Windows Mobile Developer Network

Resco has just released version 5.0 of OutlookControls for .NET, a unique collection of Microsoft Outlook style UI controls optimized for Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 and .NET Compact Framework. This release includes:

- OutlookShortcutBar[/b:1928d2753d] – a popular shortcut control, common for all modern applications
- OutlookMonthCalendar[/b:1928d2753d] – a powerful control designed specifically for Calendar applications
- OutlookDayTimePicker[/b:1928d2753d] – a stylish version of one of the most frequently used forms controls
- InkBox[/b:1928d2753d] – an easy to use ink control suitable for quick notes or signatures

Read the Press Release

Read the Product information page

(Discuss in forum)

There is new article published on Pocket PC DN.

This problem happens due to bug in MFC code responsible for single instance support. You can find this code in winmain.cpp file in MFC sources.

When MFC application is started it tries to find an already existing instance of itself and activate it. If such instance is found, new instance bails out. _AfxFindModuleInfoProc is a callback function used with EnumWindows to find main window of existing instance. It is called for each top level window in the system and must return FALSE if main window is found. Then MFC can activate previous instance via SetForegroundWindow API.

(Discuss in forum)

Usually to access low level system information from managed code you need to call into native Win32 functions using P/Invoke. This article explains how to access some power management features using managed objects.

Adding power awareness may sound like a complicated proposition, but the new support in .NET 2.0 makes it simple. Any application can take advantage of these features. Using available system information makes a good application even better, and can make it stand out from other choices.

(Discuss in forum)

Tired of writing boring looking applications? Try to use alpha blending to give your application a stylish look. In this post Chris Lorton explains the technique and offers sample code.

Not long after V1 of the Compact Framework went out we started getting questions about support (or lack thereof) for advanced graphics and drawing functions available on the desktop framework but missing from the Compact Framework. For V1 we made a decision based on both size and performance to implement System.Windows.Forms and System.Drawing over the native functionality of WindowsCE/PocketPC/Smartphone. Since there is no version of GDI+ on these platforms, System.Drawing was limited to GDI (actually GWES) functionality and lacked a number of the more sophisticated features such as image rotation and coordinate scaling (among other things).

However, with the advent of Windows Mobile 5.0 we have reason for some rejoicing: alpha blending. This ability allows some interesting effects which can really spiff up an application.

(Discuss in forum)

Everybody loves samples and step-by-step instructions. This MSDN download accompanies Creating a Windows Mobile 5.0 Line of Business Application webcast. It contains detailed instructions and code snippets to meet common needs of an enterprise developer. Check it out even if you didn’t attend the webcasts.

Do you want to learn how to develop a line of business (LOB) application for different Windows Mobile based devices like Pocket PC’s and Smartphones? During this series of 13 weekly webcasts, you will learn how to use Visual Studio 2005, the .NET Compact Framework 2.0, SQL Server 2005 Mobile Edition, and the Windows Mobile 5.0 managed API’s.

This series will introduce concepts for developers new to Windows Mobile and the .NET Compact Framework. As the series progresses the webcasts will become more advanced and address topics of interest to those who have attended prior webcasts as well as experienced Windows Mobile developers. Attendees should be familiar with Visual Studio and development for Windows.

(Discuss in forum)

MEDC 2006 will be in Las Vegas soon. One of the best ways to evaluate if this conference worth attending is to check what happened one year ago on MEDC 2005. Was it good? If yes, probably it makes sense to attend MEDC 2006.

I attended MEDC 2005 and I can say I was completely satisfied. There were tons of useful information there. Right people speaking about right things in a right city. What else a mobile developer can dream about?

Here you can find some reviews of MEDC 2005:

MikeZintel’s WebLog

Peter Foot’s review of MEDC 2005 at Pocket PC Thoughts

Mobidogs about MEDC 2005 in Las Vegas

Mike Halls’ collection of MEDC 2005 Videos

(Discuss in forum)

Do you have a tough technical or general question about Windows Mobile? Very often a direct answer from a right person is the only way to come to real understanding. There are a lot of rumors around Windows Mobile, but it is not always easy to find an answer you are looking for.

MEDC 2006 gives you an opportunity to get answers and comments directly from the Windows Mobile product group. Microsoft has published a list of panelists and I could recognize quite a few names. I must say that the list looks very impressive. From these people you can expect only direct, relevant and comprehensive answers. Use this opportunity to find out details that are relevant to you about the future of Windows Mobile or ask some all time favorite questions (“Why Close Button does not close?” ).

If you have a question to ask, post it to this thread.

Meet the Windows Devices and Embedded Core Teams. Ask the hard questions, find out what you’ve always wanted to know, and provide feedback on future product releases. MEDC is proud to bring you four in-depth Panel Discussions that will feature the core development teams from Windows Mobile and Windows Embedded.

Panelists include:
Larry Morris – General Manager WDC Dev
David Kelley – PUM
Mark Miller (ACT) – Architect
John Eldridge – Architect
Keith Bentley – Architect
Marc Levy – Architect
Mike Thomson – Group Program Manager
Andrew Pearson – Development Manager
Glenn Davis – Development Manager
Jay McLain – Development Manager
Mark Nielson – Development Manager
Miro Juric – Development Manager
Tom Getzinger – Development Manager
Tim Kiesow – Test Manager
Joseph Figueroa – Development Manager

(Discuss in forum)

Landscape qVGA (320×240) Smartphone devices are coming. For example, long-awaited Motorola Q with RAZR look & feel can be a great start for the new wave of Windows Mobile devices. If you don’t have a prototype device, the emulator is the only way to test your applications.

Fortunately, Microsoft has released a landscape Smartphone emulator image while there are no landscape Smartphone devices on the market. And if this is not exciting enough for you, there is a bonus: as you can see from the screenshot, this is an AKU2 based image!

This package installs an emulator image for a Windows Mobile 5.0 powered Smartphone with Landscape Screen (320×240). The package requires Visual Studio 2005 and the Windows Mobile 5.0 SDK for Smartphone to already be installed.

(Discuss in forum)

This article is designed for ultra-mobile and Tablet PCs. However, I believe that some concepts and even source code can be applied to Windows Mobile devices too. The article is so good and comprehensive that it is worth reading even if you are currently not targeting UMPC platforms.

There was something thrilling about setting the logically discovered numbers crisply onto the paper with my pen or pencil, a property that was lost in the game’s translation into Windows Forms. And that’s when it hit me. Sudoku is the quintessential application for a Tablet PC. After downloading the Tablet PC SDK to my computer the next day, I soon transformed this keyboard-and-mouse powered game into one that is completely pen-driven.

(Discuss in forum)