.Net Compact Framework

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.Net (Compact) Framework
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Outline

• Introduce .Net Compact Framework
• Features
• Controls
• Issues in UI Design
• Sample Application

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Product Framework
Bring device developers to .NET
.NET Knowledge Transfer

• Consistent API behavior
• Visual Studio best tool
• C, Visual Basic

Rich Class Libraries
IT Interop

• Networking
• XML Databases
• Durable messaging

• Developer productivity
• Ease of use
• Robustness

Windows CE

• Compatibility with native security
• Full integration with native setup
• Native code interop

Bring .NET developers to devices
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.NET Compact Framework
Visual Studio
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.NET Framework And.NET Compact Framework

• Both
• Modern, managed runtime environments
• Greatly enhance developer productivity
• Provide both C and VB.NET languages
• Major releases in Visual Studio
• Full .NET Framework
• Extremely rich, scalable, secure, powerful
• .NET Compact Framework
• Preserves essence of full .NET Framework
• Optimized for small size, portability

More languages available from 3rd parties and
on full .NET Framework
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Smaller Yet Compatible

• 28 of the surface area in 8 of the size
• Omitted
• Server functionality
• ASP.NET
• Remoting
• Code Access Security
• Reflection Emit (scripting)
• Individual properties, methods, events classes
  factored at member level
• Managed C, J

86 scope of Full .NET Framework
Copy
Ground-up rewrite
Snapshot Modify
Execution Engine JIT, GC, Loader, assembly cache
System.Threading
Microsoft.Win32.Registry
System.Text.Regex
System.Collections
System.Xml
System.Generic.Collections
System.IO
System.Cryptography
System.Data
Microsoft.DirectX.Direct3DMobile
System.Resources
System.IO.Ports
System.Messaging
System.Net
System.String
Windows.Forms
91 scope of Full .NET Framework
Microsoft.VisualBasic
System.Text
System.Drawing
System.Globalization
System.Web.Services
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Compatibility

• Applications written using prior versions of the
  .NET Compact Framework just work on new versions
• Goal is full backward compatibility
• We support SxS as a fallback, but we aim for this
  to be unneeded
• New versions of .NET Compact Framework run on
  previous versions of Windows CE and Windows
  Mobile
• Windows Mobile support policy n-2
• Windows CE support policy n-1

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Generics

• Classes and methods that work similarly on values
  of different types
• Variables are specific types, not objects
• No casting required
• Benefits
• Re-use common code
• Find bugs at compile time

class StackltTgt private T store
private int size public Stack()
store new T10 size 0
public void Push(T x) // push code goes
here public T Pop()
return store--size void Add(Stackltintgt
s) int x s.Pop() int y s.Pop()
s.Push(xy)
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More New C Language Features

• Anonymous Methods Code blocks encapsulated in a
  delegate

Before
After
// in constructor button.Click new
EventHandler(ProcessClick) // separate
method void ProcessClick(object sender,EventArgs
e) // increment a counter or other action
// in constructor button.Click new
EventHandler(sender,args) // increment a
counter or other action

• Partial Types Split definitions for types and
  class members across multiple files
• C compiler combines all definitions to make a
  single class

Foo-Part2.cs
Foo-Part1.cs
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VB.NET

• Easiest and most productive way to develop .NET
  applications
• .NET Compact Framework continues to support
  VB.NET
• New support for a subset of VB.NET My namespace
• My.Resources
• My.WebServices
• My.Forms

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Rich Controls
Pocket PC

• Smartphone

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DateTimePicker
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DocumentList
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Notification Bubble
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UserControl

• Easily build and reuse your own custom controls
• Well integrated into design time experience

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MonthCalendar
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LinkLabel
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More Controls

• MonthCalendar
• LinkLabel
• Help
• WebBrowser
• DataContainer
• New on Smartphone
• Datagrid
• Textbox IME switching
• Enable multiple menu items on left softkey

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Forms And Drawing

• More Keyboard Support
• Events
• Form.KeyPreview
• Tabs
• Clipboard support
• Drawing
• Bitmaps (including save as)
• Rotatable fonts
• Custom Pens
• Control.Handle retrieve window handle
• Lots of additional properties, methods, events

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Displays And LayoutSupport for new and future
devices

• Orientation Support
• ChangeOrientation method
• Docking and Anchoring
• AutoScroll property forms, panels
• Suspend/Resume Layout methods
• Resolution Support
• Automatic scaling
• Graphics DpiX/DpiY

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Managed D3D Mobile

• Included in WinCE 5.0 and future versions of
  Windows Mobile
• Native API is DX8 inspired
• Managed APIs are DX9 inspired
• Features
• Complete access to the underlying native D3DM
  API
• Fixed point support (Vertex Data, Matrices,
  Lights, and Materials)
• Sprite
• Font
• Mesh
• TextureLoader
• Tutorials and Samples

Related session CLI317 Game Development Using
Managed Direct3D Mobile with the .NET Compact
Framework
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Base Class Libs, Networking, Web Services

• Serial Port
• Four ports
• Supported in the emulator
• IPv6
• Generic-based collections classes
• Leverage the power of new Generics language
  feature
• Web services
• Faster XmlSerializer
• Support for SOAP 1.2

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Data And Xml Class Libraries

• System.Data
• Powerful data designer tools integrated into
  Visual Studio 2005
• SQL Mobile 2005
• Available with Visual Studio 2005 (or as
  download)
• Smartphone support!
• SqlCeResultSet (Updateable scrollable cursor)
• Storage Engine - Multi-User and Multi-Connection
  support
• Many ADO.NET features added to track full .NET
  Framework
• System.Xml
• Serialization of live objects like application
  settings
• Schemas
• Validate XML against schema constraints
• Generate schemas on the fly programmatically
• XPath 1.0

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System.Messaging (MSMQ)

• Use for bi-directional communications over
  intermittent (unreliable) connections

.NET Compact Framework Application
Smart Device
Server Application
Operating System Message Queue
Data transferred whenconnection
available. Device application does not need to be
running.
Note Can be used for Inter-Process
communications also
Related session CLI321 Using MSMQ to Build
Reliable Mobile Applications
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PIM And Telephony Classes

• New in Windows Mobile 2005
• Pocket Outlook Object Model (POOM)
• Appointments, contacts, tasks
• Phone initiate calls
• Messaging Email and SMS
• State Notification

Related session CLI318 New Managed Messaging,
State, and Notification APIs in Windows Mobile
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Windows Mobile User Interface Design
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Windows Mobile UI DesignGeneral concepts

• Many familiar concepts
• Mouse stylus
• Keyboard hardware buttons
• What makes your app mobile?
• Keep in mind that user input is always a pain
• Keep UI simple
• Think about 5 minute bursts of activity

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Screen OrientationWhat is it?
Landscape
Square
Portrait
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Screen OrientationDesign considerations

• User can rotate at runtime
• Three main strategies
• Resize content
• Relayout content
• Change content
• Keep user experience intact

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Screen OrientationApplication UI
Technique 1 Resize your content
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Screen OrientationApplication UI
Technique 2 Relayout your content
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Screen OrientationApplication UI
Technique 3 Change your content
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Screen OrientationDialog strategies

• Design for square screen
• Dynamic relayout

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Screen OrientationDialogs
Strategy 1 Design for square screen
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Screen OrientationDialogs
Strategy 2 Dynamic relayout
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Screen OrientationNative code

• Swap dialog templates
• DRARelayoutDialog
• Relayout at runtime
• WM_SIZE
• Handle rotation
• WM_SETTINGCHANGE
• DRAGetDisplayMode

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Screen OrientationManaged code

• Use control anchors
• No code required with .NET CF 2.0!
• Relayout at runtime
• Form.OnResize
• Handle rotation
• Status.SystemState.DisplayRotation

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Screen OrientationOverall design issues

• Dont overcrowd your UI
• Break information into multiple screens
• Input panel issues in portrait mode
• Watch out for edit controls

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Screen OrientationInput Panel gotchas
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Screen ResolutionWhat is it?
96 DPI
131 DPI
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Screen ResolutionDesign considerations

• Physical screen size stays the same
• Pixel size gets smaller
• Keep text BIG and readable
• Keep tap targets easy to hit
• Consistent user experience

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Screen ResolutionBitmaps and icons

• Scaling up bitmaps at runtime looks clunky
• Scaling them down is even worse
• Pixels drop out
• Build bitmaps and icons for each DPI you support

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Screen ResolutionCurrent support table
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SoftkeysWhat are they?
Smartphone
Pocket PC
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SoftkeysWhat are they? (Part 2)

• New for Pocket PC
• Well-tested and well-loved on phones
• Why? One-handed navigation
• Brings Pocket PC and Smartphone closer together

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SoftkeysDesign considerations

• SK1 is the most likely user action
• Non-destructive
• SK2 can be an action or a menu
• Keep the menu small
• Dont duplicate SK1 in the menu
• No submenus if at all possible
• Group similar actions together
• Most common actions at the top

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SoftkeysConverting legacy applications

• No toolbar icons
• Softkey menus are typically smaller than Pocket
  PC 2003 menus
• No New menu
• Softkeys can be tapped on Pocket PC
• Easy access when screen is rotated

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SoftkeysManaged code

• They just work!
• System.Windows.Forms.MainMenu
• Handling softkey commands
• MenuItem.Click event handler

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Device InputDesign considerations

• Single taps, not double taps
• Minimize the number of taps or keys
• Especially for common actions
• Automatic menu accelerator keys
• Support common keyboard shortcuts as applicable
• Cut, Copy, Paste
• Select All
• Bold, Italic, Underline

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Device InputPosture switching

• Design for one-handed navigation
• Keyboard posture
• Softkeys
• Edit controls
• Hardware buttons (including action/enter)
• Stylus posture
• Buttons
• Hyperlinks
• Tap-and-hold context menus

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Sample Application
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Forms
Snapshots
Fax
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ChooseContactDialog contactChooser new
ChooseContactDialog() If (contactChooser.ShowDia
log() DialogResult.OK) // Specify what
happens // if the user selects a // contact
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contactChooser.RestrictContacts CompanyName
\Contoso\ contactChooser.RequiredProperties
new ContactProperty ContactProperty.AllText
Messaging
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Gathering Properties from user only

• Once you have a SelectedContact, call
  ShowDialog, after
• Set ChoosePropertyOnlyTrue
• Returns SelectedProperty, (typeof
  PocketOutlook.Property) and SelectedPropertyValue
  , (string)
• Must have a valid SelectedContact first!

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SelectPictureDialog picturepicker new
SelectPictureDialog() If (picturepicker.ShowDial
og() DialogResult.OK) // Specify what
happens on a // successful return here
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CameraCaptureDialog camera new
CameraCaptureDialog() If (camera.ShowDialog()
DialogResult.OK) // Specify what happens on
a // successful return here