Managing Applications on Storage Cards with Autorun.exe
The autorun.exe utility that ships with the Windows Mobile SDK enables Windows Mobile software to detect a storage card that has been inserted into a mobile device and to automatically load a specified application from the storage card into active memory. This utility also enables Windows Mobile software to detect removal of the storage card and instructs the application to perform cleanup and to remove itself from active memory.
To take advantage of this tool, add the following directory structure and files to a storage card:
Root\...\2577\autorun.exe
When a user inserts a storage card, the Windows Mobile-based device software searches the root directory of the card for a directory with the same name as the processor for that device. On Windows Mobile 2002 and later software for Pocket PCs, which are ARM based, this directory is always named 2577 — the processor type for ARM. The software then searches this directory for the autorun.exe file and loads this file to the \Windows directory in main memory on the device. Finally, the shell invokes the copy of autorun.exe on the device by using the install parameter. When the user removes the card, the shell invokes autorun.exe by using the uninstall parameter. The software also detects whether a card is inserted, removed, or swapped while power is off and takes appropriate action as soon as the device is turned on.
For example, a game developer can store game binaries and data files on a storage card. The developer can then design an autorun.exe file that adds registry settings and loads necessary files when the storage card is inserted into the device and removes these settings and files when the card is removed.
In an enterprise application, autorun.exe could be used to deploy a custom software application and data to a large number of devices. Updates to the application could be distributed to remote employees on inexpensive, low-capacity storage cards that perform automatic and trouble-free installation when inserted into the devices. If users must cold boot or replace their devices, they can simply insert the storage card that contains the application and data.
Programmers can determine the source directory for the autorun.exe file by using the SHGetAutoRunPath function. A storage card must be inserted for this function to succeed, although autorun.exe does not need to be present on the storage card.
See Also
How to: List and Locate Storage Card Files
Last updated on Friday, April 22, 2005
© 2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
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