Dave Baker's WebLog : Visual Studio

MSDN Embedded Subscription Announced

davbaker — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 10:44:25 GMT

To help you deliver their next generation of embedded devices successfully, we have announced the availability (as of July 1) of Visual Studio 2008 Professional Edition with Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Embedded subscription. This provides a cost-effective way to license the entire line of Windows Embedded platforms and tools, receive technical support, and obtain early access to the latest Microsoft updates and resources.

The MSDN subscription includes the Visual Studio suite of software development tools and the following Windows Embedded platforms and technologies:

Windows Embedded CE,
Windows Embedded Standard,
Windows Embedded NavReady 2009,
Windows Embedded POSReady 2009,

MSDN Premium subscribers will also have access to the resources in MSDN Embedded, enhancing their existing MSDN investments.

MSDN Embedded subscribers will also have exclusive access to a new developer service called Windows Embedded Developer Update. This new service will deliver the latest technology from Microsoft and trusted 3rd parties directly into the Windows Embedded development environment. The service integrates a client on the developer’s machine to a cloud service hosting the content, such as Microsoft product updates, advanced technologies, trusted 3^rd Party drivers, and board support packages (BSPs).

Visual Studio Professional 2008 with MSDN Embedded is scheduled to be available in July 2009; the Windows Embedded Developer Update service is scheduled to launch in the first half of 2010. Developers can obtain a subscription or find out more information on the Windows Embedded resources available through MSDN by visiting http://www.microsoft.com/windowsembedded. A comparison of MSDN Subscription options is available at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/subscriptionschart.aspx.

Further details can be found here

Rob's New Book. Free C# Teaching Materials

davbaker — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 15:25:00 GMT

Rob Miles, a professor at the University of Hull, and with whom I had the pleasure of delivering a couple of .NET Micro Framework [2] sessions at TechEd EMEA last year, has released his C# teaching materials for free. He has called it the "yellow book", since it is yellow and structured like a normal book. He has made it available from www.csharpcourse.com.

The book contains 185 pages and covers everything from how to start with C# (like the basic language constructs) to how to create user interfaces, components and even how to encapsulate the logic of your application into business objects.

Windows CE guides Vista and Office 2007 around the UK

davbaker — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 20:40:00 GMT

In case you hadn’t noticed Microsoft UK kicked off the Developer launch for Windows Vista and the Office system 2007 today with two days of activity at our offices in Reading. The event was so popular that there wasn’t enough room for everyone so Mike, Mark, Daniel and Martin are taking to the road next week to bring the content to a venue near you.

In about 90 minutes they will introduce you to the developer story for:

· Windows Vista’s new operating system features that your application can use.

· The .NET Framework version 3.0, including support for application workflow, distributed applications and a rich presentation layer.

· The new Office 2007 System and how you can access the data in documents; surface your information and create a context aware interface for your users.

And what will be guiding them around the country in this intrepid expedition, none other than Windows CE in the form of a Sat Nav donated by our Partners at RoadAngel. This devices will not only guide them around the highways and byways but will also warn them of accident blackspots ensuring they get to all their presentations in one piece.

They will be driving a pretty distinctive car – So if you see them, and it’s safe to do so, pull alongside and give them a wave.

...and if you attend one of the events you’ll have the opportunity to win this very Sat Nav, fully roadtested and conveniently programmed with to location of the Microsoft office and all the events venues J.

Checkout the tour site at http://ukvistaofficelaunchtour.spaces.live.com/ and follow their progress on Mark’s blog at http://blogs.msdn.com/markjo.

MEDC Europe - EMB320 Windows Embedded for Point of Service (WEPOS). Slides and Materials

davbaker — Wed, 21 Jun 2006 14:53:00 GMT

For those of you who attended my WEPOS session in Nice I hope you found it useful. For those of you who weren't, where were you?

The session presentation and Visual Studio demo project areat tached along with my demo notes and the XML File for the Symbol scanner I used (Not 1.6MB, most of which is presentation). If you were at the conference you can also access the slides at www.microsoft.com/europe/medc/ along with presentations for all the other sessions.

The XML configuration contains the scanner hardware ID (You can substitute this for your own scanner - Use Device properties to get the ID) and by default should be put in the "Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Point Of Service\Configuration folder". Search folders can be added and amended through the WEPOS registry configuration at "HKLM/Software/Pos for .NET".

The Scanner Service Object by default should be placed in "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Microsoft\Point Of Service\Statistics", however search folders can be added and amended through the registry in the same way as the configuration.

The demo is complete with the exception of the HidReader module which contains proprietary information - you will need to add your own driver to complete this part of the demo. It is hoped that we will be able to distribute this module in the future possibly as a POS for .NET update.

I'd welcome your feedback on these materials and the session in general - What you liked, displiked and would like to see covered in the future. Let me know how it goes...

Differences between versions of Visual Studio 2005

davbaker — Mon, 08 May 2006 21:36:00 GMT

I've spent a lot of time discussing the merits of particular versions of Visual Studio 2005 but this is the first time that I've seen it set out in such an easy to understand way. We have Mohammad Akif to thank for this and you can find the original at: http://blogs.msdn.com/mohammadakif/archive/2005/12/29/508066.aspx.

Best Regards

-Dave

Using Compact Framework 1.1 with Visual Studio 2005

davbaker — Mon, 08 May 2006 21:17:00 GMT

I was recently asked if it was possible to utilise Compact Framework 1.1 with VS2005. I recollected from the dim and distant past that I had done it but this prompted me to go and have a look for the resource again - Well I've found it and it appears to still work...

The information was originally posted in Jomo Fisher's blog at http://blogs.msdn.com/jomo_fisher/archive/2005/04/22/410903.aspx but I include it below for reference - obviously for Whidbey read VS2005 :)

(1) Copy this MSBuild targets file to “C:\program files\msbuild\CrossCompile.CSharp.targets”

(2) Create a new C# project somewhere called MyApp.

(3) Use notepad to edit MyApp.csproj. Replace the entire <Import> tag with

<Import Project="$(MSBuildExtensionsPath)\CrossCompile.CSharp.targets" />

(4) When prompted, reload the project. You’ll have to answer a security dialog.

(5) In VS, click the drop-down that says ‘Any CPU’ and select ‘Configuration Manager’

(6) Under Active Solution Platform, select <New…>

(7) Select ‘.NET 1.1’ (pretty cool, eh?) and press OK.

(8) Build and notice error about System.Collections.Generic. This means its working because generics aren’t supported in 1.1.

(9) Open Program.cs and delete the line:

using System.Collections.Generic;

And rebuild