USAGE element

Article
08/15/2017

Obsolete. Indicates how the parent element should be used.

Usage

<USAGE
  VALUE = "sValue"/>

Attributes

Attribute	Type	Required	Description
VALUE	sValue	Yes	String value that specifies how the parent element will be used. Channel Items that appear in the browser channel pane. This is the default behavior when no USAGE element appears under an ITEM. DesktopComponent Items that are displayed in a frame located on the Active Desktop. Attributes assigned this value can only be used in the context of an Active Desktop item. Channels require a separate CDF file. Email The parent element is an e-mail that is sent when the channel content is updated (one per CDF). NONE If a NONE value is assigned to the only USAGE element in an ITEM, the item will not appear in the Channels Explorer Bar. ScreenSaver This one item is displayed in the special Internet Explorer screen saver (one per CDF). SoftwareUpdate This indicates the CDF file is being used for a Software Update channel, which allows software to be automatically updated over the Web. This value is only valid for the top-level channel.

VALUE

sValue

Yes

String value that specifies how the parent element will be used.

Channel

Items that appear in the browser channel pane. This is the default behavior when no USAGE element appears under an ITEM.

DesktopComponent

Items that are displayed in a frame located on the Active Desktop. Attributes assigned this value can only be used in the context of an Active Desktop item. Channels require a separate CDF file.

Email

The parent element is an e-mail that is sent when the channel content is updated (one per CDF).

NONE

If a NONE value is assigned to the only USAGE element in an ITEM, the item will not appear in the Channels Explorer Bar.

ScreenSaver

This one item is displayed in the special Internet Explorer screen saver (one per CDF).

SoftwareUpdate

This indicates the CDF file is being used for a Software Update channel, which allows software to be automatically updated over the Web. This value is only valid for the top-level channel.

Child elements

There are no child elements.

Parent elements

Element
ITEM
SOFTPKG

Remarks

Windows Internet Explorer 7. The CDF (Channel Definition Format) is obsolete and should not be used.

Some older implementations of CDF clients look for a SHOW attribute instead of the USAGE child element inside the ITEM element. An attribute of SHOW="string" in an ITEM element is functionally equivalent to adding a child element of <USAGE VALUE="string></USAGE> to an ITEM element.

When the parent element is used as a desktop component, a number of formatting elements (children) are supported.

"SmartScreen," a trademark of PointCast Inc., can be used in place of the ScreenSaver value to display the PointCast Network SmartScreen in the Internet Explorer screen saver.

Examples

The following example demonstrates how to identify an ITEM used as a screen saver.

<ITEM HREF="http://www.joyware.tld/screensaver.htm">
    <USAGE VALUE="ScreenSaver"></USAGE>
</ITEM>

Element information

Minimum supported system	Windows XP
Can be empty	Yes