Hello,

To give some background into my problem, I have a computer which launches an application at startup instead of the Windows Desktop environment. This is done by altering the value of the registry location at: Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\winlogon from explorer.exe to the name of my application. This is done to lock the user out of the desktop environment.

When I enter the command, "start ms-settings:" to bring up the settings application, I instead receive the error: "ms-settings: File system error (-2147219200)". If I revert my registry key to explorer.exe and restart back into the desktop environment the command works as expected. My only thought is that a service isn't be correctly started when I bypass the Windows Desktop environment. I've searched online and haven't found anything similar to my situation.

Does anyone know what requirements the setting app has in order to launch?

The end goal of what I'm trying to accomplish is to bring up the Windows Update dialog (which appears to be part of the settings app) for users that want to update Windows over the internet. If there are other options to perform a feature update over the internet without opening the settings app that would be fine too. Sorry if this sort of turns my 1 question into 2. 

I have a dialog window which contains two lists view which can be resized horizontally using splitter:

IDD_TESTBOX DIALOGEX 0, 0, 590, 300
STYLE DS_SETFONT | DS_MODALFRAME | DS_FIXEDSYS | WS_POPUP | WS_CAPTION | WS_SYSMENU
CAPTION "TestWinApi"
FONT 8, "MS Shell Dlg"
BEGIN
    CONTROL "List1",IDC_LIST1,"SysListView32",LVS_REPORT | LVS_SHOWSELALWAYS | LVS_SHAREIMAGELISTS | WS_BORDER | WS_TABSTOP,10,10,280,280
    CONTROL "", IDC_SPLITTER, "Static", SS_BLACKFRAME, 292,10,6,280
    CONTROL "List2",IDC_LIST2,"SysListView32",LVS_REPORT | LVS_SHOWSELALWAYS | LVS_SHAREIMAGELISTS | WS_BORDER | WS_TABSTOP,300,10,280,280
END

Here is the relevant part of the code:

RECT WinRectToClientSpace(HWND dlgHwnd, HWND ctrlHwnd)
{
    RECT r;
    GetWindowRect(ctrlHwnd, &r);
    ScreenToClient(dlgHwnd, (POINT*)&r);
    ScreenToClient(dlgHwnd, (POINT*)&r + 1);
    return r;
}

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////

case WM_MOUSEMOVE:
{
    mousePos.x = LOWORD(lParam);
    mousePos.y = HIWORD(lParam);

    HWND ctrl = GetDlgItem(hDlg, IDC_SPLITTER);
    RECT r = WinRectToClientSpace(hDlg, ctrl);

    if (PtInRect(&r, mousePos))
    {
        SetCursor(LoadCursor(0, IDC_SIZEWE));
        splitterHit = true;
    }
    else
    {
        SetCursor(LoadCursor(0, IDC_ARROW));
        splitterHit = false;
    }

    if (splitterDrag)
    {
        const int dX = mousePos.x - initialSplitterPosX;

        SetWindowPos(ctrl, 0, mousePos.x, r.top, 0, 0, SWP_NOSIZE | SWP_NOZORDER);

        ctrl = GetDlgItem(hDlg, IDC_LIST1);
        RECT r = WinRectToClientSpace(hDlg, ctrl);
        SetWindowPos(ctrl, 0, 0, 0, initialList1Width + dX, r.bottom - r.top, SWP_NOMOVE | SWP_NOZORDER);

        ctrl = GetDlgItem(hDlg, IDC_LIST2);
        r = WinRectToClientSpace(hDlg, ctrl);
        SetWindowPos(ctrl, 0, initialList2Pos + dX, r.top, initialList2Width - dX, r.bottom - r.top, SWP_NOZORDER);

        GetClientRect(hDlg, &r);
        InvalidateRect(hDlg, &r, TRUE);
    }
    break;
}
case WM_LBUTTONDOWN:
{
    if (splitterHit)
    {
        splitterDrag = true;
        SetCapture(hDlg);
    }
    break;
}
case WM_LBUTTONUP:
{
    splitterDrag = false;
    ReleaseCapture();
    break;
}

As you can see InvalidateRect is called for the dialog window but I get flickering during resizing lists view. I have no idea what may be wrong. How to fix it ?

When I add WS_CLIPCHILDREN style (dialog window) there is no flickering but the background in not repainted correctly, there remains some artifacts around splitter.

Spelunking through all the event log functions is giving me a headache. Right now, as part of a data collector script for a product I work on in my day job, we pull the application, system, and security event logs using this:

hopen = OpenEventLog(NULL,  // uses local computer
                     L"Security");    // source name

btest=(BackupEventLog(hopen, L".\\SecurityLog.evt"));
CloseEventLog(hopen);

This saves the files out as legacy .evt files without a problem... However, if we open that log file on any host that doesn't have all the same programs installed, we get a lot of "x is not installed" messages and we lose potentially important data. On top of that, spelunking through the event logs in parallel is something of a nuisance because the windows event view isn't exactly the fastest thing.

What I would LIKE to do is render the logs in XML, which presumably preserves all the strings and removes dependencies for installed products. We can then feed the logs into another search tool (like Elastic Search) to locate events happening around the same time in the various logs.

It looks like what I need to do, at least initially, is use "Application", "System", and/or "Security" as the channels... At least when I use eventvwr /c:Application I wind up skipping right to the application event log.

Could someone please point me to where I can find the this documented? I've been looking all over. And is this localized? I would hate to try to open "Application" on a non-english machine only to find out that the name is different.

Hi all,

I'd like to auto-start my app "after the user login into Windows". The problem I met is when I restart the PC, my app will auto-start when my screen is still sitting on the Windows user login screen. Since my app would do something related to driver or DWM, the error happens.

I've tried some methods. 

1. write my executable info to registry. (HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run)

2. put my executable into %appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

And, above two methods caused the problem.

3. I've tried to get the logon event. I parsed the logon event log from "Event Viewer". 

=> Unfortunately, the logon event issued when the screen is still sitting on the Windows user login screen.

Hope you guys could give me any directions, thank you.

Recently, I have been working on generating AD User LastLogonDate report. Knowing that the LastLogonDate attribute will indicate the last date of users authenticate themselves for utilizing resource of the domain, such as logon a domain-joined workstations / servers.

How about if the user use mobile phone to check company mailbox with / without VPN, will this be counted into the LastLogonDate attribute? Or any other cases will be an exception, in which it is not counted into LastLogonDate attribute record?

Please correct me if there are anything unclear. Thanks. 

32-bit depth Icons become invisible while connecting second display and choosing "Control Panel\Display\Change Display Settings\Multiple displays: extend these displays" setting.

I draw icons in my MFC\C++ Windows7 application using
::DrawIconEx( hDC, x, y, hIcon,W,H,NULL,NULL, DI_NORMAL) API function.
Handle of ICON in memory is passed from outside. The icon is drawn alright while it has less than 32-bit color depth.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

Hello,

I have an java application which is running in a Windows but as soon as user logs off, the application also is down.

How to run the jar file as a background application and keep it running even after the user is logged out?

Thanks,

Siddarth

Hello.

I'm developing software on Windows platform since 20 years.

I need some kind of documentation that explains how to use all folder that Windows offers.
Same aplies to Windows registry.

When my application needs to write files on disk wich is the best destination folder, depending on the type of file (common user, user specific, shared) and also based on the software type (Desktop app, service, console, etc.)

I well know the existance of folders like:
    "Users\<Name>", "Users\Public","AppData\Local", "AppData\Roaming", "ProgramData", etc.
but I've guest how to use these folder because I never found a documentation that explains the Microsoft Idea.

Just to better explain my self I'll write some examples:

-I still don't uderstand way AppData and ProgramData are hidden.
-Wich is the security protection design for the software, data folders.
-if my software downloads an installer, wich is the best location where to write and start it in the way i can correctly handle security, antivirus, access rights etc.

I never found an official guide line that explains wath is the Microsoft idea of "data, software and settings" organizzation.

Thanks in advance for you help.

Ricardo

Hello!

I recently discovered a feature in Linux called Restartable Sequences which effectively enables fast per-CPU atomic operations, likeCAS or DCAS.

Is there a similar feature on Windows (10), or some way to emulate it?

Alternatively, are there any plans to add it?

we have current code to get user principal name.

we have a number of users who don't connect to VPN until after the applications launch as they are start up apps.

how can we get the UPN when disconnected fromt eh Active directory as below code throws exception.

       string userDomainName = Environment.UserName;
            try
            {
                using (UserPrincipal up = UserPrincipal.Current)
                {
                     userDomainName = UserPrincipal.Current?.UserPrincipalName ?? Environment.UserName;
Log.AddMessage($"got user name of {userDomainName} for UPN");
return userDomainName;

}
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                Log.AddMessage(ex.Message);
            }

customers point out that whoami /upn works even when disconnected so where does it obtain its information from.

I have an issue with midiOutSetVolume function from winmm library. I use it from C#. The problem is it fails even if midiOutGetDevCaps returns struct where dwSupport hasMIDICAPS_VOLUME flag set. As example of device with this behavior you can try built-inMicrosoft GS Wavetable Synth.

Exact error message is: This function is not supported. Use the Capabilities function to determine which functions and messages the driver supports. But I use midiOutGetDevCaps to get capabilities and the device supports volume control :)

Can someone explain why function fails in case where it mustn't?

I am making an URGENT call here. I am a Windows 10 themes designer whom my role is to create my own fully customized Windows 10 themes by using the Personalization settings from the Settings Menu. My problem is that I cannot access the "Advanced Appearance Settings" dialog box because it was removed in Windows 8, 8.1, and it was never added to Windows 10.

I requested in the Feedback Hub and live chat agents that the Advanced Appearance Settings dialog box must be added back to the next build of Windows 10, so that theme designers like me can take advantage of customizing colors and fonts of Windows title bars, text fonts and colors, application backgrounds, tooltips, desktop icon name colors and fonts and many other sub-elements that were customizable in Windows 95 to Windows 7.

The Microsoft Windows 10 Development Team has the right to listen and agree with my feedback so that they can urgently upon request add back the (Advanced Appearance Settings) dialog box to the next build of Windows 10. This requested feature should be back in the 20H1 build of Windows 10. If not, then it must be available in the 20H2 build which is due to be released at the end of this year in 2020.

If anyone using Windows 10 to create .deskthemepack files or sharing them on other computers or online, please spread the word by requesting in the Feedback Hub, live chat agents, on this forum or anywhere else on Microsoft to add back the Advanced Appearance Settings dialog box so that Windows 10 theme designers can get a much better experience at creating fully customized user made themes.

If you are reading this post, please comment back to me. I would like to hear from you your opinions and views you have in mind regarding this feature. Please also let me know what else could be added to the Personalization Panel for improvements to creating custom themes for Windows 10.

Thank you.

I am trying to send keyboard inputs, similar to what sendkeys does in C++

From https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/uwp/design/input/input-injection, I can see C# code like this:

_inputInjector = InputInjector.TryCreate();

How can I do this in straight C++ instead of C#?

The next ones are some of the well known folders under the “FolderDescriptions” registry key for which the “ParsingName” value is functional and used:

{0ddd015d-b06c-45d5-8c4c-f59713854639} (Local Pictures)

{35286a68-3c57-41a1-bbb1-0eae73d76c95} (Local Videos)

{7d83ee9b-2244-4e70-b1f5-5393042af1e4} (Local Downloads)

{a0c69a99-21c8-4671-8703-7934162fcf1d} (Local Music)

{f42ee2d3-909f-4907-8871-4c22fc0bf756} (Local Documents)

{A52BBA46-E9E1-435f-B3D9-28DAA648C0F6} (OneDrive)

I say that the “ParsingName” is used and functional because changing its value for the above folders changes the shell folder that is opened by Explorer when writing a path in Win key + R command.

For clarity I make one example:

The default “ParsingName” value for the {A52BBA46-E9E1-435f-B3D9-28DAA648C0F6} (OneDrive) folder is “shell:::{018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6}”, that is, when you type “C:\Users\Username\OneDrive” in Win key + R command the OneDrive shell folder pinned under the root Desktop virtual folder is opened and selected in Explorer tree.

If I change the “ParsingName” value from “shell:::{018D5C66-4533-4307-9B53-224DE2ED1FE6}” to “shell:::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}”, when you type “C:\Users\Username\OneDrive” in Win key + R command the “This Pc” virtual shell folder pinned under the root Desktop virtual folder is opened and selected in Explorer tree. (Instead of the original OneDrive shell folder)

The same is true for all the above folders.

Now I created and registered a new custom known folder with the help of the Com interface IKnownFolderManager::RegisterFolder, specifying a particular namespace shell path in the “pszParsingName” value of the KNOWNFOLDER_DEFINITION structure used to create the new known folder.

Despite the creation of the new known folder was successful and the “ParsingName” value was correctly created in registry too its value is not used and functional.

I desperately need to make the “ParsingName” value functional for custom known folder.

Thanks a lot for any help

I have a function that doesn't work as expected only on the first invocation when the variableupc changes. It works the second time for some reason. Every time I enter in a new upc for the function on the front end through the UI, I have to press enter twice for it to work correctly (or call the function twice). The first time I press enter, or call the function, the message dialogue comes up saying, "No price was found online." which only should show if found = false, however found = true as shown by the debug output, which is befuddling. Is there an issue here with the multithreading through the asynchronization? Why doesn't it work on the first try, but the second? 

public async void UPCSearch(object sender, KeyRoutedEventArgs e)
        {
            if (e.Key == Windows.System.VirtualKey.Enter)
            {
                try
                {searchWalmartNF();
                }
                catch (HttpRequestException httpException)
                {
                    Debug.WriteLine("HTTP exception caught.");
                    Debug.WriteLine(httpException);
                }
                catch (Exception exception)
                {
                    Debug.WriteLine("Exception caught.");
                    Debug.WriteLine(exception);
                }

                if(found)
                {
                    operationClicked = false;
                    calculated = true;
                    hasDecimal = false;
                    displayText = onlinePrice.ToString();
                    textblockPrice = onlinePrice.ToString() + onlineAbbrev;
                }
                else
                {var messageDialog = new MessageDialog("No price was found online.");
                    await messageDialog.ShowAsync();
                }
            }
        }

public async void searchWalmartNF()
        {
            try
            {
                walmartUrl = "http://api.walmartlabs.com/v1/items?apiKey=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx&upc=";
                url = (walmartUrl + upc);
                Debug.WriteLine("url: {0}", url);

                var client = new HttpClient();
                var walmartResponse = await client.GetAsync(new Uri(url));
                walmartResponse.EnsureSuccessStatusCode(); //added for success

                if (walmartResponse.IsSuccessStatusCode)
                {
                    var text = await walmartResponse.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();

                    JObject jsonText = JObject.Parse(text);

                    string jsonString = (string)jsonText["items"][0]["salePrice"];
                    Debug.WriteLine(jsonString);
                    Debug.WriteLine("Just output jsonString");

                    if (jsonString != "") //If there was text in salePrice
                    {
                        Debug.WriteLine("JsonString != ");found = true;Debug.WriteLine("Found = true");
                        double priceHolder;
                        if(Double.TryParse(jsonString, out priceHolder))
                        {
                            onlinePrice = priceHolder;
                        }

                        bool walmartFound = false;
                        int i = 0;
                        // still need to traverse the collection to get correct percentage in case it changes in future
                        for (i = 0; (i < nfbManager.nfCollection.Count() && (walmartFound == false)); ++i) //Find walmart percentage, changed from i < 49
                        {
                            string nfcollection = nfbManager.nfCollection[i].retailer;
                            if (nfbManager.nfCollection[i].retailer == "Walmart")
                            {
                                walmartFound = true;
                                walmartInformation = true;
                            }
                        }

                        if (walmartInformation)
                        {
                            onlineAbbrev = (" @WM $" + onlinePrice.ToString());
                            onlinePrice *= (nfbManager.nfCollection[i - 1].percentage / 100); // added i - 1, wasn't accessing correct percentage before
                            onlinePrice = RoundToNine(onlinePrice); // added to round to 9
                        }
                        else
                        {
                            var messageDialog = new MessageDialog("No Walmart information was found in the calculator");
                            await messageDialog.ShowAsync();
                            walmartInformation = false;
                        }
                    }
                    else
                    {
                        return;
                    }              
                }

Below is the debug output the first time the function is called, followed by the second time it's called. It works as expected the second time.

'AddInCalculator2.0.exe' (CoreCLR: CoreCLR_UWP_Domain): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.NET.CoreFramework.Debug.2.2_2.2.27909.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe\System.Net.Primitives.dll'. Skipped loading symbols. Module is optimized and the debugger option 'Just My Code' is enabled.
'AddInCalculator2.0.exe' (CoreCLR: CoreCLR_UWP_Domain): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.NET.CoreFramework.Debug.2.2_2.2.27909.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe\netstandard.dll'. Module was built without symbols.
'AddInCalculator2.0.exe' (CoreCLR: CoreCLR_UWP_Domain): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.NET.CoreFramework.Debug.2.2_2.2.27909.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe\System.Linq.Expressions.dll'. Skipped loading symbols. Module is optimized and the debugger option 'Just My Code' is enabled.
'AddInCalculator2.0.exe' (CoreCLR: CoreCLR_UWP_Domain): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.NET.CoreFramework.Debug.2.2_2.2.27909.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe\System.ComponentModel.TypeConverter.dll'. Skipped loading symbols. Module is optimized and the debugger option 'Just My Code' is enabled.
http://api.walmartlabs.com/v1/items?apiKey=xxxxxxxxxx&upc=022796901200:url: {0}
'AddInCalculator2.0.exe' (CoreCLR: CoreCLR_UWP_Domain): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.NET.CoreFramework.Debug.2.2_2.2.27909.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe\System.Diagnostics.Tracing.dll'. Skipped loading symbols. Module is optimized and the debugger option 'Just My Code' is enabled.
'AddInCalculator2.0.exe' (CoreCLR: CoreCLR_UWP_Domain): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.NET.CoreFramework.Debug.2.2_2.2.27909.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe\System.Security.Cryptography.X509Certificates.dll'. Skipped loading symbols. Module is optimized and the debugger option 'Just My Code' is enabled.
'AddInCalculator2.0.exe' (CoreCLR: CoreCLR_UWP_Domain): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.NET.CoreFramework.Debug.2.2_2.2.27909.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe\System.Security.Cryptography.Primitives.dll'. Skipped loading symbols. Module is optimized and the debugger option 'Just My Code' is enabled.
'AddInCalculator2.0.exe' (CoreCLR: CoreCLR_UWP_Domain): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.NET.CoreFramework.Debug.2.2_2.2.27909.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe\System.Security.Cryptography.Encoding.dll'. Skipped loading symbols. Module is optimized and the debugger option 'Just My Code' is enabled.
'AddInCalculator2.0.exe' (CoreCLR: CoreCLR_UWP_Domain): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.NET.CoreFramework.Debug.2.2_2.2.27909.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe\Microsoft.Win32.Primitives.dll'. Skipped loading symbols. Module is optimized and the debugger option 'Just My Code' is enabled.
'AddInCalculator2.0.exe' (CoreCLR: CoreCLR_UWP_Domain): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.NET.CoreFramework.Debug.2.2_2.2.27909.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe\System.Collections.NonGeneric.dll'. Skipped loading symbols. Module is optimized and the debugger option 'Just My Code' is enabled.
'AddInCalculator2.0.exe' (CoreCLR: CoreCLR_UWP_Domain): Loaded 'C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.NET.CoreFramework.Debug.2.2_2.2.27909.0_x86__8wekyb3d8bbwe\System.Runtime.Numerics.dll'. Skipped loading symbols. Module is optimized and the debugger option 'Just My Code' is enabled.
6.97
Just output jsonString
JsonString != Found = true
The thread 0x11e4 has exited with code 0 (0x0).
The thread 0x32d8 has exited with code 0 (0x0).

http://api.walmartlabs.com/v1/items?apiKey=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx&upc=022796901200:url: {0}
6.97
Just output jsonString
JsonString != Found = true

EDIT: This may not have anything to do with the threading. I thought it might because the debut output shows that found = true, but the message dialogue box still pops up the first time the function is called with a new upc. While running the debugger, the message dialogue box that says " no price was found online" shows up after this line of code executes within searchWalmartNF():

var walmartResponse = await client.GetAsync(new Uri(url));

I'm trying to make some fast serches in my Access DB and found out I could do it very much faster in a explorer window

BUT ..

I sometimes see some strange search results:

1) the search finds hidden system fiels eventhough they are checkmarked NOT to be shown in the folder settings !

I know these strange hidden files are garbage from WORD and WORD SHOULD have taken care of them but didn't because of en error in WORD !!!!

I known how to get rid of them - but because of the error in WORD - they keeps comming up after some time !!

But why make a NEW 'error' by searching among files that - by settings - are NOT to be shown ?

2) Sometimes I wonder why a specific file is shown in the search result - and the only explanation I can see is that my "search word" is part of the path to that file. It seems very wrong because if my "search word" is part of my computername - a lot of files will come up as search result because the ALL have that word in the path !!!!

I would be nice to have some documentation of what CAN and what CAN'T be used in the search field - in my picture I user my first name .. and the result is a lot of files - some of them seems hard to see why they are found.

I the longer run I want to make different searches:

a) search for single words - no problem except sometimes strange results

b) search for frases - specific words i a specific order - HOW ?

c) AND-searches - X AND Y AND Z - the words X, Y, Z all have to be found in the file

d) OR-searches ect. ect

Where can I find some documentation that can answer these questions ?