Windows Games Explorer for Game Developers

WindowsВ Vista improves the user experience of gaming on Windows by including Games Explorer. Games Explorer is exposed in the Windows Vista Start Menu as the Games folder and provides a central location for accessing games.

Starting with the March 2009 release of the DirectX SDK, a new game definition file (GDF) schema is used to support features in Windows 7, Game Provider and RSS feed, and IGameExplorer2. IGameExplorer2 is a new interface on Windows 7 that simplifies the process of integrating a game with Games Explorer.

This article outlines the process of registering a game with Games Explorer and parental controls on Windows Vista and Windows 7 by using the new GDF schema.

Prerequisites

Before you can integrate a game into Games Explorer, you must create a game definition file (GDF). A GDF is an XML file that contains metadata that describes the game. In the March 2009 release of the DirectX SDK, a section for game provider, RSS feed, and game task has been added to the GDF schema. To use the instructions in this article, you must use this new GDF format to create your GDF file.

Microsoft provides a tool for authoring GDFs in the DirectX SDK, Game Definition File Editor, to make this creation process easier. This tool also helps you create localized versions of a GDF.

Once a GDF has been authored and localized, it must be encapsulated within a resource section of a binary file (either an executable or DLL), along with the game’s thumbnail and icon. The GDF contains all of the metadata associated with the game, including the game’s rating. Windows Parental Controls use the game’s rating to allow parents to control access to the game. The binary file which contains the GDF must be digitally signed with a valid Authenticode certificate; otherwise, Games Explorer and the parental control system ignores the game’s rating, because the rating information cannot be trusted without certification. For more details about signing code with Authenticode, see Authenticode Signing for Game Developers.

Integrating with an Installer

To simplify Games Explorer integration, the GameUXInstallHelper sample provides a common API that can be called on Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7. It is designed to work with scripts for InstallShield and Wise Installation System, as well as MSI custom actions and custom installation tools. Detection of the operating system is handled inside this sample DLL, so the caller does not need to worry whether the client is running Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7.

The functions exported by this DLL are the following:

GameExplorerInstallW

Registers a game with Games Explorer, given a path to the GDF binary, a full path to the folder where the game is installed, and the installation scope.

GameExplorerInstallA

Registers a game with Games Explorer; ANSI version of GameExplorerInstallW.

GameExplorerUninstallW

Removes a game from registration with Games Explorer, given a path to the GDF binary.

GameExplorerUninstallA

Removes a game from registration with Games Explorer; ANSI version of GameExplorerUninstallW.

GameExplorerSetMSIProperties

Configures the CustomActionData properties for the actions of an MSI deferred custom installation. Usage of this function is described in detail later in this article.

GameExplorerInstallUsingMSI

Adds a game to Games Explorer; for use during an MSI custom action installation.

GameExplorerUninstallUsingMSI

Remove a game from Games Explorer; for use during an MSI custom action installation.

These functions are further explained in the GameUXInstallHelper.h header.

Integration Process

Once the GDF and related files have been added to a binary resource, it is then possible to integrate the game with Games Explorer. Using GameUXInstallHelper will simplify the integration process. To register the game with Games Explorer, call the GameExplorerInstall with a path to the GDF binary, a full path to the folder where the game is installed, and the installation scope. To remove the game’s registration, call GameExplorerUninstall with a path to the GDF binary.

Note that the removal process only removes one unique installation. If a game has been installed multiple times, this process must be repeated for each unique installation.

Games Explorer Tasks

Games Explorer tasks will appear in the context menu of an item in Games Explorer. Tasks are divided into play tasks and support tasks. Play tasks launch a game into a particular mode, while support tasks serve any other purpose, including linking to web sites.

In Windows Vista, tasks are simply shortcuts that are located in specific folders. Play tasks and support tasks are stored in folders with the corresponding names PlayTasks and SupportTasks. GameUXInstallHelper can read the game’s task information from the GDF binary file and create all of the shortcuts automatically.

In Windows 7, the shortcuts to the tasks are not needed, because Games Explorer obtains all of the task information directly from the GDF binary file.

Integrating into InstallScript

Calling Games Explorer APIs from InstallShield’s InstallScript is made easy by using the GameUXInstallHelper sample. The steps required to integrate with InstallShield are as follows:

Open an InstallScript project in the InstallShield editor.

Add GameUXInstallHelper.dll to the project to be installed to the target directory.

To add GameUXInstallHelper.dll to an InstallScript project:

On the Installation Designer tab, click Application Data in the navigation pane on the left.

Click Files and Folders and browse in Source computer’s folders to locate GameUXInstallerHelper.dll in Source computer’s files.

The default location for GameUXInstallerHelper.dll is DirectX SDK root\Samples\C++\Misc\Bin\x86.

Under Destination computer’s folders, click Application Target Folder.

Drag GameUXInstallerHelper.dll from Source computer’s files to Destination computer’s files.

In the InstallScript explorer, click the InstallScript file (usually setup.rul) that calls the DLL function.

Paste the following InstallScript into the file:

Integrating into an MSI Package

The following is a high-level description of the steps required to call the Games Explorer APIs using MSI custom actions:

1. Add a property to the MSI Property table called «RelativePathToGDF» containing the relative path to the GDF binary.
2. After the CostFinalize action, call the GameUXInstallHelper DLL function SetMSIGameExplorerProperties in an immediate custom action to set the appropriate MSI properties for the other custom actions.
3. Upon installation, trigger a deferred custom action after the InstallFiles action that calls the GameUXInstallHelper DLL function AddToGameExplorerUsingMSI. If the installation is for all users, then the custom action must set the flag msidbCustomActionTypeNoImpersonate; otherwise, it must not set this flag. Therefore, two nearly identical custom actions are defined: GameUXAddAsAdmin and GameUXAddAsCurUser.
4. Upon removal of the installation, trigger a deferred custom action before the RemoveFiles action that calls the GameUXInstallHelper DLL function RemoveFromGameExplorerUsingMSI. If the installation was for all users, then the custom action must set the flag msidbCustomActionTypeNoImpersonate; otherwise, it must not set this flag. Therefore, two nearly identical custom actions are defined: GameUXRemoveAsAdmin and GameUXRemoveAsCurUser.
5. Define rollback custom actions to handle the case where the user cancels installing or removing after one of the these custom actions has already happened. This results in an additional 4 custom actions: GameUXRollBackAddAsAdmin, GameUXRollBackAddAsCurUser, GameUXRollBackRemoveAsAdmin, and GameUXRollBackRemoveAsCurUser.

This procedure is described in detail in the following instructions, which describe a process that can be done using an MSI editor, such as the Orca editor found in the Platform SDK. Some MSI editors have wizards which simplify some of these configuration steps.

To configure an MSI package for integration with Games Explorer

Open the MSI package in Orca.

Add the row shown in the following table to the Binary table in the MSI package.

Name	Data
GAMEUX	file path to the DLL\GameUXInstallHelper.dll

This file will be embedded in the MSI package, so you must do this step every time you recompile GameUXInstallHelper.dll.

Add the rows shown in the following table to the CustomAction table in the MSI package.

Action	Type	Source	Target
GameUXSetMSIProperties	msidbCustomActionTypeDll + msidbCustomActionTypeBinaryData + msidbCustomActionTypeContinue = 65	GAMEUX	SetMSIGameExplorerProperties
GameUXAddAsAdmin	msidbCustomActionTypeDll + msidbCustomActionTypeBinaryData + msidbCustomActionTypeContinue + msidbCustomActionTypeInScript + msidbCustomActionTypeNoImpersonate = 3137	GAMEUX	AddToGameExplorerUsingMSI
GameUXAddAsCurUser	msidbCustomActionTypeDll + msidbCustomActionTypeBinaryData + msidbCustomActionTypeContinue + msidbCustomActionTypeInScript = 1089	GAMEUX	AddToGameExplorerUsingMSI
GameUXRollBackAddAsAdmin	msidbCustomActionTypeDll + msidbCustomActionTypeBinaryData + msidbCustomActionTypeContinue + msidbCustomActionTypeRollback + msidbCustomActionTypeInScript + msidbCustomActionTypeNoImpersonate = 3393	GAMEUX	RemoveFromGameExplorerUsingMSI
GameUXRollBackAddAsCurUser	msidbCustomActionTypeDll + msidbCustomActionTypeBinaryData + msidbCustomActionTypeContinue + msidbCustomActionTypeRollback + msidbCustomActionTypeInScript = 1345	GAMEUX	RemoveFromGameExplorerUsingMSI
GameUXRemoveAsAdmin	msidbCustomActionTypeDll + msidbCustomActionTypeBinaryData + msidbCustomActionTypeContinue + msidbCustomActionTypeInScript + msidbCustomActionTypeNoImpersonate = 3137	GAMEUX	RemoveFromGameExplorerUsingMSI
GameUXRemoveAsCurUser	msidbCustomActionTypeDll + msidbCustomActionTypeBinaryData + msidbCustomActionTypeContinue + msidbCustomActionTypeInScript = 1089	GAMEUX	RemoveFromGameExplorerUsingMSI
GameUXRollBackRemoveAsAdmin	msidbCustomActionTypeDll + msidbCustomActionTypeBinaryData + msidbCustomActionTypeContinue + msidbCustomActionTypeRollback + msidbCustomActionTypeInScript + msidbCustomActionTypeNoImpersonate = 3393	GAMEUX	AddToGameExplorerUsingMSI
GameUXRollBackRemoveAsCurUser	msidbCustomActionTypeDll + msidbCustomActionTypeBinaryData + msidbCustomActionTypeContinue + msidbCustomActionTypeRollback + msidbCustomActionTypeInScript = 1345	GAMEUX	AddToGameExplorerUsingMSI

Add the values shown for Action, Condition, and Sequence in the following table to the InstallExecuteSequence table in the MSI package.

Action	Condition	Sequence	Notes
GameUXSetMSIProperties	1015	The sequence number places the action soon after CostFinalize.
GameUXAddAsAdmin	NOT Installed AND ALLUSERS	4003	This custom action will only happen during a fresh installation for all users. The sequence number places the action after InstallFiles and after the rollbacks.
GameUXAddAsCurUser	NOT Installed AND NOT ALLUSERS	4004	This custom action will only happen during a fresh installation for the current user only. The sequence number places the action after InstallFiles and after the rollbacks.
GameUXRollBackAddAsAdmin	NOT Installed AND ALLUSERS	4001	This custom action will only happen when a fresh installation for all users is cancelled. The sequence number places the action after InstallFiles and before the Add custom action.
GameUXRollBackAddAsCurUser	NOT Installed AND NOT ALLUSERS	4002	This custom action will only happen when a fresh installation for the current user only is cancelled. The sequence number places the action after InstallFiles and before the Add custom action.
GameUXRemoveAsAdmin	REMOVE =»ALL» AND ALLUSERS	3452	This custom action will only happen during removal for all users. The sequence number places the action directly before RemoveFiles and after the rollbacks.
GameUXRemoveAsCurUser	REMOVE =»ALL» AND NOT ALLUSERS	3453	This custom action will only happen during removal for the current user. The sequence number places the action directly before RemoveFiles and after the rollbacks.
GameUXRollBackRemoveAsAdmin	REMOVE =»ALL» AND ALLUSERS	3450	This custom action will only happen when removal for all users is cancelled. The sequence number places the action directly before RemoveFiles and before the Remove custom action.
GameUXRollBackRemoveAsCurUser	REMOVE =»ALL» AND NOT ALLUSERS	3451	This custom action will only happen when removal for the current user is cancelled. The sequence number places the action directly before RemoveFiles and before the Remove custom action.

Add the row shown in the following table to the Property table in the MSI package.

List of Executable File Extensions

Files with these extensions might be able to execute a task automatically.

A file with an executable file extension means that the file format supports some ability to run an automatic task. This is in contrast to other file formats that just display data, play a sound or video, or otherwise present content without running a system command.

File Extensions Explained

If you open a file with one of these file extensions, your computer could, without your continued permission, run one or more operations programmed into that file.

To put it in even simpler terms, these files either belong to programs, scripts, or program extensions and plugins. They’re meant to run and do things on your computer, only you can’t be sure exactly what they’re running or doing. That’s why it’s always crucial to only run them when they come from a trusted source or website.

Those operations could be damaging if, for example, you were to run a virus-infected executable file that you received by email from someone you don’t know.

Please exercise caution before opening any executable file, especially those received in suspicious emails or downloaded from unfamiliar websites.

High-Risk File Extensions

We’ve rated the following executable file types as High Risk because essentially all computers with the listed operating system installed execute the commands contained in the executable file.

In other words, files with the extensions listed below can be executed with some basic parts of Windows, macOS, Linux, etc. No additional program is required.

Potentially Dangerous File Extensions
Extension	Format	Operating System(s)
ACTION	Automator Action	macOS
APK	Application	Android
APP	Executable	macOS
BAT	Batch File	Windows
BIN	Binary Executable	Windows, macOS, Linux
CMD	Command Script	Windows
COM	Command File	Windows
COMMAND	Terminal Command	macOS
CPL	Control Panel Extension	Windows
CSH	C Shell Script	macOS, Linux
EXE	Executable	Windows
GADGET	Windows Gadget	Windows
INF 1	Setup Information File	Windows
INS	Internet Communication Settings	Windows
INX	InstallShield Compiled Script	Windows
IPA	Application	iOS
ISU	InstallShield Uninstaller Script	Windows
JOB	Windows Task Scheduler Job File	Windows
JSE	JScript Encoded File	Windows
KSH	Unix Korn Shell Script	Linux
LNK	File Shortcut	Windows
MSC	Microsoft Common Console Document	Windows
MSI	Windows Installer Package	Windows
MSP	Windows Installer Patch	Windows
MST	Windows Installer Setup Transform File	Windows
OSX	Executable	macOS
OUT	Executable	Linux
PAF	Portable Application Installer File	Windows
PIF	Program Information File	Windows
PRG	Executable	GEM
PS1	Windows PowerShell Cmdlet	Windows
REG	Registry Data File	Windows
RGS	Registry Script	Windows
RUN	Executable	Linux
SCR	Screensaver Executable	Windows
SCT	Windows Scriptlet	Windows
SHB	Windows Document Shortcut	Windows
SHS	Shell Scrap Object	Windows
U3P	U3 Smart Application	Windows
VB	VBScript File	Windows
VBE	VBScript Encoded Script	Windows
VBS	VBScript File	Windows
VBSCRIPT	Visual Basic Script	Windows
WORKFLOW	Automator Workflow	macOS
WS	Windows Script	Windows
WSF	Windows Script	Windows
WSH	Windows Script Preference	Windows

_{[1] To execute an INF file, you must open the pop-up menu (usually by right-clicking on the file) and choose Install.}

Other Executable File Extensions

The following file extensions are only executable if you happen to have the software installed that carries out the commands contained in the file.

If you do have one of the programs below installed, consider files with the associated extensions as executable and High Risk. If you don’t have a particular program installed and you try to execute a file with that extension, either a harmless error will appear or nothing at all will happen.

High Risk File Extensions
Extension	Format	Program
0XE	Renamed Virus File	F-Secure Internet Security
73K	TI-73 Application	TI Connect
89K	TI-89 Application	TI Connect
A6P	Authorware 6 Program File	Adobe Authorware
AC	GNU Autoconf Script	Autoconf
ACC	GEM Accessory File	Gemulator
ACR	ACRobot Script	ACRobot
ACTM	AutoCAD Action Macro	AutoCAD
AHK	AutoHotkey Script	AutoHotkey
AIR	Adobe AIR Installation Package	Adobe AIR
APP	FoxPro Application	Visual FoxPro
ARSCRIPT	ArtRage Script	ArtRage Studio
AS	Adobe Flash ActionScript File	Adobe Flash
ASB	Alphacam Stone VB Macro	Alphacam
AWK	AWK Script	AWK
AZW2	Kindle Active Content App File	Kindle Collection Manager
BEAM	Compiled Erlang File	Erlang
BTM	4DOS Batch File	4DOS
CEL	Celestia Script	Celestia
CELX	Celestia Script	Celestia
CHM	Compiled HTML Help File	Firefox, IE, Safari
COF	MPLAB COFF File	MPLAB IDE
CRT	Security Certificate	Firefox, IE, Chrome, Safari
DEK	Eavesdropper Batch File	Eavesdropper
DLD	EdLog Compiled Program	Edlog
DMC	Medical Manager Script	Sage Medical Manager
DOCM	Word Macro-Enabled Document	Microsoft Word
DOTM	Word Macro-Enabled Template	Microsoft Word
DXL	Rational DOORS Script	Rational DOORS
EAR	Java Enterprise Archive File	Apache Geronimo
EBM	EXTRA! Basic Macro	EXTRA!
EBS	E-Run 1.x Script	E-Prime (v1)
EBS2	E-Run 2.0 Script	E-Prime (v2)
ECF	SageCRM Component File	SageCRM
EHAM	ExtraHAM Executable	HAM Programmer Toolkit
ELF	Nintendo Wii Game File	Dolphin Emulator
ES	SageCRM Script	SageCRM
EX4	MetaTrader Program File	MetaTrader
EXOPC	ExoPC Application	EXOfactory
EZS	EZ-R Stats Batch Script	EZ-R Stats
FAS	Compiled Fast-Load AutoLISP File	AutoCAD
FKY	FoxPro Macro	Visual FoxPro
FPI	FPS Creator Intelligence Script	FPS Creator
FRS	Flash Renamer Script	Flash Renamer
FXP	FoxPro Compiled Program	Visual FoxPro
GS	Geosoft Script	Oasis Montaj
HAM	HAM Executable	Ham Runtime
HMS	HostMonitor Script	HostMonitor
HPF	HP9100A Program File	HP9100A Emulator
HTA	HTML Application	Internet Explorer
IIM	iMacro Macro	iMacros (Firefox Add-on)
IPF	SMS Installer Script	Microsoft SMS
ISP	Internet Communication Settings	Microsoft IIS
JAR	Java Archive	Firefox, IE, Chrome, Safari
JS	JScript Executable Script	Firefox, IE, Chrome, Safari
JSX	ExtendScript Script	Adobe ExtendScript Toolkit
KIX	KiXtart Script	KiXtart
LO	Interleaf Compiled Lisp File	QuickSilver
LS	LightWave LScript File	LightWave
MAM	Access Macro-Enabled Workbook	Microsoft Access
MCR	3ds Max Macroscript or Tecplot Macro	3ds Max
MEL	Maya Embedded Language File	Maya 2013
MPX	FoxPro Compiled Menu Program	Visual FoxPro
MRC	mIRC Script	mIRC
MS	3ds Max Script	3ds Max
MS	Maxwell Script	Maxwell Render
MXE	Macro Express Playable Macro	Macro Express
NEXE	Chrome Native Client Executable	Chrome
OBS	ObjectScript Script	ObjectScript
ORE	Ore Executable	Ore Runtime Environment
OTM	Outlook Macro	Microsoft Outlook
PEX	ProBoard Executable	ProBoard BBS
PLX	Perl Executable	ActivePerl or Microsoft IIS
POTM	PowerPoint Macro-Enabled Design Template	Microsoft PowerPoint
PPAM	PowerPoint Macro-Enabled Add-in	Microsoft PowerPoint
PPSM	PowerPoint Macro-Enabled Slide Show	Microsoft PowerPoint
PPTM	PowerPoint Macro-Enabled Presentation	Microsoft PowerPoint
PRC	Palm Resource Code File	Palm Desktop
PVD	Instalit Script	Instalit
PWC	PictureTaker File	PictureTaker
PYC	Python Compiled File	Python
PYO	Python Optimized Code	Python
QPX	FoxPro Compiled Query Program	Visual FoxPro
RBX	Rembo-C Compiled Script	Rembo Toolkit
ROX	Actuate Report Object Executable	eReport
RPJ	Real Pac Batch Job File	Real Pac
S2A	SEAL2 Application	SEAL
SBS	SPSS Script	SPSS
SCA	Scala Script	Scala Designer
SCAR	SCAR Script	SCAR
SCB	Scala Published Script	Scala Designer
SCRIPT	Generic Script	Original Scripting Engine 1
SMM	Ami Pro Macro	Ami Pro
SPR	FoxPro Generated Screen File	Visual FoxPro
TCP	Tally Compiled Program	Tally Developer
THM	Thermwood Macro	Mastercam
TLB	OLE Type Library	Microsoft Excel
TMS	Telemate Script	Telemate
UDF	Excel User Defined Function	Microsoft Excel
UPX	Ultimate Packer for eXecutables File	Ultimate Packer for eXecutables
URL	Internet Shortcut	Firefox, IE, Chrome, Safari
VLX	Compiled AutoLISP File	AutoCAD
VPM	Vox Proxy Macro	Vox Proxy
WCM	WordPerfect Macro	WordPerfect
WIDGET	Yahoo! Widget	Yahoo! Widgets
WIZ	Microsoft Wizard File	Microsoft Word
WPK	WordPerfect Macro	WordPerfect
WPM	WordPerfect Macro	WordPerfect
XAP	Silverlight Application Package	Microsoft Silverlight
XBAP	XAML Browser Application	Firefox, IE
XLAM	Excel Macro-Enabled Add-In	Microsoft Excel
XLM	Excel Macro-Enabled Workbook	Microsoft Excel
XLSM	Excel Macro-Enabled Workbook	Microsoft Excel
XLTM	Excel Macro-Enabled Template	Microsoft Excel
XQT	SuperCalc Macro	CA SuperCalc
XYS	XYplorer Script	XYplorer
ZL9	Renamed Virus File	ZoneAlarm

_{[1] By «Original Scripting Engine» I mean whatever program created the script. It would be impossible to list, and keep updated, the number of scripting engines that might use these file extensions.}

This is not a complete list of executable file extensions, nor is it a list of dangerous but non-executable file types.