The conversion between common native types and the equivalent .NET Framework type is a common programming activity for interoperability development in C++. Visual C++ Orcas introduces a light-weight, template-based library for performing this conversion. This article will look at both the use of this library and how it can be extended to add new conversions.

Take a quick look at the upcoming release of the new Visual C++ release slated for release in late 2008—Visual C++ Orcas. The Orcas release builds on the heritage of C++, offering great new features for achieving deep integrating with Windows Vista and better support for interoperating with managed code.

For long-term Visual C++ developers, the CryptoAPI will be a familiar part of your programming toolkit. If you're developing Windows Vista applications, though, you should be applying the new Windows Cryptography API: Next Generation.

Windows Vista introduces a new security concept called User Access Control (UAC), where local administrators have two access tokens—one representing the privileges of a normal user and the other holding the elevated privileges of the local administrator account. Here, you will learn how to properly implement the UAC to provide a rich user experience.

Windows Vista brings tablet-style development to the mainstream by incorporating ink functionality directly into the core operating system. The greater availability of operating system support for ink is complemented by new Vista drivers from digitizer OEMs that provide the same functionality as a full TabletPC device, greatly increasing the potential client-base for ink enabled applications. This article will look at how an existing application can work with new forms of input without a major re-design.

Within the new threading and synchronization APIs that Microsoft added to the Windows SDK for Vista, condition variables dramatically simplify the semantics of lock acquisition and management.