Deployment of Windows Mobile Software

[ichthus]

Folks, i need help!

i've developed an application for my HTC Touch Pro 2. I'd like to create a deployment cab that:

1- installs the program into its own directory, and
2- has all the icons set correctly.

so far i have an icon included as part of the project build. i'm using visual studio 2005 and c#.

i have searched the web for answers and get more confused by each one i read.
is it really all that hard to do?

i have gone through the process of adding a deployment project, but none of the methods i've found and tried worked completely.

i've manually made the HKLM\Security\Shell\Startinfo\Start entries to associate an .png image with the application.

i manually copy the application image to the \windows\start menu\program directory.

how do i accomplish all this with a deployment cab? thanks very much for your help.

[lnando84]

Originally Posted by ichthus

Folks, i need help!

i've developed an application for my HTC Touch Pro 2. I'd like to create a deployment cab that:

1- installs the program into its own directory, and
2- has all the icons set correctly.

so far i have an icon included as part of the project build. i'm using visual studio 2005 and c#.

i have searched the web for answers and get more confused by each one i read.
is it really all that hard to do?

i have gone through the process of adding a deployment project, but none of the methods i've found and tried worked completely.

i've manually made the HKLM\Security\Shell\Startinfo\Start entries to associate an .png image with the application.

i manually copy the application image to the \windows\start menu\program directory.

how do i accomplish all this with a deployment cab? thanks very much for your help.

Did you try using the search here on ppcgeeks? BiGnAdAd has created a great "How to" which is stickied right above your thread. You can find his how to make cab files HERE. If you don't mind me asking..what does this application you developed do or what is it for?

[Kliptik]

I'm not sure if it's exactly the same on VS2005, but I can do a quick walkthrough on VS2008. I think you're overcomplicating it...

You need to use a *.ico file for the icon, and it will be built into the app autoimatically once you've completed the steps below

1) In Solution Explorer, double-click the "Properties" item in your application project 2) On the "Application" tab of your now visible Properties explorer, there should be a section titled "Resources" with a radio button entry titled "Icon and Manifest".
3) Click the "Browse" button in the "Icon and Manifest" entry, and browse to your *.ico file
4) Build your application, build your CAB project, and you should be good to go.

NOTE: Sometimes, you have to close VS and re-open it for it to include your icon in the build. Also, if you decide to change the icon down the road, just follow the same steps, but then you HAVE to close VS and re-open it for the cahnge to take effect.

You can PM me if you have any other questions.

EDIT* Check HERE for software to convert *.png files to *.ico files if you don't have software to do it already

[ichthus]

Originally Posted by lnando84

Did you try using the search here on ppcgeeks? BiGnAdAd has created a great "How to" which is stickied right above your thread. You can find his how to make cab files HERE. If you don't mind me asking..what does this application you developed do or what is it for?

the app allows me to search for and list any file type i specify. if images, they can be viewed in a miniature picture box, if touched while being displayed in the mini box, it is expanded to fill the screen ( i like to see what an image would look like as a background before making it the background). i can view and edit registry files, txt files, mortscript files, log files, any type of text file.
there's a textbox to allow for me to enter wildcard stuff to search for any file i can think of.

i have no expectations of this app being of any use to anyone but me.
i want to learn how to deploy it correctly just in case someday i do write an app that seems like others might like it as well as myself.


i've attached a few images.

i did mention that i was using visual studio 2005 right? thank you for pointing out the tutorial by biGnAdAd. if i ever should purchase that software, it will come in handy.

Originally Posted by Kliptik

I'm not sure if it's exactly the same on VS2005, but I can do a quick walkthrough on VS2008. I think you're overcomplicating it...

You need to use a *.ico file for the icon, and it will be built into the app autoimatically once you've completed the steps below

1) In Solution Explorer, double-click the "Properties" item in your application project 2) On the "Application" tab of your now visible Properties explorer, there should be a section titled "Resources" with a radio button entry titled "Icon and Manifest".
3) Click the "Browse" button in the "Icon and Manifest" entry, and browse to your *.ico file
4) Build your application, build your CAB project, and you should be good to go.

NOTE: Sometimes, you have to close VS and re-open it for it to include your icon in the build. Also, if you decide to change the icon down the road, just follow the same steps, but then you HAVE to close VS and re-open it for the cahnge to take effect.

You can PM me if you have any other questions.

EDIT* Check HERE for software to convert *.png files to *.ico files if you don't have software to do it already

it is a bit different in vs2005 then 2008, but adding an .ico file was there.

i did do that already. where i'm getting confused (by reading too many how to's posted on the web!) is in setting up the cab file to associate the .ico and .png files so the program shows up correctly when a person trys to add this program to a quick link, and when they open the "start" button. right now, my .cab file installs a program with the correct icon when viewed with total commander, it places the .png file i want to use, and the program itself in the \windows\start menu\programs directory but i have to manually edit the registry to associate the .png file with the .exe file.
wow, that's a mouthful. i hope it comes across clearer than it looks

thanks.

[Kliptik]

Originally Posted by ichthus

it is a bit different in vs2005 then 2008, but adding an .ico file was there.

i did do that already. where i'm getting confused (by reading too many how to's posted on the web!) is in setting up the cab file to associate the .ico and .png files so the program shows up correctly when a person trys to add this program to a quick link, and when they open the "start" button. right now, my .cab file installs a program with the correct icon when viewed with total commander, it places the .png file i want to use, and the program itself in the \windows\start menu\programs directory but i have to manually edit the registry to associate the .png file with the .exe file.
wow, that's a mouthful. i hope it comes across clearer than it looks

thanks.

I think I understand. I guess what I'm missing (i guess we both are) is why it's not showing the .ico file as the icon in the Start Menu... HERE is a good write-up on creating a deployment project. Without going through it step-by-step with you to see where it's off, I'm not sure how much I can help...

In the "File System" of the deployment project, make sure you have added a shortcut in the "Start Menu Folder" that points to the primary output of your application in the "Application Folder".

You shouldn't have to use a *.png to set the icon manually, unless you wanted to change the icon the application was built with. So it seems like the shortcut is somehow not pointed quite right? Since the *.exe shows the icon, perhaps verify that the shortcut is placed, named, and pointed properly.

[ichthus]

thanks. i'll investigate that write-up you posted.

[ichthus]

Originally Posted by Kliptik

I think I understand. I guess what I'm missing (i guess we both are) is why it's not showing the .ico file as the icon in the Start Menu... HERE is a good write-up on creating a deployment project. Without going through it step-by-step with you to see where it's off, I'm not sure how much I can help...

In the "File System" of the deployment project, make sure you have added a shortcut in the "Start Menu Folder" that points to the primary output of your application in the "Application Folder".

You shouldn't have to use a *.png to set the icon manually, unless you wanted to change the icon the application was built with. So it seems like the shortcut is somehow not pointed quite right? Since the *.exe shows the icon, perhaps verify that the shortcut is placed, named, and pointed properly.

KliptiK: thank you for the link. that was a great write-up. amazing how you can search and search and find nothing of help, then you change the word-order of the search, or use a different combination and voila...the answer!

i was able to get my .cab built, deployed to my complete satisfaction.

thanks again!

[Kliptik]

Originally Posted by ichthus

KliptiK: thank you for the link. that was a great write-up. amazing how you can search and search and find nothing of help, then you change the word-order of the search, or use a different combination and voila...the answer!

i was able to get my .cab built, deployed to my complete satisfaction.

thanks again!

glad you got it working!!!

yeah i know what you mean on the searching thing... i try and bookmark all of those for exactly that reason. likely ill never find it again!

lmk if i can help with anything else!