Deepak_MS connected
Welcome to the India MSDN Chat Room. The chat room will be used for both peer-to-peer, as well as, event chats. Please abide by the Chat Code of Conduct, located in the Help file. If you would like to volunteer to be a chat expert, please register here: http://www.microsoft.com/india/communities/chat/register.aspx. To view a list of our upcoming chats, please visit: http://www.microsoft.com/india/msdn/chat/
Chat Room Status: Open Peer-to-Peer Technical Chat in Progress

Developer2005:
Hello experts
Developer2005:
I had a question about developing web based solutions for Devices
Developer2005:
Do I need to have special settings in IIS server to serve the asp pages to Pocket IE client?
DeepakG_MS:
Hi Developer 2005, please hold on a bit, we'll start in 4 minutes
Deepak_MS (Expert):
Hello Everyone, and welcome to MSDN India Expert chat on developing native applications for Pocket PC, Smartphones and other devices of the Windows Mobile family
Deepak_MS (Expert):
I'd appreciate if you could keep your questions relevant to the topic today...
Deepak_MS (Expert):
Thank you, and let's have those questions coming... over to you experts.
NitishKhadiya_MS:
Hi This is Nitish Khadiya. I am a Software Design Engineer -Test in Office Mobile Team
Prashant_MS:
Hello Everyone. Welcome to MSDN chat I am Prashant . I will be glad to answer SQL CE /database related questions for mobile devices.
Niranjan_MS:
Hi, This is Niranjan here. I am a Tech Lead with the Mobile Devices Products Group.
Devi_MS:
Hi, This is Devi - a Software Design Engineer for Test in Office Mobile at Microsoft
suvarnas_ms:
Hi, I am Suvarna. I am a Software Design Engineer in Office Mobile Team. Welcome everyone to MSDN chat.
Amanda_MS:
Hi Everyone. I am Amanda, a Software Design Engineer in Office Mobile Group.
Developer2005:
Could you help me with my query on the web application development for Pocket PCs?
Developer2005:
Does my server care if the client is a pocket IE?
suvarnas_ms:
The server need not really care about pocket IE. Pocket IE does customization for the Pocket PC to a great extent. However, if you want to specefically cater to the mobile devices, you can do some optimizations from your end. Here is a great msdn article on how to design web sites for pocket IE http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnppcgen/html/ppc_dev.asp
Developer2005:
Can I use cookies in a Pocket PC?
NitishKhadiya_MS:
Yes you can use cookies on PPCs
Developer2005:
Thanks suvarnas and nitishkadiya.
Niranjan_MS:
Would you guys be interested in knowing about a few things to keep in mind when developing UI for mobile devices? These things are important because of the small formfactor and limited input mechanisms.
prasadai:
please...
Niranjan_MS:
On a windows mobile device all base level dialogs, windows and wizards are full screen dialogs. This is because of the small screen size
Shihab:
tell us please
Developer2005:
My client needs an Offline forms application where they have to store some temporary data that could be synched with the server at the end of the field day (Client is a distributor)...
Vikrant:
Can someone please suggest on how to activate an application by hijacking a particular key on Smartphones, irrespective of the application running on the foreground?
Developer2005:
I was wondering if Excel is the right solution for doing so. Is there is programatic way of creating new excel files and writing data in the columns?
Shihab:
My Client wants to make a bidding solution. They will make bidding through an application in UI or Mobile device connected to a server through VPN.
Prashant_MS:
<Developer 2005> Yes SQL CE provides facility to develop offline solutions. The data can be synched with backend database such as SQL Server. There are lots of case studies in which companies has developed similar solutions
Developer2005:
or should I go for a comma delimited text file?
Developer2005:
OOps sorry! I did not see Prashants message
Developer2005:
Prashant, could you explain SQL CE to me?
Prashant_MS:
<Developer 2005> SQL Server is backend end/main database. Data get transferred to SQL CE located on pocket pc at the start of day. POCKET PC app can use OLEDB or Managaed access to manipulate temporray database on SQL CE. At the end of the day data again can be synced with SQL Server.
Developer2005:
And how do I take care of the data integrity issues? What if there is a violation of a referential integrity?
NitishKhadiya_MS:
As part of your other question developer 2005, you cannot create a new excel file on the ppc since the object model for excel is not exposed on the PPC. However what you can do is you can export your data to the desktop and create new file using the desktop object model for excel
Prashant_MS:
<Developer2005> OK I answer one by one. SQL CE provides subset of functionality SQL Server provides. You can have constraints, integrity. You can use keys etc
Developer2005:
thanks nitishkhadiya, can I expect the object model of Pocket Excel to be exposed in forthcoming releases of Windows Mob?
Devi_MS: Vikrant, Start->Settings->Buttons has an option to map the hardware buttons to an application in Pocket PC. However, i am not sure if the same exists for Smartphone.
Prashant_MS:
<Developer 2005> please use this link to access SQL CE books on line http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/sqlce/htm/_lce_technical_support.asp
Developer2005:
Is SQl CE commercially available? How do I get it?
Prashant_MS:
<Developer_2005> Yes you can download SQL CE 2.0 from web.
Prashant_MS:
<developer_2005> www.microsoft.com/sql/ce is the page you should access to get overview and download
Developer2005:
And how secure is my data on a database in a device? Devices are prone to getting lost. Is there way to wipe the data from the tables if I happen to lose it?
Prashant_MS:
<developer 2005> Yes it is possible to secure data. There are various solution both at O/S and at database level
Developer2005:
on a different note, is there a way to create screen orientation ans size aware UI using MS Visual Studio?
Developer2005:
I expect that my application should adjust the UI elements if the screen is square as against portrait/landscape. It brings up a scrol bar if necessary - etc.
Developer2005:
thanks prashant for the pointer to SQL CE download
Niranjan_MS:
Your application is supposed to take care of the layout of the elements on the screen in the WM_SIZE method.
venki:
Is it possible to show the Keyboard at the top of the application in Pocket PC programming, Because if the user want to enter the information in the last text box then user cann't see what he is entering because of keyboard
Prashant_MS:
<developer 2005> You can get latest SQL CE (SQL Mobile) beta with VS 2005 and SQL Server 2005 beta available on web. It provides many additonal feature and security options .
Niranjan_MS:
You can use this for changing layout when the user switches layout from landscape to portrait and viceversa too.
Developer2005:
What parameters does WM_SIZE method take/
venki:
Is it possible to use Tree view in Pocket PC programming?
Devi_MS:
WM_SIZE is a windows message that needs to be handled by your application
Amanda_MS:
Venki you can resize your window to take care of the SIP (keyboard).
suvarnas_ms:
<Venki> Yes you can use Tree control in Pocket PC
Devi_MS:
You will find lots of information about handling windows messages on MSDN
Developer2005:
Is the application aware that the device does not have support to stylus? How does it know whether to show a scroll bar or not?
venki:
How we can do this (Resize your window to take care of the SIP (keyboard)).
Developer2005:
may I suggest that only one expert answer the queries from one guest? It becomes difficult to track replies
Amanda_MS:
Venki, however if you need your SIP to be floating, you can set the SIPF_DOCKED flag of the SIPINFO structure.
Prashant_MS:
<developer_2005> when you develop app for device that does not stylus, you get option to use appropriate control. Example when you develop app for smart phone , you do not/cant use Tab control
venki:
I mean you are taking about Input Panel right?
Kumar:
I want to send a command to Platform Builder (like s abc.exe) so that it takes the command and execute the same command on the target device, either Emulator or Device. How can i do this?
Developer2005:
This precisely is my problem. Why do I need to know if I am developing my app for a smartphone or for pocket PC or for that matter even desktop computer?
Kumar:
How can i issue commands to PB from some other application
suvarnas_ms:
Venki, this msdn link gives you all the functions that can be used on input panel. http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/wceui40/html/_cerefshsippreference.asp. You can use this to get and set information
venki:
ok thanks
Developer2005:
can the developer not be shielded from the knowledge of the client device
Prashant_MS:
<developer_2005> that is architural decision, you can develop app in which businss logic/db portion is common. Most of UI controller is common , only the delivery channel is different for different platform. It can be done thru UI controllers. But today we are concentrating on Pocket PC/Smartphone specific app.
Amanda_MS:
Venki, you can use this function SHHandleWMSettingChange. MSDN article is http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/apippc/html/ppc_aygshell_qhno.asp
Developer2005:
ok Prashant. Thanks
Developer2005:
Can my application call any of the Outlook APIs to send mails where I programatically assign the recepients, subject and mail body?
Developer2005:
something like mailto:ms@ms.com would invoke my default mail client...
Manas:
I have recently done such a thing. Sending mail programatically in pocket PC and Smartphone
Manas:
I can tell you how I did that. Here is a sample code
venki:
what is the best way to handle drill downs, like first we have to show main groups, if they select some main group then we have to show the sub groups in that main groups, this procedure continues till the groups ends
Developer2005:
please tell me manas
suvarnas_ms:
<developer2005> - you can use the outlook object model on pocket pc. http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/devguidesp/html/sp_conpocketoutlookobjectmodel.asp
Developer2005:
awesome! Thanks
Kumar:
any solutions for my problem........
NitishKhadiya_MS:
Kumar,as for your question regarding Platform builder, there are third party applications that can help you with PB
NitishKhadiya_MS:
they will let you manage PB externally by sending command lines to PB
Kumar:
any info regarding those third party apps?
Kumar:
ok
NitishKhadiya_MS:
you can search the net for more information on third party applications as i am not aware about all the details
venki:
Any idea about my requirement?
venki:
what is the best way to handle drill downs, like first we have to show main groups, if they select some main group then we have to show the sub groups in that main groups, this procedure continues till the groups ends
suvarnas_ms:
Venki, you are talking about folder management or tree view
venki:
I am not asking abount folder management
venki:
I need folder kind of thing
suvarnas_ms:
Venki, are you talking about displaying them in terms of UI ?
venki: Initially I need to list all the main groups
suvarnas_ms:
OK
venki:
If the user selects any one of the groups then we need to list the sub groups under that selected group
venki:
this will continue till end of the sub groups
suvarnas_ms:
You can use Tree View control for that
venki:
But it load all the records at a time
suvarnas_ms:
Alternatively you can also make a list of lists. (have your own custom implementation )
venki:
that will slow down system
venki:
because number of records are more
venki:
for that reason we are grouping and based on the group we need to display sub groups
venki:
we also need to provice the user to come back select the other groups
venki:
in this scenario which will be good
suvarnas_ms:
In Tree View, you can load your records when you select a group
venki:
You mean in tree view itself it will show the sub groups after clicking on main group?
suvarnas_ms:
yes, tree view expands the node only when you click on it
venki:
You mean after clicking the node, it will bring the records from the database and it will show under selected node?
Manas:
I want to develop an application for mobile devices ( both smartphone and pocket PC). Can I create one set of executables/dlls that works in both devices?
suvarnas_ms:
essentially, your app will have to get those records from the database and add them as the children of that node for users to see
venki:
you mean need to handle click event, after clicking we need to goto database and show as child nodes
suvarnas_ms:
yes, Venki
Developer2005:
Hey thanks experts! I had a great learning in the chat event today. I got to go now, but I do hope that you guys hold many more of these!
Amanda_MS:
Manas you can check on the MSDN link http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnppcgen/html/mantsngbin.asp
Developer2005:
Bye!
DeepakG_MS:
Thanks everyone for joining us today
Deepak_MS (Expert):
A special thanks to our experts for taking time out from their busy schedules!
Deepak_MS (Expert):
Do join us for our expert chat next week: http://www.microsoft.com/india/msdn/chat/
NitishKhadiya_MS:
Thanks, it was our pleasure. Bye!
Deepak_MS (Expert):
Good bye!