Pocket C#: Compile .NET Code On Your Pocket PC

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://mifki.ru/pcsharp/index.html' target='_blank'>http://mifki.ru/pcsharp/index.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Pocket C# is port of C# compiler from DotGNU project to Windows CE. DotGNU contains open-source runtime, compiler, tools and many other things to make free cross-platform .NET environment. I took only compiler and several required tools and ported them with some modifications to WinCE platform. It's quite easy to use and I'm going to make IDE for more comfortable usage. What all of this means? In a few words it means that now you can develop and build applications using standard .NET CF and C# right on your pocket device. It's really easy, you almost don't need to do anything manually - just write your code and project file and then build it with one tap!"</i><br /><br />This actually came out within the last two weeks, but I didn't get a chance to post on it earlier. In any case, it looks very cool, although I personally don't see myself writing code on a Pocket PC; a 1600x1200 screen is barely enough for me when I'm using an IDE as it is. ;)

[darrylb]

I guess it might be useful if you wanted a really (really really) simple app - but I agree, You need high res for reasonable development.

I'm keen to know if anyone has actually used it for anything useful tho

[Chucky]

I'm currently thinking of porting Hugs (Haskell interpreter) to Windows CE. More for educational purposes (ie. will be able to try out examples and stuff during programming lectures etc) then anything.

C# just isnt my thing, well at least not on a Pocket PC :mrgreen:

[marovada]

You can complain about the size of the screen if you want. I think that this and pocket gcc are fantastic! Someone has gone to the trouble of making available a proper compiler on the pocket pc - compare this with pocket c which isn't a proper compiler but is very popular.

The reason I like this is that it moves the pocket pc away from being a just PIM device to a real computer. I love the idea of coding on a bus with such a small form factor. I'm planning on getting a VGA device in the future and this will make it even better,

The best thing is that someone is prepared to put in the time and effort and offer this for free :!: He is even making an ide available for it. I'm certainly not complaining :D

[sub_tex]

although I personally don't see myself writing code on a Pocket PC; a 1600x1200 screen is barely enough for me when I'm using an IDE as it is. ;)

IDE? We don't need no stinkin' IDE!

VIM is all you need. :D

On a VGA screen in landscape with an IR keyboard, this would be perfect.

[Janak Parekh]

IDE? We don't need no stinkin' IDE!
Hey - emacs is one of my main IDEs (along with Eclipse). :P Of course, being a vi user, that still probably doesn't impress you much. ;)

On a VGA screen in landscape with an IR keyboard, this would be perfect.
I guess it really depends on the size of the project. As Chucky implies, this might be useful for trying out small code projects. In my case, I often have several large pieces of code open on the screen at any time, and even a 640x480 screen (I have an e805) would be far from sufficient.

Mind you, guys, I'm not trying to put this down at all. I think it's very cool. I'm just not sure it'll be practical for me.

--janak

[JonMisurda]

I guess it might be useful if you wanted a really (really really) simple app - but I agree, You need high res for reasonable development.

I'm keen to know if anyone has actually used it for anything useful tho

I ported my radar application (After I tried StormChaser and saw that all it did was download images from www.noaa.gov i figured, hey i could do that for free) from ForwardPass (all written on my Axim) to C# to learn the language.

It's 10K of source, it downloads 5 different maps and 1 animated one, and I wrote it completely on the Axim.

It's hardcoded at the moment to download Pittsbugh radar, but someday I hope to make it customizable.

Jon

[jefito]

marovada said:

Someone has gone to the trouble of making available a proper compiler on the pocket pc - compare this with pocket c which isn't a proper compiler but is very popular.


Maybe I've missed something -- could you please explain in what way Pocket C is not a "proper compiler"? It compiles the Pocket C language into a run-time format that is executed; how is that different from the C# compiler announced here?

[marovada]

marovada said:

Someone has gone to the trouble of making available a proper compiler on the pocket pc - compare this with pocket c which isn't a proper compiler but is very popular.


Maybe I've missed something -- could you please explain in what way Pocket C is not a "proper compiler"? It compiles the Pocket C language into a run-time format that is executed; how is that different from the C# compiler announced here?

This is what I meant (as I was referring to both pocket gcc and pocket c#).

Pocket C is a cut down version of the c language and cannot compile native C or C++ code. There is an extension to pocket c that allows you to gain access to the Win API, but that's about it.

Pocket gcc is a version of the gcc open source c and c++ compiler - it is a full compiler in that it doesn't require a runtime (ie. it compiles to a binary executable). Also, you write programs in (pretty much) full c and c++, with very few limitations. You have access to the full Win CE API.

Pocket c# is just like the c# compiler in Visual Studio. net (without all the bells and whistles of course). The fact that there is a runtime is the same as any of the .net compilers. The difference between this and pocket c is that pocket c# programs have much greater portability to other win32 platforms because you are programming in the c# languange, not some cut down version of a language like pocket c.

I'm not saying that pocket c is bad. In fact, it's very popular. The difference is that pgcc and pc# are FREE and are not cut down language compilers. In any event pgcc is a "proper" compiler because there is no runtime required (you can use both a static or dynamic runtime - it's up to you).

Hope this clarifies things.

[Kowalski]

some people may find coding on a ppc very exciting, but for me this comes very useless. i use a 17" monitor and thinking to get a bigger one and so i dont think of using a 3.5" monitor ever.(minus SIP area)
maybe it would be a bit of use with a device like jornado 720 but with a ppc...

[Kati Compton]

I'd enjoy using a compiler on the PPC just for fun, but wouldn't be able to do any serious programming. Although, I could see it being nice for the part of the development cycle that involves

1. Works on PPC emulator on desktop
2. Transfer to PPC
3. Doesn't work on real PPC
4. Change code on desktop
5. After debugging on PPC emulator, goto 1.

[Kowalski]

i use remote display which comes in mobile developer power tools.
this way using the live device is just like using the emulator.

[jerryk]

some people may find coding on a ppc very exciting, but for me this comes very useless. i use a 17" monitor and thinking to get a bigger one and so i dont think of using a 3.5" monitor ever.(minus SIP area)
maybe it would be a bit of use with a device like jornado 720 but with a .

I agree. You can never have to much screen space or too many monitors!

jeryy