Article ID: 130054
Article Last Modified on 11/18/2003
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit 3.1
- Microsoft Win32 Software Development Kit (SDK) 3.5
- Microsoft Win32s 1.2
This article was previously published under Q130054
SUMMARY
Because of the variety of computer manufacturers (NEC, Fujitsu, IBMJ, and so on) in Japan, sometimes Windows-based applications need to know which OEM (original equipment manufacturer) manufactured the computer that is running the application. This article explains how.
MORE INFORMATION
There is no documented way to detect the manufacturer of the computer that is currently running an application. However, a Windows-based application can detect the type of OEM Windows by using the return value of the GetKeyboardType() function.
If an application uses the GetKeyboardType API, it can get OEM ID by specifying "1" (keyboard subtype) as argument of the function. Each OEM ID is listed here:
OEM Windows OEM ID
------------------------------
Microsoft 00H (DOS/V)
all AX 01H
EPSON 04H
Fujitsu 05H
IBMJ 07H
Matsushita 0AH
NEC 0DH
Toshiba 12H
Application programs can use these OEM IDs to distinguish the type of OEM Windows. Note, however, that this method is not documented, so Microsoft may not support it in the future version of Windows.
As a rule, application developers should write hardware-independent code, especially when making Windows-based applications. If they need to make a hardware-dependent application, they must prepare the separated program file for each different hardware architecture.
Additional query words: 3.10 1.20 3.50 kbinf
Keywords: kbhowto kbdbcs kbintl kbintldev KB130054
