The Definitive Guide to the.net Compact. Framework LARRY ROOF AND DAN FERGUS. APress Media, LLC

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1 The Definitive Guide to the.net Compact Framework LARRY ROOF AND DAN FERGUS APress Media, LLC

2 The Definitive Guide to the.net Compact Framework Copyright by Larry Roof and Dan Fergus Originally published by Apress in 2003 All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner and the publisher. ISBN DOI / ISBN (ebook) 'Ii'ademarked names may appear in this book. Rather than use a trademark symbol with every occurrence of a trademarked name, we use the names only in an editorial fashion and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of infringement of the trademark. Technical Reviewer: Ron Miller Editorial Board: Dan Appleman, Craig Berry, Gary Cornell, Tony Davis, Steven Rycroft, Julian Skinner, Martin Streicher, Jim Sumser, Karen Watterson, Gavin Wray, John Zukowski Assistant Publisher: Grace Wong Project Manager: 'li'acy Brown Collins Copy Editor: Ami Knox Production Manager: Karl Brooks Compositor, Proofreader, Artist: Kinetic Publishing Services, LLC Indexer: Ron Strauss Cover Designer: Kurt Krames Manufacturing Manager: Tom Debolski In the United States: phone SPRINGER, orders@springer-ny.com, or visit http: I lwww. springer-ny. com. Outside the United States: fax , orders@springer. de, or visit http: I lwww. springer. de. For information on translations, please contact Apress directly at 2560 Ninth Street, Suite 219, Berkeley, CA Phone , fax , info@apress.com, or visit http: I lwww. a press. com. The information in this book is distributed on an "as is" basis, without warranty. Although every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this work, neither the author(s) nor Apress shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused or alleged to be caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this work.

3 To Carol, my love, my life. I would not be here without you. -Larry Roof To Susie and the boys. Thanks for putting up with the late nights and the times when I came home tired after traveling, or staying up too late working on this book. I love you. -Dan Fergus

4 Contents at a Glance About the Authors... xv About the Technical Reviewer... xvii Acknowledgments... xix Chapter 1 The NET Compact Framework... 1 Chapter 2 Smart Device Extensions Chapter 3 Designing an Effective Interface Chapter 4 NETCF Controls Chapter 5 Creating Controls Chapter 6 Menus, Toolbars, and Status Bars Chapter 7 Graphics Chapter 8 Files and Directories Chapter 9 Introduction to ADO.NET Chapter 10 Data Binding Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Introduction to SQL Server CE Working with Server-Based Data Working with Device-Based Data Working with XML Mobile Networking XML Web Services Working with Unmanaged Code Working with POOM Building Help Systems Application Settings Creating Setups for Your Applications Producing Reports v

5 Contents at a Glance Appendix A Setting Up Your Development Environment: A Quick Step-Through Appendix B Working with the Emulator Appendix C Resources Appendix D Sample Applications Appendix E Error Handling Appendix F Custom Controls in C# Index vi

6 Contents About the Authors... xv About the Technical Reviewer... xvii Acknowledgments... xix Chapter 1 The NET Compact Framework Understanding the NET Compact Framework... 2 What's Missing from NETCF? Differences Between evb and VB NET Working Between NET and NETCF Using Compiler Directives Summary Chapter 2 Smart Device Extensions Languages Supported by SDE SDE Within the VS.NET IDE Step-by-Step Tutorial: Hello World.NET Summary Chapter 3 Designing an Effective Interface Pocket PC Design Standards Larry Roof's Design Rules Step-by-Step Tutorial: Panel-Based Interface Windows Forms The Code Behind a Form Working with Forms Working with Dialog Boxes Step-by-Step Tutorial: Building a Custom Dialog Box Summary vii

7 Contents Chapter 4 NETCF Controls The Button Control The CheckBox Control The ComboBox Control The ContextMenu Control The DataGrid Control The DomainUpDown Control The HScrollBar Control The Imagelist Control The InputPanel Control The Label Control The listbox Control The ListView Control The MainMenu Control The NumericUpDown Control The OpenFileDialog Control The Panel Control The PictureBox Control The ProgressBar Control The RadioButton Control The SaveFileDialog Control The StatusBar Control The TabControl Control The TextBox Control The Timer Control The ToolBar Control The TrackBar Control The TreeView Control The VScrollBar Control Summary Chapter 5 Creating Controls Types of Custom Controls Creating an Inherited Control Step-by-Step Tutorial: Creating a Hybrid TextBox Creating an Owner-Drawn Control Step-by-Step Tutorial: Creating an Owner-Drawn Control Creating a Component Starting a Component Adding Design-Time Support Summary viii

8 Contents Chapter 6 Menus, Toolbars, and Status Bars Building Menus Building Context-Sensitive Menus Building ToolBars Building Status Bars Step-by-Step Tutorial: Menus and Toolbars Summary Chapter 7 Graphics Some Basic Knowledge Okay, Let's Draw Something Step-by-Step Tutorial: Creating a New Button Working with Images Step-by-Step Tutorial: Displaying a Simple Image Step-by-Step Tutorial: Scrolling an Image Summary Chapter 8 Files and Directories System. IO Names pace Managing Directories Managing Files Working with Files Step-by-Step Tutorial: Building a Text File Demo Step-by-Step Tutorial: Building a Binary File Demo Summary Chapter 9 Introduction to ADO.NET System. Data Namespace Data Providers The Connection Classes The Command Classes The DataReader Classes The DataAdapter Classes The DataSet Class The Data Table Class The Data Row Class The DataColumn Class The DataView Class Step-by-Step Tutorial: Working with ADO.NET Summary ix

9 Contents Chapter 10 Data Binding Binding to Controls Moving Between Items Adding an Item Deleting an Item Canceling an Edit in Progress Validating Input Creating a Master-Detail Form Permanently Saving Data Working with the BindingContext Object Step-by-Step Tutorial: Working with Bound Controls Summary Chapter 11 Introduction to SQL Server CE What Can You Do with SQL CE? SQL CE Architecture Installing SQL Server CE 2. o Getting Started Licensing SQL Server CE Summary Chapter 12 Working with Server-Based Data My Data, Get My Data Summary Chapter 13 Working with Device- Based Data Covering the Database Basics Remote Data Access Step-by-Step Tutorial: Beyond Anonymous Merge Replication RDA or Replication, That Is the Question Summary Chapter 14 Working with XML Basic XML Step-by-Step Tutorial: Creating a Configuration Reader DOM Navigation of Your Documents Working with XML Data Using a DataSet X

10 Contents Looking at Data Schemas Using XML Serialization Summary Chapter 15 Mobile Networking Working with the HTTP Protocol Working with the TCP Objects Step-by-Step Tutorial: Working with TCP Working with the IrDA Objects Step-by-Step Tutorial: Working with IrDA Summary Chapter 16 XML Web Services Understanding XML Web Services Web Service Limitations with NETCF Creating an XML Web Service Creating a Web Service Client Passing Data from XML Web Services Asynchronous Calls to Web Services Step-by-Step Tutorial: Building a Web Service Client Summary Chapter 17 Working with Unmanaged Code Examining Dllimport Reasons to Use Unmanaged Code Applied Examples Step-by-Step Tutorial: Creating an Unmanaged DLL Summary Chapter 18 Working with POOM The Pocket Outlook Object Model Accessing POOM from NETCF Working with Tasks Step-by-Step Tutorial: Working with Tasks Working with Contacts Step-by-Step Tutorial: Working with Contacts Working with Appointments Step-by-Step Tutorial: Working with Appointments Summary xi

11 Contents Chapter 19 Building Help Systems... 7B5 A Pocket PC Help System... 7B5 Constructing Help Systems... 7B9 Step-By-Step Tutorial: Building a Help File Implementing Help Files... B02 Summary... BOB Chapter 20 Application Settings... B09 Developing the Foundation... B09 Working with Settings in an INI File... B12 Working with Settings in an XML File... B1B Working with Settings in the Registry... B24 Summary... B26 Chapter 21 Creating Setups for Your Applications... B27 Setup Fundamentals... B27 Building Cab Files Step-by-Step Tutorial: Examining a Basic Cab Build Step-by-Step Tutorial: Building a Custom Installation... B59 A Note on Testing Setups... B67 Summary... B6B Chapter 22 Producing Reports... B69 Producing HTML Reports... B70 Examining the HTML Reporting Sample... B70 The HTMLViewer Alternative Approach... B76 Summary of Producing HTML Reports... B79 Producing Printed Reports... B79 Producing Printed Reports with PrinterCE.NetCF... BBO Working with the PrinterCE Object... BB4 Summary of Printing with PrinterCE.NetCF... B91 Printing Reports with the Mobile Printing Toolkit... B91 Summary of Printing with the Mobile Printing Toolkit Pocket PC Report Generation with Report CE Summary of Printing with Report CE Summary xii

12 Contents Appendix A Setting Up Your Development Environment: A Quick Step-Through Install a Decent Operating System Install Visual Studio NET Install ActiveSync Install SQL Server and SQL Server CE Install the embedded Tools Summary Appendix B Working with the Emulator Launching the Emulator Running the Emulator Without a Network Connection Configuring the Emulator Moving Files to the Emulator Appendix C Resources Newsgroups Web Sites Developer Tools Training Appendix D Sample Applications Unpacking the Sample Applications Obtaining Sample Updates Loading a Sample Application Running a Sample Application Removing an Application Problems with a Sample Application Appendix E Error Handling Handling Errors Visual Basic Style The Try, Catch, Finally Statements Catching Exceptions Handling Exceptions Creating an Exception "Safety Net" xiii

13 Contents Obtaining Detailed Error Information Tracking Exceptions Causing Exceptions to Occur Summary Appendix F Custom Controls in C# Step-by-Step Tutorial: Creating a New Button Summary Index xiv

About the Authors LARRY RooF has long been considered an expert in the field of mobile application development.

$He has written for a number of industryleading magazines and has a monthly MSDNVoices column called "1\vo for the Road." Larry heads up one of the premier mobile solution development companies.$ In addition to writing and consulting, Larry offers training in both face-toface and video-based formats.

In addition to writing and consulting, Larry offers training in both face-toface and video-based formats.

14 About the Authors LARRY RooF has long been considered an expert in the field of mobile application development. He is a frequent speaker at leading conferences including Microsoft TechEd, the Windows CE Developer's Conference, and the Visual Basic Insider's Technical Conference. He has written for a number of industryleading magazines and has a monthly MSDNVoices column called "1\vo for the Road." Larry heads up one of the premier mobile solution development companies. His company specializes in creating integrated mobile solutions that extend enterprise environments. In addition to writing and consulting, Larry offers training in both face-toface and video-based formats. He has been recognized by Microsoft as an embedded Most Valuable Professional ( emvp) for his contributions to the mobile development community. You can contact Larry at larry. roof@larryroof. com and can obtain more information about the consulting and training services offered by his company athttp:// It's been a long time since that first computer course in COBOL back in But instead of getting a degree, DAN FERGUS got a little side-tracked and spent the next 12 years as an EMT and paramedic in Hillsborough County, Florida. After Dan hung up his scissors, he went back to school at the University of South Florida and received a B.S. in biology and a B.S. in chemical engineering. While working as an engineer and living in Japan for two years as a technical liaison for a chemical company, Dan picked up a copy of'furbo C while on a trip to Taiwan for $5, just to keep up his programming skills. When that job ended, Dan started out on his own and worked as a consultant in the Dallas/Fort Worth area for several years before going to work for NuMega Technologies. While there, Dan was the lead developer for CodeReview and FailSafe, both Visual Basic debugging products. Dan's last position at Compuware (formally NuMega) was that of a technical evangelist, spending 2 years doing nothing but working, learning, teaching, and writing about.net. XV

15 About the Authors Dan is again an independent consultant who specializes in.net in general and the.net Compact Framework in particular. When not working, Dan spends time with his wife raising their four young boys. In addition to his family, Dan's passion is baseball. As such, he spends the summer coaching and umpiring little League and high school baseball games. xvi

16 About the Technical Reviewer RoN MILLER works as a senior engineer at Pitney Bowes developing new shipping systems. He has been in the IT industry for over 20 years and has developed a variety of solutions from distributed asset management systems to those providing daily sales figures to handhelds. He is constantly searching for a better solution to the problem at hand. In his spare time, Ron takes pleasure in restoring older Lancias and BMWs. xvii

17 Acknowledgments THANKS TO KAREN, TRACY, AMI, KARl, and the many other members of the Apress family who made this a great book. Our special thanks to Ron Miller for his often insightful technical evaluation of our writing. I would like to thank Gary Cornell for finding a writing partner for me to complete my book after I was injured. Additionally, I would like to thank those staff members at Apress for the aid they provided while I struggled through the process of wrapping up this book, for understanding my physical limitations and helping me in any way that they could. I would also like to thank Dan for becoming a part of my project and picking up the writing load while I recovered. -Larry Roof I WOULD LIKE TO THANK GARY CORNELL for asking me to help with the book. Jason Bock and I had almost completed a book on Pocket PC development with the embedded tools when the.net Compact Framework was being released. That project was put on hold in lieu of this book. I'm glad I got the chance to finish a project this time. Chapter 17, lovingly called the "unmanaged" chapter, almost got out of hand several times. There was just so much to cover and so little time to do it. I appreciate the help that Chris Tacke provided in his review of the material to make sure nothing stupid slipped through. -Dan Fergus xix

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