments I receive, I think most readers are users looking for some help. If you’re a developer, make sure to check out my previous post. If you are just a user trying to figure out why Interactive … Read moreTroubleshooting Interactive Services Detection
When I need to troubleshoot a compatibility problem, there are a handful of tools that I use that are very helpful. In this post, I’ll talk about some of my favorite tools and how to use them to identify compatibility issues. Most applications do a poor job of reporting unexpected errors. A lot of times, … Read moreTroubleshooting Application Compatibility Issues – Tools, Tips, and Tricks
You may have heard of Windows 7 Software Client Logo. Did you know that it has an automated test? Did you know the toolkit was designed to be scripted so you can add it to your testing process? In this post, I’ll walk though how you might want to leverage the logo toolkit in your … Read moreLeveraging Windows 7 Client Software Logo Toolkit to Test Your Application
User Account Control (UAC) can seem mysterious. After all, if I’m a member of the Administrators group, shouldn’t I have access to everything? If you’re a developer, you’ll run into a UAC issue sooner or later. In this post, I’ll cover the basics that every developer should know. Standard User by Default Running applications as … Read moreIf I’m an Administrator, Why Do I Get Access Denied?
UPDATE: If you’re a Windows user trying to figure out what’s wrong with your PC, please check out my other post: Troubleshooting Interactive Services Detection. If you are a developer (or want nerdy details), please read on. Have seen this button flashing on the taskbar? When you click on the button, you get … Read moreWhat is Interactive Services Detection and Why is it Blinking at Me?
If you increase your DPI setting in Windows 7 (or Vista), you may notice your application doesn’t look the way you intended. What’s the Big Deal? You may say, “Nobody changes the default DPI, right?” Well, Windows 7 might. Windows 7 may increase the default DPI setting based on the resolution the video card supports. … Read moreWhy does a High DPI Setting Make My Application Look Fuzzy and Have Clipped Text?
Over the past few releases of Windows, you may have noticed common folder locations have moved around a bit. What should you do if you want your code to target multiple OS’s? Perhaps you are updating an application from XP to Windows 7 and wondering where those old directories went. Hopefully, this post will answer … Read moreWhere Should I Store my Data and Configuration Files if I Target Multiple OS Versions?