PocketPC Application Development 1

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PocketPC Application Development 1
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Reference

• Windows Mobile Developer Center
  http//msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsmobile/d
  efault.aspx
• Includes developer tools and technical resources,
  such as white papers, training videos, samples
  and more.

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Introduction

• Java 2 Platform, Micro Edition (J2ME) is
  supported by most mobile phone vendor.
• However, with mobile commerce growing into a
  multibillion-dollar industry, Microsoft is also
  interested in the mobile application development.
  
• Microsoft's latest mobile commerce offering is
  the .Net Compact Framework (.Net CF) which
  targets for both PocketPC and smart phone.

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A Typical PocketPC
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PocketPC - Direct Connect to PC
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.NET CF Design Goals

• Target mobile and embedded devices
• Portable subset of .NET Framework
• No new compact namespaces
• Visual Basic .NET and C compiler
• Leverage Visual Studio .NET
• Run managed .EXEs and .DLLs directly
• Debug with Visual Studio .NET
• Peacefully co-exist with host OS
• call native code

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Rich Client vs. Thin Client
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Rich Client vs. Thin Client

• Thin Client
• Advantage
• Support a broad range of devices
• Browser access
• Device differences not important
• Disadvantage
• Doesnt work offline
• No local processing power
• Limited user interface

• Rich Client
• Advantage
• The best way to do online and offline
• Takes full advantage of Pocket PC
• Excellent integration with SQL Server CE
• Powerful local processing and rich graphics,
  multimedia
• Disadvantage
• Limited device support

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Core Microsoft Smart Device Technologies

• Windows Mobile Devices
• Different form factors (Pocket PC and Smartphone)
  to suit different application types and usability
  patterns

• .NET Compact Framework
• RAD for devices
• Leverage existing .NET development skills to
  target devices

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Development Environment Tools
Onscreen Device Emulators
ActiveSync 4.5 or later
SQL Server 2005 Mobile Edition
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.NET Compact Framework Development Platform

• Jan 2008
• Microsoft Visual Studio 2005/2008, Standard
  Edition or above (Express Editions are not
  supported).
• Windows Mobile 6 Professional/Standard Software
  Development Kits
• ActiveSync 4.5
• .NET Compact Framework v2 SP2
• SQL Server 2005 Mobile Edition

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Development ToolsVisual Studio 2005

• Enhanced project wizard
• Target Pocket PC or Smartphone
• Enhanced designers
• Emulator support
• Based on ARM processor
• Save multiple states
• CAB and Setup projects
• Integrated device and emulatordebugging
• Remote tools
• Process viewer, file viewer, heap walker, and
  more

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Visual Studio 2005

• To develop WM 6 applications, you need to
  download and install the Windows Mobile 6 SDKs
  for Pocket PC and Smartphone

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Windows Mobile 6 SDK

• Two versions Professional and Standard for
  different target platforms.
• Windows Mobile 6 Standard SDK
• for smartphone development
• Windows Mobile 6 Standard (176x220 pixels - 96
  dpi)
• Windows Mobile 6 Standard Landscape QVGA (240x320
  pixels - 131 dpi)
• Windows Mobile 6 Standard QVGA (320x240 pixels -
  131 dpi)

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Windows Mobile 6 SDK

• Windows Mobile 6 Professional SDK
• for PocketPC application development
• Windows Mobile 6 Classic (240x320 pixels - 96
  dpi)
• Windows Mobile 6 Professional (240x320 pixels -
  96 dpi)
• Windows Mobile 6 Professional Square (240x240
  pixels - 96 dpi)
• Windows Mobile 6 Professional Square QVGA
  (320x320 pixels - 128 dpi)
• Windows Mobile 6 Professional Square VGA
  (480x480 pixels - 192 dpi)
• Windows Mobile 6 Professional VGA (480x640
  pixels - 192 dpi)

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What is the .NET CF?

• Essentially, the .NET CF is an extended subset
  of the .NET Framework
• Subset Some non-essential classes are not
  included
• Extended Functionality specific to the Windows
  Mobile platform
• High-level goal Extend the .NET developer
  platform to the Windows Mobile device platform

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Supported in .NET CF

• Common Base Classes
• IO, collections, reflection, math, drawing
• Connectivity
• Networking, HTTP classes, calling XML Web
  services
• Data Access
• ADO.NET, SQL Server CE, SQL Server
• XML
• XmlDocument, XmlReader/Writer
• Windows Forms

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.NET vs .NET CF

• No ASP.NET
• No support for writing COM/ActiveX objects
• Class libraries are a subset (about 25)
• Different size and scalability characteristics
• Compact Additions
• IrDA support
• SQL Server CE managed classes
• Device-specific controls

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Framework Size

• Framework size
• 1.35MB (ROM) on Windows CE .NET Device
• Running RAM needs
• 1 MB (depends on app)
• Typical application sizes
• 5 - 100 KB
• Apps often smaller due to use of platform
  features (i.e. libraries) in the framework

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Developing the User Interface

• Three device categories within the Windows Mobile
  platform
• Standard (Smartphone)
• Classic (Pocket PC)
• Professional (Pocket PC Phone Edition)
• Smartphone does not support stylus entry
• T9 input and key navigation
• Screen layouts for Smartphone need special care

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Developing the User Interface

• Limited Screen Real Estate
• Pocket PC, Phone Edition
• VGA 480 x 640
• QVGA (Most Common) 240 x 320
• Smartphone (Smaller Screen)
• QVGA 320 x 240
• Standard (Most Common) 170 x 220
• UIs should be designed and tested for usability
• Use the features of the .NET Framework!
• Standard controls optimized for mobile devices
• Create custom controls that you can re-use across
  projects

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User Interfaces on the latest platform

• Windows Mobile 6
• Supports
• Landscape and portrait orientations
• HiDPI resolution (VGA)
• Developers need to make sure their applications
  are orientation- and resolution-aware
• For more information
• MSDN Mobile and Embedded Developer Center
• http//msdn.microsoft.com/mobility

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Data and Communication

• Smart Device Applications need data
• Web Services
• Applications can communicate with services
  provider with no modification to servers
• SQL Server CE
• Provides rich, robust, secure data source for
  smart devices
• Rich control over synchronization with back end
  SQL Server

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Accessing Data from a Smart Device
HTTPS
IIS Server
External Web Services
Other Internal Systems
Pocket PC
Access SQL Server through IIS, using SQL Server
CE ISAPI filter
SQL Server Database
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Basic Data Types

• Base data types are the same as the desktop
• Formatting
• StringBuilder
• More efficient when string length changes
• Arrays
• Value types (Int16, Int32, Int64, UInt16, etc.)
• Floats and doubles
• Collections
• Classes for storing sets of objects
• Arraylists and Hashtables

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Windows Forms Support

• Layout
• Manual positioning
• Drawing
• Polygons, lines, arcs, ellipses, rectangles
• JPEG, BMP images
• Text and images
• TrueType bitmap fonts on Mobile
• Most desktop controls
• Designer support

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Rich Controls
Pocket PC

• Smartphone

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DateTimePicker
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DocumentList
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Picture Selection Dialog
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Notification Bubble
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UserControl

• Easily build and reuse your own custom controls
• Well integrated into design time experience

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More Controls

• MonthCalendar
• LinkLabel
• Help
• WebBrowser
• DataContainer
• New on Smartphone
• Datagrid
• Textbox IME switching
• Enable multiple menu items on left softkey

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Screen OrientationWhat is it?
Landscape
Square
Portrait
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Screen OrientationNo awareness
Landscape
Portrait
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Screen OrientationDesign considerations

• User can rotate at runtime
• Three main strategies
• Resize content
• Relayout content
• Change content

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Screen OrientationApplication UI
Technique 1 Resize your content
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Screen OrientationApplication UI
Technique 2 Relayout your content
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Screen OrientationApplication UI
Technique 3 Change your content
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Screen OrientationApplication UI
Technique 3 Change your content
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Simple Solution - Resize

• Using the anchor property to control the layout
• Other methods may need to determine the screen
  orientation (by comparing width and height) and
  recompute the location and size of controls.

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Screen ResolutionWhat is it?
96 DPI
131 DPI
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Screen ResolutionDesign considerations

• Physical screen size stays the same
• Pixel size gets smaller
• Keep text BIG and readable
• Keep tap targets easy to hit
• Consistent user experience

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Screen ResolutionBitmaps and icons

• Scaling up bitmaps at runtime looks clunky
• Scaling them down is even worse
• Pixels drop out
• SolutionBuild bitmaps and icons for each DPI
  you support

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Screen ResolutionCurrent support table
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Softkeys
Smartphone
Pocket PC

• New for Pocket PC
• Well-tested and well-loved on phones
• Why? One-handed navigation
• Brings Pocket PC and Smartphone closer together

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PocketPC vs J2ME

• Due to its strong cross-platform capability and
  network connectivity, J2ME is best for consumer
  use.
• e.g. Booking Movie Ticket, Games, On-line Stock
  Quote etc.
• Pocket PC is more suitable for business use.
• e.g. Food ordering system, Field sales system,
  etc.
• Why? Give at least 3 reasons.

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J2ME vs .NET CF