Monday, October 5, 2009

.Net CF is calling…

This article describes a kind of interprocess communication between a .Net-application and a native c++-application on WindowsCe/WindowsMobile-based devices.

The reason for this project was my current task, a set of native DLLs for an external hardware which should connected to the mobile device. The data structure from the DLLs is very complex and very hard to implement in a .NetCF-application, so I decided to build a native c++-application for the communication between the DLLs and .NetCF-application.

The communication between the DLLs and the c++-application was very easy, cause I got a good manual, how I could use the DLLs. It was much harder to find a way to communicate from the C++-application with the .NetCF-application.

The way, which I found, was to communicate via Windows Messages. If you want to transfer data between application with Windows Messages, you have to use the SendMessage()-function together with the WM_COPYDATA-message. Additionally, you have to use the COPYDATASTRUCT-struct from the Windows API.

In this article, I will explain it with a simple data struct, called ‘ownData’. Here is the definition of ‘ownData’ in C++.

struct ownData
{
public:
int ID;
byte data[500];
};

The basic structure of the communication between both applications looks like that. Both apps have a receiver- and a sender function which handles all necessary steps.

basic structure for the communication

C++

On the C++ – side its quite simple. Everything you need is nearly build-in. You just have to include some header files and everything is OK.

For a short example, it is enough to include the “windows.h”-header file.

So, I create in Visual Studio a new C++-project for embedded devices as plain Win32-C++-project. The main.cpp-file looks like that…

#include <windows.h>

int WINAPI WinMain(HINSTANCE h, HINSTANCE, LPTSTR arg, int nCmdShow)
{

// define a new handle for the wndclass
HWND hMain = 0;

// create and define a new wndclass
WNDCLASS wc;
ZeroMemory(&wc,
sizeof(wc));

// this function handles all Windows Messages
wc.lpfnWndProc = MainWndProc;

wc.hInstance = h;
wc.hbrBackground = (HBRUSH)(COLORWINDOW+1);
wc.lpszClassName = L”SENDER”;
wc.cbClsExtra = 0;
wc.cbWndExtra = 0;

// register new wndclass wc
RegisterClass(&wc);

// create a new window from wc
hMain = CreateWindow(L”SENDER”, L”Sender”, WS_VISIBLE, 0, 0, CW_USEDEFAULT, CW_USEDEFAULT, NULL, NULL, h, NULL);

// hide hMain
ShowWindow(hMain, SW_HIDE);
UpdateWindow(hMain);

// creating a Message var
MSG msg;

// joining the message pump
while (GetMessage(&msg, NULL, 0, 0))
{
TranslateMessage(&msg);
DispatchMessage(&msg);
}

// setting the return value for WinMain
return msg.wParam;

}

In the MainWndProc-function, I will filter all Windows-Messages. My special interest is on the WM_COPYDATA-messages. They contains the sent data from the other application. Here is my function…

LRESULT CALLBACK MainWndProc(HWND hwnd, UINT msg, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam)
{

// checking msg
switch (msg)
{
case WM_COPYDATA:
{
// parse the lParam-parameter in a PCOPYDATASTRUCT
PCOPYDATASTRUCT pcds = (PCOPYDATASTRUCT)lParam;

// parse pcds->lpData in your own data structure
ownData* od = (ownData)(LPSTR)pcds->lpData;

// do whatever you want
// with your ownData od

// exiting
break;
}
}

//at last, your should run the DefWindowProc and setting the return value
return DefWindowProc(hwnd, msg, wParam, lParam);
}

So, now we have all functionality to get answers from another application. Now we need the functionality to send data to another application. I have create an own function for that. In this function, I used the FindWindow()-function from the Windows API. They normally need two parameters, a classname and a windowname. In this case, I want to find/contact a .NetCF-application.

Normal’ .NetCF-applications have ‘#NETCF_AGL_BASE_’ as classname and the windowtext as windowname.

a normal .NetCF-application in the RemoteSpy

In the case, I used a new class which inherits the WindowMessage-class from the ‘Microsoft.WindowsCE.Forms”-namespace. More to that aspect will follow later in this article. When I use the WindowMessage-class, you got a new entry in the the handle-list from WindowsCe or WindowsMobile. The new handle has a classname equal “#NETCF_AGL_MSG_” but no windowname. You can set the windowname  manually by the classes property.

a .NetCF-application without a window but with an instance of the WindowMessage-class

At next, I implemented a send function in my C++ application, which has a ownData-parameter. The function creates a new COPYDATASTRUCT which my own data, looks for the receiver window and sends the COPYDATASTRUCT to the window if its exists.

static void Send(ownData data)
{

// create a new COPYDATASTRUCT
COPYDATASTRUCT cds;

// putting the data from ‘data’ in ‘cds’
cds.dwData = (WPARAM)0;
cds.cbData = sizeof(ownData);
cds.lpData = &data;

// creating a new HWND from a running application
HWND hReceiver = ::FindWindow(_T(“#NETCF_AGL_MSG_”), NULL);

// checking hReceiver
if (hReceiver != NULL)
{
// sending the cds
SendMessage(hReceiver, WM_COPYDATA, (WPARAM)0, (LPARAM)&cds);
}
}

.Net Compact Framework (C#)

On the receiver side, I had a managed .Net Compact Framework application which is written in C#.

At first, we need some things from the Windows API. We don’t have here in C# a build-in struct like COPADATASTRUCT, so we need to create it. It is nearly the same as in C++.

public struct COPYDATASTRUCT
{
public System.Int32 dwData;
public System.Int32 cbData;
public System.IntPtr lpData;
}

At next we need the FindWindow()-function from the Windows API. Here is the declaration that we can use it in C#.

[System.Runtime.InteropServices.DllImport("coredll.dll")]
static extern System.IntPtr FindWindow(System.String lpClassName, System.String lpWindowName);

Both things, COPYDATASTRUCT and FindWindow() are necessary in the application.

Here is the declaration of the ownData struct in C#. Here, it is very important that the byte-array will be declared manually with a defined size of 500 entries like in C++. If this will not be done, you will have a lot of trouble during runtime.

public struct ownData
{
public System.Int32 ID;
[System.Runtime.InteropServices. MarshalAs(System.Runtime.InteropServices. UnmanagedType.ByvalArray, SizeConst = 500)]
public byte[] data;
}

As I said above in this article, I created a new class which inherits the WindowMessage-class from the Microsoft.WindowsCE.Forms-namespace. In this new class, I’ve the WndProc-function overwritten. With my own function, I’m able to check and handle all incoming Windows Messages.

protected override void WndProc(ref Microsoft.WindowsCE.Forms.Message m)
{
// check m.Msg
switch(m.Msg)
{
case 0x4A: // 0x4A = WM_COPYDATA
// extract the own data from the Windows Message m
ownData data = this.ExtractDataFromMessage(m);

// do whatever you want with your data
}

// run base.WndProc
base.WndProc(ref m);
}

In the overwriten WndProc function I call a function named ExtractDataFromMessage(). This function extract the sended data from the Windows Message into my own data struct. These function works with pointers, so I had to declare her as unsafe. I also had to enable the unsafe flag in the project properties.

unsafe private ownData ExtractDataFromMessage(Microsoft.WindowsCE.Forms.Message msg)
{
// delcare all vars with are needed
ownData data = new ownData();
COPYDATASTRUCT cds;
System.
IntPtr* targetPointer;

// create cds and extract the COPYDATASTRUCT data from the Windows Message
cds = (COPYDATASTRUCT)System.Runtime.InteropServices. Marshal.PtrToStructure(msg.LParam, typeof(COPYDATASTRUCT));

// get the targetPointer
targetPointer = &cds.lpData;

// get the data from the COPYDATASTRUCT
data = (ownData)System.Runtime.InteropServices. Marshal.PtrToStructure(cds.lpDAta, typeof(ownData));

// return the data
return data;
}

In the C#-application, I also have a Send-function, which encapsulate some functions. The send-functions has a ownData-parameter. In this function, I retrieve the addresspointer of ‘data’, create a new instance of COPYDATASTRUCT in my C#-application, retrieve the addresspointer of it and create a new Windows Message and send with Microsoft.WindowsCE. Forms.MessageWindow.SendMessage().

private void Send(ownData data)
{
Microsoft.WindowsCE.Forms.
Message msg = new Microsoft.WindowsCE.Message();
COPYDATASTRUCT cds = new COPYDATASTRUCT;

// create a new pointer for ‘data’
System.IntPtr pData = System.Runtime.InteropServices. Marshal.AllocHGlobal(System.Runtime.InteropServices. Marshal.SizeOf(data));
System.Runtime.InteropServices.
Marshal.StructureToPtr (data, pData, false);

// setting cds
cds.dwData = 0;
cds.cbData = System.Runtime.InteropServices.
Marshal. SizeOf(data);
cds.lpDAta = pData;

// create a pointer for ‘cds’
System.IntPtr pCds = System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.AllocHGlobal (System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.SizeOf(cds));
System.Runtime.InteropServices.
Marshal.StrucutreToPtr (cds, pCds, false);

// getting the server-application
System.IntPtr server = FindWindow(“SENDER”, “Sender”);

// checking server
if(server != null)
{
// setting ‘msg’
msg.HWnd = server;
msg.Msg = 0x4a;
// 0x4a = WM_COPYDATA
msg.WParam = (System.IntPtr)0;
msg.LParam = pCds;

// sending msg
Microsoft.WindowsCE.Forms.MessageWindow.SendMessage (ref msg);

// clearing the allocated memory
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.FreeHGlobal(pData);
System.Runtime.InteropServices.Marshal.FreeHGlobal(pCds);
}
}

SendMessage(), PostMessage(), SendNotifyMessage(), etc…

The Windows API contains a lot of functions to send Windows Message from on application to another. MSDN says that you have to use the SendMessage()-function. Correct! Why? For sure, you can use PostMessage() or SendNotifyMessage() as well, your receiver-application gets the Windows Message, but the encapsulated data pointers are corrupted and all your data is lost.

Summary

Transferring data with Windows Messages is a nice method to transfer data fast from an application to an other application. You can compute the data immediately in the receiver application. It also could be a way for a .Net developer to use external hardware on mobile devices, when the drivers are very difficult to use in .Net.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Extending the desktop with your PlayStationPortable

A couple of days ago, I found a little nice potion of software. It’s called pspdisp. This software extends the windows desktop on your Sony PlayStationPortable.

The software contains of two parts. You have to install one part on the PlayStationPortable, the second part, you have to install on your Windows PC.

Pspdisp allows you to connect the PlayStationPortable with your Windows PC via USB or via WLAN. I only tried it via USB. In the display properties dialog, you can setup your new screen.

displayproperties

On my analog desktop,I still got two displays, but with my PlayStationPortable, I got a thrid one.

workplace

Ok, the resolution is not very large, but for small applications it is enough.

psp

On your PlayStationPortable, you need a costum firmware.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Extended classes on more than one platform

Inspired by this article from Kai, I was tried to extend classes for the .Net Compact Framework with methods for the .Net Framework.

I had to work with graphics on the .Net Compact Framework. The opportunities in .Net Compact Framework are a little bit rare. So I decided to handle a part of the functionality on the desktop.

cf_pixelformat

During my work, I created a class, which originally based on an older idea of myself. On the .Net Compact Framework it is not possible to open images as 32BitARGB image. The color-values for RGB are Ok, but the Alpha-information will be ignored by the .Net Compact Framework.

Now, I created an application for the Desktop, which uses the .Net Compact Framework-class. I wanted that, because I don’t want to have redundant source code for both applications. So I tried to extend the existing class with some methods for the Desktop .Net Framework. The new extended methods contains source code for the Desktop including all opportunities and advantages.

dsk_pixelformat

Let’s start now…
I added two projects to a solution. One for the Desktop-Framework, the other for the .Net Compact Framework.

solutionsexplorer

Both projects had the same default namespace (green boxes) but a different assembly name (red boxes).

This are the properties of the base class:
properties_drawing

and this are the properties of the extended class:
properties_drawingextensions

At next you need a reference to the base class in the extended class.

drawingextensions_reference

When you want to use both classes, the base- and the extended class in an other project you have to create a reference to both classes. Additionally, you have to insert a using-statement in each of the source code files where you want to use it.

Summary
Extensions for C#-classes are a fine nice feature. Especially when you could use it over/on different platforms. I used that for my project on www.codeplex.com.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Windows Vista vs. Windows 7 Beta – Speed and Memory Footprint

During the last days, many people wrote about Microsoft's new operating system Windows 7, which was release as Beta 1 on January 9th 2009.

Yes, I was one of them, who tried it to download at these Friday evening… without success. Well, I tried it on the next Monday morning, after Microsoft canceled the download-limit of 2.5 mio. downloads.

At first, I would like to say something about my work background. I’ve never used Windows Vista at work, just at home on my wife’s computer. I only used, or I would say more tested, it on virtual machines. At work, I use Microsoft Virtual PC 2007 SP1. I could gave all vm’s just 1 gigabytes of RAM, so I have nearly identically machines for Vista and 7. When I talk here about Windows Vista, I mean a Vista with service pack 1 and all updates.

Windows Vista

There are no big difference during the installation of Windows Vista and Windows 7 Beta. It’s very easy to handle. Both are completely covered in a graphical user interface. A few clicks there, a few clicks here, give the computer a name and don’t forget your password and just wait a few minutes…Ready!

But then, then you get the big big surprise. Windows 7 Beta is much faster in the boot sequence then Windows Vista. I’ve made two screen captures, the first is from Windows Vista, the second is from Windows 7 Beta. I stopped the time from when I switched on the vm until I saw this screen.

Windows 7 Beta

There must be enormous differences in the internal boot sequence when you Windows 7 Beta needs nearly only the half time to boot than Windows Vista.

Time for booting
Windows Vista 90 seconds
Windows 7 Beta 50 seconds

In my opinion, that difference is highly remarkable.

Another aspect, especially for older computer or mobile computer like netbooks is the memory footprint of the operating system. That is one reason why Windows XP is still sold with netbooks.

If you have an older office computer or a netbook with 1 gigabytes of RAM, it is important that the operating system takes care of his own memory needs. Windows Vista don’t do that so nice and need just for the operating system nearly 420 megabytes of RAM. With the same desktop configuration, Windows 7 Beta just need 360 megabytes of RAM.

Memory needs for the operating system
Windows Vista 430 megabytes
Windows 7 Beta 360 megabytes

Summary

Well, I am not a friend of Windows Vista, but I could become a friend of Windows 7. For that early beta-version, it is fast, stable and looks much better then Windows Vista. Microsoft is with Windows 7 on a better way, than they ever were with Windows Vista.