New in Windows 7 SDK: Virtual Light Sensor

The newly released Microsoft Windows SDK for Windows 7 and .NET Framework 3.5 SP1: BETA is available on the Microsoft Download Center with several new tools. SDK. Over the next couple of weeks I’ll write a short summary of what each tool can be used for.

Virtual Light Sensor (VirtualLightSensor.exe)

Windows 7 introduces a platform for using sensor devices, such as light sensors or GPS sensors, to create environmental or location awareness in programs. The Windows SDK for Windows 7 (Beta) includes a virtual light sensor that you can use to simulate a hardware-based light sensor device. You can use this tool to provide data to the AmbientLightAware sample to see how the code in the sample works. You can find the Sensor API samples in the SDK folder named \Samples\winui\Sensors. Watch the PDC2008 session video, Windows 7: the Sensor and Location Platform: Building Context-Aware Applications. Here you’ll learn how to use sensors to make your programs more functional, easier to use, and more aware of the surrounding environment.

Gavin Gear writes an introduction in his blog post, So what is this new "Sensor and Location Platform" in Windows 7?. You can learn more about the Windows 7 Sensor and Location Platform by visiting the new WHDC site, and developer forum:

WHDC site: https://www.microsoft.com/whdc/sensors

Developer Forum: https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/windowssensorandlocationplatform/threads

 To learn about other tools new to the Windows SDK for Windows 7, see New Tools in the Windows 7 SDK.