Mobile database development

Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Messages
10
Programming Experience
5-10
I need my Windows Mobile 2003 application to read and write a single column or row of data to a Microsoft Access database on the company network. I know of two possible solutions.



Solution 1 InTheHand



ActiveSync has a nice built-in capability to create, transfer and synchronize an abridged copy of an Access database. The file it creates has a .cdb extension. Sometimes it is called “Pocket Access” format even though Pocket Access is no longer offered.



There are plenty of programs available that use this format but I need open source code to expand an existing application. InTheHand sells a ADOCE.NET wrapper which includes all the classes and objects to connect and interact with the .cdb database. But I’ve yet to find clear instructions of how to use it. Specifically I need to know what references I need to add to my project if I’m using a ipaq rx3115 with a Samsung processor (S3C2440) and what files if any I need to copy or install on my PPC. Anybody know?



Solution 2 Sqlserverce



Sqlserverce objects are available as part of Visual Studio but as I understand these will only work with sqlserver files ending in .sdb. I’m sure that this file type can be generated with Microsoft SQL server but it seems I can’t install that without adding IIS to my computer which the IT department won’t let me do. Is there another way to translate .mdb files into .sql files? And how can I synchronize the PPC database with the network database.



Is there another solution I’ve overlooked?



Thanks for any feedback.





Jonathan
 
Hi Johnathon

Ive been looking at something similar. I dont think you need IIS to be able to run SqlServeCE on the device. Ive got an application that creates the sqlce database and table on the device in code and I am then when i need it to be transfered back to the desktop i am going to create an xml file which is passed back. The reason for this is that the amount of data is always realtively small and the users dont want to have to purchase Sql Server. Once the desktop application receives the xml file it gets what it needs and adds it into the access database.

I dont know if this is the best way.

Regards

Darren
 
I am currently tryng to develop an app on ce.net for stock control. The unit has a built in bar code scanner. I can do everything except connect to the cdb database as all my data icons ar greyed out. i was thinking of creating a text file but a i would much prefer a db for the sync benefits. any suggestion? your post is beyond my level,m thus no diretc anser to your question. Thanks
 
If its a big system look into Sql Server for both the desktop side and the terminal side as merge replication is possible. This means the data and on the terminal can be synced with the main database.
 
its only a small system, but the terminal will not have any access to a server. the file wil start off blank and items will be aded as scanned. i only need basic database opertaions like add update delete and move etc. the file will then be taken off and merged on a destop which holds all stock levels for the checkouts. can i just access any type of db on ce.net
 
Im in the same sort of boat, at the moment im using an RFID reader for security checks which are logged. The checks are logged on the terminal in a sqlce database. When the terminal is placed in the cradle I have a upload button which converts the sqlce database information into an xml file, and passes it to the desktop application. The desktop application then stores the information into am access database. The nice thing with the sqlce is that if you read the data out of the table into a dataset it can be automatically converted into a xml file.
 
CE/Mobile PPC database entry

You're right you can't use an MSAccess database (.mdb) with ce.net (i.e. the compact framework). But ActiveSyc can easily create an abridged version of any .mdb file as a .cdb file which is more compact and designed for ce/windows mobile. The good news is that ActiveSyc can be setup to automatically synchronize your .cdb file on your PPC with your .mdb file on your PC. The bad news is that there is not a "Pocket Access" program. Microsoft doesn't make any programs that can do anything with the .cdb files but there are many smaller companies that do. Here are a few.



HanDBase http://www.ddhsoftware.com

PocketDataBase http://www.pocket-innovations.com

Data On the Run http://www.biohazardsoftware.com/dataon.htm

Wireless Database http://www.kelbran.com

HandyDB http://www.soft4ce.com


I haven't found any option to use .cdb file with my own code other than

InTheHand http://www.inthehand.com/index.php?page=5&show=1,2

This package is $40 but there is also a trial version you can download for free. I've worked hours on this option but was never able to make it fly. If you read the forum on this same page I think you'll find entries from a lot of frustrated users. I plan to get it working later.

The PPC in my project only writes data to the database and doesn't need to read from it at all. Given that and since my data ultimately needed to be formatted in a SQL statement, I decided to generate text files on my PPC of sequential SQL statements. Then these text files are transferred to my PC via ActiveSync where another program processes the SQL statements. I will need to add some filtering to prevent unauthorized text files of SQL statements from being processed on my PC but otherwise I think the plan will work nicely.


Jonathan
 
Thanks for that information. it is exactly what i wanted, now just to to get down to it. as i mentioned the app is pretty simple, what kind of issues did you experience with it?
 
Adoce 3.1

thanks to skinned knuckles so far. i have installed the inthehand wrapper utility but now i get the following error on the device

adoce 3.0 or 3.1 is not installed despite having the runtime files there.

any suggestions?
 
Skinned KNuckles

Thier ia the alternative of utilizing SQL Express -- it comes as part of the vb express (and others) off of microsoft's website ;-)
 
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