Software Redistribution Setup

The inclusion of Windows Media Format software in an application setup is known as redistribution. The order in which components are installed in a redistribution setup can be critical. If the digital rights manager (DRM) client is being redistributed, it must be installed first. In addition, because it is contained within Wmfaudioredist.exe and Wmfredist.exe, one of those two files must be installed before Wmdmredist.exe.

To create a redistribution setup

1. Decide what functionality you require (for example, audio only , audio and video, Windows Media Device Manager). This determines what you need to include in your application setup. As an application developer, you must include one or more of the following packages at the end of your application installation routine:
   • If you require only audio and the DRM client, you must install Wmfaudioredist.exe as part of your client application.
     
     
   • If you require audio and video and the DRM client, you must install Wmfredist.exe as part of your client application.
     
     
   • If you require Windows Media Device Manager, you must install one of the preceding packages and Wmdmredist.exe as part of your client application.
     
     
   • If you develop applications for Iomega devices (Zip, Jaz, or Click drives) and Microsoft® Windows 95® or Windows 98®, you are also permitted to redistribute and install the Iomega.vxd file to enable support for hardware ID numbers when using Windows Media Device Manager. Wmformat.exe copies the Iomega.vxd file to the \Redist folder, but does not install it.
2. Have your setup routine install your application files and make required settings before invoking the redistribution packages.
   
   
3. Install Wmfaudioredist.exe or Wmfredist.exe, as determined in step 1. You can use the /Q flag to do a quiet, unattended installation and suppress the user interface of the redistribution setup during the installation of your application. You can also use the /R:N flag to suppress restarting during the installation, but your routine must then detect whether restarting is needed at the end. For example:

   Wmfredist.exe /Q /R:N
   

4. Install Wmdmredist.exe if you need Windows Media Device Manager. (This fails if step 3 is not done first.)