How to read a compact flash device.

I have a compact flash GPS device in my iPaq HX4700. What I'd like to know is
if there is something in the compact framework that lets me read data from
the compact flash device? A class maybe? A component? Maybe there is
something in the framework that can use the compact flash device no matter
what it is?

Chris
Fri Dec 31 17:00:30 CST 2004

I'm confused. You want to read the GPS data from the device, or just in
general access the PCMCIA slot? If the former, then it's probably through a
virtual serial port and the OpenNETCF.IO.GPS classes [1] will help. If the
latter, then no, there's nothing ready-made for it but I've got a sample for
direct hardware access in my blog[2].

[1] www.opennetcf.org/sdf
[2] http://blog.opennetcf.org/ctacke

--
<ctacke/>
www.OpenNETCF.org
Your CF searches start and end here


"PHS" <PHS@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:3B34D8FE-B6D3-45EE-92B4-D0E81A521B33@microsoft.com...
>I have a compact flash GPS device in my iPaq HX4700. What I'd like to know
>is
> if there is something in the compact framework that lets me read data from
> the compact flash device? A class maybe? A component? Maybe there is
> something in the framework that can use the compact flash device no matter
> what it is?

PHS
Fri Dec 31 17:51:01 CST 2004

Chris,

I have a GPS device in my compact flash slot. The Garmin applications that
use it work ok. When I mentioned both GPS and generic I was trying to cover
both fields of play as I thought maybe GPS was too specific in use, where a
generic compact flash class might be too vague. I downloaded the 1.2 (?)
version of OpenNETCF (7Mb) in total. I created a test program and added a
reference to the OpenNETCF.dll and a "using OpenNETCF;" namespace statement.
When I reference it I can see what looks like mostly serial comms in
OpenNETCF.IO but I can't find any reference to OpenNETCF.IO.GPS which you
mentioned. Do I need to add a different reference to get to the GPS class?

I have a rough idea what the message protocol should be between my
application and the device but that's subject to speculation and
experimentation. Is the GPS class actually available? If not, I may have to
go down the direct addressing route but I'd obviously like to avoid that if
possible.

ctacke/>
Fri Dec 31 18:42:40 CST 2004

Actually the full GPS binary isn't yet in the SDF (it will be in 1.3). You
can however download the source for it and build it yourself. It's been
pretty heavily tested against many units (take a look in the Forums for a
list), so it's probably going to meet your needs.

-Chris


"PHS" <PHS@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6FB0AEFC-DCFF-484C-9C3C-01800CCD97D4@microsoft.com...
> Chris,
>
> I have a GPS device in my compact flash slot. The Garmin applications that
> use it work ok. When I mentioned both GPS and generic I was trying to
> cover
> both fields of play as I thought maybe GPS was too specific in use, where
> a
> generic compact flash class might be too vague. I downloaded the 1.2 (?)
> version of OpenNETCF (7Mb) in total. I created a test program and added a
> reference to the OpenNETCF.dll and a "using OpenNETCF;" namespace
> statement.
> When I reference it I can see what looks like mostly serial comms in
> OpenNETCF.IO but I can't find any reference to OpenNETCF.IO.GPS which you
> mentioned. Do I need to add a different reference to get to the GPS class?
>
> I have a rough idea what the message protocol should be between my
> application and the device but that's subject to speculation and
> experimentation. Is the GPS class actually available? If not, I may have
> to
> go down the direct addressing route but I'd obviously like to avoid that
> if
> possible.

PHS
Sat Jan 01 03:53:02 CST 2005

I did notice the source code Chris so I'll look into it. Just out of
interest, the compact flash would then be addressed as a normal serial port?
If so, which port would it be, COM1, 2?

"<ctacke/>" wrote:

> Actually the full GPS binary isn't yet in the SDF (it will be in 1.3). You
> can however download the source for it and build it yourself. It's been
> pretty heavily tested against many units (take a look in the Forums for a
> list), so it's probably going to meet your needs.
>
> -Chris
>
>
> "PHS" <PHS@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:6FB0AEFC-DCFF-484C-9C3C-01800CCD97D4@microsoft.com...
> > Chris,
> >
> > I have a GPS device in my compact flash slot. The Garmin applications that
> > use it work ok. When I mentioned both GPS and generic I was trying to
> > cover
> > both fields of play as I thought maybe GPS was too specific in use, where
> > a
> > generic compact flash class might be too vague. I downloaded the 1.2 (?)
> > version of OpenNETCF (7Mb) in total. I created a test program and added a
> > reference to the OpenNETCF.dll and a "using OpenNETCF;" namespace
> > statement.
> > When I reference it I can see what looks like mostly serial comms in
> > OpenNETCF.IO but I can't find any reference to OpenNETCF.IO.GPS which you
> > mentioned. Do I need to add a different reference to get to the GPS class?
> >
> > I have a rough idea what the message protocol should be between my
> > application and the device but that's subject to speculation and
> > experimentation. Is the GPS class actually available? If not, I may have
> > to
> > go down the direct addressing route but I'd obviously like to avoid that
> > if
> > possible.
>
>
>

ctacke/>
Sun Jan 02 22:11:28 CST 2005

Yes, the device driver will expose it as a COM port. Which port is likely
to change between devices - it probably finds the highest in existence and
goes from there - so if COM1 exists, it will start at COM2.

-Chris


"PHS" <PHS@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:3B111879-EC67-4FCB-A6C8-614594AC8B4A@microsoft.com...
>I did notice the source code Chris so I'll look into it. Just out of
> interest, the compact flash would then be addressed as a normal serial
> port?
> If so, which port would it be, COM1, 2?
>
> "<ctacke/>" wrote:
>
>> Actually the full GPS binary isn't yet in the SDF (it will be in 1.3).
>> You
>> can however download the source for it and build it yourself. It's been
>> pretty heavily tested against many units (take a look in the Forums for a
>> list), so it's probably going to meet your needs.
>>
>> -Chris
>>
>>
>> "PHS" <PHS@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:6FB0AEFC-DCFF-484C-9C3C-01800CCD97D4@microsoft.com...
>> > Chris,
>> >
>> > I have a GPS device in my compact flash slot. The Garmin applications
>> > that
>> > use it work ok. When I mentioned both GPS and generic I was trying to
>> > cover
>> > both fields of play as I thought maybe GPS was too specific in use,
>> > where
>> > a
>> > generic compact flash class might be too vague. I downloaded the 1.2
>> > (?)
>> > version of OpenNETCF (7Mb) in total. I created a test program and added
>> > a
>> > reference to the OpenNETCF.dll and a "using OpenNETCF;" namespace
>> > statement.
>> > When I reference it I can see what looks like mostly serial comms in
>> > OpenNETCF.IO but I can't find any reference to OpenNETCF.IO.GPS which
>> > you
>> > mentioned. Do I need to add a different reference to get to the GPS
>> > class?
>> >
>> > I have a rough idea what the message protocol should be between my
>> > application and the device but that's subject to speculation and
>> > experimentation. Is the GPS class actually available? If not, I may
>> > have
>> > to
>> > go down the direct addressing route but I'd obviously like to avoid
>> > that
>> > if
>> > possible.
>>
>>
>>