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Eventually I found an answer floating
down a newsgroup thread on
"news:microsoft.public.pocketpc.developer"
The thread went like this:
_________________________________________________
"Can anyone let me know how I give an eVB application
its
own icon so that it appears with this icon in the program
files list etc."
_________________________________________________
"try this"
http://www.microsoft.com/mobile/developer/technicalarticles/vbicon.asp
_________________________________________________
"That article is worthless. I don't
know why everyone keeps regurgitating it in response to
this question."
"It makes no mention of how to
incorporate the launcher into your setup. Nor does it explain
how to create a link file that passes an argument to the
launcher (can't be done programmatically), leaving you with
the clunky option of hard coding the path."
"Instead, visit this link:"
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q268/3/09.ASP
"It's much more comprehensive
and it actually works." _________________________________________________
Well I must thank the last fellow (Pete),
for sharing because he was right on the money. This hard
to find KB article does a great job of accurately stepping
through the process, and explaining how to create and deploy
a C++ wrapper that does work. Version 1.0 of my first product
shipped with it's own little icon and the ugly VB project
icon is hidden away in the product directory, out of the
average user's view.
So you would think I would be happy
now. I was empowered with a repeatable series of steps that
allowed me to generate a wrapper for any of my eVB projects.
These wrappers would allow my applications to gain or loose
respect based on their own merits, and not suffer the stinging
indignity cast upon them by users who could not see beyond
the fact that my eVB apps were simply appearance challenged.
Wasn't this enough?
After stepping down from the high
horse, I found that deploying a satisfactory eVB product
was becoming very time consuming.
- First thing I had to do after the
'Jell-O stopped shaking' was Back
Up and Strip to make sure my eVB file didn't leave the
house all bloated.
- Then, I had to compile the slimmed down project.
- Next, I needed to run the Application Install Wizard no
less than three times. Once for each processor I wished
to support. I could make one triple scoop CAB file, but
that wouldn't be fair to my customers that had to download
their new purchase from the distributor's site.
- Each of the above three distribution packages required
a five-minute or more multi-step process of editing INF
files and regenerating of the associated CAB files.
- Zipping up each distribution package took a couple more
minutes.
- Uploading each file to the distributor's site is no picnic
either since I live in an under-serviced rural community
with 56K service.
I caved, and skipped the icon for the
demo version of that first product.
Shortly after the successful shipment
of our first product I put the finishing touches on our
second product, a mortgage simulator. Mortgage SIM was definitely
going to have it's own icon and I decided to do the same
for the demo version even if it took a little more time.
It seemed like the right thing to do.
About midnight the planets aligned and
once again the Jell-O became still. I began the monotonous
process of packaging up all the hard work into a tight little
parcel. I doubled the steps above since the demo version
was ready to ship at the same time as the actual product.
I made six of pretty much everything. If it were not for
the late hour I probably would have had the steps of Knowledge
Base article Q268309 easily committed to memory by the time
I started uploading to the distributors site. While uploading,
I did one last test by installing the MIPS version of the
demo onto one of my Cassiopeia's. My eyes were getting heavy,
so I had to double check that I hadn't got the commercial
version and the demo version mixed up. I was not pleased
when "* DEMO *" didn't appear in the expected
locations on my Casio. After checking and double-checking,
I realized that my Back Up and Strip utility shouldn't be
used by the sleep deprived and that version 2 could use
some more idiot proofing. What I had found was, that I had
skipped the step of compiling the stripped down projects
for both the commercial and demo versions. That was a crucial
step before I repeated all of the remaining steps six times
each. Obviously, I should know better since I developed
the utility, but I'm sticking to the excuse that "I
was tired". Oh well, the moon beat me to sleep again,
but I eventually redid it all and got the right copies uploaded
to the distributor sites.
I find the most time consuming, monotonous
and error prone part of the process to actually be the INF
modifications and regenerating of the distribution CAB files
that are required to support the proper installation of
the C++ wrapper. It is the type of process that lends itself
to automation, so Back Up and Strip was going to get a baby
brother.
The development of ICon Ship has certainly
made the painful process of deploying Pocket PC apps a little
less time consuming. Less time consuming, means I am less
tempted to skip the custom Icon. The custom Icon, means
greater user satisfaction and improved usability of our
products, since it is much easier to distinguish different
applications on the Start Menu, when they don't all share
the same ugly little icon.
The INF modifications and regeneration
of the CAB files requires no rocket science. But, if you
are like me, and lack the patience, or on occasion the sleep,
to repeat this over and over for every shipment, of every
product, you might want to check out our product: ICon
Ship for eVB 3.0 Pocket PC developers.
To save yourself the time and hassle,
you can find "Back Up And Strip's" baby brother
available for a small fee through our web site at: www.visualbyte.com/products.htm.
There is also a free demo version available that lets you
explore the product but does not actually make any of the
modifications to your files.
Regardless of whether or not you use
our tool, the tool is based on the Microsoft KB Article
Q268309. That article is the key. You can currently find
the article at: http://support.microsoft.com/directory/article.asp?ID=KB;EN-US;Q268309
This article will help any of you that have yet to find
a good description of the necessary steps in shipping your
eVB app with it's own icon. Our tool simple automates some
of the really messy stuff and takes some of the headache
out of the process.
So don't forget, in our world of software
development, looks really do matter to the user. Now, none
of us should have an excuse to not ship our apps with good-looking
icons. Well, okay, how about at least an icon that is different
than that ugly little VB icon? <g>
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