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

Ilya,

I have tried out installing my VS2003 compiled app using MSI and my now
modified custom installer / uninstaller and fixed up the Uninstall option in
the AppMgr's ini file. It all now works so I am pleased. Thank you for those
clues.

However, my app on the device side creates files during its execution. I
found that the ActiveSync uninstaller knows nothing about these and does not
delete them, leaving my app's folder behind. Is there any way I can inform
the uninstaller on the device side to remove the files created at runtime?

On checking Google for the above query, it seems there is a reference to an
Uninstall_Exit function in C++. What do I need to do on the device side to
trigger that, if that is the best way of removing runtime-created files?

Previously, I was doing all of this using my custom uninstaller and manually
removing these files via RAPI. Since Pocket PC Phones with WM5 seem to block
RAPI, I now need to use the ActiveSync approach.

Regards,
Neville Lang



"Ilya Tumanov [MS]" <ilyatum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:43c6aeca@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Yes, you can uninstall your desktop installer from CeAppMgr.exe Add/Remove
> programs if user chooses to completely remove the application.
>
> To do so your INI file could include optional "Uninstall" entry.
>
>
>
> Please see this for details:
>
>
>
> http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/mobilesdk5/html/wce51conusingapplicationmanager.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
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>
> "Neville Lang" <neville@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:%234izcHyFGHA.3856@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Ilya,
>>
>> Thanks again for your reply to this topic.
>>
>> I have avoided using the AppMgr so that my customers would not use the
>> ActiveSync install / uninstall feature because my Installer needed to not
>> only copy a CAB to the device but to also add folders, files and registry
>> entries to the desktop for the interworking with the third-party app. In
>> other words, I have complete control over the installation process on
>> both the device side and the desktop side using my custom installer /
>> uninstaller (via Windows Installer).
>>
>> From what I understand, if my app was to use ActiveSync's AppMgr then if
>> a user were to uninstall it via ActiveSync then, while my app would
>> disappear from the device side, the desktop side would remain. My
>> understanding is that the Windows Installer custom uninstaller is only
>> triggered when a user clicks on the Remove button for a program listed on
>> the Add or Remove Programs in the Control Panel of the desktop. This is
>> what I do now. Can you tell me if my custom installer was to install my
>> app to the AppMgr then if a user of mine removed the app via ActiveSync,
>> then would my custom uninstaller program be called to complete the
>> removal of my things on the desktop? If so, is there something I can see
>> on how to do this.
>>
>> If the above question is yes, then I would consider going down the AppMgr
>> path. As you well know, it is very important (from a system view) that an
>> uninstaller completely removes all installed folders/files/registry
>> entries from both the device side and the desktop side, and so I still
>> want to comply with this practice.
>>
>> Regards,
>> Neville Lang
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> "Ilya Tumanov [MS]" <ilyatum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:43c5a20c$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> 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.
>>>
>>> *** 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:%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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