Application execution on device

[Guest]

My apologies if this is already posted...

I converted a Compact Framework application from VS 2003 to VS 2005
(including "upgrading"). After fixing some minor differences, and after
downloading the network driver, I was able to successfully run the
application on the emulator (as noted in other posts, it's slow, but it
works, and that was exciting to see).

So I added a CAB project and completed the necessary steps to get all of the
files in the right place. I downloaded ActiveSync 4.1 and installed the CAB
file on my iPAQ (ARM4 processor). But, the application doesn't run at all! I
even went back and added a message box early in the execution process and
still it doesn't appear. The app isn't listed as executing in memory either.

Since the app runs in the emulator but not on the device, and since the CAB
project builds a single CAB file rather than the multiple CAB files
(processor-dependent) that we got under VS 2003, it almost looks like the
image is for the wrong processor. But there is no processor-selection option
I can find in VS 2005.

The app is totally dead on the device, and nothing seems to help debugging.
Any ideas? It is a complex application, it's true, but it's always worked
when compiled and deployed with VS 2003, and it works great under the new VS
2005 emulator. Anyone? (Thanks in advance for any debugging ideas!)

 

[Guest]

Hmm... I bet the CAB file didn't include the new CF version. Duh.

 

[Norman Rericha]

What version of WinCE?

CF 2.0 will not run on 4.2.

Hope this helps

--
Norman Rericha
Senior Software Engineer
Applied Data Systems
www.applieddata.net
An ISO 9001:2000 Registered Company
Microsoft WEP Gold-level Member

 

[Ginny Caughey [MVP]]

Norman,

That's correct for now, but it will be supported in the future:
http://blogs.msdn.com/netcfteam/

 

[Rüdiger Kardel]

Hi Ginny,

good news !!

but what does:
"No additional support for Windows CE 4.2 is planned in Visual Studio 2005."
mean?
No deployment from within VS? No debugging?

Ruediger

 

[Ginny Caughey [MVP]]

Hi Ruediger,

Yes I believe that's what it means. But it's good news all the same.

--
Ginny Caughey
..NET Compact Framework MVP

Hi Ginny,

good news !!

but what does:
"No additional support for Windows CE 4.2 is planned in Visual Studio
2005."
mean?
No deployment from within VS? No debugging?

Ruediger

 

[Guest]

Thanks for all of the information. I did install CF 2.0, and as Norman
predicted, it didn't work. I'm using Windows Mobile 2003 SE, which I assume
is WinCE 4.2 (darned if I can convince the device to tell me the version of
WinCE). Oddly, it did work better, though. Previously, the device simply
ignored me. Now, it crashes with a missing reference exception. I prefer the
crash, to be honest.

I'm trying to find a FAQ or something that tells me how to obtain Windows
Mobile 2005 and reflash the ROM, if that's even possible. I don't mind
targeting WM 2005, but I do mind trashing the $630 iPAQ I have now to develop
on.
--
-Kenn

Hi Ruediger,

Yes I believe that's what it means. But it's good news all the same.

 

[Ginny Caughey [MVP]]

Kenn,

You'd need to contact the maufacturer for a ROM update. Definitely don't
trash your iPaq!

 

[Guest]

Hold on... I'm new in all of this, but we are running CF2.0 apps on Windows
Mobile 2003 SE. I don't fully understand the differences between Pocket PC
and Windows CE, etc. But I just put out a test app to several customers this
week to see what we were up against. Many had to upgrade their existing
iPAQ 3800 and 3900's to PocketPC 2003. Some were able to run out of the box
(with the CF2.0 installed) on iPAQ 5455's. And some were able to upgrade the
Dell Axim X5's and run.

What am I missing?

 

[Ginny Caughey [MVP]]

Macy,

PocketPC 2003 (and above) support CF 2.0 already, so there is no particular
need to upgrade those devices. The issue is about vanilla CE 4.2 devices
that are not also PocketPCs. Those non-consumer, industrial, perhaps custom
devices will receive CF 2.0 support next year, which is great news for
people who use those devices and want the speed and power you get with CF 2
compared with CF 1.

 

[Peter Foot [MVP]]

Thats correct, the supported versions of Windows Mobile are different to the
custom CE.NET based devices. .NETCF v2.0 is fully supported on Pocket PC
2003 and 2003 Second Edition as well as v5.0 of course.

The correct CAB to use for all Pocket PC 2003 variants is called
NETCFv2.ppc.armv4.cab which can be found (by default) here C:\Program
Files\Microsoft Visual Studio
8\SmartDevices\SDK\CompactFramework\2.0\v2.0\WindowsCE\wce400\armv4

Peter

 

[Guest]

I'm still trying to get a handle on the naming stuff:

Kenn mentioned Windows Mobile 2003 SE, and that this is the same as
WinCE4.2. Is Windows Mobile 2003 SE a generic name that encompasses
WinCE4.2 and PocketPC 2003 SE? Or is there no relationship between Windows
Mobile 2003 SE and PocketPC 2003 SE?

We are doing our development on devices with Pocket PC 2003 SE, so I guess
this is just an academic question. But we would like to get conversant in
the whole CE arena.

Thanks!

 

[Peter Foot [MVP]]

Windows Mobile 2003 != CE 4.2 see this explanation for details:-
http://blogs.msdn.com/marcpe/archive/2005/04/22/410778.aspx

Peter