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| This newsletter contains archived content. No warranty is made as to technical accuracy of content or currency of URLs.
From the Editor
You asked for it! In response to driver developers' requests, the WDF team has worked to ensure that you can use KMDF 1.1 to develop drivers for Windows 2000, in addition to Windows XP and Windows Server 2003.
KMDF implements the fundamental features required for kernel-mode drivers, including: Plug and Play and power management, I/O queues, direct memory access (DMA), Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI), and synchronization.
To help you get started with the KMDF 1.1 release:
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KMDF documentation includes new examples.
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The KMDF home page on the WHDC Web site includes whitepapers, presentations, and FAQs that support Windows Driver Foundation (WDF) and KMDF.
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And if you're new to WDF as a driver model, see "About WDF" at the bottom of this newsletter for a quick peek at this powerful new solution from Microsoft to simplify the job of building reliable, secure drivers.
-- Annie Pearson
for the WHDC Web team
WHDC After Dark: We recommend you track the new blogs from KMDF and UMDF developers at Microsoft:
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Info for Kernel-Mode Driver Framework
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Microsoft provides debugger extension commands to help in debugging drivers that use the KMDF. The extensions are supplied in the file Wdfkd.dll, which is installed in the bin/platform directory of the KMDF root. For example, the bin/x86 directory includes the extension library for debugging on the x86 architecture.
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You can use the extension commands to debug KMDF drivers for Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and later versions.
See the KMDF home page on the WHDC web site for whitepapers and FAQs, including:
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- Architecture of the Kernel-Mode Driver Framework
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- Sample Drivers for the Kernel-Mode Driver Framework
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- DMA Support in Windows Drivers
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Resources WDF Development
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This technical beta allows access to Beta releases and participation in private beta newsgroups.
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The Windows System Software Developers list focuses on peer support for developing drivers for Windows.
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We're adding new driver tips on the WHDC Web site regularly for KMDF driver development.
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WDF at WinHEC 2006
The Device Driver Fundamentals track at WinHEC will focus on platform advances in the development, test, and deployment of drivers for Windows. Several sessions will help you learn how UMDF can help you develop drivers faster. Sessions and hands-on labs will help you learn to use the new testing tools in the Windows Driver Kit (WDK).
Tuesday, May 23, these WinHEC sessions will focus on WDF concepts and tools:
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Static Analysis and Verification of Drivers
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User-Mode Driver Framework: Introduction and Overview
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User-Mode Driver Framework: Technical Synopsis
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For all three days of WinHEC, there are hands-on labs for: KMDF and UMDF driver development, PREfast, Static Driver Verifier, and using the WDK for driver development.
WDF and the Windows Vista Logo Program
Under the Windows Vista Logo Program for devices, the following are proposed requirements and recommendations:
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Secure Digital I/O (SDIO) device driver must be written using KMDF for its implementation.
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A driver for an Ethernet device must make only NDIS or WDF calls. Any calls to kernel mode components are not allowed.
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Keyboard and mouse kernel-mode drivers must be ported to the WDF KMDF model.
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Drivers are advised to follow UMDF design guidelines as defined in the Windows Driver Kit, although compliance to UMDF is not a requirement. This recommendation is emphasized for supporting redirection through a Terminal Services Session over the PnP Device Redirection Framework.
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About WDF
The Windows Driver Foundation (WDF) is Microsoft's strategy for addressing these design goals. WDF is a conceptual driver model that includes several components:
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User-Mode Driver Framework (UMDF) - UMDF supports the development of user-mode drivers for device classes such as cameras and portable music players that are based on protocol or serial buses.
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WDF Driver Verification Tools - WDF includes a built-in verifier along with two rule-based static verification tools: PREfast and Static Driver Verifier (SDV).
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WDF provides an object-oriented, event-driven model in which:
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Objects work as building blocks for the driver. A driver modifies these objects through well-defined interfaces.
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A set of events can affect each type of object. The framework defines default behavior for each event; to support device-specific behavior, the driver includes callback routines that override the defaults.
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This conceptual model enables driver developers to write a simple driver quickly and to increase the complexity of the driver in small increments by adding functionality. WDF is designed to enable driver developers to focus on their hardware and software, not on the operating system. To make drivers easier to debug and maintain, the framework contains built-in support for verification and event tracing for Windows. Both verification and tracing can be enabled in debug and retail builds.
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