Can a UMDF "Driver" Interact with the Desktop?

NTDEV
1

Is there a way for a UMDF driver, such as VirtualSerial, to interact with
the desktop?

In particular, the need is to display a configuration dialog.

I suppose that the alternative would be to have a companion interactive
service that does this work.

Thomas F. Divine

2

UMDF driver runs in session 0 so can’t really display UI to user. It is also highly discouraged for UMDF driver to do such things. Semantically its actions should be considered equivalent to a km driver’s actions.

Praveen

3

Thomas F. Divine wrote:

Is there a way for a UMDF driver, such as VirtualSerial, to interact with
the desktop?

In particular, the need is to display a configuration dialog.

I suppose that the alternative would be to have a companion interactive
service that does this work.

Traditionally, I think you would write a control panel applet that talks
to the driver through a back door control object.

–
Tim Roberts, xxxxx@probo.com
Providenza & Boekelheide, Inc.

4

Yes, I can see the logic you mention.

So a companion interactive service would be a viable approach?

The driver must be configured or re-configured (IP address, etc) on some
occasions…

Thomas

From: “Praveen Rao”
Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 4:51 PM
To: “Windows System Software Devs Interest List”
Subject: RE: [ntdev] Can a UMDF “Driver” Interact with the Desktop?

> UMDF driver runs in session 0 so can’t really display UI to user. It is
> also highly discouraged for UMDF driver to do such things. Semantically
> its actions should be considered equivalent to a km driver’s actions.
>
> Praveen
>
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5

don’t write an interactive service, they are security nightmares waiting to happen. just write a control panel applet or a device property page and configure the device in UI running as the logged in user.

d

6

Thanks. It looks like an applet is the way to go. I’ll pass that along.

Thomas

From:
Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2011 5:23 PM
To: “Windows System Software Devs Interest List”
Subject: RE:[ntdev] Can a UMDF “Driver” Interact with the Desktop?

> don’t write an interactive service, they are security nightmares waiting
> to happen. just write a control panel applet or a device property page and
> configure the device in UI running as the logged in user.
>
> d
>
> —
> NTDEV is sponsored by OSR
>
> For our schedule of WDF, WDM, debugging and other seminars visit:
> http://www.osr.com/seminars
>
> To unsubscribe, visit the List Server section of OSR Online at
> http://www.osronline.com/page.cfm?name=ListServer

7

> The driver must be configured or re-configured (IP address, etc) on some

occasions…

Or write the new values to the registry, and then ping the driver to re-read them.

–
Maxim S. Shatskih
Windows DDK MVP
xxxxx@storagecraft.com
http://www.storagecraft.com