Common practice is to just install NETCF CABs the very same way as your own CAB ¨C as described in the article you¡¯ve mentioned.
That can be done by adding NETCF CABs to the MSI, adding another INI file and calling CeAppMgr twice ¨C NETCF INI first, your application INI next.
CAB file itself would check if newer version of NETCF is already installed so you don¡¯t have to.
It can be done via RAPI but RAPI can be disabled on some devices.
If you're planning to support all the processors and OS then put all the CABs. If you're planning to support only ARM processor then put just ARM. There are 4 ¡°just¡± ARM CABs, by the way: PPC 2003, WM 5.0, CE 4.5 and CE 5. You probably need PPC 2003 and WM 5.0 CABs (unless your customer asked you to develop for specific Windows CE device).
Anyway, all you have to do is to list CABs for different processors in the INI and CeAppMgr.exe would pick the correct one for you based on connected device. You could read about that feature on MSDN.
void CustomInstaller_BeforeInstall(object sender, InstallEventArgs e)
{
// Find the location where the application will be installed
string installPath = GetAppInstallDirectory();
// Create the target directory
Directory.CreateDirectory(installPath);
// Copy your application files to the directory
foreach (string installFile in Directory.GetFiles(TEMP_PATH))
{
File.Copy(installFile, Path.Combine(installPath,
Path.GetFileName(installFile)), true);
}
// Get the path to ceappmgr.exe
RegistryKey keyAppMgr =
Registry.LocalMachine.OpenSubKey(CEAPPMGR_PATH);
string appMgrPath = (string)keyAppMgr.GetValue(null);
keyAppMgr.Close();
// Run CeAppMgr.exe to install the .net framework if needed onto the device
System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(appMgrPath,
"\"" + Path.Combine(installPath, CEAPPMGR_INI_FILE_FRAMEWORK_SETUP) + "\"");
// Run CeAppMgr.exe to install the files for nelson to the device
System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(appMgrPath,
"\"" + Path.Combine(installPath, CEAPPMGR_INI_FILE_NELSON_SETUP) + "\"");
}
No, one installer should do. Consider waiting for previous installation to complete before starting next one. Or, better yet, register INIs with CeAppMgr and then install them in one step. See MSDN on how to do that.
// Register with ceAppMgr
System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(appMgrPath, "/register \"" + Path.Combine(
installPath, CEAPPMGR_INI_FILE_FRAMEWORK_SETUP) + "\" \"" + Path.Combine(installPath, CEAPPMGR_INI_FILE_NELSON_SETUP) + "\"");
// Run ceAppMgr
System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(appMgrPath);
You should make sure first process completed and exited before spawning second one.
Process proc = System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(appMgrPath,
"/register \"" + Path.Combine(installPath, CEAPPMGR_INI_FILE_FRAMEWORK_SETUP) + "\" \"" + Path.Combine(installPath, CEAPPMGR_INI_FILE_NELSON_SETUP) + "\"");
while (!proc.HasExited)
{ // Wait for termination }
// Run ceAppMgr
System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(appMgrPath);
No, that would be a tight loop which would cause 100% CPU load. Use Process.WaitForExit() instead.