VB, Pocket and DB's

Hi folks
I'm just about to begin developing a data collector software for a customer. This software will be used to collect information by answering questions. I then nead it to replicate the answers to a database on the nett. The database to connect to can be anything from ACCESS or MSSQL.

I have never done any development on PocetPC before other thatn creating Hello World programs etc.

What do I nead to be aware of?
What kind of database (free) is available for Pocket PC?
Can I use Access files or do you recomend XML files?
Is it easy to send mail from a VB program on Pocket?
Do I nead any other SDK's?

Please help

Regards
Ole

For a start i'd recommend using SQL Express or MSDE (both free trimmed down versions of SQL Server 2005 and SQL Server 2000 respectively)

then when using the Compact Framework you can use Remote Data Access(RDA) or Replication (may not be supported in SQL Express) to synchronise data between device and desktop database.

sql server ce is available for free for devices.... there are 2 version Sql Server CE 2.0 and SQL Server 3.0(also called SQL Server Mobile i think)

there is a free 3rd party sdk from the www.opennetcf.org (open source compact framework community)

check out the link in my signature below

avoid using access for storing the data, as access is not longer support wit developing Mobile Applications. You can always have an access front end of SQL Server database if need be.

Thanx, but isnt SQL a little overkill? Hers how I wanted to do this:

My user is using a Winxp computer running a Windows program to select a set of customers. Then he selects a sets of question connected to a projet for this customer. Then the program will create a datafile holding the questions and the customers. This file will be sent to the PDA users and after the question is answered the file must be returned to the WinXP program. At least, this was what I thought I should do. But maybe your right. Installing a SQL server on the PDA and rather create a software that replicates the project........ I'l look into this....

Ole

one more thing. Is it possible to kind of ship SQL with my software so the PDA user dont have to think of anything other than installing my software?

Ole

they are several ways to do this depending on which visual studio you are using.

you can add the sql libraries (.dll) files to your project and they will be in the same directory as your application (libraries in CF have to be in the application folder or else the Windows folder)

you can build a desktop installer that will installer you cab file and any other cab files (.cab is a pocket pc installer file)

Thanx. Appreciate it