When you have created a CAB file, you can distribute it like any other self-extracting executable. The CAB file is a single package that can be downloaded from a Web site or copied using FTP to a user’s desktop.
To install the CAB file, the user must copy it to the device or WM 5 emulator using Microsoft ActiveSync, or to older emulators using the Windows CE Remote File Viewer (cefilevw), then select the CAB file to extract its contents.
You can make the installation process easier for the user by creating a setup program. Running the setup program on the desktop installs the application to the device or emulator. The Enhanced CAB Generation tool makes it easy to create a setup file. You access the tool from the Tool tab of the New dialog box.
You can create installation programs using a free application such as EZSetup. This is the setup file creation program required by the Enhanced CAB Generation tool. For information about EZSetup, see the EZSetup download page. For information about the Enhanced CAB Generation tool, see “Building CAB files with the Enhanced CAB Generation tool”.
You can also build a Windows Installer package (MSI) file that users run on the desktop. The MSI file unpacks CAB files, a setup.ini file, and a custom installer component that distributes and installs the correct CAB file to the device.
For more information and to obtain the latest version of Windows Installer, see Windows Installer in the MSDN Library.
Any application you distribute needs the PocketBuilder runtime files for Windows CE (the PKVM) installed on the target device or emulator. There are three ways to include these files (listed in Table 27-5) in your distribution:
Distribute the CAB files that are provided in the WinCE directory in your PocketBuilder installation.
If many of your users already have PocketBuilder applications installed, they need only install the CAB file for your application. Other users need to download and install the CAB file containing the PKVM for their platform in addition to the CAB file for the application.
Modify the generated INF file to include the PKVM and rebuild the CAB files, either as described in “Regenerating CAB files”, or by using the Enhanced CAB Generation tool.This is the easiest solution for your users, because they need only install one CAB file. However, it forces users who already have the PKVM installed to download and install unnecessary files. You can also add database files and executables to a CAB file using these methods.
Build an installation program that lets users select the components they want to install.
You can build an installation program with the Enhanced CAB Generation tool. This is the best solution for all users.
For any application that uses a remote database, you must install both the database and a DSN file on the Pocket PC device or emulator. The DSN file can be installed in the root directory of the device, the directory from which the database driver is launched, or the \Windows directory. The database file must be installed in the location given in the DatabaseFile line in the DSN file.
You can edit the INF file generated by the Project painter or you can use the Enhanced CAB Generation tool to include these database files in your application CAB file.
You also need to deploy the database engine itself, which is provided in a CAB file as part of the SQL Anywhere install. See “Licensing SQL Anywhere” for licensing information.
For more information about deploying SQL Anywhere databases, see the chapter on SQL Anywhere for Windows CE in the SQL Anywhere Server Database Administration Guide. The chapter on creating a remote database in the MobiLink Client Administration book provides an overview of the files that need to be distributed with MobiLink servers and clients.
If you need to deploy your application to multiple handheld devices, consider using mobile application deployment software, such as Afaria from iAnywhere Solutions, to manage the distribution process. For more information, see the Afaria Web page.
Included in PocketBuilder are components from SQL Anywhere Studio (the SQL Anywhere and UltraLite database management systems, MobiLink and SQL Remote synchronization technologies, and the Sybase Central administration tool). These components are licensed for use only with PocketBuilder and only for development purposes. Deployment of these components requires the purchase of separate licenses. Contact your Sybase sales representative for more information.
Also included in PocketBuilder is the Adaptive Server Anywhere for Windows CE royalty-free runtime edition (the “ASA Runtime Edition”). The ASA Runtime Edition is a restricted-functionality version of the standalone version of Adaptive Server Anywhere 9. For example, the ASA 9 Runtime Edition does not support stored procedures and triggers, transaction log and synchronization.
The ASA Runtime Edition is intended for use as a low-cost deployment option where the full functionality of Adaptive Server Anywhere is not required. Subject to the PocketBuilder Product Specific License Terms, you may deploy the ASA Runtime Edition with applications developed with PocketBuilder without royalties or additional licensing.
For more information, including the list of Redistributable Components of the ASA Runtime Edition, see the Support directory on the PocketBuilder CD.
