Build System Migration (Windows CE 5.0)
In Microsoft Windows CE 5.0, the functionality for the build system has changed from earlier versions of Platform Builder. If you are unfamiliar with the functionality in Windows CE .NET 4.2, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with the content in the Tutorials.
Migrating from Windows CE .NET
The integrated development environment (IDE) is now a thin client over the command-line tools that make up the build system.
In previous versions, the IDE had its own build system, which depended on information in the Platform Builder workspace (.pbw) files to build run-time images in the IDE. This meant that OS designs created in the IDE could not be built from the command-line.
In Windows CE 5.0, the IDE build system logic has been removed, and the IDE now calls the command-line build system to perform builds. As in previous versions, the command-line build system uses sources and dirs files, which contain the information used to build run-time images.
For more information about workspaces and projects in Windows CE 5.0, see Workspaces Migration and Projects Migration.
While the IDE passes build environment information to the command-line build system, the command-line build files are parsed for information, including the dependencies of selected Catalog items. This makes it possible to create an OS design in the IDE and build a run-time image based on that OS design from the command-line.
The changes to the build system also include changes to the menus in the IDE that more closely mirror the functionality available from the command-line. For more information, see Platform Builder Menu Migration.
The Cesysgen Tool (Cesysgen.bat) now controls a set of smaller Cesysgen batch (.bat) files. Each subordinate batch file contains the Cesysgen logic for a specific dependency tree in your OS tree installation.
In earlier Windows CE versions, all OS designs were built using either the headless (HLBASE) or display-based (IABASE) core configurations. The choice of configuration affected the selection of available Catalog items in the Catalog.
Now there is only one core configuration, CEBASE. All OS designs are built using this configuration, facilitating selection and display of available Catalog items in the Catalog. For more information, see Migrating a Catalog Item.
The Catalog no longer tracks dependency and build-specific information, which was previously contained in Catalog item (.cec) files. If a .cec file contains this information, Platform Builder does not process that information. For more information, see Catalog Item Files and Migrating a Catalog Item.
The Catalog item (.cec) file format has changed, and .cec files are no longer used to contain dependency and build-specific information about associated Catalog items.
BIBInfo blocks are deprecated; BuildMethod blocks are now only used to specify supported CPUs and provide links to source files, Help documentation (.chm), and Platform Builder project (.pbpxml) files.
For more information about valid .cec file syntax, see Catalog Item Files.
Platform Builder no longer generates or uses Sources.gen files during builds that include the associated include paths. Instead, Sources.cmn files, which are static, are used.
Sysgen variables have been updated. For more information, see Sysgen Variables.
Environment variables have been updated. For information about valid environment variables in Windows CE 5.0, see Environment Variables.
Custom build functionality has been updated.
You can use the new Custom Build Actions tab on the Platform Settings dialog box to specify custom build actions that are performed during the build process. For more information, see Platform Settings: Custom Build Actions Tab.
On this dialog box, you can also use the new Image Settings tab to specify run-time image settings for user-created projects included in your workspace. For more information, see Platform Settings: Image Settings Tab.
Migrating from Windows CE 3.0
If your OS design is based on a Windows CE 3.0-based design template, for a listing of the Sysgen flags that correspond to the modules and components of your OS design, see Windows CE 3.0 Migration Map.
Also, for a listing of valid environment variables in Windows CE 5.0, see Environment Variables.
See Also
Build System | Command-Line Tools | Building and Downloading Migration
Last updated on Thursday, February 02, 2006
Send Feedback on this topic to the authors