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Pocket PC Forum / Developers / WinCE Programming / March 2010Updateing an autostart application
Hello, I have read that I have to include an autostart application in the build process of the image. Now I would like to ask if there is a way to update this program later once the image and the program is loaded to the target. Especially this is interesting because I would like to have someone develop an application with VS 2008 that does not have platform builder. Is there a way? Thank you for any answer Martin There are different scenarios to consider: you can start the application using the registry 'init' key rather than placing a shortcut in the StartUp folder. In both cases it is not necessary to include the applciation in the binary OS file: you can put it in some storage media 8SD, flash, ...) and update it when you need it  SignatureLuca Calligaris (MVP-Windows Embedded) l.calligaris.nospam@eurotech.it.nospam www.eurotech.it > Hello, > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Martin Hello Luca, thank you for your answer. > There are different scenarios to consider: you can start the application > using the registry 'init' key rather than placing a shortcut in the StartUp > folder. Is one of these methods better for some reason than the other? Thank you for any help Martin The Startup folder is handled by Explorer.exe, so if it doesn't run - your app won't run. But if you are running Explorer.exe the Startup folder is nice becuase most APIs will be ready before your app runs. SignatureBruce Eitman (eMVP) Senior Engineer Bruce.Eitman AT Eurotech DOT com My BLOG http://geekswithblogs.net/bruceeitman Eurotech Inc. www.Eurotech.com > Hello Luca, > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > Martin Startup folder is also easier because it doesn't involve any registry changes. But if your app has to run before explorer for some reason then you need to use the init key to cause your app to be launched. SignatureDean Ramsier - eMVP BSQUARE Corporation > The Startup folder is handled by Explorer.exe, so if it doesn't run - your > app won't run. But if you are running Explorer.exe the Startup folder is [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] >> >> Martin Hello together, my goal is to build a kiosk system without an explorer so I guess I have to go for the registry entry. What I don't understand at the moment is how to load the application update to the flash file system controlled through the host PC. I can load it from host to the Win CE system but then I need to copy it to flash disk on Win CE. If I don't it will be lost at power down. This makes me think that everything I see when browsing „My device“ except Flash disk resides in RAM and any changes on these will not be permanent through power cycling, right ? One idea I had is to load the flash partition with the program and other files by using boot loader tools. But I guess this needs to also load a FAT to that partition ?? Any help is welcome ( I guess you see that I am pretty new to Win CE. But still enjoying it...) Martin Martin: The answer to you question about flash is "it depends" You vendor should be able to assist you either with manual or support. There are variations in how it would be implemented from device to device. But, yes if files are lost after reset, then only the flash disk is persistent. Are registry changes persistent? That is, if you changed HKLM\Init would the change survive a reset? SignatureBruce Eitman (eMVP) Senior Engineer Bruce.Eitman AT Eurotech DOT com My BLOG http://geekswithblogs.net/bruceeitman Eurotech Inc. www.Eurotech.com > Hello together, > [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > Martin Hello Bruce, > Are registry changes persistent? That is, if you changed > HKLM\Init would the change survive a reset? I have a hive based registry and I can do a "save registry" with a tool called regtool, I assume that this comes from the vendor of my board (Digi CC9M2443). I found that then the entries are persistent. I don't know yet how to change a registry key from the CE desktop. I once created a link to an application on the CE desktop and that was gone after a power cycle. Would this be stored in registry too? I have read that I can add a key at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\init\bootVars named RegistryFlags and give it value 1 which would cause any change in registry data to automatically be flushed to flash memory. In the registry of the image that came with the board there is only a key named Flags that is set to value 3 (In fact there are many entries double, one of type REG_NONE and one of type REG_DWORD or REG_SZ. Where can I find out what that means?) Thank you for any help Martin No, desktop items are stored in the filesystem, \windows\desktop. Settings like things set through the control panel would generally be in the registry. The meanings of registry settings, since some are from Microsoft, others from the device vendor and, potentially, still others are from application or driver vendors, are not available in one place. Let me back up and propose a complete solution to your originally-expressed problem. Your device vendor should already provide something like this and you should verify that they don't before diving in. 1. Create a program that will be launched by the system at startup using the Init key method in the registry. 2. This program will wait for the shell, filesystem, etc. to be ready, then will check for the presence of the flash filesystem that your device provides. 3. When the flash filesystem is found, the program will find a specific folder in the flash filesystem, call it Startup. If the root path of the flash filesystem is \flash, this folder would be found at \flash\startup. The program will enumerate all of the items in this folder and 'start' each one, using ShellExecuteEx(). The net effect of this is that you can put a shortcut to some application that you want launced (or the EXE itself), in the flash filesystem Startup folder and yet have it launched automatically on startup without having to (further) screw around with the registry. In every device I've built with Windows CE, I've *always* provided a utility that does exactly this, so I'm surprised that your device vendor isn't doing it. Check with them! Paul T. > Hello Bruce, > [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > > Martin Hello Paul, thank you for this explanation. Yes, Digi provides an autostart tool that can start applications after an adjustable waiting time. Meanwhile I also found that I can write applications directly to the flash disk via Digis Remote File Inspector. I guess this is something like an FTP server or at least an FTP server will also do the job ? So I will try these things and build a small autostart application. Thank you for yout help Martin When you build the program, Visual Studio (or whatever tool you are using), should download the application to the target device automatically when you build it successfully... Paul T. > Hello Paul, > [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Martin |
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