Returning to pocket pc programming - help please

Hi all

Apologies for crossposting... I originally posted this message on
microsoft.public.pocketpc. I then discovered this group and I think it more
appropriate that the message is posted here.

I used to do a little bit of programming for the Pocket PC in the early(ish)
days (Jornada SH3 stuff). This was mainly conversion of programs that I had
written in Visual Basic so that they worked on the PPC. I did a couple of
programs in eVB but
found its functionality limited as I was used to the full PC version of VB.
I also converted a couple of my programs using Appforge which worked fine,
but I always worried about the overhead of the runtime files, although I
guess that's not as much of an issue nowdays with there being much more
memory available.

I would now like to get back into writing programs for the PPC.
Unfortunately, things have moved on since the turn of the century and
because i've done virtually no programming since then I feel completely out
of touch. I would be grateful if someone could explain exactly what I now
need to be able to develop a program for Windows Mobile 5.00

I guess i'm going to have to re-learn to some degree, but I accept that.
The question is what should I be using as an ex VB6 programmer, obviously I
would like the shallowest learning curve possible. Is VB Dot Net the way to
go or is there something I can bolt on to my VB6 that will allow me to
develop for the Mobile 5 platform?

Many thanks in advance from an ageing (48 yr old!) VB programmer :-)

Cheers

Jem

Mike
Mon Oct 23 03:56:05 CDT 2006

To develop programs that run on WM5, you can use eVC, though you will not be
able to debug directly on the device, nor will you necessarily be able to
use some specific WM5 features.

For the more complete "experience", you need Visual Studio 2005, and a
proper version, not one of the "Express" packages you can get for nothing.
This will allow you to develop and debug on the device or the emulator, and
support specific features of WM5.

Mike.


"Jem" <xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:WO-dnbDmo5h6C6bYnZ2dnUVZ8s-dnZ2d@pipex.net...
> Hi all
>
> Apologies for crossposting... I originally posted this message on
> microsoft.public.pocketpc. I then discovered this group and I think it
> more appropriate that the message is posted here.
>
> I used to do a little bit of programming for the Pocket PC in the
> early(ish)
> days (Jornada SH3 stuff). This was mainly conversion of programs that I
> had written in Visual Basic so that they worked on the PPC. I did a
> couple of programs in eVB but
> found its functionality limited as I was used to the full PC version of
> VB.
> I also converted a couple of my programs using Appforge which worked fine,
> but I always worried about the overhead of the runtime files, although I
> guess that's not as much of an issue nowdays with there being much more
> memory available.
>
> I would now like to get back into writing programs for the PPC.
> Unfortunately, things have moved on since the turn of the century and
> because i've done virtually no programming since then I feel completely
> out
> of touch. I would be grateful if someone could explain exactly what I now
> need to be able to develop a program for Windows Mobile 5.00
>
> I guess i'm going to have to re-learn to some degree, but I accept that.
> The question is what should I be using as an ex VB6 programmer, obviously
> I
> would like the shallowest learning curve possible. Is VB Dot Net the way
> to
> go or is there something I can bolt on to my VB6 that will allow me to
> develop for the Mobile 5 platform?
>
> Many thanks in advance from an ageing (48 yr old!) VB programmer :-)
>
> Cheers
>
> Jem
>
>
>

legend
Mon Oct 23 06:27:22 CDT 2006


Hi Jem,

Since (V?)B is your first choice, VB.net should be your choice.

On Jornada SH3 day, first there is WindowsCE toolkit for VC++, then replaced
by (independent), free embedded Toolkit 3.
Both of these support eVB. However, for latest (Windows Mobile 5.0
platform), you need at-least embedded Toolkit 4.0 + SP2, but dropped eVB, or
Visual Studio dot.net. I see many developer used appforge to develop VB
(should I removed the 'V' for just 'BASIC'), due to the limiation on eVB,
and/or other reason.

You might need little adaption time to adapt to VB.net, for some different
between eVB and VB.net, (in my personal view, VB have moved toward C++
style), most of the early limitation in eVB does not appear in VB.net
anymore, which is much more 'powerful' and efficient than previous eVB.

As for the resource, as the time I write this (23 Oct 2006), dot.net
framework does not cause too 'heavy-load' to most 'current' device compared
to couple of MB or less storage in early(ish) day.

I would suggest you use Visual Studio 2005, it have in-build support from
windowsce application.


(I started with Casio Cassiopeia A-10 as my first windows-ce device, using
windowsce toolkit for VC++ at late 97, eVC++ programmer since then (not sure
this is the early(ish) windowsce, but to be sure is at that time, even 'C'
stdio.h stuff is not supported, imagine the hard-time we have gone through
until current dot.net platform !))

wp
[dummy programmer]


"Jem" <xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:WO-dnbDmo5h6C6bYnZ2dnUVZ8s-dnZ2d@pipex.net...
> Hi all
>
> Apologies for crossposting... I originally posted this message on
> microsoft.public.pocketpc. I then discovered this group and I think it
more
> appropriate that the message is posted here.
>
> I used to do a little bit of programming for the Pocket PC in the
early(ish)
> days (Jornada SH3 stuff). This was mainly conversion of programs that I
had
> written in Visual Basic so that they worked on the PPC. I did a couple of
> programs in eVB but
> found its functionality limited as I was used to the full PC version of
VB.
> I also converted a couple of my programs using Appforge which worked fine,
> but I always worried about the overhead of the runtime files, although I
> guess that's not as much of an issue nowdays with there being much more
> memory available.
>
> I would now like to get back into writing programs for the PPC.
> Unfortunately, things have moved on since the turn of the century and
> because i've done virtually no programming since then I feel completely
out
> of touch. I would be grateful if someone could explain exactly what I now
> need to be able to develop a program for Windows Mobile 5.00
>
> I guess i'm going to have to re-learn to some degree, but I accept that.
> The question is what should I be using as an ex VB6 programmer, obviously
I
> would like the shallowest learning curve possible. Is VB Dot Net the way
to
> go or is there something I can bolt on to my VB6 that will allow me to
> develop for the Mobile 5 platform?
>
> Many thanks in advance from an ageing (48 yr old!) VB programmer :-)
>
> Cheers
>
> Jem
>
>
>

legend
Mon Oct 23 06:54:38 CDT 2006


"legend" <no-spam@no-spam-net99.org> wrote in message
news:uFDt8Yp9GHA.896@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>
> Hi Jem,
>
> Since (V?)B is your first choice, VB.net should be your choice.
>
> On Jornada SH3 day, first there is WindowsCE toolkit for VC++, then
replaced
> by (independent), free embedded Toolkit 3.
> Both of these support eVB.

> However, for latest (Windows Mobile 5.0
> platform), you need at-least embedded Toolkit 4.0 + SP2, but dropped
eVB....

Some clearification, it should read :
"However, for latest (Windows Mobile 5.0 platform), you need at-least an
embedded VC++ 4.0 SP2, but there is no such thing as "eMbedded Visual
Toolkit 4.0" with (e)VB support (at least, does not release), ie MS have
dropped eVB support for it eMbedded Visual Tools family after embedded
Visual Tool 3.0. OR you can use Visual Studio 2005." (but certainly NOT
'drop eVB and VS' :) )

> I see many developer used appforge to develop VB
> (should I removed the 'V' for just 'BASIC'), due to the limiation on eVB,
> and/or other reason.
> You might need little adaption time to adapt to VB.net, for some different
> between eVB and VB.net, (in my personal view, VB have moved toward C++
> style), most of the early limitation in eVB does not appear in VB.net
> anymore, which is much more 'powerful' and efficient than previous eVB.
>
> As for the resource, as the time I write this (23 Oct 2006), dot.net
> framework does not cause too 'heavy-load' to most 'current' device
compared
> to couple of MB or less storage in early(ish) day.
>
> I would suggest you use Visual Studio 2005, it have in-build support from
> windowsce application.
>
>
> (I started with Casio Cassiopeia A-10 as my first windows-ce device, using
> windowsce toolkit for VC++ at late 97, eVC++ programmer since then (not
sure
> this is the early(ish) windowsce, but to be sure is at that time, even 'C'
> stdio.h stuff is not supported, imagine the hard-time we have gone through
> until current dot.net platform !))
>
> wp
> [dummy programmer]
>
>
> "Jem" <xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:WO-dnbDmo5h6C6bYnZ2dnUVZ8s-dnZ2d@pipex.net...
> > Hi all
> >
> > Apologies for crossposting... I originally posted this message on
> > microsoft.public.pocketpc. I then discovered this group and I think it
> more
> > appropriate that the message is posted here.
> >
> > I used to do a little bit of programming for the Pocket PC in the
> early(ish)
> > days (Jornada SH3 stuff). This was mainly conversion of programs that I
> had
> > written in Visual Basic so that they worked on the PPC. I did a couple
of
> > programs in eVB but
> > found its functionality limited as I was used to the full PC version of
> VB.
> > I also converted a couple of my programs using Appforge which worked
fine,
> > but I always worried about the overhead of the runtime files, although I
> > guess that's not as much of an issue nowdays with there being much more
> > memory available.
> >
> > I would now like to get back into writing programs for the PPC.
> > Unfortunately, things have moved on since the turn of the century and
> > because i've done virtually no programming since then I feel completely
> out
> > of touch. I would be grateful if someone could explain exactly what I
now
> > need to be able to develop a program for Windows Mobile 5.00
> >
> > I guess i'm going to have to re-learn to some degree, but I accept that.
> > The question is what should I be using as an ex VB6 programmer,
obviously
> I
> > would like the shallowest learning curve possible. Is VB Dot Net the
way
> to
> > go or is there something I can bolt on to my VB6 that will allow me to
> > develop for the Mobile 5 platform?
> >
> > Many thanks in advance from an ageing (48 yr old!) VB programmer :-)
> >
> > Cheers
> >
> > Jem
> >
> >
> >
>
>

godfatherofsoul
Wed Oct 25 13:56:33 CDT 2006

Jem wrote:
> Hi all
>
> Apologies for crossposting... I originally posted this message on
> microsoft.public.pocketpc. I then discovered this group and I think it more
> appropriate that the message is posted here.
>
> I used to do a little bit of programming for the Pocket PC in the early(ish)
> days (Jornada SH3 stuff). This was mainly conversion of programs that I had
> written in Visual Basic so that they worked on the PPC. I did a couple of
> programs in eVB but
> found its functionality limited as I was used to the full PC version of VB.
> I also converted a couple of my programs using Appforge which worked fine,
> but I always worried about the overhead of the runtime files, although I
> guess that's not as much of an issue nowdays with there being much more
> memory available.
>
> I would now like to get back into writing programs for the PPC.
> Unfortunately, things have moved on since the turn of the century and
> because i've done virtually no programming since then I feel completely out
> of touch. I would be grateful if someone could explain exactly what I now
> need to be able to develop a program for Windows Mobile 5.00
>
> I guess i'm going to have to re-learn to some degree, but I accept that.
> The question is what should I be using as an ex VB6 programmer, obviously I
> would like the shallowest learning curve possible. Is VB Dot Net the way to
> go or is there something I can bolt on to my VB6 that will allow me to
> develop for the Mobile 5 platform?
>
> Many thanks in advance from an ageing (48 yr old!) VB programmer :-)
>
> Cheers
>
> Jem

I'm using Visual Studio 2005 Professional addition which is awesome.
The emulator integration is much improved and there are VB project
templates. Might be pricey depending on what your goals are. I've
been under the impression that MS is trying to move away from eVB to
.NET (correct me if I'm wrong guys). I vaguely recall hearing that the
eVB runtime for Windows Mobile wouldn't be included in future versions.
I work with C/C++ so I'm not sure on this front.

Jem
Sat Oct 28 08:58:45 CDT 2006

Hi all

Thanks to those who took the time to reply.

I've ordered (today) the 30 day evaluation version of Visual Studio 2005
along with the Windows Mobile 5.0 Developer Resource Kit. This is available
from Microsoft for the cost of postage ($16.00).

I guess if I like it (and can understand it!) I will be able to register it
for use beyond the 30 day limit. At least this will give me the opportunity
to 'have a go' at DotNet programming.

Please stand by for loads more questions once it arrives :-)

Cheers

Jem


"Jem" <xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:WO-dnbDmo5h6C6bYnZ2dnUVZ8s-dnZ2d@pipex.net...
> Hi all
>
> Apologies for crossposting... I originally posted this message on
> microsoft.public.pocketpc. I then discovered this group and I think it
> more appropriate that the message is posted here.
>
> I used to do a little bit of programming for the Pocket PC in the
> early(ish)
> days (Jornada SH3 stuff). This was mainly conversion of programs that I
> had written in Visual Basic so that they worked on the PPC. I did a
> couple of programs in eVB but
> found its functionality limited as I was used to the full PC version of
> VB.
> I also converted a couple of my programs using Appforge which worked fine,
> but I always worried about the overhead of the runtime files, although I
> guess that's not as much of an issue nowdays with there being much more
> memory available.
>
> I would now like to get back into writing programs for the PPC.
> Unfortunately, things have moved on since the turn of the century and
> because i've done virtually no programming since then I feel completely
> out
> of touch. I would be grateful if someone could explain exactly what I now
> need to be able to develop a program for Windows Mobile 5.00
>
> I guess i'm going to have to re-learn to some degree, but I accept that.
> The question is what should I be using as an ex VB6 programmer, obviously
> I
> would like the shallowest learning curve possible. Is VB Dot Net the way
> to
> go or is there something I can bolt on to my VB6 that will allow me to
> develop for the Mobile 5 platform?
>
> Many thanks in advance from an ageing (48 yr old!) VB programmer :-)
>
> Cheers
>
> Jem
>
>
>