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Deployment instructions

Required Permissions

By default installation and deinstallation of Callback File System files (kernel-mode drivers and Helper DLLs) can be performed from the user account which belongs to Administrators group. This is a security measure of Windows operating system. You can change this behaviour on the target system by adjusting the list of users and groups who have the right to install and uninstall the drivers. This can be done in Control Panel -> Administrative tools -> Local Security Settings -> Local Policies \ User Rights Assignment (tree branch), there you need to change "Load and Unload device drivers" item. No need to say that by default you can change the security settings if you are system administrator.

Notes for Vista and Windows 7

If you have UAC (User Account Control) enabled, Vista and Windows 7 will run applications started by you with limited rights even when you are logged in as administrator or member of Administrators group.

If you install or uninstall the drivers by calling the above mentioned functions in your code, you need to elevate privileges of your application so that it's started with truly administrative rights.

To elevate privilages for your application, you must start it with Run As Administrator option. In Windows Explorer this is done using Run As Administrator command in context menu for the application. Alternatively you can set the corresponding option in the Properties window shown for your executable module.

One more option is to use the manifest. The manifest file can be placed next to the executable of your application or embedded into the executable. If you decide to keep the manifest in a separate file, it must be named <EXEName_with_extension>.manifest, eg. for MyApp.exe the manifest should be called MyApp.exe.manifest.

You can use the following manifest:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<assembly xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1" manifestVersion="1.0">
    <assemblyIdentity version="1.0.0.0"
	processorArchitecture="X86"
	name="ExeName"
	type="win32"/>
<description>elevate execution level</description>
   <trustInfo xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v2">
      <security>
         <requestedPrivileges>
            <requestedExecutionLevel level="requireAdministrator" uiAccess="false"/>
         </requestedPrivileges>
      </security>
   </trustInfo>
</assembly>

Installation of the drivers and Helper DLLs

In Callback File System 3.x all driver versions and all Helper DLLs are packed to a single CAB file, which is installed to the target system using the functions exported by Installer DLL that is included within Callback File System package. This DLL can be freely distributed with your projects as long as it is used with the licensed version of Callback File System.

To install or uninstall the CAB file from your main application use the calls in Callback File System API: Install and Uninstall.

Windows requires system restart after installation or deinstallation of plug-n-play drivers, so in Callback File System 3.x restart is always needed.

Note, that Uninstall function should be used only to completely uninstall the driver and helper DLLs. Don't use Uninstall function if you are upgrading the version of CBFS on target system. If you use Uninstall, and then attempt to install the new version without restarting the system, you can either get an error or restart will cause the OS to delete the newly installed files (the OS treats these files as the ones that must be uninstalled).

After you install the CAB file, you need to keep a copy of this file on the destination system, because deinstallation of the files also requires the CAB archive to be present.

User-mode API

Callback File System user-mode API is shipped as .NET assemblies, static library for Visual C++ and VCL units.

  • .NET API:
    When deploying the project, copy the CBFSNet.dll below to your application folder. Questions about when and how to install the assemblies to Global Assembly Cache are discussed in Working with Assemblies and the Global Assembly Cache and How to: Install an Assembly into the Global Assembly Cache articles.

    .NET 4.0 assemblies are different for 32-bit and 64-bit platforms. 64-bit .NET 4.0 assemblies are available for x64 (AMD64) processor architecture used by most modern 64-bit processors and IA64 (Itanium) processor architecture used by some Intel-produced server processors.
    All .NET 4.0 assemblies require Visual C++ 2010 Multithreaded Runtime DLLs (msvcm100.dll and msvcr100.dll). It's a good idea to include these DLLs into the distribution. The DLLs are located in <CBFS>\MSVC_REDIST\NET_40 folder.
    If you place the assembly to the same folder where your application is located, these DLLs must be placed in this folder too. If you install the .NET assembly to the GAC, it's recommended that you also install the above DLLs to \Windows\System32 folder.

    .NET 2.0 assemblies are different for 32-bit and 64-bit platforms. 64-bit .NET 2.0 assemblies are available for x64 (AMD64) processor architecture used by most modern 64-bit processors and IA64 (Itanium) processor architecture used by some Intel-produced server processors.
    .NET 2.0 assemblies for Win32 and x64 platforms require Visual C++ 2005 SP1 Multithreaded Runtime DLLs (msvcm80.dll and msvcr80.dll). .NET 2.0 assemblies for IA64 platform require Visual C++ 2008 Multithreaded Runtime DLLs (msvcm90.dll and msvcr90.dll). It's a good idea to include these DLLs into the distribution. The DLLs are located in <CBFS>\MSVC_REDIST\NET_20 folder.
    If you place the assembly to the same folder where your application is located, these DLLs must be placed in this folder too. If you install the .NET assembly to the GAC, it's recommended that you also install the above DLLs to \Windows\System32 folder.

    .NET 1.1 assembly can be used only with 32-bit applications.
    .NET 1.1 assembly requires Visual C++ Multithreaded Runtime DLL (MSVCR71.dll). You can rely on this DLL to be present on destination systems, but it's a good idea to include it into the distribution. The DLL is located in <CBFS>\MSVC_REDIST\NET_1.1 folder.
    If you place the assembly to the same folder where your application is located, this DLL must be placed in this folder too. If you install the .NET assembly to the GAC, it's recommended that you also install the above DLL to \Windows\System32 folder.

    Alternative method for deployment of MS VC++ Runtime DLLs is to download proper "vcredist" installations from Microsoft site and include them to your installation package. Do the search for "Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Package" on Microsoft site and choose the needed redistributable packages.

  • C++ API:
    C++ class links Callback File System API statically so no deployment is required.

  • VCL API:
    VCL unit for Delphi and C++Builder links Callback File System API statically so no deployment is required.


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