Compiling for multiple platforms

[Guest]

Using VS.net, can I compile a class library to the .NET framework, and to the
Windows CE .NET compact framework, depending on the configuration?

I have an app, and one of its projects is a class library. I want versions
for desktop and handheld applications. All functions used by the class
library are supported by the .NET compact framework.

So, I have three projects in my solution. I have a Windows Application, a
Class Library, and a Smart Device Application. The Windows Application and
the smart device application both have references to the Class Library.

In the configuration manager, I can't specify anything but .NET for the
platform of the class library. Similarly, the Windows App can choose .NET,
and the Smart Device App can choose Windows CE.

Is there any way to use the same source code for both projects, and specify
which version to create? Ideally, I would like to have two configurations,
one for WinCE and one for "regular" windows, and the platform for the class
library would depend on which was chosen.

 

[Peter Huang]

Hi David,

Based on my knowledge, so far we can not change the platform of a .net
application.
As a workaround, we have to create a new project of that platform and then
add the source code to the new created project.
Anyway, this is an good idea, I think you may try to post your idea to the
mswish.

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[Ignacio Machin \( .NET/ C# MVP \)]

Hi David,

You don;t need to compile multiple times, a .NET executable should runs
everywhere the framework is installed. being it a windows, linux (mono), a
pocketPC, etc.

That of course is theory
What happen is that different platform provides differents level of
implementation, I will give you an example using the desktop version and the
PPC version, in the pocketPC the framework lacks of a LOT of functionality
found in the full framework. this means that you cannot take a desktop app
and run it on a pocketPC , you will get lots of errors regarding not found
methods, etc.
Now as the PocketPC framework is a subset of the full framework an
application developed for the PPC will run WITHOUT CHANGES in the desktop,
this of course if you do not use any P/Invoke !!!

In the same way there are features like serialization that are not
implemented in the compact framework.

Other than that you should be OK

Cheers,

 

[Guest]

Thanks guys. i ended up exporting to a new project, and discovered that part
of the problem was that i had marked a class 'Serializable".