Background Application?

[Boris Nienke]

Hi,

is it possible to write a .NET Application for the PocketPC that can run in
the background (sleeping and waiting for the user to be activated).
And then, when the user activates it (for example by tapping the icon in
the applications-menu again or by pressing a hardware-button) it does
something WITHOUT showing any form and without changing the caption in the
upper left?

i've tried to this with a transparent form. But then i always see the
applications name in the upper left when i activate the app.

Then i've tried to use a fullscreen-transparent-form without caption and
without controlbox etc. But then i always get the "Start"-Caption in the
upper left when i activate the app (at least when i do it with a
hardware-button that is linked to that exe)

So how to write a .Net-CF app, that can be startet with hardwarebutton
(like any other exe that is linked to one) and then doesn't show and change
anything on the screen but simply do some action (for example writing a new
line in a logfile, doing a screen shot, playing a sound etc...) and then
goes back to the background, just like nothing happens.

Possible?

Boris

 

[Damon Payne]

I believe if you deploy a "Console" application to a PocketPC it runs
completely invisible. What exactly are you trying to accomplish with
this?

 

[Boris Nienke]

I believe if you deploy a "Console" application to a PocketPC it runs
completely invisible. What exactly are you trying to accomplish with
this?

well, you mean: build a console-app (for .net desktop) but then run that
exe on the pocketpc? ... nice idea...

i like to write some small apps that do simple things like
- doing a screen-shot
- adding a text-line to a log-file
- ...

and like this to happen in background. Just map a hardware-key to the exe
and then use it without seeing anything of the app (hopefully no waitcursor
too)

Boris

 

[Daniel Moth]

No he doesn't mean for the desktop! The Smart Device Project wizard has a
console option...

Cheers
Daniel

 

[Boris Nienke]

No he doesn't mean for the desktop! The Smart Device Project wizard has a
console option...

unfortunatly it didn't work because with a console-application i don't
have "System.Windows.Forms" which is needed for example to get
"Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.Height" which i need.

Boris

 

[Daniel Moth]

Did you try adding a reference to System.Windows.Forms?

Cheers
Daniel

 

[Boris Nienke]

Did you try adding a reference to System.Windows.Forms?

how?
"using System.Windows.Forms" did not work

Boris

 

[Sergey Bogdanov]

1. goto Solution Explorer (Ctrl + Alt + L)
2. select References item in the project tree
3. Right Click/Add Reference

 

[Boris Nienke]

1. goto Solution Explorer (Ctrl + Alt + L)
2. select References item in the project tree
3. Right Click/Add Reference

:$ sorry - Thank you - this is working!

But: it takes to long to load the application (i think the
..Net-Framework is started ... and the waitcursor is visible for a short
time)

Is there a way to speed up the starting-process or maybe to let the
console-app run in background?

Currently i have linked the exe to a hardware-button. When the user
presses the button the app is started, doing something and then it ends.

how can i change this, so that the application is only loaded the first
time but then stays resident in memory for the next "start" - and how
can i detect, that the user has "started" the app (with a button) a
second or third time?

I like to have the application to react as soon as possible after the
user presses a button and i like to avoid the wait-cursor.

thank you

Boris