How to backup platform builder settings

Hi all

I'm running WinCE 5.0 on a VIA CE PC platform. Our image is pretty
straightforward and dervied from one of the standard templates.

I'd like to archive (into source safe) the principle files that 'control'
the build of our OS image so that, if the worst happened, we could reinstall
CE and the VIA platform and be able to reliably repeat the build of our
image. I'm not worried about auto-generated files, just the ones that control
the build process itself.

In addition to the main pbxml file in my workspace directory, there are
quite a few files in WinCE500\PBWorkspaces\MyWorkspace\WinCE500\VIACN_x86
directory that seem to be involved. Also, making changes from within platform
builder also affects files in the WinCE500\Platform\Viacn directory. This is
a little odd as we have more than one workspace that use the Viacn platform
but need different settings. Are there any other files in locations affected
changes made in PB?

Any clues, advice or references much appreciated

Sean

Bruce
Tue Jul 26 06:58:59 CDT 2005

Create a new project, look at what files are created, those are the ones to
archive from WinCE500\PBWorkspaces\MyWorkspace\WinCE500\VIACN_x86
.

--
Bruce Eitman (eMVP)
Senior Engineer
beitman AT applieddata DOT net

Applied Data Systems
www.applieddata.net
An ISO 9001:2000 Registered Company
Microsoft WEP Gold-level Member

Dean
Tue Jul 26 08:00:01 CDT 2005

- WinCE500\Platform\Viacn
Your platform/BSP code itself is located here, you would want to archive
this directory. Note that this code is shared amongst all projects that use
this BSP, as you've mentioned. You wouldn't want to make a change here that
is specific to a particular project. You didn't mention what kind of
changes you were interested in.

- pbxml file
This controls the overall settings for your project, and should be archived

- WinCE500\PBWorkspaces\MyWorkspace\WinCE500\VIACN_x86
Various subdirectories here contain project specific code/data. In general,
you should only need to archive items here that you've changed. When you
create the initial project, PB will create default entries. If you want to
be safe, archive everything except the cesysgen directory (that is created
at sysgen time).

- Any user projects that you've created, which could be anywhere on the
system.

--
Dean Ramsier - eMVP


"wrx03ppp" <yourdisplayname@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:6E6A8C3C-D39D-462F-81FF-09A9BED4B6F0@microsoft.com...
> Hi all
>
> I'm running WinCE 5.0 on a VIA CE PC platform. Our image is pretty
> straightforward and dervied from one of the standard templates.
>
> I'd like to archive (into source safe) the principle files that 'control'
> the build of our OS image so that, if the worst happened, we could
reinstall
> CE and the VIA platform and be able to reliably repeat the build of our
> image. I'm not worried about auto-generated files, just the ones that
control
> the build process itself.
>
> In addition to the main pbxml file in my workspace directory, there are
> quite a few files in WinCE500\PBWorkspaces\MyWorkspace\WinCE500\VIACN_x86
> directory that seem to be involved. Also, making changes from within
platform
> builder also affects files in the WinCE500\Platform\Viacn directory. This
is
> a little odd as we have more than one workspace that use the Viacn
platform
> but need different settings. Are there any other files in locations
affected
> changes made in PB?
>
> Any clues, advice or references much appreciated
>
> Sean
>
>
>
>
>

yourdisplayname
Tue Jul 26 09:41:03 CDT 2005

Thanks, that's very helpful.

I've archived all of the
WinCE500\PBWorkspaces\MyWorkspace\WinCE500\VIACN_x86 directory, except for
the cesysgen directory. This directory also includes some bat files relating
to a custom build step. I checked the archived files out to a new directory,
and built a working image. Happy!

Also, I've archived the platform.ini file in the MakeSDK directory so that I
can re-produce the SDK with the same settings.

Our project drivers and apps are built from the office network and archived
separately.

The only significant changes to the WinCE500\Platform\Viacn directory is to
modify some of the BSP_ variables in the viacn.bat according to needs i.e.
set BSP_NOTOUCH=1. Pretty small beer in the scheme of things really, and
could maybe be done elsewhere? During this exercise I have also realised that
there are a couple of changes in the platform.reg file which I guess would
better be made in the project.reg file to override the defaults?

Thanks again

Sean

Steve
Tue Jul 26 09:42:43 CDT 2005

The Microsoft course MSDN2540N has an entire section devoted to Source
Control with PB including what you need to put in source control and what
you don't. (See: http://www.EmbeddedFusion.com/MSDN2540N.htm )

--
Steve Maillet
EmbeddedFusion
www.EmbeddedFusion.com
smaillet at EmbeddedFusion dot com

Dean
Tue Jul 26 11:20:53 CDT 2005

> The only significant changes to the WinCE500\Platform\Viacn directory is
to
> modify some of the BSP_ variables in the viacn.bat according to needs i.e.
> set BSP_NOTOUCH=1. Pretty small beer in the scheme of things really, and
> could maybe be done elsewhere? During this exercise I have also realised
that
> there are a couple of changes in the platform.reg file which I guess would
> better be made in the project.reg file to override the defaults?
>

Depends on your perspective. If your platform always needs touch (it's
built-in and always there), then I'd be inclined to do it in the BSP
directory. However, if it varies on a per project basis, then it needs to
be done elsewhere. If that's all you're doing, then maybe you want to keep
the BSP pristine, and do it elsewhere anyway. Note that you can have a
project batch file that will also be called, you could put the variable
there (you'd need it on every project).

Note that platform.reg is the last reg file processed, and anything there
will win. If you need to change something there, you have to change it
there. It will override anything in project.reg.

--
Dean Ramsier - eMVP

yourdisplayname
Wed Jul 27 03:48:05 CDT 2005

Thanks Dean

I'd missed the fact that the platform.reg overrides the project.reg, you
saved me some time there I reckon. And I think a project batch file is a good
idea for our application which I'll be looking into today.

Cheers

Sean


"Dean Ramsier" wrote:

> > The only significant changes to the WinCE500\Platform\Viacn directory is
> to
> > modify some of the BSP_ variables in the viacn.bat according to needs i.e.
> > set BSP_NOTOUCH=1. Pretty small beer in the scheme of things really, and
> > could maybe be done elsewhere? During this exercise I have also realised
> that
> > there are a couple of changes in the platform.reg file which I guess would
> > better be made in the project.reg file to override the defaults?
> >
>
> Depends on your perspective. If your platform always needs touch (it's
> built-in and always there), then I'd be inclined to do it in the BSP
> directory. However, if it varies on a per project basis, then it needs to
> be done elsewhere. If that's all you're doing, then maybe you want to keep
> the BSP pristine, and do it elsewhere anyway. Note that you can have a
> project batch file that will also be called, you could put the variable
> there (you'd need it on every project).
>
> Note that platform.reg is the last reg file processed, and anything there
> will win. If you need to change something there, you have to change it
> there. It will override anything in project.reg.
>
> --
> Dean Ramsier - eMVP
>
>
>