Step 1: Test Your Application for Application Compatibility (UAC)

Step One: Test Your Application for Application Compatibility

Testing for application compatibility with UAC can be easily performed by installing the Standard User Analyzer. The Standard User Analyzer is a free download on the Microsoft Web site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=71359).

To utilize the Standard User Analyzer's graphical log display, you must install the Microsoft Application Verifier. The Application Verifier is a free download on the Microsoft Web site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=71506).

The following procedure illustrates how to use the Standard User Analyzer to identify pre-Windows Vista® administrative applications that do not run correctly on Windows Vista.

Important

There are two approaches you can take to utilize Standard User Analyzer: launch your application as standard user or launch your application elevated as an administrator.

Launch your application as standard user. In this instance, the Standard User Analyzer is running in diagnosis mode. The application will fail at the first error it encounters and the Standard User Analyzer will report why it failed.

Launch your application elevated as an administrator. In this instance, the Standard User Analyzer is running in prediction mode. The application will be able to run through its course and the Standard User Analyzer will predict and give an overview of the errors the application might encounter if it is run as standard user.

Once the bugs are fixed and resolved, perform this procedure once more as a standard user without the Standard User Analyzer to ensure your application is working as expected on Windows Vista.

To identify application compatibility problems for pre-Windows Vista applications

  1. Log on to a Windows Vista computer as an administrator in Admin Approval Mode.

  2. Click Start, click All Programs, and then click Standard User Analyzer.

  3. In the Standard User Analyzer, for Target Application, specify the full directory path for an application to test or click the Browse button to locate the program's executable file with Windows Explorer.

  4. Click Launch and then click Continue at the User Account Control dialog box.

  5. After the test application launches, perform standard administrative tasks in the application, and close the application when you have completed.

  6. In the Standard User Analyzer, examine the output on each tab. Use this data to identify the compatibility issues that the program might have.

See Also

Concepts

Designing UAC Applications for Windows Vista