Mike Hall, Technical Product Manager in Microsoft's Mobile and Embedded Devices Group, has written an interesting article about the Windows CE.  Have you ever wondered why an application written for one Windows CE device doesn't run on another device, when PocketPC applications run on all devices?  Here is the answer.

We've posted updated Sales Packages to our website.  You can find them on the Reseller page. 

There is a Summary Version and a Detailed Version.  Each describes the various ITScriptNet product offerings and the licensing model.

There are several new articles in the Knowledge Base.  These include:

PRB: The ITScriptNet Program Designer can not be run in Demo mode under a limited User account.

INFO: ITScriptNet registration requires an Administrative account.

PRB: Keep Alive setting for RemoteVBScript causes dropped connection

INFO: Slow Omni Server connections if no DNS server is available.

PRB: In-Prompt Script IF/ELSE/ELSEIF/ENDIF nesting problem.

Are you wondering which HandHeld Products devices are supported in ITScriptNet?  Here is the complete list:

Current Device Support

Dolphin 9500
The entire 95xx line, using either Imagers (9500/9550) or Lasers (9501/9551), is supported.  There is a client version for PocketPC 2003 Second Edition and PocketPC 2002.

Dolphin 7900
The 7900 running PocketPC 2003 Second Edition is supported.

Dolphin 7900 WM5
Currently, the PocketPC 2003 Second Edition client runs on the 7900 with Windows Mobile 5.  However, a native WM5 client is due for release in version 2.3, coming soon.

Dolphin 7600
This device was supported starting with 2.2a(9).

IK8560/IK8570
The Image Kisosk without magstripe reader (IK8560) is supported.  MagStripe reader support (IK8570) will be added in an upcoming release.

IT3875
This device line is support in single-prompt mode only.

Retired products still supported

Dolphin 7200
All 7200 versions (RF, 2D, serial) are supported.

Dolphin 7400
All versions supported.

Dolphin 7400 PocketPC
All versions supported.

Dolphin 7300
All versions supported.

New Products

We try to add clients for new devices as they are released.  If you have questions about an upcoming device, please contact us for more information.

We are upgrading our Internet service today, so expect sporadic outages as we make the transition.  We apologize for any inconvenience.

HandHeld Products has announced the IK8570 Image Kiosk.  This device is similar to the IK8560, but adds a Magstripe reader.  This is a windows CE 5.0 based device with a 320w x 240h screen (landscape mode).

ITScriptNet currently supports the IK8560, and we will be adding support for the IK8570 Magstripe reader shortly.

If you've received a Dolphin 7600 recently, you may have noticed that the ITScriptNet Omni client comes pre-loaded with some new Ready-To-Go^TM applications.  These applications can be used out of the box with no additional licensing required.  The new owner of a Dolphin can see samples of data collection programs, including barcode scanning, without having to write an application first.

There are 10 new applications pre-loaded on the 7600.  These are:

• Asset Tracking
• Gift Registry
• Lookup
• Meter Reading
• Order Picking
• Physical Inventory
• Price Change
• Receive/Move Inventory
• Stock Transfer

A user guide for these applications is installed on the PC when the full ITScriptNet package is installed, which includes a description of the programs and sample barcodes.

On the ITScriptNet client, you can specify a Device Alias on the Configuration screen. This Alias is saved into each collected data record and can be used to identify which device was used to collect a specific data record.

The Device Alias is also used as part of the filename for Image Capture or Digital Ink, along with a date/time stamp. This means that if you use a character in the Alias that is not a valid filename character, you will have problems saving the captured images.

What are the valid and invalid characters for a filename on a Windows CE/PocketPC/Windows Mobile device? Although it seems like an easy question to answer, the details turn out to be difficult to pin down. The Microsoft Knowledge Base has several articles about filenaming conventions, mostly with regards to the PC. Here are a few:

Errors Creating Files or Folders in the Root Directory

Naming a File

However, these articles list differing information on which characters are allowed. Are '?' and '*' allowed or not?

With the .Net Compact Framework 2.0 and higher, there is a function called GetInvalidFileNameChars which is supposed to return the list of invalid file name characters.

We created a test program using this function, and it returned the following invalid characters.
All characters between 0 and 31, along with the " < > | characters.

However, we tested creating files on a PocketPC device and determined that the ? * : \ / characters are also not allowed, even though they were not returned by GetInvalidFileNameChars.

So what is the answer to the question, what characters are not allowed in a Windows CE/PocketPC/Windows Mobile filename? It appears these are the invalid characters:

Avoid using any of these characters in your Device Alias to prevent problems saving Image Capture or Digital Ink characters.

We have added a pair of knowledge base articles describing this issue.

INFO: Invalid Filename Characters for Windows CE / PocketPC / Windows Mobile.

PROBLEM: Unable to Save Image error with Image Capture or Digital Ink.

With Extended Daylight Savings Time turning our clocks forward 3 weeks ago, you may have put that whole problem behind you.  This past saturday was the original Daylight Savings Time changeover date, so any devices which were not updated with the new rules will have changed their clocks ahead.  Take a moment to double-check your devices and make sure all clocks are in sync!

Did you update your devices for the new Extended Daylight Savings Time?  The first deadline has passed, but if your devices are not updated, they are going to change the clock automatically when the original daylight savings time date arrives!

HandHeld Products has posted the CAB files for the Extended Daylight Savings Time update.  Put the correct CAB file (PocketPC 2003 or Windows Mobile 5) in the \IPSM\AutoInstall and cold-boot the device.  Be sure you have backed up all data on the device before cold booting!

Microsoft Research is working on the AURA Project, which is a mechanism for scanning IBSN barcodes with a standard PocketPC or SmartPhone with a camera.

We downloaded and experimented with the package, using a Verizon vx6700 and had excellent success.  This device has a Macro lens, so it was able to scan and decode the symbols with good accuracy.

At this time, it appears that the decoder only supports EAN and UPC codes, but we will monitor this project to see what develops.  We would be very interested in integrating a decoder like this into the Standard Windows Mobile 5 client for ITScriptNet.

HandHeld Products and Microsoft have teamed up to place Dolphin 7900 Windows Mobile 5 devices in Microsoft Technology Centers worldwide. 

The Dolphin 7900s are pre-loaded with a Portable Point of Sale application and an Interactive Tour, both written using ITScriptNet Batch Plus.  These applications will be used to demonstrate the capabilities of the Dolphin and what can be done with mobile computing. 

The applications support 4 languages: English, French, Spanish and German.  We are pleased to have been able to work with HandHeld Products on the development of these applications.

Recently we had a customer present us with an interesting problem.  This customer wanted to scan a 2-D barcode that could be up to 999 characters long.  He also wanted to parse some fields from the barcode and store them in other fields.  The problem was that the total length of his collected data exceeded the ITScriptNet maximum of 1000 characters.

Since he did not need to store the raw scan, but only the data parsed from it, we were able to take advantage of a trick using In-Prompt Scripts.  The Maximum Length property of an Input element can be overridden at run time using a script, but when the collected data is saved, the client uses the original size.  This is done so that records remain fixed width.  Normally you'd design the program with the maximum length you would need to scan, and then use the In Prompt script to override the size smaller if you knew the barcode you were scanning (or text to be typed) was smaller than the maximum.

In this case, however, we set the maxmimum length for the field to be 0.  An Input field with a zero length will not be saved in the collected data file.  We then used an In Prompt script to set the field's maximum length to 999 at runtime.  This allows the field to scan the 2-D barcode, and the scanned data is available in the After Scan script to be parsed, but it is not saved in the collected data record.

We have a Knowledge Base article about this technique:  HOWTO: Scan and Parse large 2-D Symbols

This is your last chance to update your PC and mobile devices before the new Extended Daylight Savings Time change this weekend.  We've previously discussed these issues in the following articles:

Extended Daylight Savings Time and Windows Mobile / Windows CE

Windows Mobile 5 Daylight Savings Time update tool released by Microsoft.

And of course, visit Windows Update to update your PC.

If all else fails, reset your clocks on Sunday/Monday, and then be prepared to set them again on April 2nd!

Originally, PocketPC devices all had the same screen size: 320x240.  However, Windows CE devices could have any size screen.  Over the last few versions, however, Microsoft has been allowing some new screen sizes, including 240x240.  With the release of Windows Mobile 6, Microsoft has added 320x320 as a valid screen size.

ITScriptNet currently only allows 320x240 as a valid screen size when you select PocketPC/Windows Mobile as the Terminal Type, although the client will run on a device with any screen resolution.  You can specify any screen size when you select Windows CE as the Terminal Type.  In a future version we will add the ability to select from any of the valid screen sizes for Windows Mobile, and have the client automatically move the Main Menu elements to fit the screen.

This article on the Windows Mobile Team Blog has more detail and a list of the valid screen sizes for Windows Mobile.