Building CAB files with the Enhanced CAB Generation tool

You can use the Enhanced CAB Generation tool as an alternative to the Project painter to generate CAB files for application distribution. The tool lets you include additional items in the generated CAB without manual modifications to the generated file.

The tool includes check boxes for the selection of files that you want to include with the CAB file that you generate. These selections include DLLs for the PocketBuilder VM, executables for the SQL Anywhere runtime engine, files for SQL Anywhere database connections, and registry entries to enable SMS reception capability in your PocketBuilder applications.

Building setup files with the Enhanced CAB Generation tool The Enhanced CAB Generation tool also lets you generate a setup file that can install the CAB on a connected Windows CE device. The setup file generation requires the EZSetup executable that you can download from the Spb Software House Web site.

When you generate a CAB or setup file with the Enhanced CAB Generation tool, a log file, err.log, is also created. The err.log file logs warnings and errors that occur during generation of the CAB or setup files.

Table 27-7 lists the fields available on the different tab pages of the Enhanced CAB Generation tool.

**Table 27-7: Tab pages of the Enhanced CAB Generation tool**
Tab page	Field or control, and Description
Cab Config	Application Name Required field for saving profile settings; can also be used in the application deployment path Company Name Optional field that can be used as a directory name in the application deployment path Reset Deployment Path Using Company Name Button that adds company and application name to deployment path for the CAB file Deployment Path The default deployment path for the application is %CE1% (\Program Files) Create CABs for Radio button options for selecting the device or emulator where you want to deploy the generated CAB file Directory for Application Files Included in Deployment Directory containing the application files you want to deploy File Types to Include Comma-separated list of the types of files to be added to the CAB from the appplication files directory; file extensions should be listed with a period (such as “.pkd, .dll”) although files can also be specified with a standard file name Executable The name of the executable file for the application Add Shortcut to Start Menu Check box for deploying a shortcut for the application; this must be selected to enable the Shortcut Link field Shortcut Link Displays where the shortcut is added; the shortcut must use the %CE11% (\Windows\Start Menu\Programs) special folder variable; you can add a subdirectory to this path when the field is enabled
Database Options	Deploy Application Database Check box that must be selected to enable other options on the Database Options tab page DSN-File The name and desktop location of a DSN file you want to use for the application database connection DB-File The name and desktop location of a database file DB-Log File The name and desktop location of a database log file DB Directory on Device Directory on the device for the database file when you include one in the deployment CAB Include ASA Support DLLs and EXEs Check box for adding SQL Anywhere DLLs and executables and enabling other database options in the CAB file Database Version of the SQL Anywhere, Adaptive Server Anywhere, or UltraLite database system ASA Language Two-letter code that determines the language you want to use with the database ASA Source The location of the desktop database system files ASA Executables Path on Device The path on the device where you want to deploy database executables
PocketBuilder Options	Include PocketBuilder Support DLLs Check box for including PocketBuilder DLLs in the CAB file that you generate and enabling other options on the PocketBuilder Options tab page PocketBuilder Source Desktop location of PocketBuilder support DLLs for the deployment platform you want to use Deploy AppList.exe Check box for deploying the AppList utility AppList Location on Device Location on the device where you want to install the AppList utility Deploy Remote Debugging Server Check box for deploying the PKDebug remote debugging executable Deploy SMS Reception DLL Check box for deploying the SMS reception DLL; you must select Include PocketBuilder Support DLLs to enable this check box Insert Registry Entries for SMS Reception Includes registry entries for the SMS reception DLL in the CAB; the entries are added to the device registry when the CAB is unzipped SMS Reception is Read Only Includes a registry entry string value that prevents deletion of an incoming SMS message by a PocketBuilder application
Preview	Generate CAB Info File Button that displays the INF file contents in the Preview window Copy into Clipboard Button that copies the INF file contents to the desktop clipboard Save Settings Button that saves your settings in a CAB enhancement tool profile; the profile takes the name you selected in the Application Name field on the CAB Config tab page
Build	Output Path Path on the desktop where you want to generate a CAB or setup file, and INF and CMD files CAB-INF Name Name of the INF file that you generate for inclusion in the CAB file CMD File (for CAB generation) The command file for generating the CAB EZSetup Desktop location of the EZSetup executable that is required to create a setup file; you can download this executable at no charge from the Spb Software House Web site INF Name Name of the INF file to generate with the setup file CMD File (for setup executable file creation) Name of the command file that is automatically created and used to generate the setup file EULA File End-user license agreement file that EZSetup requires for inclusion with the setup file it generates ReadMe File Readme file for inclusion with the setup file; this is a required file for the setup file generation Language Drop-down list of languages you can use in the setup file for the initial CAB installation screens Save Settings Button that saves your settings in a CAB enhancement tool profile; the profile takes the name you selected in the Application Name field on the CAB Config tab page Create CAB File Button that generates the CAB file Create Setup Executable Button that generates the setup file
Afaria	For information about fields on this page, see “Deploying to Afaria with the Enhanced CAB Generation tool”.

Table 27-7: Tab pages of the Enhanced CAB Generation tool

Tab page

Field or control, and Description

Cab Config

Application Name Required field for saving profile settings; can also be used in the application deployment path
Company Name Optional field that can be used as a directory name in the application deployment path
Reset Deployment Path Using Company Name Button that adds company and application name to deployment path for the CAB file
Deployment Path The default deployment path for the application is %CE1% (\Program Files)
Create CABs for Radio button options for selecting the device or emulator where you want to deploy the generated CAB file
Directory for Application Files Included in Deployment Directory containing the application files you want to deploy
File Types to Include Comma-separated list of the types of files to be added to the CAB from the appplication files directory; file extensions should be listed with a period (such as “.pkd, .dll”) although files can also be specified with a standard file name
Executable The name of the executable file for the application
Add Shortcut to Start Menu Check box for deploying a shortcut for the application; this must be selected to enable the Shortcut Link field
Shortcut Link Displays where the shortcut is added; the shortcut must use the %CE11% (\Windows\Start Menu\Programs) special folder variable; you can add a subdirectory to this path when the field is enabled

Database Options

Deploy Application Database Check box that must be selected to enable other options on the Database Options tab page
DSN-File The name and desktop location of a DSN file you want to use for the application database connection
DB-File The name and desktop location of a database file
DB-Log File The name and desktop location of a database log file
DB Directory on Device Directory on the device for the database file when you include one in the deployment CAB
Include ASA Support DLLs and EXEs Check box for adding SQL Anywhere DLLs and executables and enabling other database options in the CAB file
Database Version of the SQL Anywhere, Adaptive Server Anywhere, or UltraLite database system
ASA Language Two-letter code that determines the language you want to use with the database
ASA Source The location of the desktop database system files
ASA Executables Path on Device The path on the device where you want to deploy database executables

PocketBuilder Options

Include PocketBuilder Support DLLs Check box for including PocketBuilder DLLs in the CAB file that you generate and enabling other options on the PocketBuilder Options tab page
PocketBuilder Source Desktop location of PocketBuilder support DLLs for the deployment platform you want to use
Deploy AppList.exe Check box for deploying the AppList utility
AppList Location on Device Location on the device where you want to install the AppList utility
Deploy Remote Debugging Server Check box for deploying the PKDebug remote debugging executable
Deploy SMS Reception DLL Check box for deploying the SMS reception DLL; you must select Include PocketBuilder Support DLLs to enable this check box
Insert Registry Entries for SMS Reception Includes registry entries for the SMS reception DLL in the CAB; the entries are added to the device registry when the CAB is unzipped
SMS Reception is Read Only Includes a registry entry string value that prevents deletion of an incoming SMS message by a PocketBuilder application

Preview

Generate CAB Info File Button that displays the INF file contents in the Preview window
Copy into Clipboard Button that copies the INF file contents to the desktop clipboard
Save Settings Button that saves your settings in a CAB enhancement tool profile; the profile takes the name you selected in the Application Name field on the CAB Config tab page

Build

Output Path Path on the desktop where you want to generate a CAB or setup file, and INF and CMD files
CAB-INF Name Name of the INF file that you generate for inclusion in the CAB file
CMD File (for CAB generation) The command file for generating the CAB
EZSetup Desktop location of the EZSetup executable that is required to create a setup file; you can download this executable at no charge from the Spb Software House Web site
INF Name Name of the INF file to generate with the setup file
CMD File (for setup executable file creation) Name of the command file that is automatically created and used to generate the setup file
EULA File End-user license agreement file that EZSetup requires for inclusion with the setup file it generates
ReadMe File Readme file for inclusion with the setup file; this is a required file for the setup file generation
Language Drop-down list of languages you can use in the setup file for the initial CAB installation screens
Save Settings Button that saves your settings in a CAB enhancement tool profile; the profile takes the name you selected in the Application Name field on the CAB Config tab page
Create CAB File Button that generates the CAB file
Create Setup Executable Button that generates the setup file

Afaria

For information about fields on this page, see “Deploying to Afaria with the Enhanced CAB Generation tool”.