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RAS connections within eVB or VB.NET
With the concept of mobility and your
mobile applications, it is now possible to incorporate the
ability to dial a remote connection right from your eVB
or VB.NET application. Sapphire
Solutions Ltd have developed an easy-to-use utility
that can create a remote connection to the Internet or a
remote computer (e.g. ActiveSync), hang-up any connection
and also manage your connection entries.
Overview
You can download the demo
project of the Sapphire RAS DLL which
includes a personal use version of the utility. This utility
allows creating and hanging-up a remote connection and retrieve
the connection list. You can also add, edit and remove your
connection entries right from within your VB application.
Running the Project
After downloading and unzipping the
SapphireRAS demo project, you need to add the appropriate
version of the SapphireRAS.DLL to the \Windows
directory on your Pocket PC. If you are using VB.NET, you
will need to include the SapphireRAS.DLL
into the application directory of your program instead.
You can find the correct DLL in the unzipped project directory
under the appropriate sub-directory. Once you have done
this you can run the desired project file on the client
device.
This demo project is a multi-purpose
project that demonstrates the functionality of both the
Sapphire
RAS and Sapphire
FTP utilities. Depending on which DLLs you have installed
on your client device, the demo project will allow you to
use the associated functionality.
In terms of the RAS functionality, if
there is a connection already running when the project is
launched (for example, ActiveSync), it will automatically
be detected and displayed on the main RAS screen. From this,
you can then get the status of the connection and even hang-up
if required.
Dial Settings
The dial settings allows selection of
connections available to use. The demo detects all existing
connections on the device and allows the user to specify
the username, password and domain for this connection.
Phone Book Settings
The Phone Book Settings allow you to
create or select an existing connection entry and edit the
number, area code, device and type of connection. You can
also rename or delete this connection.
Advanced Phone Book Settings
The utility also allows you to modify
the advanced settings of the connection. These include:
- Baud Rate
- Data Bits
- Parity
- Stop Bits
- Flow Control
- Dial as local call
- Use country and area codes
|
- User server-assigned IP address
- Specify static IP address
- Use Slip
- User software compression
- Use IP header compression
- Use server assigned or static
DNS, Alternative DNS, WINS server and Alternative
WINS server
|
| |
|
- Credit Card tone Timeout
- Dial-up Timeout
- Extra dial-string modem commands
- Use terminal before connecting
- Use terminal after connecting
- Enter dialing commands manually
- Wait for dial tone before dialing
|
- Dialing location (e.g. Work/Home)
- Local Calls connection string
- Long Distance connection string
- Internal connection string
- Country code
- Area code
|
The Code
To implement RAS functionality in your
own eVB or VB.NET application you only need to create a
few simple calls to the DLL.
Example: Linking the DLL using VB.NET
<DllImport("SapphireRAS.dll")>
_
Public Function sRASDial( _
ByVal sEntryName
As String, _
ByVal sUsername
As String, _
ByVal sPassword
As String, _
ByVal sDomain As
String, _
ByRef hRasConn
As Integer, _
ByRef hDC As
Integer, _
ByVal lLicence
As Integer) As
Integer
End Function
<DllImport("SapphireRAS.dll")> _
Public Function sRASHangUp(
_
ByVal hRasConn
As Integer) As
Integer
End Function
Example: Linking the DLL using eVB
Declare Function
sRASDial _
Lib "SapphireRAS.dll"
( _
ByVal sEntryName
As String, _
ByVal sUsername
As String, _
ByVal sPassword
As String, _
ByVal sDomain As
String, _
hRasConn As Long,
_
hDC As Long, _
ByVal lLicence As Long)
As Long
Declare Function
sRASHangUp _
Lib "SapphireRAS.dll"
_
(ByVal hRasConn
As Long) As
Long
A simple example on how to create a
RAS connection is shown below:
lResult = sRASDial(sConnectionEntry, sUsername,
_
sPassword, sDomain, lConnection, hDC, _
SapphireRASLicence)
- lResult contains the number
of any possible error that may have been encountered.
- sConnectionEntry is the
name of the connection.
- lConnection is the variable
that will store the connection handle. We can use this
to get the status and hang-up the connection.
- hDC is the handle of the
form. Please refer to the project demo to find out how
to get the form's handle.
- SapphireRASLicence is the
licence number for registered users of the utility. For
the demo project, this will be 1234567890.
Below is a simple example on how to
hand-up a remote connection:
lResult = sRASHangUp(lConnection)
- lResult contains the number
of any possible error that may have been encountered.
- lConnection is the handle
to the connection that was originally created.
Please refer to the demo
project for a more complete example on how to use the
utility including error capturing and status reporting.
Where to find the demo
The product information page for the
latest Sapphire RAS utility allows you to download the personal
use version that includes the sample eVB and VB.NET projects
with the demo version of the DLL for each target platform.
This can be found at www.sapphire-solutions.co.uk/product.asp?product=RAS.
Licence of use
For those that wish to simply experiment
with the utility or use it for personal projects, you can
use the utility absolutely free of charge.
For those that wish to include the utility
into their own commercial applications, they can purchase
a royalty-free licence for the utility online at http://www.sapphire-solutions.co.uk.
This is a one off payment that allows you to distribute
it in any projects created under the registered company.
Please refer to the web site for the latest prices.
Other utilities you may find useful
Sapphire Solutions Ltd have a variety
of other utilities that you may find useful or vital to
your application. Some of these are:
- Sapphire
FTP - Communicate with a FTP server (includes directory
navigation).
- Sapphire
GZip - Compress and decompress files into .gz or .zip
format.
- Sapphire
Encrypt - Encrypt or decrypt strings or files ensuring
its confidentiality.
- Sapphire
IrDA - Use your application to print on an IrDA enabled
printer.
- Sapphire
Buttons - Take control of other buttons on your device.
Please check www.sapphire-solutions.co.uk
for a full listing of available products.