Autostarting .exe at CE boot

I've been doing embedded work for 20 years but I'm new to CE. I kinda got
this project dropped on me and time is short.
We need to modify an existing and running CE system so that it autostarts a
newly written .exe file/app. App is in C#, .net cf 2.0, VS2005. It deploys --
ActiveSync -- and executes on the CE system.
We have and can modify the BSP and app source.
I've been through various docs several times and have yet to get whatever
right! I need to add the .exe to CE such that it autostarts at CE boot.
Could someone provide a concise but adequate list of the exact steps we need
to do to make that work?

Paul
Wed Mar 19 08:20:36 PDT 2008

Unfortunately, automatic starting of C#/managed code applications using the
OS capabilities in that area does not work reliably. The managed code
run-time doesn't check thoroughly for all of the dependent parts of the OS
to be running before it tries to start, and you'll occasionally get an
exception when the application tries to do something before the OS component
that implements that something is ready.

The workaround is to write a C/C++ program that will wait for the Window
Manager, the shell, etc. to be ready before launching the C# application
using CreateProcess().

So, now you have a C/C++ program that you want to launch on startup. A
search of the archives of this or any of the Windows CE newsgroups would
give you the answer, but you can either a) put the application (C/C++) or a
shortcut to it in the Startup folder (\windows\startup), or b) add suitable
entries to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Init section of the device registry and
have your C/C++ application call SignalStarted() with the integer that this
will send it on its command line. I think that you should be able to find
the details of doing this on MSDN; I probably can't write a manual page as
well as the technical writers can.

Paul T.

"ConTechRFID" <ConTechRFID@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:F888B730-9EB4-48FC-9AF5-44E6055A1419@microsoft.com...
> I've been doing embedded work for 20 years but I'm new to CE. I kinda got
> this project dropped on me and time is short.
> We need to modify an existing and running CE system so that it autostarts
> a
> newly written .exe file/app. App is in C#, .net cf 2.0, VS2005. It
> deploys --
> ActiveSync -- and executes on the CE system.
> We have and can modify the BSP and app source.
> I've been through various docs several times and have yet to get whatever
> right! I need to add the .exe to CE such that it autostarts at CE boot.
> Could someone provide a concise but adequate list of the exact steps we
> need
> to do to make that work?
>

Zhou
Sat Mar 22 07:46:48 PDT 2008

In platform.reg or project.reg, put the following lines

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Init]
"Launch98"="UrApp.exe"

Zhou Yu



"ConTechRFID" <ConTechRFID@discussions.microsoft.com> å??å?¥æ¶?æ?¯
news:F888B730-9EB4-48FC-9AF5-44E6055A1419@microsoft.com...
> I've been doing embedded work for 20 years but I'm new to CE. I kinda got
> this project dropped on me and time is short.
> We need to modify an existing and running CE system so that it autostarts
> a
> newly written .exe file/app. App is in C#, .net cf 2.0, VS2005. It
> deploys --
> ActiveSync -- and executes on the CE system.
> We have and can modify the BSP and app source.
> I've been through various docs several times and have yet to get whatever
> right! I need to add the .exe to CE such that it autostarts at CE boot.
> Could someone provide a concise but adequate list of the exact steps we
> need
> to do to make that work?
>

Paul
Mon Mar 24 08:28:38 PDT 2008

Except that this won't work reliably with managed code applications...

Paul T.

"Zhou Yu" <nap_yu@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:05221BDA-FE11-4C09-9DF4-01DFAD4776D5@microsoft.com...
> In platform.reg or project.reg, put the following lines
>
> [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Init]
> "Launch98"="UrApp.exe"
>
> Zhou Yu
>
>
>
> "ConTechRFID" <ConTechRFID@discussions.microsoft.com> ????
> news:F888B730-9EB4-48FC-9AF5-44E6055A1419@microsoft.com...
>> I've been doing embedded work for 20 years but I'm new to CE. I kinda got
>> this project dropped on me and time is short.
>> We need to modify an existing and running CE system so that it autostarts
>> a
>> newly written .exe file/app. App is in C#, .net cf 2.0, VS2005. It
>> deploys --
>> ActiveSync -- and executes on the CE system.
>> We have and can modify the BSP and app source.
>> I've been through various docs several times and have yet to get whatever
>> right! I need to add the .exe to CE such that it autostarts at CE boot.
>> Could someone provide a concise but adequate list of the exact steps we
>> need
>> to do to make that work?
>>

Steve
Tue Apr 01 08:06:30 PDT 2008

> We need to modify an existing and running CE system so that it autostarts
> a
> newly written .exe file/app.

Have a look at http://www.codeplex.com/FusionwareBSP
It is the new home of the BSP framework I created while I was running
Entelechy Consulting and later refined while at EmbeddedFusion. Now that I
am at Microsoft I'm releasing it all under a BSD license. The
FusionWare::DFX driver framework is up their now (although without any docs)
and that contains an auto-run service for starting applications at boot time
or when storage devices are inserted.

--
Steve Maillet
Program Manager - .NET Micro Framework
smaillet at microsoft (dot com)

alexquisi
Tue Apr 01 09:01:05 PDT 2008

Hi Steve,

congratulations for your "new" job by MS. I hope that you don't forget
us here. Your help have been always valuable.

Best wishes,

Alex



On Apr 1, 5:06=A0pm, "Steve Maillet" <nospam> wrote:
> > We need to modify an existing and running CE system so that it autostart=
s
> > a
> > newly written .exe file/app.
>
> Have a look athttp://www.codeplex.com/FusionwareBSP
> It is the new home of the BSP framework I created while I was running
> Entelechy =A0Consulting and later refined while at EmbeddedFusion. Now tha=
t I
> am at Microsoft I'm releasing it all under a BSD license. The
> FusionWare::DFX driver framework is up their now (although without any doc=
s)
> and that contains an auto-run service for starting applications at boot ti=
me
> or when storage devices are inserted.
>
> --
> Steve Maillet
> Program Manager - .NET Micro Framework
> smaillet at microsoft (dot com)

Paul
Tue Apr 01 09:05:14 PDT 2008


Look out CE users! The .NET MF is going to take over! Hope it's a good
change for you, Steve.

Paul T.

"Steve Maillet" <nospam> wrote in message
news:uH2Y8nAlIHA.6032@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> We need to modify an existing and running CE system so that it autostarts
>> a
>> newly written .exe file/app.
>
> Have a look at http://www.codeplex.com/FusionwareBSP
> It is the new home of the BSP framework I created while I was running
> Entelechy Consulting and later refined while at EmbeddedFusion. Now that
> I am at Microsoft I'm releasing it all under a BSD license. The
> FusionWare::DFX driver framework is up their now (although without any
> docs) and that contains an auto-run service for starting applications at
> boot time or when storage devices are inserted.
>
> --
> Steve Maillet
> Program Manager - .NET Micro Framework
> smaillet at microsoft (dot com)

Dean
Wed Apr 02 05:52:01 PDT 2008

Congratulations on your new job!

--
Dean Ramsier - eMVP
BSQUARE Corporation


"Steve Maillet" <nospam> wrote in message
news:uH2Y8nAlIHA.6032@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> We need to modify an existing and running CE system so that it autostarts
>> a
>> newly written .exe file/app.
>
> Have a look at http://www.codeplex.com/FusionwareBSP
> It is the new home of the BSP framework I created while I was running
> Entelechy Consulting and later refined while at EmbeddedFusion. Now that
> I am at Microsoft I'm releasing it all under a BSD license. The
> FusionWare::DFX driver framework is up their now (although without any
> docs) and that contains an auto-run service for starting applications at
> boot time or when storage devices are inserted.
>
> --
> Steve Maillet
> Program Manager - .NET Micro Framework
> smaillet at microsoft (dot com)

Steve
Wed Apr 02 15:50:39 PDT 2008

> Look out CE users! The .NET MF is going to take over! Hope it's a good
> change for you, Steve.
Shhh, you are going to let out our dirty little secret! 8^)

Seriously though, The CE team doesn't have much to worry about since the
Micro Framework is targeted at a much smaller focused class of devices that
CE doesn't support now anyway.

It's definitely going to be fun working on a new product like this from the
inside this time around. I hope many CE users will look at the Micro
Framework in the future and think about how they can utilize it along with
your other devices running the Windows Embedded Family of systems. (And even
along side those other non-ms systems we won't talk about! ;-) )

I'm looking forward to the day when the NG communities and MVPs are as
active on the Micro Framework as they/we have been for Windows CE for such a
long time. (There are already some very active folks contributing some great
ideas!) I'm not completely disappearing from here, I'll still be lurking
around but won't be posting responses very much. I will try to regularly
post thoughts and ideas on my blog at http://blogs.msdn.com/smaillet which
will cover topics on embedded systems in general and Microsoft embedded
offerings with an emphasis on the .NET Micro Framework.

--
Steve Maillet
Program Manager - .NET Micro Framework

Paul
Wed Apr 02 16:06:28 PDT 2008

Will keep an eye on the blog. Have many ideas about how we could use the
MF, but no time to work on any of them, yet! Enjoy the challenges.

Paul T.

"Steve Maillet [MSFT]" <smaillet_at_microsoft_com@nospam.com> wrote in
message news:CC06E6C5-77D8-4A45-A070-1FDC9510C26A@microsoft.com...
>> Look out CE users! The .NET MF is going to take over! Hope it's a good
>> change for you, Steve.
> Shhh, you are going to let out our dirty little secret! 8^)
>
> Seriously though, The CE team doesn't have much to worry about since the
> Micro Framework is targeted at a much smaller focused class of devices
> that CE doesn't support now anyway.
>
> It's definitely going to be fun working on a new product like this from
> the inside this time around. I hope many CE users will look at the Micro
> Framework in the future and think about how they can utilize it along with
> your other devices running the Windows Embedded Family of systems. (And
> even along side those other non-ms systems we won't talk about! ;-) )
>
> I'm looking forward to the day when the NG communities and MVPs are as
> active on the Micro Framework as they/we have been for Windows CE for such
> a long time. (There are already some very active folks contributing some
> great ideas!) I'm not completely disappearing from here, I'll still be
> lurking around but won't be posting responses very much. I will try to
> regularly post thoughts and ideas on my blog at
> http://blogs.msdn.com/smaillet which will cover topics on embedded systems
> in general and Microsoft embedded offerings with an emphasis on the .NET
> Micro Framework.
>
> --
> Steve Maillet
> Program Manager - .NET Micro Framework
>
>
>
>