A newbie question : no need to install .NET framework on the device?

[Cat]

Hi.
I've been written desktop applications for years. One of the biggest
difficulties of distributing my application has been to make the
client install .NET Framework Redistributable. Now, I'm about to start
writing applications for the Windows Mobile 5.0 (smart device). Since
I don't have a pocket PC, I used the emulators. Using Visual
Studio .NET, running the application on the emulator was very easy,
but I don't see any process of installing .NET framework on the device
(emulator). When I browsed to the application folder, I could only
find one single exe file. Do Windows mobile come with .NET Framework
installed? I know there is .NET Compact Framework Redistributable, but
it seemed like it was meant to be installed on PC not on Pocket PC.

When I deploying my smart device application, do I only need to give
the users the executable file, like X-copy installation?

 

[Christopher Fairbairn]

Hi,

Do Windows mobile come with .NET Framework
installed? I know there is .NET Compact Framework Redistributable, but
it seemed like it was meant to be installed on PC not on Pocket PC.

Yes you are correct, most shipping Windows Mobile devices come with a
version of the .NET Compact Framework in ROM (i.e. pre-installed). However
it is not guarenteed to be the latest version. For example if you want to
make use of .NET CF 3.5 on your device you will most likely need to manually
install it.

The .NET Compact Framework redistributable runs on your PC, but if you have
a PDA connected to your PC via an ActiveSync connection it should
automatically install it onto your PDA at the same time (otherwise you can
find it in ActiveSync's Add/Remove programs menu item).

As an alterantive you can browse your PC's file system to obtain the CAB
files you need to manually install on the device. A *.CAB file can be
considered in principal to be similiar to a *.MSI on the desktop.

Hope this helps,
Christopher Fairbairn

 

[Simon Hart [MVP]]

OEMs (the guys who make Windows Mobile devices) are required - by Microsoft
to ship the lastest version of the Compact Framework (at that time) in the
ROM chips of the build they plan to build. This started with the advent of
PPC 2003 SE which had CF 1.0 installed, then some WM5 had CF 2.0 I think SP2
installed. Now with WM6, SQL Server CE 3.0 will be installed in ROM as well
as CF 2.0. I guess this trend will continue, maybe WM 6.1 will ship with CF
3.5....lets hope so!

VS will automagically deploy CF to your emulator so this explains why you
need not install CF.

 

[Peter Foot]

Unfortunately WM6.1 still ships with CF 2.0 (at least that is the case with
the RTM Emulator builds).

Peter

--
Peter Foot
Microsoft Device Application Development MVP
www.peterfoot.net | www.inthehand.com
In The Hand Ltd - .NET Solutions for Mobility

 

[Simon Hart [MVP]]

We can all live in hope
--
Simon Hart
Visual Developer - Device Application Development MVP
http://simonrhart.blogspot.com