Windows CE 5.0 programming with VB6?

[BOperator]

Hi,

Just a short Question:

Is it possible to write a program with VB6 for Windows CE 5.0?

The google results are not very informative

Thanks for help,

BOperator

[dglienna]

There was a program that allowed you to use VB code, but it doesn't run under XP. I think the only way to do it now is by using VB.Net.

[Hack]

99% of my Google search led me to believe David is correct about having to use .NET, then I found this Hope it helps.

[BOperator]

I found the same page but there is no clearly verbalized information, if it is possible or not.

I hoped to find here someone who can say yes or no.

Thanks for your fast help

Greetingz.

[dglienna]

I tried the old program with XP and couldn't even install it. Then I found that it wasn't possible, so I deleted it.

[Pasvorto]

I think there is a special version of VB for designing "mobile" applications. It is, or used to be, a free download from M$.

[Hack]

Since none of us are completely certain what the answer to this question is, lets see what the Mobile Development have to say.

Moved.

[Shaggy Hiker]

The VB6 like version was eVB. It was based on VBScript, rather than true VB6. AppForge also put out something for VB programming on a PDA.

In my opinion, you should stay away from all, and use .NET if you can. VBScript is not VB. You lose much functionality, many controls, and other things. VB.NET is a much better choice.

[k1ll3rdr4g0n]

@Shaggy Hiker
Acctually I used eVB and it looked and acted exactly like VB6. I didn't do any heavy programming in it, but it should be pretty much be the same thing because you have to 'complie' programs (it doesn't make a .exe, it makes a .vbs file). Can you provide a link where it talks about that?

@Pasvorto
Yes it is.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

@BOperator
Microsoft did make an addon to VB6, however you can not pick it up for cheap (I've looked). eVB is a good alternative.

@dglienna
Patience is a virtue. I can't get eVS to install right (it restarts halfway through for some reason....) (I'm running Win XP Pro) on my computer, but I start a new VM and puff it works perfectly.

@all
This is a nice site to check out:
http://hpcfactor.com/

Although, they are aimed at handheld PCs, it still has a lot of information like a HCL. (Hardware Compatilibality list...)

More intrest to some people:
http://hpcfactor.com/developer/

[dglienna]

The VM must be the secret. I didn't have it then, so I couldn't try it.
I'm still going to go with Net for my next project. My current app won't run as a VBS file, I'd be willing to bet. I'd have to redesign a lot of screens.

[k1ll3rdr4g0n]

Offtopic:
A good free VM is VMWare, http://www.vmware.com/.

Find a tutorial on google that tells you how to set it up. .

(Just posted this so people know what a VM is, and which one I used.)

[BOperator]

Wow... thanks for this information.
I just found eVC++4 for developing programms for Windows CE 5.
But there is still no analog tool in VB

Thanks again for all of your help

Greetingz, BOperator

[Shaggy Hiker]

@Shaggy Hiker
Acctually I used eVB and it looked and acted exactly like VB6. I didn't do any heavy programming in it, but it should be pretty much be the same thing because you have to 'complie' programs (it doesn't make a .exe, it makes a .vbs file). Can you provide a link where it talks about that?

Nope, no link, but I have a few books on the subject. eVB did look very much like VB. In fact, it was set up so that you could do many of the things you were used to doing in VB. For instance, you could declare variables that were integers, strings, longs, etc. However, you could also do this:

Dim i as Long
dim st as string

st="Blue"
i=st
Msgbox(i)

The box would show "Blue". This was because all variables were variants, regardless of what you said they were. There was no typing at all. You could write an entire program without ever realizing this if you had any experience with VB6. You would go on blissfully unaware that all your variables were all the same type. Could produce fun little bugs.

That's just one example. You can use eVB as if it were VB. I eventually switched to .NET because there were things in VB that simply did not exist in eVB, but that was years ago, and I forget what they were.

In the .NET CF, there are plenty of things missing, as well. A few features of controls are missing, such as the backcolor property on buttons, and multi-select list boxes. Mostly, the stuff you need is there, and the underlying language is the same between .NET and the CF.

[k1ll3rdr4g0n]

Nope, no link, but I have a few books on the subject. eVB did look very much like VB. In fact, it was set up so that you could do many of the things you were used to doing in VB. For instance, you could declare variables that were integers, strings, longs, etc. However, you could also do this:

Dim i as Long
dim st as string

st="Blue"
i=st
Msgbox(i)

The box would show "Blue". This was because all variables were variants, regardless of what you said they were. There was no typing at all. You could write an entire program without ever realizing this if you had any experience with VB6. You would go on blissfully unaware that all your variables were all the same type. Could produce fun little bugs.

That's just one example. You can use eVB as if it were VB. I eventually switched to .NET because there were things in VB that simply did not exist in eVB, but that was years ago, and I forget what they were.

In the .NET CF, there are plenty of things missing, as well. A few features of controls are missing, such as the backcolor property on buttons, and multi-select list boxes. Mostly, the stuff you need is there, and the underlying language is the same between .NET and the CF.

Oh that sucks, didn't know that.
Maybe when you make i = a String var, eVB will automatically convert it (I know VB6 will do this).

[Shaggy Hiker]

No, I ended up researching that after I stumbled on it by accident. Any book on eVB will tell you about it being based on VBScript, and anything on VBScript will tell you that every variable is a variant.

[BOperator]

I've called MS this morning. They told me, that I only can develope for Windows CE 5 or 6 with the .Net IDE.

Thanks again for all your help and tips!

Greetingz,
BOp

[Skootles]

@BOperator
Microsoft did make an addon to VB6, however you can not pick it up for cheap (I've looked). eVB is a good alternative.

If price weren't an option [could possibly get my dad's company to buy it, because they develop for mobile devices], how much is it, and where can you get it?

[petevick]

It is a 5 or 6 year old product and is no longer available/supported.

It was replaced by eVB which is now no longer supported.

Way forward is .Net

Pete

[mx32]

to petevick
Thanks

I have to use eVB just now
but Both eVB and .NET applications can be decompiled

it is not suitable for commercial product
is there an alternative to use?

[petevick]

Hi,
loads of companies have commercial products out there based on .Net

You can always use the obfuscator, or buy a commercial one.

There are alternatives such as AppForge, but I have no experience of them.

Another alternative is C++ or eVC

Pete

[Shaggy Hiker]

There was also a long, and eventually closed, thread in the .NET forum that discussed the "security hole" caused by decompilation. Most people were pretty dismissive of it simply because that is not a useful form of piracy. In my case, I don't care, since anybody can have what I write, but you might search on the username Esposito in the .NET forum to get some furious discussion of the issue.

[lmcamoes]

Hi,

I am sorry but because my lack of english it was dificult to me to understand all the previous posts and I still have one question.
Can I use Embedded Visual Basic 3.0 to develop an application to run on WINCE 5.0?

[petevick]

You can, but you would have to install the run times, and it would not be supported in any way.

eVB has been dead for 5 years - my advice is "don't do it"

[lmcamoes]

Thank you Petevick.

I now that is "dead" for a while but I have code already done for it and no time to develop new one.

What do you mean by "install the run times" ?

Regards

[petevick]

There are a set of eVB runtimes that used to be in ROM on older devices - this is not the case from Windows Mobile 5.0 onwards


http://embedded-visual-basic-runtime...c.com/pocketpc

[lmcamoes]

Hi,

After read all the messages above I didn't manage to run an application made in VB6 or embedded visual basic to run under WINCE 5.
Is there any other Ideas to do it? Or I really need to develop all over again under vb.net?

[petevick]

VB6 you have no chance.
Did you install the evb runtimes, and if so what error message do you get?

There is a chance evb apps will not run anyway

[lmcamoes]

I downloaded the file that you said "msvbppc.armv4.cab" from http://embedded-visual-basic-runtime...c.com/pocketpc
when I try to run it on device it shows the following message "The application cannot run on this device type. Please install the application specific to the device type."
I have a CPU that is Intel, Xscale-PXA27x with WINCE 5.0

Regards

[petevick]

You are trying to load an 'armv4' file on an xscale processor.

I think the 'inf' file was modded at some point by Microsoft to allow it to install on xscale machines

All I can suggest is searching for this information - but really, you are flogging a dead horse, as this was out of date 5 years ago.

Is it for a program you have developed or a program you have bought?

[lmcamoes]

it is for a program that I have developed.
If I go to develop it all over again what are the ways of do it? Can it be done under VS2008?

[petevick]

VS2008 (Pro and above I think) - you need to check out the specs here

[Shaggy Hiker]

You would have to learn .NET, which is a bit different from VB6, but eVB is more than a bit different from VB6 anyways. If you have a program developed in VB6, then eVB will not be a good solution for you.

On the positive side, it was because of the .NET Compact Framework that I originally moved to .NET, and I have never regretted it. If you know VB6, you will find it a bit different, but also familiar. Lots to learn, but worth the effort.