VS always launching device installation of OpenNETCF cab file

[Graham McKechnie]

Hi all,

This is probably pretty simple, but I can't figure it out. I've been
developing an app for many months now on and off. Just recently VS started
giving me the above message every time I try and debug the app. It insists
on copying OpenNETCF.SDF.ppc3.ARMV4.CAB to my device every time I debug the
app, even though the device reports its already installed. It doesn't do any
harm but it's becoming a real pain every bloody time. Doesn't matter if I
say reinstall or cancel, I'm still stuck with a message box, which always
has to be dismissed.

Can someone tell me how to overcome this. I've just removed all references
to OpenNetCF and rebuilt and find that the only thing I'm using is the group
box from OpenNETCF.Windows.Forms. The version info is 1.3.50511.0 if that
helps anyone sort this annoying problem. I added that Group box many months
ago, but have only just started seeing this behavoir. I can't for the life
of me figure why VS has all of a sudden got in a knot over
OpenNetCF.Windows.Forms and the dam groupbox.

Regards
Graham

 

[Peter Foot [MVP]]

Its a bug in the SDF v1.3 - because not all of the dlls are correctly
registered in the GAC on the device, when it comes to check if it's present
it assumes it's not and reinstalls the whole cab. You have a number of
options:-

1) Stick with it, there will be a patch release at some point to fix the
issue
2) Pull out the GroupBox source code and any dependencies from the source
and build it into your own code (You'll either lose the designer support or
have to do some more work to build the design time version of the code)
3) Delete the xsl file used to deploy the SDF, this will remove Visual
Studios ability to automatically deploy the SDF, though it will work
correctly as long as you install the cab manually on any devices you install
to. It should be in this folder (or equivalent):-
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application
Data\Microsoft\visualstudio\devices\addons\

Peter

 

[Graham McKechnie]

Thanks Peter,

I can live without the GroupBox for now - so i just commented it.

I'll grab the code again when I'm finishing up the app. You'll probably have
your fix ready by then.

Graham