[RESOLVED] help in simple coding for pda =)

[babyekc]

im super newbie in pda development. i've got this:

Imports System.Data.SqlClient
 
Public Class Form1
    Inherits System.Windows.Forms.Form
    Friend WithEvents Button1 As System.Windows.Forms.Button
    Friend WithEvents MainMenu1 As System.Windows.Forms.MainMenu
 
#Region " Windows Form Designer generated code "
 
    Public Sub New()
        MyBase.New()
 
        'This call is required by the Windows Form Designer.
        InitializeComponent()
 
        'Add any initialization after the InitializeComponent() call
 
    End Sub
 
    'Form overrides dispose to clean up the component list.
    Protected Overloads Overrides Sub Dispose(ByVal disposing As Boolean)
        MyBase.Dispose(disposing)
    End Sub
 
    'NOTE: The following procedure is required by the Windows Form Designer
    'It can be modified using the Windows Form Designer.  
    'Do not modify it using the code editor.
    Friend WithEvents Label1 As System.Windows.Forms.Label
    Friend WithEvents Label2 As System.Windows.Forms.Label
    Private Sub InitializeComponent()
        Me.MainMenu1 = New System.Windows.Forms.MainMenu
        Me.Button1 = New System.Windows.Forms.Button
        Me.Label1 = New System.Windows.Forms.Label
        Me.Label2 = New System.Windows.Forms.Label
        '
        'Button1
        '
        Me.Button1.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(72, 200)
        Me.Button1.Size = New System.Drawing.Size(80, 24)
        Me.Button1.Text = "Button1"
        '
        'Label1
        '
        Me.Label1.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(64, 64)
        Me.Label1.Text = "Label1"
        '
        'Label2
        '
        Me.Label2.Location = New System.Drawing.Point(64, 96)
        Me.Label2.Text = "Label2"
        '
        'Form1
        '
        Me.Controls.Add(Me.Label2)
        Me.Controls.Add(Me.Label1)
        Me.Controls.Add(Me.Button1)
        Me.Menu = Me.MainMenu1
        Me.Text = "Form1"
 
    End Sub
 
#End Region
 
    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
 
        Dim connectionString As String
        Dim SQL As String
        Dim tmpName As String
        Dim tmpCode As String
 
        connectionString = "Server=SQLOLEDB.1; Data Source=DIEVECHNOLOGY; " & _
                           "Database=test; User ID=sa; Password=;"
 
        Dim conDB As New SqlConnection(connectionString)
        SQL = "Select Name, Code from Customers"
 
        Dim comSQL As New SqlCommand(SQL, conDB)
        Dim DR As SqlDataReader
 
        Try
            conDB.Open()
            DR = comSQL.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior.Default)
 
            While DR.Read
                tmpName = DR.GetString(0)
                tmpCode = DR.GetValue(1)
                Label1.Text = tmpName
                Label2.Text = tmpCode
            End While
 
            DR.Close()
        Catch ex As Exception
            MessageBox.Show(Err.Description.ToString)
        Finally
            conDB.Close()
        End Try
 
    End Sub
End Class

anyone got the idea of wat's going on code above?

[Strider]

1st of all go to here to help start your learning with vb.net for windows ce



2nd

all of the code above the button1_click is created as part of the form designer when you drag and drop controls onto the form




what the code is doing is connection to a sql server database

connectionString = "Server=SQLOLEDB.1; Data Source=DIEVECHNOLOGY; " & _
                           "Database=test; User ID=sa; Password=;"
 
        Dim conDB As New SqlConnection(connectionString)

then using a datareader which reads though each row of a table (forward only). Then for each row get the string of column 1 and the valus of column of that row in the table, until there are no more row left
so then close the datareader and the connection

DR = comSQL.ExecuteReader(CommandBehavior.Default)
 
            While DR.Read
                tmpName = DR.GetString(0)
                tmpCode = DR.GetValue(1)
                Label1.Text = tmpName
                Label2.Text = tmpCode
            End While
 
            DR.Close()

[babyekc]

well, i know how wat's the function of the code above, bcoz i wrote it! lol. but it doesn't work, i dunno y. i think must be something wif the database i used. i chose ms sql 7 sp4 as the database, but izzit can use for pda application? or i hav to install something like ms sql CE?

pls guide me, i out of idea already. been trying over n over also cannot success.

[Strider]

are you trying to connect to sql server database on the device or a remote sql server database???

[babyekc]

ermm, actually im using desktop, vb .net to create the pda application. trying to run in pda emulator, but it givs me error. any suggestion in developing the pda application by using desktop, vb.net? wat kind of database i should use? after successful developed the application, i can transfer to real pda?

[Strider]

ok in order to develop application for windows CE you need to develop in Compact Framework.Net which is a reduced("compact") version of VB.net.

You cannot develop and application in vb.net and transfer it accross to the device.

When you create a new project in visual studio you need to select smart device application.
This is only available with Visual Studio 2003 professional


However MS have now made eVB free to download and use, eVB is the predecessor of the compact framework, with a lot less functionality.
eVB however is getting closer and closer to extinction

[babyekc]

so i kenot develop the pda application in my ms .net framework wif my vb .net? wat should i do? download the free eVB? then use ms sql ce? currently i don hav a pda yet, but going to get soon. so i just wan to try to develop a pda application in my desktop, pls giv some suggestion to me =)

[Strider]

you will need to upgrade your vs2003 so as to get the smart device feature on it.
otherwise you will have to use eVB.
however eVB for win2003 is not that great there are lots of issues and you need to install certain cab files on the device to get eVB to work. as eVB was designed for prior versions of windows ce ie.2000,2002

i would recommend upgrading the vs2003 if you intend developing many application for windows ce as it is the future

[babyekc]

i got smart device application in my vs.net2003, i cannot use it to develop pda application? actually the code above was coded under smart device application n it can run in pda emulator provided by vs .net2003. but somehow problem occur in connection, coz im using ms sql 7? instead of ms sql ce. should i install ms sql ce as my smart device application database?

[Strider]

As i said.....if you have smart device application you can develop for window ce based PDA's.
Yes it will run in the emulator fine....

if you want to connect to a database on the handheld use sqlce....
if you want to connect to a sql server database use sqlserverce....

have a look for sqlce merge and replication in google for the later...

[babyekc]

okies, to further confirm, i can now develop an application for pda but i need to install ms sql ce? is that rite?

[Shaggy Hiker]

Actually, you don't have to DO much of anything. SQLServerCE is closely tied to the CF, and it will be installed automatically when you use it.

Change your connection to Windows.Data.SQLServerCE.SQLCEConnection and SQLServerCE will install next time you run the emulator (or something like that, I actually have never had it not install, so it may be installing anyways, you just aren't using it).

When MS went to .NET CF for mobile app dev, they decided to put out a PDA DBMS that works REALLY tightly with SQLServer. SQLServerCE is that DBMS. You will have a hard time getting away from it, but the good part is that if you are used to working with SQLServer, then SQLServerCE will feel like home.

[babyekc]

now im having difficulties in connecting to SQLServer, where i wan to retrieve data from SQLServer n store into SQLServerCE. well, i don't know much, so far i just know that, to retrieve data from SQLServer, i should transfer the data to SQLServerCE 1st? am i rite?

the code that i don understand :

Dim repl As SqlCeReplication = Nothing
 
        Try
 
            repl = New SqlCeReplication
 
            'Set the properties using data from the UI.
            repl.Publisher = "dievechnology"
            repl.PublisherLogin = "sa"
            'repl.PublisherPassword = " "
            repl.InternetUrl = "C:/Inetpub/wwwroot/Sean/sscesa20.dll"
            'repl.InternetPassword = " "
            repl.Subscriber = "Sean"
            repl.Publication = "DIEVECHNOLOGY\Keen"
            repl.PublisherDatabase = "Sean"
            strDataSource = "\My Documents\Sean"
            ssceConn.ConnectionString = "Data Source =" + strDataSource
            repl.SubscriberConnectionString = "Provider=Microsoft.SQLSERVER.OLEDB.CE.2.0;Data Source=" + strDataSource
 
            'If the file does not exist, create it, and add it as a subscription.
            While System.IO.File.Exists(strDataSource) = False
 
                If MessageBox.Show("The file does not exist, do you want to create it?", _
                   "Merge", MessageBoxButtons.YesNo, MessageBoxIcon.Asterisk, _
                   MessageBoxDefaultButton.Button1) = DialogResult.Yes Then
                    repl.AddSubscription(AddOption.CreateDatabase)
                    Me.Refresh()
                End If
            End While
 
            'Synchronize.
            repl.Synchronize()
 
        Catch err As SqlCeException
            'Add error handling code here.
            MessageBox.Show(Err.Message)
        Finally
            repl.Dispose()
 
        End Try
 
    End Sub
 
    Private Sub Button3_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button3.Click
        Dim repl As SqlCeReplication = Nothing
 
        Try
            ' Set the Replication object.
            repl = New SqlCeReplication
            repl.InternetUrl = "C:/Inetpub/wwwroot/Sean/sscesa20.dll"
            repl.InternetLogin = "MyLogin"
            repl.InternetPassword = " "
            repl.Publisher = "dievechnology"
            repl.PublisherDatabase = "MyPublisher Database"
            repl.PublisherLogin = " "
            repl.PublisherPassword = "<MyPublisher Password>"
            repl.Publication = "MyPublication"
            repl.SubscriberConnectionString = "Provider=Microsoft.SQLSERVER.OLEDB.CE.2.0;Data Source=\Sean.sdf"
            repl.Subscriber = "MySubscriber"
 
            ' Mark the subscription for reinitialization with Upload first.
            repl.ReinitializeSubscription(True)
 
            ' Synchronize to the instance of SQL Server 2000 to populate the Subscription. 
            repl.Synchronize()
 
        Catch ex As SqlCeException
            ' Use your own error handling routine to show error information.
            ' ShowErrors(e)
            MessageBox.Show(ex.Message)
 
        Finally
            ' Dispose of the Replication object.
            repl.Dispose()
        End Try

hopefully u guys can help in this simple yet difficult problem for me. =)

[babyekc]

anybody can help?