Protocols/MSNP/Activities/SDK/Techref/Requirements/Devrequire
Additional Activity API Development Requirements
In addition to the requirements for your compliance testing submission, there are the following requirements for your Activity:
- User assistance requirements
- Requirements for usage of ActiveX® controls
- Requirements for installation of additional software
User Assistance Requirements
Your Activity must include a Help link that provides user assistance information. The MSN® Messenger Support team does not detail specific requirements for the user assistance area. However, this content will be reviewed before your Activity is released, with special emphasis placed on your application providing a good user experience.
Requirements for Usage of ActiveX Controls
If an ActiveX control provides the functionality for your Activity, the ActiveX control must be properly signed. You must also include information in the test plan documentation that details how your application will handle the case where the user chooses not to install the ActiveX control.
Requirements for Installation of Additional Software
If your Activity requires the installation of additional software (for example, the Flash Player), your predeployment development plan must include detailed information about how this software is used, what it contains, and how you will handle the installation of the additional software on the user's system.
Note If your Activity requires the installation of additional applications (for example, the Flash Player) you must clearly notify the user that these third-party applications are required (at a minimum). If you design your Activity so that it examines a user�s system for these required applications, you must provide clear dialog messages to users of your application if these applications are not already installed. You must notify the user that the software needs to be downloaded, and then either display instructions about how to obtain and install the software, or start the download and installation and then when complete, automatically return the user to the Activity.