Create a Virtual Device for Use with an SDK (Compact 2013)

  • Article

3/26/2014

This topic describes how to create a virtual device that can boot and run Compact 2013 without downloading a run-time image from Platform Builder. This particular use of a virtual device is sometimes called a stand-alone device, and is primarily used by application developers along with an SDK. To create a virtual device that can run without Platform Builder, create a virtual machine with the following characteristics:

  • It boots from a local drive, not from the network.
  • Its does not have KITL support.
  • Its virtual disk contains a boot loader and a run-time image for your OS.
  • The run-time image includes all necessary drivers to support your SDK, such as communication drivers, file system drivers, network utilities, and keyboard drivers.

This topic focuses on the specific adjustments you need to make to use an OS design and an SDK with virtual devices. For more information about how to design and build an OS for your device, see Design an OS. For more information about how to create an SDK, see Build an SDK.

Make adjustments to the virtual device

To allow the virtual device to run Compact 2013 without Platform Builder, create a virtual hard disk (VHD) and perform the procedures in this section.

To modify the virtual device to run with an SDK

  1. Add the boot loader and run-time image to your VHD. For more information, see Create a Bootable Compact 2013 Disk.

  2. If the following CoreCon files are not included in your SDK or OS, add them to the root folder of your VHD.

    • Clientshutdown3.exe
    • CMAccept3.exe
    • ConmanClient3.exe
    • DeviceAgentTransport.dll
    • eDbgTL3.dll
    • TcpConnectionA.dll

    You can find these files on the computer that runs Platform Builder in the folder %programfiles% (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Embedded Tools\CoreCon\11.0\Target\wce800\Platform, where Platform is the name of the folder that matches the hardware platform.

  3. If you want to use the remote tools framework with this virtual device, make sure the file TCPlatform BuilderootstrapA.exe is included in the SDK or added to the root folder of your VHD. You can find this file in the folder %programfiles% (x86)\Microsoft Remote Framework Tools\8.00\target\wce800\Platform, where Platform is the name of the folder that matches the hardware platform.

  4. Set the virtual device to boot from the local drive. If you are using the boot loader from the HD0_sample.VHD file, see Customize the Sample Virtual Device for instructions.

Connect your virtual device to the SDK

To fully test the SDK, connect your virtual device to a computer that does not have Platform Builder installed. The computer must have Visual Studio 2013 and Application Builder for Visual Studio 2013 installed before you test the SDK with your virtual device.

To connect to an SDK

  1. Run the SDK installation file. In most cases, this is an MSI file.

  2. Open Visual Studio 2013, and then create a new project that uses the SDK. For detailed instructions, see Create Your Application Using an SDK for an OS Image.

  3. Start your virtual device, open a command window, and then run the following CoreCon commands in the following listed order:

    s Conmanclient3

    s CMAccept3

  4. In Visual Studio, open the Debug menu, and then select Attach to Process.

  5. The name of your virtual device appears under the Title column on the list of available processes. Select your device, and then select Attach.

See Also

Concepts

Use the Sample Virtual Device