Datasheet

Chapter 1: Windows Embedded CE

To develop a customized OS runtime image, select the OS design template with the closest features to

the type of device you are working with, and add or remove components to meet the design goal.

Developing CE Applications

The Windows Embedded CE operating system is based on the Win32 application programming interface

(API). CE is designed to be a compact small - footprint operating system. The CE version of the Win32

API is a subset of the Win32 API for Windows XP and does not include all the function calls available

with the Windows XP Win32 API.

CE uses the UTF16 Unicode character encoding standard. This is a common practice for embedded

systems design and helps make it easier to port applications to support other languages.

In addition to the Win32 API, CE provides support for the following programming frameworks:

Active Template Library (ATL)

ActiveX

Microsoft Component Object Module (COM)

Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC)

.NET Compact Framework

The Windows Embedded CE Platform Builder is a plug - in for the Visual Studio (IDE) to develop OS

design, device driver, BSP, and OAL hardware interfacing codes.

While it ’ s possible to develop native code applications using the development environment provided by

the platform builder tool, application development using Visual C++, Visual C#, or Visual Basic within

Visual Studio provides a better environment to develop both managed and native code application.

Testing and Debugging

Windows Embedded CE provides an effective and easy - to - use testing and debugging environment,

enabling the developer to test and debug the OS runtime image and applications running on the actual

hardware and to insert breakpoints in the source files to halt program execution while the code is

actually running on the hardware. This level of combined hardware and software debugging enables the

developer to trace the codes to pinpoint problem areas quickly.

CE provides the following debugging connection and testing tools:

Kernel Independent Transport Layer (KITL)

CoreCon

CE Test Kit (CETK)

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