Platform Builder and C#

Question

Platform Builder is a tool for building a Windows CE Operating system on your computer and then loading it on a Windows CE device.

All this is done through Platform Builder. And I do it all through the Microsoft Visual Stuido Development Environment (IDE).

I want to automate the process of using the Platform Builder. So far, I only know how to use the Platform Builder through the IDE. I want to use the Platform Builder through another program written in C#.

Another approach to this goal is to learn how to use Platform Builder from the command line. If it can be done by the command line, then it could also be done through a C# program. I have seen some links here and there that say that you can do a Platform Builder build from the command line, but so far, they are not so good.

Any tips?

This link: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms924536.aspx talks about "How to Use the Command Line to Create, Customize, and Build a Run-Time Image" but it has links about Creating ai OS Design ( http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa448498.aspx ) that requires using the IDE.

It would be great to find a good link about this topic. If I can do what I need to do using the IDE, I should be able to do what I need to do from the command line. If I can do what I need to do from the command line, I should be able to do what I need to do from a C# program. That is my goal.

Answer 1

Command-Line Tools contains a complete list of all the Platform Builder command line commands.

Note: "The IDE and command-line environments are independent of each other".

Also, you need to use the Visual Studio command line under "Start" / "All Programs" / ... otherwise the environment will be wrong.

Answer 2

This link mentions Windows CE Build Environment tool (Wince.bat) that sets up the Windows CE build environment. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms938334.aspx

And this link describes how to use the Windows CD Build Environment Tool: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms930978.aspx

Basically, when you use wince.bat, you pass it three arguments: CPU; PROJECT, and PLATFORM. I have figured out what to input for the CPU and the PLATFORM. But what to use for the "PROJECT" has me a little puzzled. It seems that for this argument, you can give it any project name you want. This does not work. So I have tried the names of a few existing project folders. This does not work either. So now I am thinking that I am supposed to define a project name prior to making the wince.bat call. How do I do this?

Answer 3

Not really a answer to your question but you may like to check out and follow Bruce Eitman's blog as he covers Platform Builder problems and solutions.