Creating a device stage for your devices

By Jimmy422
in Microsoft (Windows)

 Share

Recommended Posts

Community Regular

Jimmy422

Posted
Posted

What is a Device Stage?

A Device Stage is like a fancy welcome center for your devices. When you plug in a device in Windows 7 you'll either see a generic autorun screen, or if your device manufacturer made a Device Stage for that device, you'll see one of those. It's sorta like the old "Lanucher" application from Mac OS 7, but for devices, and much more fancy.

33jqlv6.png

Eww, Autorun. Let's replace that with something like the image below.

nforcepc2.png

Example of a Device Stage for a computer

Why would I want to make one of these?

They're downright awesome. If there's stuff you do a lot with your devices and you don't want to dig through your computer to do it, a Device Stage can manage those things in one fancy area. Plus, if your device supports it, you can see how much battery life is left, how much space is left, how much signal you have (Cell phones only?), etc.

Starting

So you want to make a device stage huh? Okay. There's going to be a few things you need first.

Windows 7 - Duh. Build 7100 and higher should work just fine.

Cabarc - Cabarc is a program used to make cabinet files. You'll end up packaging all your files in one. Get it Here. Unzip it to c:\cabarc.

GUIDGen - GUIDGen is a tool that generates these fancy numbers that you'll use to name stuff. Each one must be unique. There's about 2 to the power of 128 possible combinations of GUIDs, so the chance of having the same one is VERY VERY VERY small. Go Here to make these online.

IcoFX - IcoFX is a program used to make icons. It's the only program that seems to create working icons. Get it Here

Image Editor - Photoshop or Paint.NET work well. Plain ol' Windows Paint is not reccomended.

Okay, so now that you've got all your programs, now you need to configure your machine to boot in test mode.

This is the only drawback to making these - they have to be digitally signed or else they're rejected. It's really stupid that Microsoft is putting it under lock and key. That's where test mode comes in. Test mode is no different than regular operation - except you just get an extra watermark on the right bottom corner, and any digitally unsigned driver/package can be installed. Until someone figures out a way to bypass the signing, you have to do this.

Open the start menu and type in "cmd". (Without quotes). Don't click it yet.

Right click the cmd program and choose "Run as Administrator". Accept the UAC prompt.

When the command prompt comes up type in the following:

Bcdedit -set testsigning ON

Restart your computer.

Now you're ready to start!

Setting up the project

Microsoft explains in their long tutorial how to set up folders and such, and they have a pretty good way of doing it. Open up your C drive, and create a new folder in it called "DeviceExperiences". Inside that folder, create a new folder for the device you're creating. In this tutorial, we'll be making it for my camera. So i'll name it "Cannon-a590is.en-US". That's "Brand-model.languagecode".

Creating PackageInfo.xml

PackageInfo.xml is the first file we'll work with. It defines what device this device stage is for. Open up notepad and copy the below code into it:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<PackageInfo xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/DeviceMetadata/PackageInfo/2007/11/">

	<MetadataKey>
		<HardwareIDList>
		<HardwareID>DOID:PUT_YER_HARDWAREID_HERE</HardwareID>
			  <HardwareID>DOID:PUT_YER_OTHER_HARDWAREID_HERE</HardwareID>
		</HardwareIDList>

		<Locale default="false">en-US</Locale>
		<LastModifiedDate>PUT_A_SPECIALLY_FORMATTED_DATE_HERE</LastModifiedDate>
	</MetadataKey>

	<PackageStructure>
		<Metadata MetadataID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/DeviceMetadata/PackageInfo/2007/11/">PackageInfo.xml</Metadata>
		<Metadata MetadataID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/DeviceMetadata/DeviceInfo/2007/11/">DeviceInformation</Metadata>
		<Metadata MetadataID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/DeviceMetadata/WindowsInfo/2007/11/">WindowsInformation</Metadata>
		<Metadata MetadataID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/DeviceMetadata/DeviceStage/2008/1/">DeviceStage</Metadata>
	</PackageStructure>

	<Relationships>
		<ExperienceID>GENERATE_A_GUID_AND_PASTE_IT_HERE</ExperienceID>
	</Relationships>

</PackageInfo>

Now let's start with the HardwareID. It's what defines what your device is. Open the start menu and type in "Device Manager". Open it. Plug in your device and find it in the Device Manager. Right click it and open its properties. Click on the Details tab. Open the Property list and go down to "Hardwareids".

lz12x.png

Right click both of them and copy them to notepad. (Note: If you have only 1 HardwareID, just use that one and delete the second hardwareID line in the XML) You want to edit them to be formatted for XML (& = &). So the above would look like this:

USB\VID_04A9&PID_3176&REV_0002
USB\VID_04A9&PID_3176

Now paste those into your template, keeping the "DOID:" in front of it. It should look like this now:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<PackageInfo xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/DeviceMetadata/PackageInfo/2007/11/">

	<MetadataKey>
		<HardwareIDList>
		<HardwareID>DOID:USB\VID_04A9&PID_3176&REV_0002</HardwareID>
			  <HardwareID>DOID:USB\VID_04A9&PID_3176</HardwareID>
		</HardwareIDList>

		<Locale default="false">en-US</Locale>
		<LastModifiedDate>PUT_A_SPECIALLY_FORMATTED_DATE_HERE</LastModifiedDate>
	</MetadataKey>

	<PackageStructure>
		<Metadata MetadataID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/DeviceMetadata/PackageInfo/2007/11/">PackageInfo.xml</Metadata>
		<Metadata MetadataID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/DeviceMetadata/DeviceInfo/2007/11/">DeviceInformation</Metadata>
		<Metadata MetadataID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/DeviceMetadata/WindowsInfo/2007/11/">WindowsInformation</Metadata>
		<Metadata MetadataID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/DeviceMetadata/DeviceStage/2008/1/">DeviceStage</Metadata>
	</PackageStructure>

	<Relationships>
		<ExperienceID>GENERATE_A_GUID_AND_PASTE_IT_HERE</ExperienceID>
	</Relationships>

</PackageInfo>

(Or if you have only 1 hardwareID, it would look like this:)

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<PackageInfo xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/DeviceMetadata/PackageInfo/2007/11/">

	<MetadataKey>
		<HardwareIDList>
		<HardwareID>DOID:USB\VID_04A9&PID_3176&REV_0002</HardwareID>
		</HardwareIDList>

		<Locale default="false">en-US</Locale>
		<LastModifiedDate>PUT_A_SPECIALLY_FORMATTED_DATE_HERE</LastModifiedDate>
	</MetadataKey>

	<PackageStructure>
		<Metadata MetadataID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/DeviceMetadata/PackageInfo/2007/11/">PackageInfo.xml</Metadata>
		<Metadata MetadataID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/DeviceMetadata/DeviceInfo/2007/11/">DeviceInformation</Metadata>
		<Metadata MetadataID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/DeviceMetadata/WindowsInfo/2007/11/">WindowsInformation</Metadata>
		<Metadata MetadataID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/DeviceMetadata/DeviceStage/2008/1/">DeviceStage</Metadata>
	</PackageStructure>

	<Relationships>
		<ExperienceID>GENERATE_A_GUID_AND_PASTE_IT_HERE</ExperienceID>
	</Relationships>

</PackageInfo>

The specially formatted date works like this:

YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSz

So it would look like this:

2009-07-28T12:00:00z

For the GUID, just generate one in GUIDGen and paste it in there.

Your XML should look like this finished:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<PackageInfo xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/DeviceMetadata/PackageInfo/2007/11/">

	<MetadataKey>
		<HardwareIDList>
		<HardwareID>DOID:USB\VID_04A9&PID_3176&REV_0002</HardwareID>
			  <HardwareID>DOID:USB\VID_04A9&PID_3176</HardwareID>
		</HardwareIDList>

		<Locale default="false">en-US</Locale>
		<LastModifiedDate>2009-07-28T12:00:00z</LastModifiedDate>
	</MetadataKey>

	<PackageStructure>
		<Metadata MetadataID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/DeviceMetadata/PackageInfo/2007/11/">PackageInfo.xml</Metadata>
		<Metadata MetadataID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/DeviceMetadata/DeviceInfo/2007/11/">DeviceInformation</Metadata>
		<Metadata MetadataID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/DeviceMetadata/WindowsInfo/2007/11/">WindowsInformation</Metadata>
		<Metadata MetadataID="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/DeviceMetadata/DeviceStage/2008/1/">DeviceStage</Metadata>
	</PackageStructure>

	<Relationships>
		<ExperienceID>7aaf3c13-90f9-49a9-ad37-717b22fb9a18</ExperienceID>
	</Relationships>

</PackageInfo>

Now, "Save as" this in notepad as "PackageInfo.xml (Changing the file type to all files, first. Then change the Encoding to "UTF-8".). Save this in C:\DeviceExperiences\yourdevice.en-us\. Congrats, you've finished the first file!

Creating DeviceInfo.xml

DeviceInfo.xml tells Windows what type of device it is, what model it is, what it does, etc. Open up notepad again and copy the code below into it:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<DeviceInfo xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/DeviceMetadata/DeviceInfo/2007/11/">

  <DeviceCategoryList>
	<DeviceCategory>TYPE_OF_DEVICE</DeviceCategory>
  </DeviceCategoryList>

  <ModelName>MODEL_NAME</ModelName>
  <DeviceDescription1>FANCY_DESCRIPTION_1</DeviceDescription1>
  <DeviceDescription2>FANCY_DESCRIPTION_2</DeviceDescription2>
  <ModelNumber>MODEL_NUMBER</ModelNumber>
  <Manufacturer>WHO_MADE_YOUR_DEVICE</Manufacturer>

  <DeviceIconFile>YOUR_ICON_HERE.ico</DeviceIconFile>

</DeviceInfo>

Fun. Let's start with type of device. It can be a LOT of things.

	 <xs:enumeration value="Audio" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Audio.Adapter" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Audio.Headphone" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Audio.Microphone" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Audio.Speakerphone" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Audio.Speakers" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Audio.Speakers.USB" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Audio.Speakers.Wireless" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Communication" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Communication.Headset" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Communication.Headset.Bluetooth" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Communication.Phone" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Communication.Phone.Cell" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Communication.Phone.IP" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Communication.Phone.Speaker" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.AudioAdapter" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Battery" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Bridge" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Bridge.Network" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Bridge.Storage" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Cable" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Cable.Transfer" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Cable.Transfer.USB" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Capture" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Capture.Video" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Controller" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Controller.1394" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Controller.Bluetooth" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Controller.CardBus" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Controller.IR" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Controller.IR.MCE" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Controller.SDH" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Controller.Serial" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Controller.Storage" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Controller.Storage.IDE" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Controller.Storage.iSCSI" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Controller.Storage.Raid" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Controller.Storage.SATA" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Controller.Storage.SCSI" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Controller.USB" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Controller.WUSB" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.GraphicsCard" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Hub" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Hub.1394" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Hub.USB" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.KVM" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.NIC" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.SmartCardReader" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.System" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.System.Board" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.System.Memory" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.System.Processor" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Tuner" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Tuner.Radio" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Tuner.TV" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Tuner.TV.ATSC" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Tuner.TV.DCB-S" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Tuner.TV.DVB-C" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Tuner.TV.DVB-T" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Tuner.TV.ISDB-T" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Tuner.TV.NTSC" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Tuner.TV.NTSCMJ" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Tuner.TV.OpenCable" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Tuner.TV.PAL" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Tuner.TV.Proprietry" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Tuner.TV.QAM" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Component.Tuner.TV.SECAM" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Computer" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Computer.AllInOne" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Computer.Desktop" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Computer.Desktop.LowProfile" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Computer.Desktop.Pizzabox" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Computer.Handheld" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Computer.Handheld.Windows" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Computer.Laptop" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Computer.Lunchbox" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Computer.Netbook" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Computer.Notebook" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Computer.Notebook.Sub" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Computer.Portable" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Computer.Rackmount" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Computer.Sealed" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Computer.Server" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Computer.SpaceSaving" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Computer.Tablet" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Computer.ThinClient" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Computer.Tower" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Computer.Tower.Mini" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Display" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Display.Monitor" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Display.Monitor.CRT" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Display.Monitor.LCD" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Display.Monitor.Plasma" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Display.PictureFrame" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Display.Projector" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Display.SideShow" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Display.TV" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Display.TV.CRT" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Display.TV.DLP" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Display.TV.LCD" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Display.TV.Plasma" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Health" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Health.BloodGlucose" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Health.BloodPressure" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Health.HeartRate" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Health.Pedometer" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Imaging" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Imaging.Camcorder" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Imaging.Camera" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Imaging.Scanner" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Imaging.Webcam" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Input" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Input.Digitizer" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Input.Digitizer.Multitouch" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Input.Digitizer.Pen" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Input.Digitizer.Touchpad" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Input.Digitizer.Touchscreen" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Input.Gaming" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Input.Gaming.Common" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Input.Gaming.Controller" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Input.Gaming.Gamepad" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Input.Gaming.Generic" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Input.Gaming.Steering" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Input.Keyboard" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Input.KVM" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Input.Mouse" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Input.Remote" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Input.Remote.MCE" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Input.Trackball" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Media" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Media.SmartCard" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Media.Storage" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Media.Storage.Flash" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Media.Storage.Flash.CompactFlash" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Media.Storage.Flash.MemoryStick" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Media.Storage.Flash.SD" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Media.Storage.Optical" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Media.Storage.Optical.BluRay" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Media.Storage.Optical.CD" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Media.Storage.Optical.DVD" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Multimedia" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Multimedia.DMC" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Multimedia.DMP" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Multimedia.DMR" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Multimedia.DMR.MCE" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Multimedia.DMS" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Multimedia.DVR" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Multimedia.GameConsole" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Multimedia.PMP" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Multimedia.VoiceRecorder" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Network" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Network.AccessPoint" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Network.Bluetooth" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Network.Bridge" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Network.Bridge.Wifi2Ether" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Network.HomeAutomation" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Network.MobileBroadband" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Network.Modem" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Network.NIC" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Network.NIC.Ethernet" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Network.NIC.IR" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Network.NIC.PLC" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Network.NIC.Wireless" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Network.PrintServer" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Network.Router" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Network.Router.Wireless" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Network.Switch" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Network.UWB" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Network.WUSB" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Network.WUSB.DWA" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="PersonalIdentity" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="PersonalIdentity.FaceScanner" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="PersonalIdentity.FingerprintReader" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="PersonalIdentity.RetinalScanner" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="PersonalIdentity.Smartcard" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="PersonalIdentity.SmartcardReader" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="PrintFax" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="PrintFax.FAX" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="PrintFax.MFP" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="PrintFax.Printer" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="PrintFax.Printer.Inkjet" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="PrintFax.Printer.Laser" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Sensor" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Sensor.Electrical" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Sensor.Enviromental" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Sensor.Enviromental.Temp" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Sensor.Light" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Sensor.Location" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Sensor.Location.GPS" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Sensor.Mechanical" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Sensor.Motion" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Sensor.Orientation" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Sensor.Proximity" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Sensor.Proximity.NFC" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Sensor.Proximity.RFID" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Storage" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Storage.CardReader" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Storage.CardReader.Combo" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Storage.Changer" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Storage.Changer.Optical" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Storage.FDD" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Storage.HDD" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Storage.HDD.SolidState" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Storage.Network" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Storage.Network.Wireless" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Storage.Optical" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Storage.Optical.Bluray" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Storage.Optical.CD" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Storage.Optical.DVD" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Storage.Tape" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Storage.UFD" />
	 <xs:enumeration value="Other" />

Wow. Let's just go with "Imaging.Camera". Code should now look like this:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<DeviceInfo xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/DeviceMetadata/DeviceInfo/2007/11/">

  <DeviceCategoryList>
	<DeviceCategory>Imaging.Camera</DeviceCategory>
  </DeviceCategoryList>

  <ModelName>MODEL_NAME</ModelName>
  <DeviceDescription1>FANCY_DESCRIPTION_1</DeviceDescription1>
  <DeviceDescription2>FANCY_DESCRIPTION_2</DeviceDescription2>
  <ModelNumber>MODEL_NUMBER</ModelNumber>
  <Manufacturer>WHO_MADE_YOUR_DEVICE</Manufacturer>

  <DeviceIconFile>YOUR_ICON_HERE.ico</DeviceIconFile>

</DeviceInfo>

Everything else is really self-explanitory. Fancy descriptions are like "3MP camera with 4X digital zoom and WiFi". You get the idea.

Your device icon should be created in IcoFX. I'm not going to go into detail with this, all i can say is that you need to have the sizes of 256x256x32, 48x48x32 32x32x32, 24x24x32, 16x16x32, 48x48x8 32x32x8, 24x24x8, 16x16x8, 48x48x4 32x32x4, 24x24x4, and 16x16x4 in your icon. It's easier to do than it sounds. Save it in c:\DeviceExperiences\Yourdevice.language\DeviceInformation. (Create the DeviceInformation folder if you haven't done so already.)

Your code should look like this when finished:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<DeviceInfo xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/DeviceMetadata/DeviceInfo/2007/11/">

  <DeviceCategoryList>
	<DeviceCategory>Imaging.Camera</DeviceCategory>
  </DeviceCategoryList>

  <ModelName>PowerShot</ModelName>
  <DeviceDescription1>Camera with 8.0MP and 4x digital zoom</DeviceDescription1>
  <DeviceDescription2>Shoots in both 4:3 and 16:9 widescreen</DeviceDescription2>
  <ModelNumber>a590is</ModelNumber>
  <Manufacturer>Canon</Manufacturer>

  <DeviceIconFile>a590is.ico</DeviceIconFile>

</DeviceInfo>

Now, save your code as "DeviceInfo.xml" using the same steps as before, but this time in c:\DeviceExperiences\Yourdevice.en-us\DeviceInformation. Viola.

[highlight]SKIP DOWN TO PACKAGING AND TESTING IF ALL YOU WANT IS A CUSTOM ICON[/highlight]

Behavior.XML and Resource.XML

Here's the hard part - making the actual "Device Stage". The Device Stage is composed of a lot of elements. Here's a fancy diagram:

zsl5si.png

Complicated? Not really. Let's start with the graphics you'll need. Open up your image editor and create 6 images. All images are in the .png format.

Two will be 1213x270 - the watermark and the background. The watermark must be a transparent image. Call the background "sample_background" and the watermark "sample_watermark".

One will be 300x300 - that'll be the image that shows up in the taskbar. It's transparent too. Call it "sample_launcher".

Another two will be 150x50 - the logos. They are transparent too. Call them "sample_logo1" and "sample_logo2", respectively.

And finally, the last one can be anything under 500x500. This will be the "Hero" image. Call it "sample_hero_device".

Save all these images when you've created them in c:\DeviceExperiences\yourdevice.en-us\DeviceStage\Device\en-us (Create the DeviceStage, Device, and en-us folders if you haven't done so already.)

Now for the XML. Open up notepad and paste the following code in:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<deviceBehavior xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/2008/deviceExperienceBehavior" experienceId="{GUID_FROM_PACKAGEINFO_XML}">

  <header watermarkAlign="left" backgroundColor="#FF000000" textColor="#FFFFFFFF" backgroundImage="sample_background.png" watermarkImage="sample_watermark.png" sheen="False">

	<modelInfo image="sample_hero_device.png" launcherThumbnail="sample_launcher.png" />

	<logos split="horizontal">
	  <logo halign="right" valign="middle" image="sample_logo1.png" url="URL_FOR_FIRST_LOGO" tooltip="TOOLTIP1" />
	  <logo halign="right" valign="middle" image="sample_logo2.png" url="URL_FOR_SECOND_LOGO" tooltip="TOOLTIP2" />
	</logos>

	<marketingBullets>
	  <bullet id="BULLET1" />
	  <bullet id="BULLET2" />
	  <bullet id="BULLET3" />
	</marketingBullets>
  </header>

  <appearance textColor="#FF000000" descriptionColor="#FF727272" frameColor="#FF0B346B" backgroundColor="#FFFDFDFD" sheen="false" />

  <statusItems statusPropList="prop:System.Devices.NewPictures;System.Devices.StorageFreeSpacePercent;" statusProvider="{c2dae44d-c850-425c-b466-d8cbc1469f5d}">

	<statusLinks>
	  <statusLink statusProp="System.Devices.StorageFreeSpacePercent" taskId="{29e7ef4e-b212-4bf9-b95b-1e073fba48e8}" />
	  <statusLink statusProp="System.Devices.NewPictures" taskId="{d5c93de7-5ac4-4698-acea-d9a02385cd04}" />
	</statusLinks>

  </statusItems>

  <taskCategoryMapping>


	<!-- DEFAULT WINDOWS 7 TASKS -->

	<!-- Windows 7 Task Copy your pictures and videos -->
	<taskRef taskGroupGuid="{07deb856-fc6e-4fb9-8add-d8f2cf8722c9}" taskId="{d5c93de7-5ac4-4698-acea-d9a02385cd04}" />

	<!-- Windows 7 Task Browse device storage -->
	<taskRef taskGroupGuid="{07deb856-fc6e-4fb9-8add-d8f2cf8722c9}" taskId="{29e7ef4e-b212-4bf9-b95b-1e073fba48e8}" />

	<!-- Windows 7 Change settings -->
	<taskRef taskGroupGuid="{07deb856-fc6e-4fb9-8add-d8f2cf8722c9}" taskId="{c463887e-0db9-46b9-8c73-9de665d0a62b}" />

  </taskCategoryMapping>
</deviceBehavior>

Replace the GUID_FROM_PACKAGEINFO_XML with the "ExperienceID" from packageinfo.xml you entered earlier. Keep the {} brackets.

Replace the URL_FOR_X_LOGO with the URLs of your choice. If the first logo was a microsoft logo, you'd want it to be http://www.microsoft.com.

StatusItems and StatusLinks aren't easy to explain without a lengthy chart. If for some reason you don't want to see free space or your device doesn't support it, replace the <statusitems> section with this:

  &lt;statusItems statusProvider="{c2dae44d-c850-425c-b466-d8cbc1469f5d}"&gt;

	&lt;statusLinks&gt;
	&lt;/statusLinks&gt;

  &lt;/statusItems&gt;

Here's how it looks finished:

&lt;?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?&gt;
&lt;deviceBehavior xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/2008/deviceExperienceBehavior" experienceId="{7aaf3c13-90f9-49a9-ad37-717b22fb9a18}"&gt;

  &lt;header watermarkAlign="left" backgroundColor="#FF000000" textColor="#FFFFFFFF" backgroundImage="sample_background.png" watermarkImage="sample_watermark.png" sheen="False"&gt;

	&lt;modelInfo image="sample_hero_device.png" launcherThumbnail="sample_launcher.png" /&gt;

	&lt;logos split="horizontal"&gt;
	  &lt;logo halign="right" valign="middle" image="sample_logo1.png" url="http://www.canon.com" tooltip="TOOLTIP1" /&gt;
	  &lt;logo halign="right" valign="middle" image="sample_logo2.png" url="http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&amp;fcategoryid=221&amp;modelid=16336" tooltip="TOOLTIP2" /&gt;
	&lt;/logos&gt;

	&lt;marketingBullets&gt;
	  &lt;bullet id="BULLET1" /&gt;
	  &lt;bullet id="BULLET2" /&gt;
	  &lt;bullet id="BULLET3" /&gt;
	&lt;/marketingBullets&gt;
  &lt;/header&gt;

  &lt;appearance textColor="#FF000000" descriptionColor="#FF727272" frameColor="#FF0B346B" backgroundColor="#FFFDFDFD" sheen="false" /&gt;

  &lt;statusItems statusPropList="prop:System.Devices.NewPictures;System.Devices.StorageFreeSpacePercent;" statusProvider="{c2dae44d-c850-425c-b466-d8cbc1469f5d}"&gt;

	&lt;statusLinks&gt;
	  &lt;statusLink statusProp="System.Devices.StorageFreeSpacePercent" taskId="{29e7ef4e-b212-4bf9-b95b-1e073fba48e8}" /&gt;
	  &lt;statusLink statusProp="System.Devices.NewPictures" taskId="{d5c93de7-5ac4-4698-acea-d9a02385cd04}" /&gt;
	&lt;/statusLinks&gt;

  &lt;/statusItems&gt;

  &lt;taskCategoryMapping&gt;


	&lt;!-- DEFAULT WINDOWS 7 TASKS --&gt;

	&lt;!-- Windows 7 Task Copy your pictures and videos --&gt;
	&lt;taskRef taskGroupGuid="{07deb856-fc6e-4fb9-8add-d8f2cf8722c9}" taskId="{d5c93de7-5ac4-4698-acea-d9a02385cd04}" /&gt;

	&lt;!-- Windows 7 Task Browse device storage --&gt;
	&lt;taskRef taskGroupGuid="{07deb856-fc6e-4fb9-8add-d8f2cf8722c9}" taskId="{29e7ef4e-b212-4bf9-b95b-1e073fba48e8}" /&gt;

	&lt;!-- Windows 7 Change settings --&gt;
	&lt;taskRef taskGroupGuid="{07deb856-fc6e-4fb9-8add-d8f2cf8722c9}" taskId="{c463887e-0db9-46b9-8c73-9de665d0a62b}" /&gt;

  &lt;/taskCategoryMapping&gt;
&lt;/deviceBehavior&gt;

Save as behavior.xml using the steps you used before. Save in c:\DeviceExperiences\yourdevice.en-us\DeviceStage\Device\en-us.

Two more to go! Open up notepad and paste the following code in:

&lt;?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?&gt;
&lt;stringTable xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/2008/deviceExperienceResources"&gt;
  &lt;string id="TOOLTIP1"&gt;LOGO_1_TOOLTIP&lt;/string&gt;
  &lt;string id="TOOLTIP2"&gt;LOGO_2_TOOLTIP&lt;/string&gt;
  &lt;string id="BULLET1"&gt;FANCY_BULLETED_ITEM_1&lt;/string&gt;
  &lt;string id="BULLET2"&gt;FANCY_BULLETED_ITEM_2&lt;/string&gt;
  &lt;string id="BULLET3"&gt;FANCY_BULLETED_ITEM_3&lt;/string&gt;
&lt;/stringTable&gt;

The tooltips are what appear when you hover over the logos.

The bullets are what appear when your device isn't plugged in or when statuses aren't available.

Finished code:

&lt;?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?&gt;
&lt;stringTable xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/2008/deviceExperienceResources"&gt;
  &lt;string id="TOOLTIP1"&gt;Visit Canon&lt;/string&gt;
  &lt;string id="TOOLTIP2"&gt;Visit the A590is Website&lt;/string&gt;
  &lt;string id="BULLET1"&gt;8 Megapixel camera with 4x digital zoom&lt;/string&gt;
  &lt;string id="BULLET2"&gt;Shoots in both 4:3 and 16:9 widescreen&lt;/string&gt;
  &lt;string id="BULLET3"&gt;Face detection for taking pictures&lt;/string&gt;
&lt;/stringTable&gt;

Save as resource.xml using the steps used before, and save it in c:\DeviceExperiences\yourdevice.en-us\DeviceStage\Device\en-us.

WindowsInformation.xml

Last one! Open up notepad and paste the following code in:

&lt;?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?&gt;
&lt;WindowsInfo xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/windows/DeviceMetadata/WindowsInfo/2007/11/"&gt;
  &lt;ShowDeviceInDisconnectedState&gt;true&lt;/ShowDeviceInDisconnectedState&gt;
  &lt;LaunchDeviceStageOnDeviceConnect&gt;true&lt;/LaunchDeviceStageOnDeviceConnect&gt;
  &lt;LaunchDeviceStageFromExplorer&gt;true&lt;/LaunchDeviceStageFromExplorer&gt;
&lt;/WindowsInfo&gt;

Don't even touch this. Save it as WindowsInfo.xml using the steps used before, and save it in c:\DeviceExperiences\yourdevice.en-us\WindowsInformation (Create the WindowsInfo folder if you haven't done so already.)

Done! Woot! Now to package it up.

Packaging and testing

Alright, now to package it. First of all we need another GUID. Go to guidgen.com and get a new guid. Paste it into notepad. Select only the text and copy it again. You'll need this shortly.

Open the start menu and type in "cmd". (Without quotes). Don't click it yet.

Right click the cmd program and choose "Run as Administrator". Accept the UAC prompt.

Type in the following and press enter.

cd c:\deviceexperiences\yourdevice.en-us

Where yourdevice.en-us is the name of your folder.

Now, type in the following [highlight]BUT DO NOT PRESS ENTER[/highlight]:

c:\cabarc\bin\cabarc.exe -p -r N

Now, right click anywhere in the command prompt window and click paste. The GUID should appear after the code. Make sure there is a space after the N in the above command.

Add to that code

c:\cabarc\bin\cabarc.exe -p -r N YOUR_GUID_HERE.devicemetadata-ms *.*

So it would look something like this

c:\cabarc\bin\cabarc.exe -p -r N 07deb856-fc6e-4fb9-8add-d8f2cf8722c9.devicemetadata-ms *.*

Press enter. It should package it. If not, you're doing it wrong.

Now, take that package (Which will be in c:\DeviceExperiences\yourdevice.en-us) and copy it to %programdata%\Microsoft\Windows\DeviceMetadataStore\en-us. Viola. Plug in your device and you should se its icon pop up at the bottom.

F.A.Q

It's not showing up! (And I'm in Great Britain or some other country outside the US!)

Probably because this tutorial is designed for people in the US, since i don't know the other locale codes. Replace en-us with your designated locale code and try again. (I think Great Britain is en-GB).

It's not showing up! (And I'm in the US or I set my locale!)

Uhoh. I dunno. Make sure it packaged right. If it says no tasks found when you open it through Devices & Printers, PM me your behavior.xml.

Can I add my own tasks?

Yeah, i'll add this tomorrow.

Yes this is a repost, but the old one was in the other section and i've added to it since.

Community Regular

WizardCM

Posted
Posted

An awesome and easy-to-follow tutorial. I have a question though, how would I make one for my computer like in the screenshot below?

nforcepc2.png

Would also be awesome if someone could create a program that did this step-by-step. :D

This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Posts

    • Still using Classic Outlook? Microsoft highlights 15 reasons to switch to New Outlook

      By C:Amie · Posted

      No.
    • Fastfetch 2.64 released bringing new logos and other improvements

      By binaryzero · Posted

      Sweet
    • OpenAI is rolling out a major upgrade to ChatGPT memory

      By pradeepviswav · Posted

      OpenAI is rolling out a major upgrade to ChatGPT memory by Pradeep Viswanathan OpenAI is rolling out a major upgrade to ChatGPT's memory, making the system more capable, current, and scalable across long-term use. Memory allows ChatGPT to remember useful details about users, including their preferences, projects, and constraints. Instead of starting every conversation from scratch, ChatGPT can use this context to provide more relevant responses in future chats. OpenAI first launched saved memories in February 2024. That feature allowed users to explicitly ask ChatGPT to save information into its memory, such as travel plans or writing preferences. However, this system had limits because it depended heavily on users giving clear instructions to remember something. Additionally, saved memories could become stale over time. In April 2025, OpenAI expanded memory by allowing ChatGPT to reference past chat context outside the saved memories list. This was powered by a background process called “dreaming,” which automatically curates memories from chat history. This made ChatGPT better at learning from natural conversation without requiring users to manually save every detail. Today, OpenAI announced a more capable and compute-efficient memory architecture built on top of dreaming. This new system improves ChatGPT’s ability to carry forward useful context, follow user preferences, and remain accurate as time passes. According to OpenAI’s internal evaluations, the new system improves factual recall from 67.9% in 2025 to 82.8% in 2026. Preference adherence improves from 55.3% to 71.3%, while accuracy over time improves from 52.2% to 75.1%. The best part of this new system is a new memory summary page where users can review ChatGPT's memories. Users can even update details, correct information, or give instructions on what topics ChatGPT should bring up and when. This new, improved memory system is available to ChatGPT Plus and Pro users in the US starting today. It will roll out to more countries, as well as Free and Go users, in the coming weeks.
    • Microsoft announces Surface Laptop Ultra with NVIDIA RTX Spark processor

      By matthiew · Posted

      I work for a video production company in Australia. The camera operators shoot footage and then pass the SD card over to the editors. Much easier than handing over the entire camera. Plus, on a busy day you can hand off the SD card and then pop another in for the next shoot. Or, you might have used multiple SD cards because you need the extra space for a long shoot. I also use USB cables and wifi for transferring footage, but in many cases an SD card reader is the easiest method.
    • Microsoft Edge 149.0.4022.52

      By Copernic · Posted

      Microsoft Edge 149.0.4022.52 by Razvan Serea Microsoft Edge is a super fast and secure web browser from Microsoft. It works on almost any device, including PCs, iPhones and Androids. It keeps you safe online, protects your privacy, and lets you browse the web quickly. You can even use it on all your devices and keep your browsing history and favorites synced up. Built on the same technology as Chrome, Microsoft Edge has additional built-in features like Startup boost and Sleeping tabs, which boost your browsing experience with world class performance and speed that are optimized to work best with Windows. Microsoft Edge security and privacy features such as Microsoft Defender SmartScreen, Password Monitor, InPrivate search, and Kids Mode help keep you and your loved ones protected and secure online. Microsoft Edge has features to keep both you and your family protected. Enable content filters and access activity reports with your Microsoft Family Safety account and experience a kid-friendly web with Kids Mode. The new Microsoft Edge is now compatible with your favorite extensions, so it’s easy to personalize your browsing experience. Microsoft Edge 149.0.4022.52 changelog: Migration to improved V2 architecture for Workspaces. Workspaces, introduced in Edge in 2022, allows users to create durable sets of tabs that can be saved and shared with others. In order to improve reliability and performance of this feature, the following changes are being made: Migrating data for saved Workspaces from OneDrive/SharePoint to Edge Sync service Removing the collaboration/share functionality of this feature For organizations who have disabled Sync through policy, the existing v1 Workspace data will still be migrated to the new architecture. New v2 Workspaces created after migration won't sync across devices and will remain local to each device. This update occurs on a progressive rollout beginning in Edge Stable v145 and will continue rolling out in Edge v149. For more information, see Getting started with Microsoft Edge Workspaces. Feature Updates Passkey Sync for Enterprise Users. Microsoft Edge is introducing support for passkey synchronization for enterprise users, enabling secure, passwordless authentication across devices. Passkeys created in Edge can now be synced seamlessly, improving sign-in experience while maintaining strong security standards. Note: This is a controlled feature rollout. If you don't see this change, check back as we continue the rollout. Enterprise WebView2 runtime downgrade via DowngradeVersion policy. Administrators can temporarily roll back specific applications to a previous WebView2 Evergreen Runtime version (N-1 or N-2) using the new DowngradeVersion policy in msedgewebview2.admx. The Downgrade Version policy allows enterprises to mitigate critical regressions by specifying per-application exe-to-version mappings. The Edge Updater installs the target version side-by-side, and the WebView2 Loader redirects targeted apps accordingly. Downgrades auto-expire with each new WebView2 release: apps pinned to N-1 remain on the same version (now becoming N-2) and will auto-update in the next release, while apps pinned to N-2 will revert to the current Evergreen version. The policy applies only to enterprise-managed devices (domain-joined or MDM-enrolled). For more information, see Microsoft Edge WebView2 Policy Documentation | Microsoft Learn. Collections retirement. Collections has been removed in this update. Users can no longer access or use the feature. To keep saved content, users can export it, or move all pages to Favorites before updating to Microsoft Edge Stable 149. For more information, see Organize your ideas with Collections in Microsoft Edge - Microsoft Support. Modern, unified, and updated Look and Feel. Microsoft Edge has updated the Look and Feel to give customers a unified experience across all of Microsoft AI surfaces including Copilot and Bing. This changes multiple elements of the UX such as spacing, corners, fonts, default colors, etc. Clarify choices surrounding third-party cookie settings. Language under Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Cookies are clarified to better describe the choices users have in managing third-party cookies. Custom primary password retirement. Users are no longer able to create a new custom primary password in Edge Settings edge://settings/autofill/passwords/settings. Any users who are still using a custom primary password will be automatically migrated to device authentication. Additionally, the PrimaryPasswordSetting policy will no longer support the WithCustomPrimaryPassword option. For more information, see Keep your saved passwords private in Microsoft Edge | Microsoft Support. Unifying Copilot Chat policy controls. The Microsoft365CopilotChatIconEnabled policy is the standard for configuring Copilot Chat. Previously, this behavior was controlled by blocking the Copilot extension, either explicitly or by using the * wildcard via the ExtensionSettings or ExtensionInstallBlockList policies. Extension and sidebar policies no longer affect the appearance or functionality of Copilot Chat. Copilot address bar suggestions were also tied to extension policy settings. Starting in Microsoft Edge version 149, admins can use the CopilotAddressBarSuggestionsEnabled policy to manage this behavior. Intune MAM Protected Downloads. The protected downloads feature for Intune MAM is now available for BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) devices, which aren't managed by a tenant. Policy Updates / New policies CopilotAddressBarSuggestionsEnabled - Enable Copilot address bar suggestions CpuPerformanceTierOverride - Override for the CPU performance tier DataUrlInWebWorkerOpaqueOriginEnabled - Enable opaque origins for data URLs in Web Workers DefaultLocalFontsSetting - Default Local Fonts permission setting ForceForegroundPriorityForUrls - Force foreground priority for specific URLs LocalFontsAllowedForUrls - Allow Local Fonts permission on these sites LocalFontsBlockedForUrls - Block Local Fonts permission on these sites Deprecated policies WalletDonationEnabled - Wallet Donation Enabled (deprecated) EdgeWalletEtreeEnabled - Edge Wallet E-Tree Enabled (deprecated) Additional policy changes ForceForegroundPriorityForUrls - ForceForegroundPriorityForOrigins is renamed to ForceForegroundPriorityForUrls OnSecurityEventEnterpriseConnector - Add macOS platform support ProtectedContentIdentifiersAllowed - Remove macOS platform support Download: Microsoft Edge (64-bit) | 193.0 MB (Freeware) Download: Microsoft Edge (32-bit) | 170.0 MB Download: Microsoft Edge (ARM64) | 188.0 MB View: Microsoft Edge Website | Release History Get alerted to all of our Software updates on Twitter at @NeowinSoftware

  • Recent Achievements

    • Week One Done
      Dr Jared Dental Studio earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Week One Done
      RG INVESTMENT GROUP earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Very Popular
      The Norwegian Drone Pilot earned a badge
      Very Popular
    • Very Popular
      s0nic69 earned a badge
      Very Popular
    • Collaborator
      Asgardi earned a badge
      Collaborator

  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      471
    2. 2
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      247
    3. 3
      Skyfrog
      79
    4. 4
      FloatingFatMan
      67
    5. 5
      Michael Scrip
      59
    Show More

  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!