Windows Automation API 3.0 has shipped!

Greetings,

I am proud to announce that our Windows Automation API 3.0 Platform has shipped to Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Server 2008. Our platform now provides a consistent API surface for both providers and clients to create solutions for customers all supported Windows platforms. This release enables ISV’s to adopt the Windows 7 platform by allowing them to transition to UIA for both down-level and Windows 7 customers and accelerate the move by developers from MSAA to UIA.

What are the details of the package

We released 5 major packages. 32-bit versions for Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2008. We shipped 64-bit versions of Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2008. In addition, we supported all major languages for each of the operating systems. If the language was a base language on the down-level platform and the resources were built for Windows 7, our package supports that language.

How will customers install the new software?

The packages will make their way down-level in these scenarios:

·       Many users will install these updates by default. The Windows Automation API will be installed as a recommended update from Windows Update on the client and server SKU’s of XP and Vista. 

·       Customers can download the installation packages from Microsoft Download Center. 

o https://support.microsoft.com/kb/971513/

·       In the next major service packs for each down-level platform, the updates will be included. Any new media that is sent to customers with these service packs will already have our latest platform on them.

·       ISV’s can use Windows Update API’s to see if the package has not been installed during their own software installation. If it has not been installed, they can use Windows Update API’s to automatically pull the package to the user’s machine and install it.

If you have any other questions, please us know! 

Sincerely,

The Windows team