Client mode device driver: how to make system recognize it?

[Sergei Vlasov]

Hello.
I wrote a user-mode (as opposed to kernel-mode) device driver
which control my network devices through TCP/winsock, and which actually
is an exe-task (as MSDN teach us).

How to make system (WinXP) recognize it as a driver?
i.e. how to manage it (XP) include the driver in the device manager's list
of devices?
What is the next (or first) step: just inf-file/install?
Or some specific issues about exe/dll/proxy exist too (this is a DCOM
driver)?
Tried, but failed. Any ideas (links, samples) are appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[anton bassov]

Sergei,

I wrote a user-mode (as opposed to kernel-mode) device driver
which control my network devices through TCP/winsock,

AFAIK, network drivers cannot operate in the user mode. The excerpt
below is taken from MSDN:

////////////////


The UMDF supports the development of drivers for protocol-based or
serial bus-based devices, such as USB devices and network-connected
devices. For example, you can write drivers for the following types of
devices by using the UMDF:

Portable storage devices, such as PDAs and cell phones
Portable media players
USB bulk transfer devices
Auxiliary display and video devices

These devices can be directly connected, connected on the network, or
connected through a wireless protocol such as Bluetooth.

///////////


As you can see, network devices are not on the list, are they???? The
only thing MSDN says is that target devices for user-mode driver may be
connected on the network, but this is not the same thing as network
device

In fact, I don't know what you are trying to do, but if you need a
network driver in a true meaning of this term, you have to write a
kernel-mode one

Anton Bassov

 

[Venus³²]

Nope, Anton (thank you for the reply, however) you did not catch the idea.
I'm talking about device (say, like traffic lights controller): no more,
no less, and its driver.
Not a network driver, but device driver.
This device (unlike most regular PC devices) is attached not to
PCI, USB, or COM/IRDA/BT, but to Ethernet and is controlled with
regular TCP/winsock (client mode) methods/packets.

That is interesting. Under which platform? Linux?
I have never heard of such thing under Windows Environment.

I try to find a way to see this (these - them are many) devices
in the Device Manager's list, as well as the driver itself, with all
standard
controls.

You already mentionned that your device controller is an EXE, not a .sys
driver, therefore you will not see them listed under Device manager, because
device manager are for actual device drivers and WDM drivers.

 

[SergeV]

Nope, Anton (thank you for the reply, however) you did not catch the
idea.
I'm talking about device (say, like traffic lights controller): no more,
no less, and its driver.
Not a network driver, but device driver.
This device (unlike most regular PC devices) is attached not to
PCI, USB, or COM/IRDA/BT, but to Ethernet and is controlled with
regular TCP/winsock (client mode) methods/packets.

I try to find a way to see this (these - them are many) devices
in the Device Manager's list, as well as the driver itself, with all
standard
controls.

Because the driver is an exe-file and is a client mode task (not a -sys)
there is
no regular installation procedure. (But should be, I guess. And I try
to find
the starting point for me to manage it work)

Sergei.

 

[Don Burn]

Sergei,

Anton mentioned UMDF, if you develop these with that framework they
will appear in the device manager. There is no way to have a general
executable appear in the device manager.


--
Don Burn (MVP, Windows DDK)
Windows 2k/XP/2k3 Filesystem and Driver Consulting
http://www.windrvr.com
Remove StopSpam from the email to reply

 

[SergeV]

Great! Thanks.
It seemed to me (when I read DDK docs) that user mode driver is plain
exe,
because nowhere in there I've seen about special buid procedure for
user-mode
and there are words: "User-mode and kernel-mode drivers have different
structures, different entry points, and different system interfaces."
(this is WP DDK 2600.1106)

My exe is actually DCOM (it is logically a device driver - no less)
and I hoped to include there (with your help)
an interface good for DevMgr with my custom property page.

I believe that UMDF is about WDF. Is it Vista. Am I right?

You helped me, thanks (Don, Anton,Venus) again.
SV

 

[Doron Holan [MS]]

UMDF is supported on XP as well, but it is not yet a model where any driver
can written to it. Only specific classes will work. from your description,
you could create a root enumerated UMDF driver which uses winsock, but that
would be new territory...

d

 

[SergeV]

Yes, Doron, this was a first thing I thought about when I've read UMDF
docs.
(new territory)
More to this I think use of UMDF for root enumerated network devices
using
winsock could be much less efficient than simply write COM-object
(call it a driver) to drive the device.
I did it and it works.
Of course, TCP/winsock from the hardware standpoint is
less than satisfactory interface: bytestream, no headers.
Hope some time Microsoft will add better support for such a devices to
UMDF.

The only thing I wanted to do: to see my COM object ("driver") in the
device manager.
This was my very first question.
Seems, now I know an answer: using root enumeration add custom prop
page
to coinstaller ...

Thank you.
This helped.
Serge.