QFixApp UI

The Fixes tab shows each of the 139 fixes that are currently available for applications on Windows XP. You can select any combination of these fixes by checking the box next to each name.

To get more information about a fix, select a fix and read the descriptive text in the Fix description box. You need not check a fix to read the description.

Note

• Some of the descriptions refer to shims, an older term for application fixes.

Many applications require the same sets of fixes to work well on Windows XP. The Layers tab groups sets of fixes so that you can apply them without selecting each fix separately. These groups are called layers or modes.

To see which fixes are used in each layer, select a layer on the Layers tab, then choose the Fixes tab. Each fix applied by the selected layer is checked on the Fixes tab.

QFixApp uses several mechanisms to make sure that it applies fixes to the correct executable (.exe) file. The Advanced button provides access to additional QFixApp features that control how the tool identifies target files.

File Properties

QFixApp identifies up to sixteen properties in the target file and lists them in the Choose file identification attributes box. Sixteen properties are usually sufficient to uniquely identify any executable file. You can select one or more properties for the verification process.

File Matching

Some applications do not expose all sixteen properties. In some cases, the number of properties actually exposed may not be enough to uniquely identify fixes for a particular executable file in an application-rich environment.

QFixApp can use information for one or more additional files to help identify the target file. Click Add matching file to select additional files for verification. Selecting additional files instructs QFixApp to use that file information to help verify the target file. QFixApp will only apply fixes to the specified target file if it meets the criteria specified in the window on the right side of the QFixApp interface.

Note

• If you mistakenly add a matching file that should not be used, you cannot delete it from the QFixApp interface. Instead, reselect the target executable file in QFixApp. QFixApp will remove all matching file information.

Creating a Fix

When you have identified the layers or fixes that you want to apply to an application, you can use Create fix support to create an .sdb file; however, QFixApp gives you little control over this file. You cannot rename it, and it only contains the fix for the single application.

The Compatadmin tool has a fix wizard that adds your single fix to an SDB package. It also allows you to name the SDB package as well as providing an interface for building and managing SDB files.

Show XML

This is used by the Microsoft development team.