Newbie with a question. No laughs please.

[Benzmac]

I am a Mercedes tuner. I have a Windows based program for tuning that connects to a fuel ECU via a laptop.

Is there a way to convert this existing program to a Pocket PC interface? If so, where do I start?

Thanks for any help.

And, how would it connect? I am currently using a com port on the laptop.

[Peter Foot]

You haven't said whether you developed the windows software or it is an off the shelf product.

You can't just run desktop software on the Pocket PC. It needs to be compiled for the appropriate processors (most PocketPC's use ARM and derivatives such as XScale) rather than x86, it can only use a subset of the full win32 api's which means probably re-coding some or all of it. And the UI needs to be built to fit the smaller screens.

Presuming your app talks through a standard COM port, there's no reason why in theory it can't be ported to the Pocket PC.

[Benzmac]

This is an off the shelf product. The communication is exactly as you described.

I noticed that the Dell Axim uses primarily the ifrared port as it's output. How would this work?

[Janak Parekh]

This is an off the shelf product. The communication is exactly as you described.
Then, honestly, you have a problem. You need access to the source to port it to the PPC platform, or you need the publisher to do it if you can't get hold of the source code.

--janak

[Jimmy Dodd]

A second problem is that not all PPCs have standard serial COM ports. If you are developing an app for a PPC make sure that the hardware ports are available.

[SeRoToNiN]

You haven't said whether you developed the windows software or it is an off the shelf product.

You can't just run desktop software on the Pocket PC. It needs to be compiled for the appropriate processors (most PocketPC's use ARM and derivatives such as XScale) rather than x86, it can only use a subset of the full win32 api's which means probably re-coding some or all of it. And the UI needs to be built to fit the smaller screens.

Presuming your app talks through a standard COM port, there's no reason why in theory it can't be ported to the Pocket PC.
He's a car person, not a programmer!
Do you know how to tune a mercedes?
That's why he's here. Same as you would go to him if your Mercedes needed tuning. Except that you wouldn't expect to be patronised for asking a simple question.

[lanwarrior]

Benzmac,

In a nut shell, you need to develop a PocketPC software that can "talk" to a Mercedez. Are you intending to build it yourself? If you haven't done programming before, I suggest hire a programmer or contract company to do it. If you're up to the challenge (prgoramming can be fun!), then you can build it yourself. The forum is here to help you out.

[PPCdev]

In order to write the software for the PPC, the first thing is you need to know how the communications take place. If its done over a serial interface, thats not a problem but as mentioned before, you need a PPC with a serial connection. I have yet to locate a serial cable for my Maestro therefore I conclude it has no serial port. :-)

The most critical thing is its communications protocol. How do you querry the ECM to send data back? Such as, what instruction do I sent to receive the operating temp of the engine? Is there any special control characters? Are there checksums, and if so, how are they computed? Will the ECM require a response after the data is sent to the PPC?

Ive looked into doing something similar for the GM ALDL plug, but documentation is slim so that project is on the way back burner.

However, I hope this response gives you more insight on what would be needed. Im not saying it cant be done, just it might be harder than you expect once you get started.

Good luck!

[luebster]

You haven't said whether you developed the windows software or it is an off the shelf product.

You can't just run desktop software on the Pocket PC. It needs to be compiled for the appropriate processors (most PocketPC's use ARM and derivatives such as XScale) rather than x86, it can only use a subset of the full win32 api's which means probably re-coding some or all of it. And the UI needs to be built to fit the smaller screens.

Presuming your app talks through a standard COM port, there's no reason why in theory it can't be ported to the Pocket PC.
He's a car person, not a programmer!
Do you know how to tune a mercedes?
That's why he's here. Same as you would go to him if your Mercedes needed tuning. Except that you wouldn't expect to be patronised for asking a simple question.

I don't think he was being patronizing. I think he was just laying out the facts. Straight forward answers for a noob that might not understand our sometimes cryptic replies.

I think you were a little out of line there.... no hard feelings? :wink:

[Peter Foot]

You haven't said whether you developed the windows software or it is an off the shelf product.

You can't just run desktop software on the Pocket PC. It needs to be compiled for the appropriate processors (most PocketPC's use ARM and derivatives such as XScale) rather than x86, it can only use a subset of the full win32 api's which means probably re-coding some or all of it. And the UI needs to be built to fit the smaller screens.

Presuming your app talks through a standard COM port, there's no reason why in theory it can't be ported to the Pocket PC.
He's a car person, not a programmer!
Do you know how to tune a mercedes?
That's why he's here. Same as you would go to him if your Mercedes needed tuning. Except that you wouldn't expect to be patronised for asking a simple question.

I don't think he was being patronizing. I think he was just laying out the facts. Straight forward answers for a noob that might not understand our sometimes cryptic replies.

I think you were a little out of line there.... no hard feelings? :wink:

SeRoToNiN,

I had no intention of being patronising, I apologise if you have mis-intepreted my reply, I merely set out the differences between what Benzman is currently using and what he would like to use on a Pocket PC.