Windows CE Programming

Hello

I want to summarize the role of function keys in Windows Mobile, former Pocket PC, as I got several questions each week on how to use or enable Function keys in this or that application.

Here is a simple information about how function keys work in Windows Mobile.

Continue reading ‘Windows Mobile – the no-go world of Function Keys’ »

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Hello

at KeyWedge I posted my code that connects to a serial port and then simulates keystrokes into your application.

Now, there were issues where the reconnect did not automatically take place after a Suspend/Resume and you had to invoke the main window and select File-Hide just to let KeyWedge reconnect. This happens on devices that provide the communication port all the time and dont close it during a suspend.

I have added some code to watch the Windows Mobile Power Message Queue for RESUM messages and then do an automatic reconnect. The other option would have been to send some data thru the port periodically to check if it is still working. But this may disturb the attached the device.

The main change is in PowerMsgQueue.cpp. It implements the msg queue to receive power broadcast messages like done in a MSDN example code. If a resume message is encountered, the code sends a WM_USER message to the main window, which will do a SuspendComm/ResumeComm cycle. Very easy.

In PowerMsgQueue.cpp we have code that recognizes the resume:

                case PBT_TRANSITION:
                    nclog(L"Power Notification Message: PBT_TRANSITION\n");
                    //Add2Log(L"Power Notification Message: PBT_TRANSITION\n",TRUE);
                    nclog(L"Flags: %lx\n", ppb->Flags);
                    nclog(L"Length: %d\n", ppb->Length);
                    wsprintf(szPBtype, L"trans.: ");
/*
Flags: 12010000
Length: 6
trans.: ON|PASSWORD|BACKLIGHTON|
*/
                    if(ppb->Flags & 0x12010000)
                    {
                        nclog(L"PwrMsgQueue: got 'ON|PASSWORD|BACKLIGHTON'...\n");
                        //send a message to main window
                        iPost = PostMessage(hwndMain, WM_USER_RESUMECOMM, 0, 0);
                        nclog(L"PostMessage WM_USER_RESUMECOMM returned %i\n", iPost);
                    }
                    break; 

                case PBT_RESUME:
                    nclog(L"Power Notification Message: PBT_RESUME\n");
                    //Add2Log(L"Power Notification Message: PBT_RESUME\n",TRUE);
                    wsprintf(szPBtype, L"resume: ");
                    //send a message to main window
                    iPost = PostMessage(hwndMain, WM_USER_RESUMECOMM, 0, 0);
                    nclog(L"PostMessage WM_USER_RESUMECOMM returned %i\n", iPost);
                    nclog(L"Power: PBT_RESUME\n");
                    break;

To not block the queue, I use PostMessage to inform the main window of the Resume. Here is the simple code block in WndProc of the main window:

Continue reading ‘KeyWedge: Updated’ »

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Hi

there are now more and more full VGA rugged devices coming. And some customers are still using Remote Desktop Mobile to run there application on the small screens. Unfortunately some of the coders use application screen layouts hard coded to QVGA (240×320). Now with a VGA capable Windows Mobile device they get weird screens on the device.

The client (Remote Desktop Mobile) sends the server information about there screen sizes. As a VGA device can display 480×640 pixels, the hard coded 240×320 applications only use a quarter of the screen. The texts are very small and more or less unreadable.

Continue reading ‘Remote Desktop Mobile on VGA devices: QVGA applications do not scale well’ »

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The registration for Intermec Tech Conf for EMEA in Athens (25.-27. Oct. 2011) is now open:

Event registration site

Conference Schedule 25. and 26. Oct 2011 as ICS file: DOWNLOAD:Intermec TechConf2011EMEA - (Hits: 39, size: )

Continue reading ‘Intermec Technology Conference 2011 EMEA’ »

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