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:: Research Group Embedded Interaction :: Media Informatics :: Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich

Deploying Mobile Applications for Windows Mobile Development

This documents describes how to deploy mobile applications to mobile devices with Microsoft Visual Studio.(Operating systems - Windows CE or Pocket PC).

Used Software

Used Hardware

1. Recommended installation order of development tools.

The recommended tool for Windows mobile development is Visual Studio 2003 (or 2005). If you are using any other tools in addition to Visual Studio 2003 (or 2005), special care must be taken to install the development tools in the correct order. To ensure the maximum interoperability between the different tools for developing for Windows Mobile software, it is recommended that you install the tools and SDKs in the following order. If you do not have or do not need one of the tools, you don't need to obtain it for the other tools to interoperate. The following installation steps require you to be logged onto to your computer by using an account with local administrator privileges. To prepare your computer for the correct installation order, you must uninstall all existing tools, SDKs, and emulators before proceeding.

You should uninstall the following programs before proceeding with this installation:

  1. eMbedded Visual Tools 3.0.
  2. eMbedded Visual C++ 4.0.
  3. eMbedded Visual C++ 4.0 Service Pack 2.
  4. eMbedded Visual C++ 4.0 Service Pack 3.
  5. Visual Studio .NET 2003.
  6. Visual Studio 2005 (For more information, see Uninstalling Previous Versions of Visual Studio 2005.).
  7. Pocket PC 2003 SDK.
  8. Pocket PC 2002 SDK.
  9. Smartphone 2003 SDK.
  10. Smartphone 2002 SDK.
  11. Pocket PC 2000 SDK.
  12. Standard SDK for Windows CE .NET.
  13. Microsoft ActiveSync.
  14. Reboot your computer.

To install the development tools in the correct order:

  1. Install Microsoft ActiveSync 4.0.
    All of the development tools for mobile applications require ActiveSync 4.0 for application development and deployment.
  2. To develop C++ and Visual Basic applications for the Pocket PC and Smartphone 2002 platforms, you must install the eMbedded Visual Tools - 2002 Edition, Pocket PC 2002 SDK, and Smartphone 2002 SDK.
    Note: The setup for the eMbedded Visual Tools - 2002 Edition also starts the installation process for the Pocket PC 2002 and Smartphone 2002 SDKs.
  3. To develop C++ applications for the Pocket PC 2003 and Smartphone 2003, you must install eMbedded Visual C++ 4.0 and Service Pack 4.
    Note: that you can install Service Pack 4 only after eMbedded Visual C++ 4.0 is installed.
  4. To develop applications in C# or Visual Basic .NET for Pocket PC 2002, Smartphone 2003, or Pocket PC 2003, you must install Visual Studio .NET 2003.
    Note: Pocket PC 2003 devices and the Pocket PC 2003 emulation images already contain the .NET Compact Framework. You must deploy the .NET Compact Framework on earlier devices.
  5. To develop applications in C++, C#, or Visual Basic .NET for Pocket PC 2003, you must install the Pocket PC 2003 SDK.
  6. To develop applications in C++, C#, or Visual Basic .NET for Smartphone 2003, you must install the Smartphone 2003 SDK.
  7. To test applications for high resolution and landscape Pocket PCs, you must install the Emulator Pack for Pocket PC 2003 Second Edition.
  8. To test applications for high resolution Smartphones, you must install the Emulator Pack for Smartphone 2003 Second Edition.
  9. To get important information about Windows Mobile 2003 Second edition in addition to new and updated samples, headers, and libraries, you must install Developer Resources for Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition.
  10. Install Visual Studio 2005.
  11. Install Windows Mobile 5.0 SDKs for PocketPC and/or Smarpthone.

2. How to: Connect the Windows mobile-based device to a development tool.

You can download and run applications on Windows Mobile-based PocketPC or Smartphones by connecting the device to a development tool.

You must do the following before connecting the device to Microsoft eMbedded Visual C++:

  1. Install Microsoft ActiveSync 4.0.
  2. Confirm that the Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition operating system is installed on the device.
  3. If you are connecting the device to Microsoft eMbedded Visual C++, install version 4.0 with Service Pack 3.
  4. If you are connecting the device to Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003 and you are downloading an application written in managed code, install Windows CE Utilities for Visual Studio .NET 2003 Add-on Pack 1.1.
    For information about installing the software, see http://msdn.microsoft.com/mobility/downloads/.
    For more information about downloading managed code applications to the device, see "Frequently Asked Questions" under .NET Compact Framework in the MSDN library.
    For information about installing ActiveSync and eMbedded Visual C++, see http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/developers/default.mspx..

To connect the device to eMbedded Visual C++:

  1. Connect the device to the desktop computer using ActiveSync. For more information, see the ActiveSync Help.
  2. Open eMbedded Visual C++.
  3. On the Tools menu, click Configure Platform Manager.
  4. Expland Smartphone 2003, click Smartphone 2003 Device, and then click Properties.
  5. In the Transport box, select Microsoft ActiveSync.
  6. In the Startup Server box, select Microsoft ActiveSync.
  7. Click OK.

To connect the device to Visual Studio .NET 2003:

  1. Connect the device to the desktop computer using ActiveSync. For more information, see the ActiveSync Help.
  2. Open Visual Studio .NET 2003.
  3. On the Tools menu, click Select Windows CE Device CPU.
    If this command is not on the Tools menu, install Windows CE Utilities for Visual Studio .NET 2003 Add-on Pack 1.1.
  4. Confirm that the operating system kernel installed on the device displays next to Current configuration.
    If it does not display, select it in the Select the device architecture box (for Toshiba e800 - ARMV4) and then click Configure.
  5. Click Close.
  6. On the Tools menu, click Options.
  7. Expand Device Tools, and then click Devices.
  8. In the Show devices for platform box, select PocketPC, and then click PocketPC Device in the Devices box.
  9. Confirm that TCP Connect Transport is selected in the Transport box, and then click OK.

3. How to: Connect the emulator to a development tool.

You can download and run applications on an emulator for Windows Mobile-based Pocket PCs by connecting the emulator to a development tool.
If the emulator is installed on a desktop computer that is not connected to a network, you must also install the Microsoft Loopback Adapter. For more information, see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q236869/.
For more information about emulators, see Emulator Requirements and Limitations.
For more information about downloading managed code applications to the emulator, see "Frequently Asked Questions" under .NET Compact Framework in the MSDN library.

To connect the emulator to eMbedded Visual C++:

  1. Open eMbedded Visual C++.
  2. On the Tools menu, click Configure Platform Manager.
  3. Expland Pocket PC 2003, click Pocket PC 2003 Emulator, and then click Properties.
  4. In the Transport box, select TCP/IP Transport for Windows CE.
  5. In the Startup Server box, select Emulator Startup Server.
  6. To the right of Emulator Startup Server, click Configure.
  7. In the Ethernet box, select NAT (Outgoing only).
  8. In the Serial Port 1, Serial Port 2, and Parallel Port boxes, select None.
  9. Accept the remaining default settings.
  10. Click OK, and then click OK again.

To modify the emulator connection to Visual Studio .NET 2003:

  1. Open Visual Studio .NET 2003.
  2. On the Tools menu, click Options.
  3. Expand Device Tools, and then click Devices.
  4. In the Show devices for platform box, select Pocket PC, and then click an emulator in the Devices box.
  5. You can modify the Emulation Startup Provider configuration by clicking Configure, or you can accept the default settings.
  6. To test the connection to the emulator, click Connect.
  7. Click OK.

4. How to: Deploy software over-the-air.

This approach is for developers who would like to deploy their software over-the-air, from the Internet (or LAN) directly to Pocket PCs. You need web-server (apache or IIS) and WLAN.

  1. Open Visual Studio .NET 2003.
  2. Open your project.
  3. On Build menu, click Build CAB File.
  4. Install web-server to your desktop PC.
  5. Install DeepNight Installer to your destop PC and run wizard.
  6. Create a new project in wizard.
  7. In the next screen, locate your introduction HTML, write readme and EULA.
  8. Add your CAB file. Click Build on the wizard.
  9. Put generated setup file (from C:\Dokumente und Einstellungen\[benutzer]\Eigene Dateien\My dnInstaller Setups\meine_anwendung_ARMV4.exe) in the web-server directory.

  10. Start browser in PocketPC and download setup file.
  11. Setup file will be installed automatically in the order listed.