This is a supplement to the Compact 7 getting started series.  The information in this guide is created to provide additional information showing how to establish connectivity between the development PC and target device, needed to download OS runtime image to the target device.

Note:

The Compact 7 getting started series includes the following:

1.       Introduction.

2.       Development Environment & Tools.

3.       Develop a Compact 7 OS Design.

4.       Develop Managed Code Application for Compact 7.

5.       Develop Native Code Application for Compact 7.

6.       Develop SQL Compact Database Application for Compact 7.

7.       Develop Silverlight for Windows Embedded Application for Compact 7.

8.       Debug and Remote Tools.

9.       Deploy OS Runtime to Target Device for Distribution.

For more information about the Compact 7 getting started series, visit the following URL:

http://www.embedded101.com/Compact7/

Prerequisites:

·         Development PC with the following:

·         Visual Studio 2008 with SP1

·         Windows Embedded Compact 7

·         A target device such as the eBox-3300MX (eBox).

Note:

Although the information in this application note is created using an eBox-3300MX as the target device, the steps presented are applicable to other device, including the Virtual PC. 

·         Bootable flash storage for the target device.

For this application note, an SD memory card is used as the bootable flash storage for the eBox.

·         A working NK.BIN OS run-time image built in release mode with KITL disabled.

Note:

If you have not done so, follow the steps in Part-3 of the Compact 7 Getting Started series, to develop an OS design and build an OS image for the target device you are using.

·         A working EBOOT.BIN Ethernet boot loader for the target device.

Note:

EBOOT.BIN is the Ethernet bootloader for the target device.  If you are using a different target device, check with your vendor about the Ethernet bootloader or connectivity to download Compact 7 OS runtime image.

Development Environment

In order to download Compact 7 OS runtime image from the development PC to the target device, both of them need to be attached to the same LAN.

LAN with Dynamic IP Address

The information in this guide is created with both the development PC and target device connected to the same LAN, through a hard wired Ethernet connection, with DHCP service to provide IP address dynamically, as shown in Figure 1.

Fig-1

Figure 1

If you are working in a small office or home office, using a wireless-access-point router configured to provide dynamic IP address, the setup works just fine.

LAN with Static IP Address

If you are working in an environment that does not have DHCP service to provide IP address dynamically, both the development PC and the target device must be connected to the same network and configured to use static IP addresses within the same subnet.

For this application note, we are not going to cover TCP/IP networking and related subjects.  If you are not familiar with TCP/IP networking, configure the development PC and target device to use the following IP addresses:

Development PC:

IP Address:         192.168.2.132

Subnet Mask:    255.255.255.0

Target Device:

IP Address:         192.168.2.232

Subnet Mask:    255.255.255.0

Important Note:  If you are working in a corporate or institution environment, where DHCP service and IP address assignment are tightly controlled.  Do not attach the development PC and target device to the corporate/institution network configured with static IP addresses, doing so can cause problem to the corporate/institution network.  It’s best to use a standalone Ethernet switch or hub. 

When using static IP address, as an alternative to a standalone Ethernet switch or hub, you can attach the target device to the development PC directly, using a crossover RJ-45 Ethernet cable.

By default, a Compact 7 OS design project is configure to generate OS runtime image with DHCP enabled to seek dynamic IP address from the DHCP server.  The OS design or the runtime image must be configured to use static IP address.  For more information about using static IP address, refer to the following application note:

Compact 7 Getting Started:  Using Static IP Address

http://www.embedded101.com/Compact7/StaticIP/

Target Device Preparation

The target device needs to be configured with an appropriate bootloader to establish connectivity and download Compact 7 OS runtime image from the development station.

The SD flash storage for the eBox is configured with BIOSLoader to launch an Ethernet bootloader, EBOOT.BIN, needed to establish connectivity and download OS runtime from the development PC.

Refer to the following application note for more information about configuring bootable flash storage for Compact 7:

Compact 7 Getting Started: Configure Storage to Launch OS Image using DiskPrep

http://www.embedded101.com/Compact7/DiskPrep/

The SD flash storage for the eBox is configured as follow:

·         When power on, delay 10 seconds and launch NK.BIN (Compact 7 OS image) by default.

·         Before the 10 seconds delay expired, press “1” to terminate the delay and launch EBOOT.BIN (Ethernet bootloader).

Target Device Connectivity Profile

To establish connectivity and download Compact 7 OS runtime image from the development station to the target device, we need to configure target device connectivity profile and associate the profile to the target device.

Work through the following steps to create a target device connectivity profile and associate the profile to the eBox.

1.       From the Visual Studio 2008 (VS2008) Target menu, click on Connectivity Options to bring up the Target Device Connectivity Options screen, as shown in Figure 2.

Fig-2

Figure 2

2.       Click on Add Device, and enter MyTargetDevice as the New target device name, as shown in Figure 3.

Fig-3

Figure 3

3.       Click Add to continue.

4.       From the Target Device Connectivity Options screen, click on the top most Settings button on the right, as shown in Figure 4, to bring up the Ethernet Download Settings screen, as shown in Figure 5.

Fig-4

Figure 4

Fig-5

Figure 5

5.       At this point, the Ethernet Download Settings screen is waiting for Bootme message from the target device.  Power up the eBox with a keyboard attached, as the boot up splash screen is shown, press “1” to launch the Ethernet bootloader, EBOOT.BIN.

6.       As EBOOT.BIN is launched on the eBox, it broadcasts a series of Bootme messages to the attached network.

7.       As the Bootme message is detected, the target device’s ID is shown on the Ethernet Download Settings screen, as shown in Figure 6.

Fig-6

Figure 6

8.       From the Ethernet Download Settings screen, click on the detected target device ID (The target device’s IP address and boot loader version are shown) and click on Apply to continue.

9.       At this point, the Target Device Connectivity Options screen is updated with the detected target device ID, as shown in Figure 7.

Fig-7

Figure 7

10.   Click Close to finish.

Associate Target Device Profile with an OS Design

To establish connectivity and download OS runtime image to the target device associated with the profile created in the earlier steps, we need to associate the profile with a Compact 7 OS design.

Work through the following steps to associate the profile to an OS design:

1.       Launch VS2008 and open the intended OS design project.  For this application note, we are working with the MyCompact7 project, as part of the exercise in the “Compact 7 Getting Started” series.

2.       From the VS2008 IDE device selection, select MyTargetDevice from the list, as shown in Figure 8.

Fig-8

Figure 8

Download OS Runtime Image to Target Device

After the target device profile is created and associated with the OS design, we can download the OS runtime image compiled from the OS design to the target device as follow:

1.       From the VS2008 Target menu, click on Attach Device, to bring up the Device Status screen, as shown in Figure 9.

Fig-9

Figure 9

2.       Power on the target device (eBox).

3.       When the target device startup splash screen is showing, press “1” to launch the Ethernet bootloader (EBOOT.BIN).

4.       As soon as the Bootme message from the target device is detected, the download process will begin, with activity showing on the Device Status screen, as shown in Figure 10.

Fig-10

Figure 10