After googling so much that my head is spinning and a bunch of misleading and contradictory information, I've managed to compile the following minimum "template" for application manifest which is supposed to do define the following:
- program version and name
- that it does not require any special administrator privileges
- that it is compatible with Windows Vista to Windows 8.1
- that it is DPI aware
Is my manifest file sufficient for the above purpose and are there any mistakes I did, that I should be aware of? I am in particular puzzled by the xmlns namespace versions and the reason why they are different for parts of this manifest?
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<assembly manifestVersion="1.0" xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" xmlns:asmv3="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v3">
<assemblyIdentity type="win32"
name="Manufacturer.Division.ApplicationName"
version="1.2.3.4"
processorArchitecture="x86"
/>
<trustInfo xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v2">
<security>
<requestedPrivileges>
<requestedExecutionLevel level="asInvoker" uiAccess="false" />
</requestedPrivileges>
</security>
</trustInfo>
<compatibility xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:compatibility.v1">
<application>
<supportedOS Id="{e2011457-1546-43c5-a5fe-008deee3d3f0}"/> <!-- The application supports Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 -->
<supportedOS Id="{35138b9a-5d96-4fbd-8e2d-a2440225f93a}"/> <!-- The application supports Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 -->
<supportedOS Id="{4a2f28e3-53b9-4441-ba9c-d69d4a4a6e38}"/> <!-- The application supports Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 -->
<supportedOS Id="{1f676c76-80e1-4239-95bb-83d0f6d0da78}"/> <!-- The application supports Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 -->
</application>
</compatibility>
<asmv3:application xmlns:asmv3="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v3">
<asmv3:windowsSettings xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/SMI/2005/WindowsSettings">
<dpiAware>true</dpiAware>
</asmv3:windowsSettings>
</asmv3:application>
</assembly>
Edit: Here is my final manifest file template based on help here and further research for future googlers.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0">
<assemblyIdentity type="win32"
processorArchitecture="*"
version="1.2.3.4"
name="Manufacturer.Division.ApplicationName"
/>
<description>My Application Description</description>
<dependency>
<dependentAssembly>
<assemblyIdentity type="win32"
name="Microsoft.Windows.Common-Controls"
version="6.0.0.0"
processorArchitecture="*"
publicKeyToken="6595b64144ccf1df"
language="*"
/>
</dependentAssembly>
</dependency>
<trustInfo xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v2">
<security>
<requestedPrivileges>
<requestedExecutionLevel level="asInvoker" uiAccess="false" />
</requestedPrivileges>
</security>
</trustInfo>
<compatibility xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:compatibility.v1">
<application>
<supportedOS Id="{e2011457-1546-43c5-a5fe-008deee3d3f0}"/> <!-- Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 -->
<supportedOS Id="{35138b9a-5d96-4fbd-8e2d-a2440225f93a}"/> <!-- Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 -->
<supportedOS Id="{4a2f28e3-53b9-4441-ba9c-d69d4a4a6e38}"/> <!-- Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 -->
<supportedOS Id="{1f676c76-80e1-4239-95bb-83d0f6d0da78}"/> <!-- Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 -->
</application>
</compatibility>
<application xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v3">
<windowsSettings>
<dpiAware xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/SMI/2005/WindowsSettings">True/PM</dpiAware>
</windowsSettings>
</application>
</assembly>