Platform Update for Windows Vista: Win7 components for Vista SP2 users

[franzon]

Updated libraries in the Platform Update for Windows Vista:

• Windows Graphics, Imaging, and XPS Library
  
• Windows Automation API
  
• Windows Portable Devices Platform
  
• Windows Ribbon and Animation Manager Library
  

The Platform Update for Windows Vista will be available to all Windows Vista customers through Windows Update, so developers leveraging these libraries in their applications can feel confident knowing it is broadly deployed

Starting September 10, 2009, customers who are running Windows Vista can participate in a public beta program to obtain the Platform Update for Windows Vista beta.

To participate in this public beta program, follow these steps:

1. To download a Platform Update for Windows Vista script, visit the following Microsoft Download Center Web site:
   
   http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...24-71f80bf21638
   
   
   Note
   You need this script only during the beta period
   .

   
   

2. Run the script.
   
3. Download the Platform Update for Windows Vista through Windows Update.
   

The Platform Update for Windows Vista supports the following Windows 7 APIs:

http://download.microsoft.com/download/9/9...indowsVista.htm

Direct2D

The Direct2D API is a new hardware-accelerated, immediate-mode 2-D graphics API that provides high performance and high quality rendering for 2-D geometry, bitmaps, and text. The Direct2D API is designed to interoperate well with existing code that uses GDI, GDI+, or Direct3D.

Direct3D

The Platform Update for Windows Vista provides BGRA surface support for Direct3D10 and Direct3D10.1 codepaths. Direct3D10Level9 enables Direct3D10 functionality to work on Direct3D9 hardware. Direct3D WARP10 is a performant software rasterizer for Direct3D10 applications. Direct3D11, the latest version of Direct3D, provides new capabilities such as improved multithreading support, tessellation, DirectCompute functionality, and dynamic shader linkage.

DirectWrite

The DirectWrite API is a new text API that provides multiple layers of functionality, including text layout, script processing, glyph rendering, and the font system. DirectWrite uses OpenType fonts and sub-pixel ClearType rendering to enhance the text experience provided by applications. Text rendering is hardware-accelerated when used with Direct2D.

Packaging

A limited subset of Packaging APIs is provided for XPS Document API support.

Windows Imaging Component

New features for the Windows Imaging Component include enhanced security, support for high color, and better metadata interoperability. In addition, the Windows Imaging Component broadens its standards compliance by providing support for progressive image decoding, expanded PNG features, GIF metadata, and metadata that spans APPn segments.

XPS Document

The XPS Document APIs support the creating, modifying, and saving of XPS Documents in unmanaged applications.

XPS Print

The XPS Print APIs support the printing of XPS documents from Windows-based applications.

Windows Automation AI

The Platform Update for Windows Vista provides support for Microsoft Windows Automation API 3.0

Windows Portable Devices Platform

The Platform Update for Windows Vista supports the Windows 7 extensions to the Windows Portable Devices (WPD) platform. This feature enables computers to communicate with attached media and storage devices. WPD provides a flexible, robust way for computers to communicate with digital cameras, music players, mobile phones, and many other types of connected devices. For more information about Windows Portable Devices, see Windows Portable Devices.

Windows Ribbon and Animation Manager Library

The Windows Ribbon framework (Ribbon) is a rich command presentation system that provides a modern alternative to the layered menus, toolbars, and task panes of traditional Windows applications.

The Windows Animation Manager (Windows Animation) is a programmatic interface that supports the animation of visual elements of Windows applications

Edited September 11, 2009 by franzon

[Dazog]

DxDiag Version: 7.00.6002.18091

DirectX Version: DirectX 11

[Robbie Khan Reviews]

Nice for those who are still using Vista, now with DX11 :p

[Ci7]

wow!

[x-byte]

That's a great update for Vista users. And for developers that now don't need to wait for Windows 7 adaptation to use these.

[Fraud OS 11]

Release an offline installer on the download center please MS. Why are you behaving like with Ultimate Extras?

[Ci7]

Release an offline installer on the download center please MS. Why are you behaving like with Ultimate Extras?

it is beta package ,it would be avilable when they finalize it

1. To download a Platform Update for Windows Vista script, visit the following Microsoft Download Center Web site:
   
   http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...24-71f80bf21638
   
   
   Note
   You need this script only during the beta period
   .

   
   

2. Run the script.
   
3. Download the Platform Update for Windows Vista through Windows Update
   

[Hani]

does this update include DirectX 11?

[Ci7]

does this update include DirectX 11?

yes

[franzon]

:p

[Fraud OS 11]

Of course the script is only needed during the beta period doens't mean they'll release the installer on the Download Center.

[FloatingFatMan]

At this rate, they're going to end up backporting ALL of Win 7 into Vista, effectively giving all Vista users a free copy of win 7.

This would be nice. ;)

[ZonoBurk]

At this rate, they're going to end up backporting ALL of Win 7 into Vista, effectively giving all Vista users a free copy of win 7.

This would be nice. ;)

Vista will never be Windows 7, sadly.