compact framework on regulat PC for hardcore .NET developers

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Hi question to comapct .NET gurus
This may sound strange or even silly but anyway...
Is it possible to create comapct .NET app which will run on regular PC
machine (WIn XP pro +sp2) ? I'll explain : we have very weak PC machines
Celeron 900 + 256MB RAM + no HD - only flash disk 1 GB + no page file . On
these machine I want to execute GUI intensive .NET app. Regular .NET app eats
too much RAM. Comapct frmework was created for PDA an devices which have very
modest CPU and RAM. I was wondering perhaps it is possible to somehow tweak
compact framework and .NET app and run my app on regulat PC. Im not familiar
with compact FMW but may be there is some special mode for PC (not developing
emulator) ? There are only 2 conditions: consume as less as possible RAM and
PC-like GUI.
thanks a lot David
 
My understanding is that your existing .NET CF application will run against
the full framework, assuming that you haven't used any objects or APIs that
don't exist there, right out of the box. However, no, you can't somehow
move the framework itself to your PC, unless you make the PC run Windows CE
instead of XP. You can run the .NET CF application, but it will still have
to run against the full framework.

Does the PC need to be running XP? If not, you could (although I'm not
recommending it), run Windows CE on it and, therefore, .NET CF on that. If
you really need XP, then buy better hardware. It's way cheaper than any
sort of hack-this, tweak-that sort of solution...

Paul T.
 
Hi
let me clarify my situation:
I have an existing .NET 1.1 app (not CF) + this weak H/W. I was thinking to
port .NET app to CF .NET and install CF .NET runtime on PC. I will have to
re-write entire app to comply CF, but as I understand from your response its
impossible to install and execute CF .NAT app on regular PC. Unfortunately
H/W choise is not mine - it comes from customer I supply some H/W device +
soft. But may ber installing Windows CE is a solution - I do not understand
all consequences right now - but its obvios that this is something unhealthy

thank you for your response.
David
 
Hi David,

The projects created form VC# & VB | Smart Device | WinCE5.0 could also
be run on regular PC with XPs.......Since the .NET CF is a subset of .NET F,
this is for sure.
The point is, like what Paul mensioned.............
Even if you are runing a CF application on regular PC, it's still based on
..NET F
You couldn't have CF installed on regular PC.....And there is not any mode
to switch there.
You are right, the APPs based on CF simply require less RAM and
hardware needs. Indeed, it will take less RAM for execution on regular PC,
but how much? There is no such survey or exact data report there.
I guess the best way is to build two simply app with same UI/functionality,
one is based on NET F and the other is on NET CF, to evaluate the RAM usage
differences between both....In your case, I dont think the CPU power is a
problem....it's the RAM that's the issue.
However, since your want to create an GUI-intensive APP, development by
using .NET CF takes more time compared to regular .NET F, it lacks many APIs
so that you have to do lots of workarounds for the same thing......
Meanwhile, have you ever though of writing your APP based on Win32 APIs,
and have the XML parser dealt with the UI things....It requires no NET F so
that saves lots of RAM and computing power during run time, thus much more
efficient......

I hope this is helpful for you David.
BR.
 
Hi
Thanks for your clariifcation. I may need to study this issue more
thoroughly , however it seems to be easier for me jus to write plain
WIN32/C++ app with as much resource savings as possible. the problem is that
lately we are get spoiled by powerful H/W and we do not care for resource as
it was used to be.
David
 
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