Re: How to get a WM5 device's O/S Version in a call without using RAPI?

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Please consider switching to CeAppMgr. It's easy to use and it also can pick
correct CAB for the device provided CABs contain appropriate device
information.
You should be able to specify NETCF V1 CABs for PPC 2002 and 2003 in a
separate INI and install NETCF the same way as your application.

Advantages of using CeAppMage include:

- It works on devices with RAPI disabled.
- It works if device is disconnected.
- It is a standard way to install CE applications and it's easy for users to
manage them.

Also, you can register/unregister your application from CeAppMgr in ARP as
you used to do.


Please don't mind article below mentions NETCF V2, it would work for V1 the
same way.


Best regards,

Ilya

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

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"Neville Lang" <neville@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:%23CMSkSwFGHA.1180@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Ilya,
>
> Thank you for your response. For the last few years, I detect the device
> o/s to install the right CAB file. For example, PPC2002 requires an
> ARM.cab while WM2003 + SE requires an ARMV4.cab file. Generally, there
> should not be too many differences but I did built this into my installer
> to be safe. I now know that the ARMV4.cab does run on my WM5 Pocket PC but
> more of that later.
>
> As for WM5 devices, it seems I still may need to detect the operating
> system to vary the install logic in my custom installer. As it stands, my
> VS 2003-generated installer does not cleanly install correctly, and so my
> customers require a change. Currently, I copy down the CAB file to the
> device using RAPI and then run the CeCreateProcess on the device, again
> using RAPI. This is the method I have employed. I do not use the
> ActiveSync AppMgr approach since my custom uninstaller is driven from the
> Add or Remove Programs in the Control Panel.
>
> For WM5 devices, the Windows installer seems to fail when trying to
> install my app onto a WM5 device, like Dell Axim X51v. The Windows
> Installer rolls back so there is no entry in the Add or Remove Programs
> section on the desktop's Control Panel. However, after the roll-back has
> occurred from the desktop side, the CAB has been actually transferred to
> the device - it is sitting in the root folder of the device. It seems that
> the CeCreateProcess must have failed to start the CAB install on the
> device side. I am looking into this at the moment. If you tap on the CAB
> using File Explorer then it runs.
>
> I am using a MSI and RAPI type of custom installer because while
> controlling the install of the device CAB, I also need to install some
> EXEs on the desktop side to act as linkages for my app to communicate with
> a third-party app on the desktop side. Due to the fact that my app
> installer is currently used for PPC 2002 devices up to WM2003SE (at the
> moment), my installer also checks that .NET has been installed on both the
> device and the desktop. PPC2002 devices did not have it there and nor did
> Win98 desktop computers. My customers (consumers) can have a wide range of
> equipment, and I want my app to install on all of these combinations. As I
> stated on my last post, this will be the last patch update for my app so
> it includes WM5 devices. The next major version of my app will be compiled
> under VS2005 and use CF2, so my PPC2002 customers will then need to
> upgrade their equipment. I am also likely to discontinue Win98 desktop
> side installations too at that time.
>
> So, it seems (I think) that I still need to detect the device's o/s to
> slightly vary my install process in my custom installer / uninstaller.
> While I think this should be OK for Pocket PCs like the Dell Axim X51v
> (RAPI is enabled), it is the Pocket PC Phones, like the i-mate JasJar that
> some of my customers have purchased, where they want to continue using my
> app. and so I need to solve installation to that type of device because it
> seems that RAPI can be disabled on these devices. If anyone has an
> installation solution for an unsigned app to install onto the WM5 Pocket
> PC Phone Edition, where RAPI is disabled, I would be interested.
> Unfortunately, I do not have one of those devices for testing.
>
>
> Regards,
> Neville Lang
>
>
>
> "Ilya Tumanov [MS]" <ilyatum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:43c56a6b$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Why exactly do you need to determine device type? Since you're using VS
>> 2003, it's a managed application and binaries should be exactly the same
>> for all platforms from PPC 2000 to WM 5.0.
>>
>> Which means your application can use single CAB for all. There's no need
>> to deploy NETCF V1 SP3 since it's in ROM on every WM 5.0 device.
>>
>>
>>
>> If that's the case, you can use this technique:
>> http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnnetcomp/html/deploy_cf2_apps_cab_msi.asp
>>
>>
>> Best regards,
>>
>> Ilya
>>
>> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no
>> rights.
>>
>> *** Want to find answers instantly? Here's how... ***
>>
>> 1. Go to
>> http://groups-beta.google.com/group/microsoft.public.dotnet.framework.compactframework?hl=en
>> 2. Type your question in the text box near "Search this group" button.
>> 3. Hit "Search this group" button.
>> 4. Read answer(s).
>>
>> "Neville Lang" <neville@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:eDfPz3pFGHA.516@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> Currently, I have an app compiled in VS2003 that I want to also be able
>>> to run on WM5 devices for my customers. My custom installer uses MSI and
>>> RAPI calls for installation of my app. Currently, before I transfer the
>>> correct CAB for the device, I do a RAPI call to get the device's
>>> operating system version. This app has been designed for PPC 2002 and
>>> WM2003 including Second Edition, and therefore you need to know which
>>> CAB to install. I have found my app runs well on a WM5 device as I have
>>> it running on my Dell Axim X51v but I need to be able to know the
>>> device's operating system version for WM5 devices so I know what CAB
>>> version to download.
>>>
>>> The problem I am having is that some Pocket PC Phone Edition with WM5 ,
>>> like the i-mate JasJar, seem to make RAPI unavailable. Does anyone have
>>> another idea / method of determining the i-mate JasJar's o/s version
>>> without using RAPI?
>>>
>>> BTW, this is to be my last patch update of my app under VS2003 and want
>>> it to deploy it onto WM5 devices since my customers are wanting this
>>> requirement. The next release of my app, after this patch update, will
>>> be a major update and will be compiled with VS2005 and use CF2, but for
>>> the interim period, I need to be able to use my current VS2003 compiled
>>> code on all WM5 devices.
>>>
>>> Regards,
>>> Neville Lang
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>


.

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