Windows CE Programming

Hello Windows Mobile Users

recently the following was requested:

How can I start an application by just hitting some keys in sequence?

The answer: Just use a keyboard hook.

So I started to code this hook tool based on my KeyToggleBoot2 code. There was not too much to change. The new tool is called KeyToggleStart and it is configured by the registry:

            REGEDIT4

            [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Intermec\KeyToggleStart]
            "ForbiddenKeys"=hex:\
                  72 73 00
            ;max 10 keys!
            "KeySeq"="123"
            "Timeout"=dword:00000003
            "LEDid"=dword:00000001
            "Exe"="\\Windows\\iexplore.exe"
            "Arg"=""

Reg keys meaning:

Forbiddenkeys is just an addon feature: key codes entered in this list will not be processed any more by your Windows Mobile device. For example, to disable the use of the F3(VK_TTALK) and F4 (VK_TEND) keys you have to enter a binary list of 0x72,0x73,0x00 (the zero is needed to terminate the list).

KeySeq list the char sequence you want to use to start an application. For example if this is the string “123”, everytime you enter 123 in sequence within the given time, the application defined will be started.

TimeOut is the time in seconds you have to enter the sequence. So do not use a long key sequence as “starteiexplorenow” and a short timeout (except you are a very fast type writer). The timeout is started with the first char matching and ends after the time or when you enter a non-matching char of the sequence.

With LEDid you can specify a LED index number. LED’s on Windows Mobile are controlled by an index number, each LED has one or more ID assigned to it. So, with LEDid you can control, which LED will lit, when the matching process is running. You can even find an ID to control a vibration motor, if your Windows Mobile device is equipped with one.

The Exe registry string value is used to specify which application will be started when the key sequence is matched.

If the application you want have to be started needs some arguments, you can enter these using the Arg registry value.

When you start the KeyToggleStart tool, you will not see any window except for a notification symbol on your Start/Home screen of the device.

If you tap this icon (redirection sign) you have the chance to end the hook tool.

Continue reading ‘KeyToggleStart: Yet another usage for keyboard hook’ »

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’ »

Hi

as MS does not change it, the Remote Desktop Mobile application still disconnects a session after 10 minutes idle time.

Although there is a solution for Windows Mobile 6.1 (http://www.hjgode.de/wp/2009/09/18/wm6-1-remote-desktop-client-disconnects-after-10-minutes/) based on the posting of Rafael (MS Support), this will not work with Windows Embedded Handheld (WM6.5).

The TSSHELLWND will not react on mouse_event and you have to replace the calls by SendMessage and send the WM_MOUSEMOVE to the Terminal Server Input window.

The attached application will do so but it will start only on Int*rm*c devices. It sends a mouse_move message all 4 minutes to the TS input window and so the idle timer will not timeout.

If you ever need to stop RDMKeepbusy from running in the background, you will need StopKeepBusy which is part of the executable download.

For visual control, RDMKeepbusy shows a small blinking line in the task bar:
green = Remote Desktop window found and input window is active
yellow = Remote Desktop window found, but no input window active
red = Remote Desktop window not found

Version 1: REMOVED as nobody seems to use the actual version

Version 3: REMOVED as nobody seems to use the actual version

Version dec 2011: REMOVED as nobody seems to use the actual version

Latest version always at GITHUB (WM 6.5)

Do you like the Windows Mobile Device Center (WMDC) does popup every time you connect a mobile device to your (development) PC? If yes, don’t read further.

The attached application (including VS 2008 C++ source code) simply watches the Window list for Windows Mobile Device Center and Windows Mobile Member Center. If a window is found, it will be hidden automatically. Very simple application.

WMDCautohide will reside in the notification area of your Windows 7 PC after you started it. If Mobile Device Center has been found and hidden, there will be a short notification.

You can right click the notification symbol and then either show/hide WMDC, show the main window, set the watch interval or exit the tool.

Download: [Download not found]