Debugging Win Mobile 6 App with Visual Studio 2008

Question 1

Brad, I downloaded the code and just unpacked the zip to D:\boxoffice_mobile (a local drive partition). Then I started VisualStudio 2008 and opened the solution file. I get a warning message that the project is not loaded from a trusted location (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bs2bkwxc%28v=vs.80%29.aspx). As I do not use a network drive, I ignored the warning two times and the projects load all fine.

BTW: I found a great tool to manage these 'security' warnings: http://blog.codingoutloud.com/2010/03/05/the-project-location-is-not-trusted-dealing-with-the-dreaded-unblock/. The message had nothing to do with a remote file access.

Then I just looked at the solution configuration to ensure that only the needed projects are build and did no change, as only BoxOfficeMobile and WebserviceTest are set to build and only BoxOfficeMobile is set to deploy.

Then closed solution configuration manager and just pressed F5 to start debugging to see what happens.

The startup project BoxOfficeMobile was build and deployed to "Windows Mobile 6.5.3 Professional Emulator". The emulator started and the files were deployed and the project was stopped by a breakpoint inside the code:

enter image description here

Here is another screen shot with the emulator set to 'Display: Always on top':

enter image description here

So, as you can see, the project is fine and the debug issue on your site is caused by a different setup.

Do you load the project from a network drive share? Try moving it to a local drive and run it from there.

Did you change Device settings in the VS2008 Tools:Options menu? Here is my setup (as coming as default, I did not change anything):

Tools:Options:Device Tools

and the details:

Device Properties

The additional settings available via the buttons are empty (Configure) or unchanged (Emulator Options).

I am very interested in seeing what you changed to be not able to debug the project.

Question 2

before you start developing for Windows Mobile 6.5 Prof, you need to setup your development environment.

First, install Visual Studio 2008 (no express version)

Download and install either ActiveSync (host OS <= Windows XP) or Windows Mobile Device Center / WMDC (Windows Vista/7)

[optional] Download and install Device Emulator Manager

Then download and install Windows Mobile 6.5 DTK (http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5389)

Now, you can start a new C# project inside Visual Studio 2008: enter image description here

Follow the wizard: enter image description here

The list of Target Platforms depend on the Mobile/CE SDKs you have installed!

Select either .Net Compact Framework 2.0 or 3.5. The choose depends on what is installed on your PC and what is available on the device. If the device comes with 2.0 pre-installed, I would choose 2.0 except for I need something only available in 3.5 (ie Mobile.Status namespace).

Now you get an empty form: enter image description here

You can change the target device in the project properties: enter image description here

If you want to change the target platform, look at "Change Target Platform" in Project menu or just right click the project in solution explorer and select Change Target Platform: enter image description here

The above has nothing to do with Device Emulator Manager or the installed Emulator Images!

You can run a WM5 targeting project on a Windows Mobile 6.5 device if you want.

To start debugging and SmartDevice application inside an emulator. Just Select an Emulator entry from the target device list in Project properties or just in the SmartDevice toolbar. Then click Debug and "Start Debugging". VS will start an emulator with the specified emulator image and deploys your project application files and start remote devugging.

You may also start an emulator image using DeviceEmulatorManager and then cradle the running Emulator image. To use the running and cradled (ActiveSync or WMDC connected!) emulator do NOT select an emulator inside VS but a Device. VS does not see the difference and uses the WMDC connected device, regardless of being an emulator or real device.

VS uses DMA to communicate with the emulator, not USB or Serial as with a real device.

Now start your development.

Question 3

First of all clean your project.Then freshly start the emulator.Right click the project and select build.Then Debug the project.Your project will be started in Emulator (Don't Open the application from your Emulator at this time). Just check your Emulator Start>File Explorer>My Device>Program Files whether the project has been previously installed.If so uninstall from the Settings> System > Remove Programs. And try re-building application and deploy it.