Terminology (Windows CE 5.0)

Some of the terminology in Microsoft® Windows® CE 5.0 differs from terminology in previous versions of Windows CE.

The following list provides definitions for terms that are new and widely used in Windows CE 5.0:

Catalog item
Any item that you can select from the Catalog.
design template
A pre-defined selection of operating system (OS) components that Microsoft provides for a category of target devices. A design template is a starting point. When saved or modified, the design template becomes an OS design.
OS design
A selection of Catalog items that defines the characteristics of an OS. You can begin an OS design with or without a design template. An OS design corresponds to a set of Sysgen variables.
run-time image
Software to deploy on a target device, or the same software running on a target device. A run-time image contains the OS and associated software.

The following list provides definitions for other terms that are widely used in Windows CE 5.0:

board support package (BSP)
Software that is specific to a hardware board. This software typically includes the boot loader, OEM adaptation layer (OAL), and board-specific device drivers.
Catalog
A container of individually selectable units of Windows CE functionality.
component
The smallest unit of functionality that you can add to an OS design.
configuration
A selection of Catalog items and a selection of build options.
hardware platform
A hardware architecture for running a Windows CE OS and associated software.
module
An EXE or a DLL that is a part of a Windows CE OS.
project
A tracking mechanism for a collection of files that you can use to build functionality into a Windows CE OS.
target device, Windows CE–based device
An instance of a hardware architecture or an instance of a combined hardware and software architecture.
workspace
A container for all files related to an OS design.

The following list provides definitions for terms that are sparingly used in Windows CE 5.0:

feature
A comprehensive technology that Microsoft presents as a single entity.
platform
A hardware and software architecture, on a target device, that results from downloading a run-time image to the target device.

The following list shows terms that are not used in Windows CE 5.0 but that were used in earlier versions of Windows CE:

anchored feature, unanchored feature
Windows CE 5.0 refers to Catalog items that you select and Catalog items selected by a design template as user-specified Catalog items.
build release directory
Windows CE 5.0 uses the term release directory. Previous releases of Windows CE use the terms build release directory and release directory synonymously.
custom configuration, platform configuration
Windows CE 5.0 refers to a selection of Catalog items as an OS design, and refers to a selection of Catalog items and build options as a configuration.
development platform
Windows CE 5.0 refers to a hardware architecture as a hardware platform, and refers to an instance of a hardware architecture as a target device.
OS image
Windows CE 5.0 refers to a selection of Catalog items as an OS design, and refers to software to deploy or software already deployed on a target device as a run-time image.

Additional resources