Compact 7 Getting Started

The Compact 7 Getting Started Se

The Windows Embedded Compact 7 (Compact 7) getting started series is created to provide simple and easy to follow information to help academic, hobbyist and commercial developers to learn and engage in Compact 7 development.

The primary objective for this getting started series is to provide technical information about the development environment and examples, showing the steps to perform different aspects of Compact 7 development. To deliver easy to follow information, short and simple examples, written in step-by-step format, are used throughout this series.

There are 9 main articles in this series, with dozen more supplemental articles to cover addition subjects. This series is created using an eBox-3300MX and Virtual PC as the target device.

1.	Introduction Provide general information about Windows Embedded Compact and this getting started series.
2.	Development Environment & Tools Talks about the Windows Embedded Compact development environment, required software, connectivity between the development PC and target device.
3.	Develop a Compact 7 OS Design (eBox-3300MX) Shows the steps to develop a Compact 7 OS design, build custom OS runtime image and download the image to a target device, using an eBox-3300MX as target device.
3a.	Develop a Compact 7 OS Design (Virtual PC) Shows the steps to develop a Compact 7 OS design, build custom OS runtime image and download the image to a target device, using a Virtual PC as target device.
4.	Develop Managed Code Application for Compact 7 Shows the steps to develop managed code application for a Compact 7 device and download the application to a target device.
5.	Develop Native Code Application for Compact 7 Shows the steps to develop native code application for a Compact 7 device and download the application to a target device.
6.	Develop SQL Compact Database Application for Compact 7 Shows the steps to develop SQL Compact database application for a Compact 7 device and download the application to a target device.
7.	Develop Silverlight for Windows Embedded Application for Compact 7 Shows the steps to develop Silverlight for Windows Embedded application for a Compact 7 device and download the application to a target device.
8.	Debug and Remote Tools Provides information about the Compact 7’s debug and remote tools and how to use these tools
9.	Deploy OS Runtime to Target Device for Distribution Shows the steps to deploy Compact 7 OS runtime image to a target device for distribution to the end user.

Additional Contents

In addition to the 9 main articles, additional contents are created to provide supplemental information, covering different aspect of Compact 7 development.

Here is the list of these other contents:

1.	Core Connectivity (CoreCon) for Compact 7 Development Provides general information about connectivity between the development workstation and target device, to support application development.
2.	Connectivity to Download Compact 7 OS Runtime Image to Target Device Provides information about connectivity between the development workstation and target device, to download OS runtime image to the device.
3.	Generate SDK from Compact 7 OS Design Shows the steps to generate SDK from a Compact 7 OS design, needed to support application development.
4.	AutoLaunch for Compact 7 Provides information about AutoLaunch, an application launcher used to launch one or more Compact 7 application during startup.
5.	Configure Flash Storage to Launch Compact 7 using DiskPrep Provides information about DiskPrep and the steps to configure flash storage to launch Compact 7 using DiskPrep.
6.	Virtual PC as Target Device Provides information about using Virtual PC as a target device to support Compact 7 development.
7.	Configure Virtual PC to Boot Compact 7 using DiskPrep Shows the steps to create Virtual PC and configure the associated virtual hard disk (VHD) to boot to Compact 7 using DiskPrep.
8.	Loopback Adapter with Virtual PC as Target Device Provides information and the steps to configure loopback adapter to support Virtual PC as the target device for Compact 7 development.
9.	Using Static IP Addresses for Windows Embedded Compact Provides information about using static IP addresses for Compact 7 development.

Target Device: eBox-3300MX

For this getting started series, the eBox-3300MX (eBox) is used as the target device, built with an x86 processor. The eBox-3300MX is built with the following features:

1.0 GHz Vortex86MX CPU, 512 MB system memory
10/100 Mbps Ethernet, HD Audio, 3 USB 2.0 host interfaces, 2 serial ports
VGA and SD flash storage (bootable)

For more information about the eBox-3300MX target device, visit the following URL:

http://www.embeddedpc.net/eBox3300MX/

Alternative Target Device

Although the content for this series is created using an eBox-3300MX as the target device, it’s possible to work through the exercises in this series using an alternative device, as long as you have the appropriate board support package, bootloader and related utility for the device.

Alternative Target Device: Virtual PC

When you don’t have access to a real target device, it’s possible to use the Virtual PC as a target device and work through the exercises in the getting started series.

The Compact 7 Platform Builder includes a Virtual PC board support package, which you can use to develop OS design, build OS runtime image and deploy the OS runtime image to a Virtual PC to support the application development exercises in this series.

The Virtual PC emulates the x86 processor architecture. Other than the different BSP components which impacts some of the steps in the OS design exercise, you can work through all of the exercise in this series, with minimal variation.