NET 2.0 Framework Component

[Guest]

Hi have seen a couple of posts regarding the .net 2.0 framework component,
but there asn't been any activity about it in almost 2 months. I would like
to know a timeline for the 2.0 framework component?

 

[Andy Allred [MS]]

Hi, wow, componentizing the new framework is a serious challenge! <grin>

The way the new CLR installs itself compared to 1.0, 1.1 and 1.1sp1 is
different and proving to be interesting. The older versions used OC Manager
(which uses an INF in this case) to install itself on Windows. This new
version does not, it's MSI only. Converting the MSI to a component is
trickier than using an INF and letting FBA's OCMgr take care of it.

So we're testing an internal version of the component today after having
converted the MSI to SLD. But the million dollar questions are going to be:
-How difficult will it be to service it since the hotfixes will be MSI based
-How difficult will it be to get MUI versions of the framework on the device
- What's the story around supporting side by side versions of the framework
(imagine you want .net 2.0 & 1.0 on the same device).

Our goal is to have all of these questions and issues and challenges
resolved and a component shipped early in Q2 of this year.

In the meantime you can immediately deploy the framework to your device by
using this blog article and macro component:
http://blogs.msdn.com/embedded/archive/2005/11/23/496333.aspx

Thank you.

 

[Keith]

Hi, I've used the component to ensure that I have all dependencies and sure
enough, I can then install .NET V2 onto my target device and successfully
run a .NET V2 application.

My next step is to create a custom shell based on that application, which
means I need .NET V2 installed before the shell kicks off. I created a
runonce resource to start up the .NET installer during FBA - this worked ok,
but having started the install, it then complained about not having Internet
Explorer (this is included in my build).

Any ideas how I can get .NET V2 installed during FBA?

Keith

 

[Nick Nehrhood /MSFT/]

Hi Keith -
Your idea of installing the framework VIA the shipped MSI during FBA
intruiged me so today I set out to see if I could get this accomplished. I
could that if I created a FBAGenericCommand to run the install.exe binary,
set the phase to 8300, and booted my runtime. At the tail end of FBA it
poped up the installer and I stepped through it like normal. I haven't
figured out how to get this to be a silent install yet; however, I did not
run into the "missing IE" problem you had. You should try redoing your
runonce request to do the same thing you're already trying but instead set
the phase to 8300 and see if that works for you.

Also - that install.exe can be found if you extract out the download package
for the framework.

Let me know what happens && if the FBAGenericCommand / Phase 8300 thing
fixes your issue.

Cheers.
--
Nick Nehrhood
(Windows Embedded Group)


Embedded team blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/embedded/

 

[Keith]

Hi Nick
Thanks very much for your tips - it now works fine for me too! I changed to
using an FBAGenericCommand to run the install.exe file and added the /q:a
switch - it then ran 'silently' and successfully. (I also tried using the
dotnetfx.exe file using this switch, but it didn't work - no problem
though).

At least now I can carry on with my project without having to worry about
when the .NET 2.0 component will become available.

Thanks again
Keith