MUI

[redmaledeer]

In IE/Windows I know what MRU is. Most Recently Used searched-for or used objects. But I frequently see MUI or MUICache. What is MUI? Sorry for such a basic question. Fairly diligent Googling didn't yield an answer.

[Plukaduk]

In IE/Windows I know what MRU is.  Most Recently Used searched-for or used objects.  But I frequently see MUI or MUICache.  What is MUI?    Sorry for such a basic question.  Fairly diligent Googling didn't yield an answer.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Microsoft first introduced the Multilingual User Interface Technology for Windows 2000 Professional as 'Windows 2000 Professional Multilanguage Version' and was later extended to the Windows 2000 Server Family. This technology is now available for Windows XP Professional, Windows Server 2003 Family, Windows XP Embedded, and Windows XP Tablet PC Edition. This technology is now called Multilingual User Interface Pack, henceforth referred to as MUI.

Multilingual User Interface

[redmaledeer]

Thanks for the response, but I remain puzzled. MRU and MUI (and MUICache) are things I see in the Registry. (Sorry I didn't say that before.) The context doesn't look anything like it might refer to multiple languages.

[redmaledeer]

Sorry Plukaduk. MUI indeed has to do with languages. I guess it's MUICache that's my concern. The information on the web is very skimpy. But it looks as if MUICache may be a list of recently=run application programs. Sort of the way MRU can be a list of recently=searched=for items. All corrections gratefully received.

[epp_b]

Oh, and here I thought it was the language that Jar Jar Binks speaks..."I am mui mui happy!"

[redmaledeer]

Thanks Temmu. But by now I've figured out that my question wasn't about MUI (languages), but about MUICache, which appears in the Registry. If I remember rightly from looking at it a couple of days ago, MUICache has what looks like names of programs in it. This is consistent with the hint on the web that MUICache is a list of recently=run applications. My interest in this comes from cleaning leftovers of uninstalled programs out of the Registry. If I search for the name of the program in the Registry (using Regedit or similar), and I find that name in an MRU list, I ignore it. The MRU list may correctly state that the program name was recently searched for (or whatever that MRU list is about), but that's not a Registry entry of the program itself, and it's only the latter that need to be cleaned out. That's a long=winded approach to saying that MUICache entries can be treated the same way. If the entries are names of recently=run applications, then when cleaning out leftovers they can be ignored like MRU entries, for the same reason. "All corrections gratefully received."

[redmaledeer]

Thanks Temmu. That tells me more than I knew before. You found more on the web than I did, but what you say matches my impression that the web information is skimpy.

[inbfedsp]

I'm not sure what MUICache stands for but I know for sure that Windows uses HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ShellNoRoam\MUICache to cache location of icons and their string descriptions for various internal windows uses.For example, if you change the value of @C:\WINDOWS\system32\SHELL32.dll,-8964 from Recycle Bin to Trash and Hit F5 on the destkop, the description of your Recycle Bin will be Trash.Basiclly, the string Trash is now associated with Recycle Bin icon stored in SHELL32.dll. If you right click on any shortcut and select properties and then select Change Icon on Shortcut tab, you will see all the icons stored in SHELL32.dll.Another example is, when you try to run a file with an unregistered/ unregconized extension in windows, you will get a dialog box asking you to select the program from the list.In Programs listbox displays icons and their string names which represents programs that have "open" command in the registry.Adobe Acrobat 7.0 corresponds to the key-value pair ofC:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat 7.0\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe - Adobe Acrobat 7.0 in MUICache.The key represents the location of the exe where icon is stored and value represent the description string of exe. You can get the description string by right click on the exe and select properties. In the version tab, you will see the description string that is used. A C++ developer will put this information in the resource (.rc file) under VS_VERSION_INFO entry.A developer may choose to create the key in MUICache during the installation or programatically when a program starts.This entry is usually automatically generated by windows when a user double clicks on a registered/regconized extension. For example, there is a key called .doc in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT. The default value of this key is Word.Document.8. When a word document file is double clicked, Windows looks for .doc key in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT and knows what type of document .doc is and in this case Word.Document.8. Then Windows searches for Word.Document.8 in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT. Under Word.Document.8, there is a key that tells windows what program and what arguments to pass to open such document. In my computer the key is HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Word.Document.8\shell\Open\Command and its value is "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\OFFICE11\WINWORD" /n /ddeThis entry also gets called when you select Tools > folder options from the folder menu and select File Types tab. You will see doc entry in there. Highlight it and select Advance and double click on open entry. You will see the exact same string in HKEY_CLASSES\Word.Document.8\shell\Open\Command.After a known extension is double clicked and the program opens the document, Windows Automatically generates 2 entrys: one is HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\Winword.exe\shell to indicate what to show up in the application list and how to open a document (picture below) and the other is in MUICache for corresponding icon and description string.A developer can programtically create key in MUICache and HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Applications\filename.exe or use scripting during installation process. If not, when the registered/recognized extension is activated, these two entries are automatically generated.When you deleted these two entries (but please don't), it'll pop up again the next time you double click on a known extension file (as long as, exenstion registry is still in tact).That's why sometines we see these two keys related to viruses because as long as the virus exe is still on the machine, you can't seem to get rid of these keys. If you look on a symantic website, they documented a virus called dialer.exe (which dials high-cost telephone calls from your computer) associated with MUICache. I hope I'm clear enough.

Edited May 27, 2005 by inbfedsp

[patio]

MUI__Mother's Under Invention ? ? Sorry ,couldn't resist.RIP Frank.patio.

[redmaledeer]

I asked about MRUCache because, when cleaning uninstalled program leftovers out of the Registry, I would sometimes find the program in MUICache. My question was whether to delete it or leave it alone. But after Temmu's and Inbfedsp's comments, and my further look at MUICache, I wonder if I really saw this. I will wait until it happens again and then consult this thread. My further look at MUICache showed one or two program names, but not enough to justify my earlier belief that MRUCache is a list of recently=run programs. I could identify in MRUCache all the settings of IE/Tools/Internet_Options/Advanced. But I couldn't connect those with Icons. Thanks all.