autostarting application?

[D Yee]

Hi,

I've developed a PocketPC app using the compact framework and would like to
make it as easy as possible for users to start it (it is the only
application that my users will run). Right now i only know how to put it in
the start menu or have a hardware button start the app.

Is there a way to make the application run automatically whenever the
pocketpc is turned on?
Can you add a shortcut to my app on the today screen (the main screen you
see when you start your pocketpc) ?

THanks
Darren

 

[Ravi Ambros Wallau]

You can put the shortcut under Startup menu, just like in desktop Windows.

 

[AlanS]

Hi,

I've developed a PocketPC app using the compact framework and would like to
make it as easy as possible for users to start it (it is the only
application that my users will run). Right now i only know how to put it in
the start menu or have a hardware button start the app.

Is there a way to make the application run automatically whenever the
pocketpc is turned on?
Can you add a shortcut to my app on the today screen (the main screen you
see when you start your pocketpc) ?

THanks
Darren

put a shortcut to the program in a folder called startup in the windows
folder, it will auto run after a reset. There's nothing to stop users
killing the program form the running program list though ......

 

[Beverly Howard [Ms-MVP/MobileDev]]

put it in the startup folder <<

Note, however, that doing so launches the app only when a soft reset is
executed... if your users close the app and press the "power" button,
the app will not restart when the power button is pressed again.

Beverly Howard [MS MVP-Mobile Devices]

 

[Paul G. Tobey [eMVP]]

Of course, if it's the only application that users are supposed to see, you
probably wouldn't provide a means of exiting...

Paul T.

Note, however, that doing so launches the app only when a soft reset is
executed... if your users close the app and press the "power" button, the
app will not restart when the power button is pressed again.

Beverly Howard [MS MVP-Mobile Devices]

 

[Beverly Howard [Ms-MVP/MobileDev]]

you probably wouldn't provide a means of exiting... <<

We assume that, but users can be very good at getting around
programmer's intentions such as the start menu
start/settings/system/memory/running/stop... ;-)

Beverly Howard [MS MVP-Mobile Devices]

 

[D Yee]

So given that the user could shut the app down, is there a way to put a
shortcut to the app in the today screen? Or am i stuck with putting it in
the start menu / assigning a hw button to the app?

I've seen kiosk-mode products like SBP Kiosk Engine that effectively
replaces the pocketpc shell with your app (e.g. users no long have access to
the start menu). Is there an easy way to do this with the compact framework
or are they using native wince calls to do this?

We assume that, but users can be very good at getting around programmer's
intentions such as the start menu
start/settings/system/memory/running/stop... ;-)

Beverly Howard [MS MVP-Mobile Devices]

 

[Paul G. Tobey [eMVP]]

Well, you wouldn't want to try to replace the shell with a managed code
application. In my experience, starting the CLR too early in the boot
process causes it to fail. On the other hand, you *can* disable and hide
the task bar and that's about all you need to do to make yourself the only
application (unless you launch someone else). Here's a previous thread from
the .NET CF newsgroup that talks about running fullscreen:

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=...soft.public.dotnet.framework.compactframework

Paul T.

So given that the user could shut the app down, is there a way to put a
shortcut to the app in the today screen? Or am i stuck with putting it in
the start menu / assigning a hw button to the app?

I've seen kiosk-mode products like SBP Kiosk Engine that effectively
replaces the pocketpc shell with your app (e.g. users no long have access
to the start menu). Is there an easy way to do this with the compact
framework or are they using native wince calls to do this?

you probably wouldn't provide a means of exiting... <<

We assume that, but users can be very good at getting around programmer's
intentions such as the start menu
start/settings/system/memory/running/stop... ;-)

Beverly Howard [MS MVP-Mobile Devices]

 

[nzpcmad]

I got this code originally from the group which disables the taskbar.
Put the shortcut of your app. into the Start folder and disable the
exit button of the app. Effectively, the user is locked in.

For a "super user", enable the taskbar from some key sequence. This
brings up a form which asks the user for a password. If the password
is OK, re-enable the taskbar.

private void hideTaskBar ()
{
int h = FindWindow ("HHTaskBar", "");
ShowWindow (h, SW_HIDE);
}

static public void showTaskBar ()
{
int h = FindWindow ("HHTaskBar", "");
ShowWindow (h, SW_SHOW);
}

[DllImport("coredll.dll")]
public static extern int FindWindow (string lpClassName, string
lpWindowName);
private const int SW_HIDE = 0x0000;
private const int SW_SHOW = 0x0001;

[DllImport("coredll.dll")]
public static extern int ShowWindow (int hwnd, int nTaskShow);

[DllImport("coredll.dll")]
public static extern int MoveWindow (IntPtr hwnd, int X, int Y, int
nWidth, int nHeight, bool bRepaint);
}

 

[r_z_aret]

Hi,

I've developed a PocketPC app using the compact framework and would like to
make it as easy as possible for users to start it (it is the only
application that my users will run). Right now i only know how to put it in
the start menu or have a hardware button start the app.

Is there a way to make the application run automatically whenever the
pocketpc is turned on?
Can you add a shortcut to my app on the today screen (the main screen you
see when you start your pocketpc) ?

As you said in an earlier post, you've found a reference to a kiosk
too. If you use google to look up kiosk in the same newsgroups you've
posted to, you will find several discussions, and might get more
hints.

I believe Pocket PCs are very hard to lock down. The Task Bar and/or
its pieces are way too prone to pop up. I even spent some time finding
the PegHelp window so I could call SHInitDialog and SHFullScreen to
hide the Task bar while Help was running.

Applications built for Palm-size PC (Pocket PC predecessor) will run
in "emulation" mode on Pocket PCs. That means the Task bar will be at
the bottom. It also seems to mean that when an app uses ShowWindow to
hide the Task bar it _stays_ hidden until something explicitly uses
ShowWindow to show it.

I've been programming for Windows CE since before Pocket PC. And I'm
inclined to produce as few executables as possible. Thus, I've
continued to build for HPC Pros, even though my apps often run on
Pocket PCs and other platforms. We target industrial users, so lock
down is often a customer requirement. I've decided we're better off
with HPC Pro apps running in emulation mode. The fact that the Task
bar is not in the same place as standard Pocket PC apps shouldn't
bother users when lockdown is a requirement because they aren't
supposed to see any such apps.

THanks
Darren

-----------------------------------------
To reply to me, remove the underscores (_) from my email address (and please indicate which newsgroup and message).

Robert E. Zaret, eMVP
PenFact, Inc.
500 Harrison Ave., Suite 3R
Boston, MA 02118
www.penfact.com

 

[Guest]

ok, silly question most likely, but say for instance that the only app i care
about is a background console app. those don't appear in
start/settings/system/memory/running... (to my chagrin a couple times in the
beginning)

does that mean that i can concern myself solely with starting the app on
soft reset, and drop a shortcut in as suggested? forgive my newbness, but
will my app stop what it's doing when put into sleep, and resume on wake? or
does that need to be handled in a particular way?

thanks!
Jake

We assume that, but users can be very good at getting around
programmer's intentions such as the start menu
start/settings/system/memory/running/stop... ;-)

Beverly Howard [MS MVP-Mobile Devices]