Microsoft Visual Studio compatibility

8 Nov 2007

Microsoft Windows Mobile

Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 or previous is the recommended programming environment for writing software to run in Microsoft Windows Mobile on our rugged handheld computer products. Software Development Kits (SDKs) for each of our products are listed in the Software Development Kits (SDKs) article.

If you need support with Visual Studio, please refer to the Online Help in Visual Studio, or to Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN).

Allegro CX Field PC

Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 allows you to develop "managed" code applications using the .NET Compact Framework 2.0 SP2 without having to specify the version of Windows CE being targeted, removing target platform limitations found in Visual Studio .NET 2003 and 2005.

Otherwise, it is highly recommended to use Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003 or the free Embedded Visual C++ 4.0 to program for the Allegro CX Field PC.

If you would prefer to use Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 or 2008 to program software to run on the Allegro CX Field PC (Windows CE .NET 4.2) and would like to install the Microsoft .NET Compact Framework 2.0 SP2, then please refer to our "Microsoft .NET Compact Framework 2.0 will not install properly" FAQ website for more information.

Note: "Microsoft Windows CE 4.2" is not an option for a device type when creating a project in Visual Studio 2005. Instead, select "Pocket PC 2003" or "Windows CE 5.0", and disable any controls in the project that do not exist on a Windows CE 4.2 device such as the Allegro CX Field PC. An example is that there may be a blank band at the top of your "Pocket PC 2003" project. This is a Menu Bar that must be de-selected so it does not appear on the form. In the form window in VS 2005, select the entire form. Under the form properties, scroll all the way to the bottom under "Window Style" and change the option for Menu to none. This will make the blank band disappear.

Allegro CE Field PC

Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 and 2008 applications are not compatible with the Allegro CE and CE/DOS Field PC models.

Note: Microsoft Windows CE .NET 4.1 and the .NET Compact Framework 1.0 SP3 must be installed on an Allegro CE Field PC to be able to run .NET applications written in Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003.