[BETA] LaunchApp Plugin

[Brian_Houghton]

Hello all,

I've got a beta version of the LaunchApp plugin for HanDBase for Windows Mobile Professional ready. Please read the information below, download and install the CAB file. Mainly, I am needing testers to verify my CAB works properly before I release my long overdue parameter scripts. Let me know how you fare in your replies.

LaunchApp Plugin
DDH Software
Version 1 (repackaged 001)

Platform

- Windows Mobile Professional 5 & 6

Purpose

- Launches user configured applications
- Can launch ROM apps from /Windows/ directory without path
- Can launch user installed apps with full path supplied
- Can launch .lnk files from /Windows/Start Menu/

Installation

- Copy the CAB file to your handheld
- Locate the CAB file with the file browser of your handheld and launch it
- Install to either internal storage or an external card, wherever HanDBase is installed (it will not work if you install to the wrong location)

Usage

- Run HanDBase
- Select the LaunchApp sample database
- Open the sample record
- Tap the button on the form to run Pocket Internet Explorer

How to Configure (other than the sample)

- Add a text field to your database
- Add an external field to your database
- Enter the plugin name of LaunchApp in the empty field
- Configure using the text field added in step one
- Add a record to your database, entering either the app name from /Windows/,

****(MAKE SURE YOU ENTER A VALID APP NAME)****

the full path of a user installed program, or the path of a .lnk file from /Windows/Start Menu/
- Save your changes and test

What To Test

- CAB installs properly to storage or card, can be uninstalled
- Plugin works properly

Support

- Please confirm success or issues when replying
- Include handheld model, OS version including cooked info if applicable
- If error is encountered, include as much detail as possible

[gsman]

Thanks a bunch Brian:

OK - works with issues – but you’re a programmer – you knew that - Everything did not work fully as you said – here is what I found:

Samsung Epix(SGHi907) Windows 6.1 – What do you mean by “Cooked” info – never seen that term before.
I put the cab in the root of the main storage drive installed to main storage
I get a Windows screen - We’re sorry - A problem has occurred Send / Don’t send
I pressed OK in the upper right and it seemed to take and be installed
The sample database is nowhere to be found – What is the name of the database?
I did a search of “*.pdb” nothing new came up
I used one of my databases followed your instructions - entered an application in the text field and pressed the button – IT DID LAUNCH THE APP - great
It did uninstall – seemed ok – though the database still had the button & the field still there – though non functional and no errors popped up
I reinstalled – this time no error on installation – but still no sample app
I reused my sample test database – it worked

OKAY – the real purpose for me -
What app would I use to Dial out a phone number? Do I need to make a new field? Or used my existing phone field?
Basically tell me all I need to know to dial a phone number
Will I be able to incorporate this in a form?
Also – what else would you like me to do to help you with this
Feel free to email or call my cell – if you want any further info
I so appreciate your effort

[gsman]

Any new news on the readiness of this plugin - As you know - the "dialer" is what I have been looking for

[zooguy1492]

Is the source code used to produce this .dll different than the source code that is shipped with the HanDBase SDK?

I'm able to create a .dll from the SDK but when it runs, I get Debug Assertion errors when I use Static MFC and click on the "Configure" button when I setup the External field. When I use dynamic MFC, when I type in the "Application Name" of "LaunchApp" when configuring the External field, I get a message about not finding the plugin (which I didn't get when I compile with a Static MFC).

In either case, I'm getting these warnings when I compile:

Compiling...
stdafx.cpp
WINVER not defined. Defaulting to 0x0400, which is appropriate for all supported Windows CE versions
_CE_ACTIVEX was not defined because this Windows CE SDK does not have DCOM.
_CE_ACTIVEX could be caused to be defined by defining _CE_ALLOW_SINGLE_THREADED_OBJECTS_IN_MTA, but it is recommended that this be done only for single-threaded apps.
_ATL_NO_HOSTING was defined because _CE_ACTIVEX was not defined.
Compiling...
LaunchApp.cpp
d:\paul\visualstudio\handbase plugins sdk\testplugin\testplugin\testplugin\Cygnus.h(41) : warning C4005: 'StrCat' : macro redefinition
C:\Program Files\Windows Mobile 5.0 SDK R2\PocketPC\include\ARMV4I\shlwapi.h(302) : see previous definition of 'StrCat'
d:\paul\visualstudio\handbase plugins sdk\testplugin\testplugin\testplugin\Cygnus.h(47) : warning C4005: 'StrStr' : macro redefinition
C:\Program Files\Windows Mobile 5.0 SDK R2\PocketPC\include\ARMV4I\shlwapi.h(190) : see previous definition of 'StrStr'
ConfigDialog.cpp
d:\paul\visualstudio\handbase plugins sdk\testplugin\testplugin\testplugin\Cygnus.h(41) : warning C4005: 'StrCat' : macro redefinition
C:\Program Files\Windows Mobile 5.0 SDK R2\PocketPC\include\ARMV4I\shlwapi.h(302) : see previous definition of 'StrCat'
d:\paul\visualstudio\handbase plugins sdk\testplugin\testplugin\testplugin\Cygnus.h(47) : warning C4005: 'StrStr' : macro redefinition
C:\Program Files\Windows Mobile 5.0 SDK R2\PocketPC\include\ARMV4I\shlwapi.h(190) : see previous definition of 'StrStr'

Is this a problem? If the LaunchApp source code was changed recently is there an update to the HanDBase SDK available?

I'm able to "configure" the External field without a problem when I use the .dll in this forum...

Also, on this plugin page, how do I know what platform these plugins are for:
http://www.ddhsoftware.com/gallery.html?show=Plug-in
It's my guess that they are mostly for the Palm OS version of HanDBase.

[dhaupert]

Thanks for your post. What SDK and version of Visual Studio are you using? I ask because the example launchapp plugin was written for Embedded Visual studio and the Windows Mobile SDKs that work with it (namely anything pre WM5.0). If using Visual Studio 2005, you're likely targeting Windows Mobile 5 as the minimum and that would generate the compiler errors you're seeing. They can be fixed line by line by updating for the latest and greatest SDKs, which I had to do for HanDBase about a year ago (not fun, believe me!). Or you can try to download the embedded tools and an older SDK. As you can see the plugins still work fine under WM5 and higher if compiled for these older devices.

regarding the Gallery plugins section, indeed it's up to the author to label as such in the description at this point. We don't have a field for platform since all our databases are cross platform and the gallery was meant for databases, not really plugins!

[zooguy1492]

Thank you for the quick response.

I'm using Visual Studio 2008 with Windows Mobile SDK 5.0. Using any earlier version of either is really not an option (I just bought VS 2008 for this purpose).

You say that the LaunchApp was written for Visual Studio Embedded and pre Windows Mobile SDK 5.0. What is the newest Visual Studio and Windows Mobile SDK that will work for compiling a Plugin for HanDBase using the available HanDBase SDK? Am I required to compile the .dll with the same version of VS and Moble SDK as HanDBase was compiled?

FYI, The compiler messages in my last message were only warnings (not erros), but I couldn't get the .dll produced to run on the device.

[dhaupert]

Hi there,

Yes, indeed any DLLs that are called must be built in the same environment and SDKs we support. At this point, I know for a fact that Embedded Visual Studio 3 and 4 are compatible and I'm not sure, but would expect VS 2005 with the WM5 SDK to also work. Anything newer will most certainly not work.

You mention that those are warnings- indeed, but they were what clued me in that the DLL launch events won't be called if they are not compatible.

You can download EVC here:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/deta ... laylang=en