Files
reactos/boot/bootdata
Hermès Bélusca-Maïto a46e1e96ec [BOOTDATA][CMAKE][MKSHELLLINK] Improve shell link shortcuts creation for the LiveImage (#8936)
CORE-15156, CORE-19691, CORE-19692

Finally get rid of the livecd_start.cmd hack introduced waaaay back
in commit ff6d7b0236 (r54514)!
See also commits ea682b6909 (r54512) and 71867403fd (r54513).

For target paths, use the shell "special shell folder" syntax:
`shell:windows\...` or `shell:system\...`, introduced in commit
7b081be46d (PR #7158) by Whindmar Saksit.

Specify an explicit icon path and index for the "Read Me.lnk" shortcut.

Includes ideas from PR #7154 by Katayama Hirofumi MZ.

The generated shell links are confirmed to work on ReactOS, but also on
Windows 2003 and Windows 7.

- Change the MKSHELLLINK icon parameter syntax to be: `-i [icon_path[,nr]]`
  where, either both `icon_path` and icon index are given, separated by
  a comma ',' , or, either the `icon_path` is given but the index is
  optional (default: 0), or, only the icon index is given, in which case
  the icon path is set to the target instead.

- Use a `VERBATIM` command-line for `add_custom_command()`, so that *nix
  builds can cope with parameters containing backslashes.

- The shortcut target path, working directory, command-line arguments,
  and icon path all may specify explicit Win32 environment variables
  (like `%SystemRoot%`, `%HOMEDRIVE%`, etc.). Because these environment
  variables are specified as data given to the build tool via CMake,
  **AND** we have to workaround keeping these variables unexpanded when
  they are transmitted to the tool via CMD.EXE (on builds made on Windows),
  specify these variables in an "escaped" format, using `^%` instead:
  `^%SystemRoot^%`, etc.
  Additionally these paths may be explicitly quoted and passed that way
  to the MKSHELLLINK tool.

  In order to deal with both unquoting the strings and unescaping the
  environment variables, introduce a helper function and invoke them on
  the aforementioned strings.
2026-05-13 22:16:07 +02:00
..
2025-12-24 13:43:53 +01:00

========================
ReactOS™ Version 0.4.x
Updated October 9, 2021
========================

1. What is ReactOS?
-------------------

ReactOS™ is an Open Source effort to develop a quality operating system that is
compatible with applications and drivers written for the Microsoft® Windows™ NT
family of operating systems (NT4, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 7).

More information is available at: https://reactos.org


2. Relationship with the WINE project
-------------------------------------

ReactOS has always intended to work with the WINE project to share as much
programming effort as possible. This mainly concerns User Mode DLLs and
still happens to a degree today. Other areas of cooperation lie in
applications and testing suites.


3. Future compatibility
-----------------------

The ReactOS project, although currently focused on Windows Server 2003
compatibility, is always keeping an eye toward compatibility with
Windows Vista and future Windows NT releases.


4. Supporting other System Applications
---------------------------------------

The Windows NT architecture allows for subsystems, as does the ReactOS
architecture. A subsystem is an implementation of the APIs of another
operating system, allowing ReactOS to run applications from other systems.
We are already looking at subsystems for: Java, OS/2, and DOS and possibly
others in the future.


5. Is ReactOS legal?
--------------------

Yes we are.
All the code of ReactOS has been written from scratch by our developers.
We go to great lengths to ensure that the code our developers create is clean,
same applies to the variety of methods we use to understand Windows internals,
including clean room reverse engineering, using existing documentation freely
available both in books and on the web, using extensive tests (tens of millions)
which apply black box engineering methods against both public and private APIs
exposed by the operating system.


6. Tutorials
------------

Developer and User Tutorials: https://reactos.org/wiki

The tutorials contain more information on the project, compiling and testing
ReactOS - amongst other topics. Contributors to the project are always welcome.


7. Frequently Asked Questions
-----------------------------

Some of your questions may be answered in: https://reactos.org/faq
In addition, the ReactOS forum: https://reactos.org/forum
may contain complementary, yet non-official, information.


8. Authors
----------

This document was originally written by Jason Filby (jasonfilby@yahoo.com)
and is now occasionally updated by various contributors.