[This is preliminary documentation and subject to change.]
Requirement (Designed for Microsoft® Windows® Logo)
As a vendor, you must either include an .adm file with your application or make such a file available for download from your World Wide Web site.
Applications must include a system policy template so that administrators can remotely manage the roll-out and use of the application. By using a system policy template, global changes to registry parameters can be applied to all users or a subset of users at the next interactive log on. This allows the administrator to choose registry settings from a template so as to customize the application roll-out or behavior on users' computers.
Such a template is referred to as an .adm file. The administrator (or software developer) can mandate a value, remove a value, or disregard the current state of a particular value at each interactive user log on. For example, a vendor can provide a template to administrators that can set the default server locations in each user's personal preferences.
For details on Windows NT 4.0 system policies, a whitepaper titled "Windows NT 4.0 Profiles and Policies" is on the Microsoft Web site at file://\\\\pilotnt\\whitepaper\\ProfilesPolicies.doc). Additionally, more information on generating ADM files for use with System Policy Editor can be found in the Platform SDK.