.NET Compact Framework

[chs]

What do you need in order to develop apps targetting the .NET Compact Framework? Do you need Visual Studio .NET or can you develop apps just using your favorite editor and the .NET compilers/runtime that you can download for free?

[Janak Parekh]

Unfortunately, I think you need VS .Net 2003 for now. There were rumblings that MS was going to release a free .NET CF SDK, but they haven't officially committed to one yet -- although it's been made clear to them that there is large demand for one.

--janak

[Peter Foot]

Unfortunately, I think you need VS .Net 2003 for now. There were rumblings that MS was going to release a free .NET CF SDK, but they haven't officially committed to one yet

It looks like this wont happen until the next version of the Compact Framework - whenever that happens. This was posted by Microsoft to one of Andy's articles about the .NET CF tools situation.

It is our intent to offer an SDK for the next release of the .NET Compact Framework, so hopefully that clarifies our intent for the future

In the short term VS .NET 2003 is the only way to do Compact framework development but Microsoft are certainly aware of the need to broaden the options for future versions.

Peter

[bwa999]

This should not be a limitation of the framework actually. As long as you set the correct references to the correct lib's, the vbc.exe compiler does have a param for /netcf (compact framework). (csc does also)

I'm sure it will be a pain to setup the resource files, config files, and classes by hand to output to the cf, but im sure it is possible. vs.net abstracts alot of code for you.

Of course I do not know this, because I have not tried it, but since the compiler has an option output cf files, I wouldnt see where the issue would be. vs.net just makes the xml config files, and resource files for us, and abstracts the calls to the compiler.

[bwa999]

Well, when I think about it. If those assemblies only come with vs.net 03 then obviously you couldnt build it.. But if thats the case, maybe the assemblies could be brought over.. I have vs.net here, so I would see them. Does anyone have just the framework installed?

In a quick test I was able to make a class and compile it to a library with /netcf option. I will try to add the library to a cf project later.

[prismejon]

Take a look at this:
How to develop software for .NET Compact Framework without (!) Visual Studio .NET (http://msmobiles.com/article.php/35.html)

[dubStylee]

What do you need in order to develop apps targetting the .NET Compact Framework? Do you need Visual Studio .NET or can you develop apps just using your favorite editor and the .NET compilers/runtime that you can download for free?

There is an open source .NET development suite including CLI compilers, runtimes for some platforms, and other stuff at

http://www.go-mono.com/