Faster Debugging with Emulator

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ken Awamura
  • Start date Start date
K

Ken Awamura

Hi, I´m using the emulator in order to test the apps and everytime I close
the emulator I save the settings for the particular sample, so next time I
run it ... the CF doesn´t need to be reinstalled, but I found a bit tricky
if i´m debugging it, because once I change a line of code and run the app I
can´t use the last saved set and have to run the app as a new one. It makes
debug an smart device app a bit annoying and time consuming.

As a workaround I´m creating traditional windows forms app and after it´s
done and debugged I copy and paste the code into a smart device project.

As another option I can also run the .exe file and attach it to the debug
later

Is there a better way to accomplish that? Buying a real PDA will solve the
problem?
_________________
»»» Ken.Awamura
 
Ken,

I'm also very much annoyed by the fact that the emulator is very slow, it
emulates a PDA a little bit too much..
Each time I run an app in debug mode (or deployment mode) I have to wait
about 5-10 secs..

I wouldn't debug an app in windows though.

I did hear that pda's with WiFi are very fast @ debugging. I've got a PDA
myself (connecting via USB) and it's pretty the same speed (+/- 10secs) as
the emulator. Try a pda with wifi..

or if you have another idea let me know cos i lose time (and my nerves) by
waiting for the emulator to open my app.

jez
 
Great Jez,

I thought I was the only one since I didn´t see any similar posts, but
according to what you said it appears to be a commom behaviour.

Well. I only have 2 ideas :

1st : as I said before, I´m copying and pasting parts of code that I want to
debug into a temporary WinForm app ... but I must be aware of the
differences and limitations of smart devices controls

2nd : I can also just run the .exe file of my smart device app and then
attach it to the debugger which has some limitations like : not showing the
emulator interface and since I run the .exe first and then attach it to
debugger, I can´t debug FormLoad events

My limitation : I don´t have a PDA :( .... you said that via USB it´s a bit
slow and some folks say it´s faster via WI-FI ... well, just some thoughts:

1. PDA with Wi-fi uses 802.11b, and 'b' has an average data transfer rate of
~10Mbps ... real transfer rate seems to be half of that, but since you can
have your wi-fi enabled PDA very close to the 'antenna' transfer rate may be
high.

2. USB : will depend of type 1.1 or 2.0 ... 1.1 is ~12Mbps which is close to
the Wi-Fi 802.11b and 2.0 is ~480Mbps but I´m not sure whether the PDA
accepts USB2.0 ... I don´t think so

According to my thoughts, the delays will probably occurs in either types of
connections, but of course I think it´s worth a try on Wi-Fi systems, since
somebody is saying it´s much faster.

That´s one of the reasons I still didn´t buy a PDA, another is that 802.11g
is on the way, it makes me a bit doubtfull. But of course, since I intend to
develop PDA and Wi-Fi enabled apps I´ll probably be buying one soon.

Any other/new ideas for better debugging, please post here!!!

Regards,
Ken.Awamura
 
Where did you DL the 2003 emulator from ? Will it just install over the top
of a VS2003 installation ?
 
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