Implementing Plug and Play GPS Hardware (Windows Embedded CE 6.0)
1/6/2010
GPS hardware that does not support plug and play must be configured manually. This means, for example, that an application or user must correctly set the COM port through which the GPS Intermediate Driver can access GPS hardware. Configuration of this type is discussed in more detail in Configuring the GPS Intermediate Driver.
In contrast, if the GPS hardware supports plug and play, the GPS Intermediate Driver may require little or no configuration, and using GPS may be as simple as connecting the hardware - say, by plugging in a GPS SDIO card.
Note
Windows Embedded CE does not support the same Plug and Play architecture as desktop versions of the Windows operating system. Windows Embedded CE uses device interface notifications to alert software to the appearance or disappearance of device interfaces. For more information about device interface notifications in Windows Embedded CE, see Device Interface Notifications.
GPS hardware manufacturers can support plug and play for their GPS hardware by registering to support the GUID defined as follows:
DEFINE_GUID(GPS_GUID, 0x5d425811, 0x8668, 0x47bb, 0x90, 0x37, 0xbf, 0xba, 0xb6, 0xdf, 0x40, 0xb4);
For more information about general plug and play concepts, including registration, see Device Interface Notifications.
The GPS Intermediate Driver uses plug and play GPS hardware if the following conditions are true:
- The GPS hardware driver registers using this GUID.
- The CurrentDriver registry entry is not set. If CurrentDriver is set, the GPS Intermediate Driver uses the configuration information in the registry instead of directly using GPS hardware that supports plug and play. For more information about CurrentDriver, see GPS Intermediate Driver Input Source Registry Settings.
- The CurrentDriver registry entry is set, but the configuration information in the registry is incorrect and does not result in a connection. In this case, the GPS Intermediate Driver attempts to use plug and play GPS hardware before it fails entirely. This only applies for configuration information that uses the "COMM" InterfaceType registry setting, not those that use "File". If a file input source fails, the GPS Intermediate Driver does not use plug and play hardware. For more information about InterfaceType, see GPS Intermediate Driver Input Source Registry Settings.
- The AllowPlugAndPlay registry entry is true (or is not present, as the default is true). For more information about AllowPlugAndPlay, see GPS Intermediate Driver General Registry Settings.