With your PPC2k3 make a .cdb from my .mdb!

[BobWitt]

Help! - I'm trying to validate my software on the new hp 22XX - but I only have PPC 2K and 2K2...

When MS went from CE 2.11 to 3.0 the format of the .cdb changed...

I think they did it again with the 3.0 to 4.x change...

I took my installation CAB (and the needed runtimes etc.) to circuit city and installed, including a .cdb I created between my desktop and my PPC 2k2 machine - received an error "... cannot create a file when that file already exists". I think this is due to a change in the .cab...

So, what I need is (please help!)
1) someone with a PPC 2k3
2) I email 2 .mdb files to you
3) you copy the .mdb files from desktop to ppc 2k3
4) you use ActiveSync file explorer to change the .cdb to .txt
5) copy the .txt to the desktop and email them back!

Thanks

BobWitt
rcwittmann at earthlink dot net

[entropy1980]

What's in it for us? :wink:

[BobWitt]

entropy 1980 said: What's in it for us? :wink:

Well, beyond knowing you helped a fellow PPC user, I would be willing to throw a free copy of the software...

Reference http://www.**********.com - I question if it is your 'cup of tea', but, maybe we are just learning another side of entropy 1980

BobWitt

[oe1kenobi]

After a few days of searching, I found out how to get the Pocket PC 2003 Emulator to connect to ActiveSync.

The "official" instructions are in the SDK's help files (doh!), just open Pocket PC 2003 Help and do a help search for activesync emulator.

There are instructions for setting up ActiveSync via network under Using ActiveSync over Virtual Switch (which didn't work for me as the emuascfg program complained about a missing mscoree.dll file, maybe because I don't have eVC4.0 installed).

There are also instructions on setting it up over a null-modem serial cable under Using ActiveSync over Serial (some help can be found here (http://www.daycounter.com/EmulatorActiveSync.html) and this has hints on setting it up with SmartPhone 2002 (http://www.smartphonedn.com/qa/activesync_emulator.html), which is actually where I found this answer.) Note that this solution requires a null-modem cable and two serial ports, or it should work with a virtual null-modem cable using the free 14-day trial of Virtual Serial Ports Driver (http://www.mks.zp.ua/vspdxp.php). I happened to have a real null-modem cable about, so I used that.

After creating a partnership with ActiveSync over null-serial, you can ditch the cable and sync over the network. This is what the mythical emuascfg program is supposed to setup for you.
From C:\Program Files\Windows CE Tools\wce420\POCKET PC 2003\Tools\sdk_tools_readme.htm
EmuASCfg.exe
This tool configures ActiveSync and the Pocket PC emulator to allow establishment of an ActiveSync partnership over the Ethernet Virtual Switch.
You must use eMbedded Visual C++ to boot the Pocket PC emulator using the VirtualSwitch option before running this tool. For usage information, type “emuascfg.exe /?” at the command line.

If that works for you, great. Either-way, after the partnership has been established you can connect over the network (after you set the ethernet type of the emulator to "virtual switch" mode). Just make sure you "Save Emulator State" when you close the emulator!

Note this doesn't entirely eliminate the need to test on actual Pocket PC 2003 devices, but it sure helps!

-Richard L. Owens

[BobWitt]

Thanks for all the assistance - and FYI to others that may try the same thing...

What I tripped on was the database... I took all the needed installers (cab files), and database files to the HP2210 on a CF card...

But, the database was created via ActiveSync - to a PPC 2k2. Tonight I took my notebook and created a Guest partnership via IR and moved the .mdb to the PPC 2k3 via ActiveSync - it ran! And Fast too!

So, the bottom line is... cdb files are not compatable between CE 3.0 and CE4.x!!! Any database application on CE4.x device will either need to assemble the database locally, or move it to the PPC from a MDB via ActiveSync...

Bob

[Peter Foot]

Microsoft have released a tool which will convert a cdb database on your device to the new format:-
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=636008aa-a011-4188-a1aa-4dd723e315bf&displaylang=en

I have yet to try it but it looks like what you are looking for.

Peter