Using Macro Components

5/10/2007

A macro component is a component that has dependencies on other components and has no file or registry resources of its own. Macro components are useful for bundling components that must appear together in a configuration, or for bundling functionality that will be used repeatedly. Instead of adding the individual components to the configuration, you add the single macro component.

Adding a macro component to your configuration is no different than adding a regular component to your configuration. In some cases, after you add a macro component, you can choose which components will be brought in by the macro component during the first dependency check. For example, for the Windows Media® Player 8.0 macro component, you can enable or disable Windows Media Player Skins.

In This Section

• How to Design a Macro Component
  Describes how to create a custom macro component for use in a configuration.

• Creating a Macro Component
  Describes how to create a macro component by using Component Designer and Target Analyzer.

• Viewing the Contents of a Macro Component
  Describes how to view the individual components on which a macro component is dependent.

• Removing a Macro Component
  Describes how to remove a macro component from a configuration.

Related Sections

• Author Components and Customize Shells
  Describes the componentization phase of the development process. During this phase you create components for your applications and device drivers, create custom shells, and customize existing shells.

• Macro Components
  Describes a type of component that is used to group other components together.