Re: Question to MSDN CF-FAQ's "3.1. How do I create a PocketPC setup application?"

Tech-Archive recommends: Repair Windows Errors & Optimize Windows Performance

From: Jonathan Wells [msft] (jonwells_at_online.microsoft.com)
Date: 02/25/04 

Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2004 10:29:34 -0800

Hi Daniel,

Checkout this old but still very relevant article in the MSDN library:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/dnce21/html/appin21.asp

The CabWiz .inf file enables the creation of platform specific cab files
through the use of platform labels and the CEDevice key. For more info on
the CEDevice key see:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/wcepb40/html/pbrefCEDevice.asp

The platform labels tell CabWiz how many .cab files to generate, where to
get the CPU-specific binary files, and the platform information to
incorporate into the .cab file. The Application Manager uses this
information to determine the appropriate .cab file to install on the end
user's device.

Platform labels are unique labels that are appended to specific sections in
the CabWiz .inf file, for example, HPC_SH3, PPC_MIPS, or HPCPRO_ARM. The
CEDevice section differentiates the platforms, which allows for
device-specific information, the processor type, the device types, Handheld
PC or Palm-size PC support, and the Windows CE version support. These
platform labels also need to be specified in the command-line parameters
when invoking CabWiz.

In the case of the .inf from the sample pointed to by the FAQ "3.1. How do I
create a PocketPC setup application?" there are no platform specific labels.
Inspection of the BuildCab.bat file shows that CabWiz is being called with
these parameters "/cpu ARMV4 ARM SH3 MIPS X86 WCE420X86" among others - this
is what causes the multiple CABs to be built. Since the .inf doesn't contain
any platform specific labels every CAB produced is identical and is platform
agnostic; since it contains only a managed binary.

The Application Manager (CEAppMgr) inspects the cabs listed in the ini file
and uses the first CAB that it finds that supports the target platform.
Again the supported (or more accurately unsupported) platform information is
baked into the cab itself.

When deploying purely managed assemblies (exe, dlls) to devices you really
need only one CAB file.

HTHs cheers jono 

-- 
Jonathan Wells
Product Manager
.NET Compact Framework
Check out the .NET Compact Framework FAQ at:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/mobility/prodtechinfo/devtools/netcf/FAQ/default.aspx
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
<Daniel Barisch> wrote in message
news:%23JUw97r%23DHA.3828@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> Hello NG!
>
> I've created a Setup-project for my PPC-application like it is described
in
> the MSDN CF-FAQ's "3.1. How do I create a PocketPC setup application?".
>
> Now I'm wondering if this Installer detects, which processor the connected
> device has and which CAB (included in the msi-file) has to be executed on
> the device?
>
> I'v created a setup with the CAB's for MIPS and SH3 (only), connected to
an
> ARM-device and the setup runs without any error.
>
> How does it work?
>
> Thanks, D.Barisch
>
>
>

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Windows Mobile Compilation.....
    ... I think that the CABWiz will generate a more-generic cab if you simply build ... the project for an SDK for a generic device, rather than a Windows Mobile ... Platform Name and Unsupported Platforms, ... What do you mean by Generic CAB file generation. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsce.platbuilder)
  • Re: Single cab with two versions of the same file
    ... Is it possible, using cabwiz, to create a CAB file that contains both ... then let users or a setup program choose and install the appropriate ...
    (microsoft.public.pocketpc.developer)
  • Re: Do Virgin ban photography on stations?
    ... so he should not have been on the platform in the first place. ... Had the "terrorist" been about to fire an RPG at the cab of the ... which makes the jobsworth so-called security so laughable, ... warhead is armed when the weapon is fired so the warhead would ...
    (uk.railway)
  • RE: How to append a file to a mobile CAB using WM6
    ... I did append a config file to the CAB file ... even though the sililar append approach works for desktop installer. ... I have a mobile application that calls Web service methods. ...
    (microsoft.public.dotnet.framework.compactframework)
  • Re: Newbie: Pocket PC development
    ... I successfully copied the cab to PPC. ... > As far as the CAB file being associated with WinZip on the desktop PC, ... >> How can I install that application to my PPC? ...
    (microsoft.public.pocketpc.developer)