Understanding Service Providers (Windows CE 5.0)
An ActiveSync service provider is developer-written code, separate from the ActiveSync manager, that determines which data objects are to be updated, replicated, or discarded. Isolating these actions from the mechanical process of copying or deleting the objects simplifies the process of writing code to handle specific data.
An ActiveSync service provider requires two custom modules, usually compiled as DLLs. One runs on the desktop computer, the other on the Windows CE–based device. The following diagram shows how the modules work together with your application.
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The desktop module is an in-proc server that implements the IReplObjHandler:IUnknown and IReplStore:IUnknown COM interfaces.
The device module also implements the IReplObjHandler interface, which works with IReplObjHandler on the desktop computer to transfer data. This interface has three required functions: InitObjType, ObjectNotify, and GetObjTypeInfo. Three functions are optional: ReportStatus, FindObjects, and SyncData. FindObjects and SyncData are used in Windows CE 2.1 and later.
ActiveSync includes several ActiveSync service providers. For example, the Microsoft Outlook ActiveSync Service Provider synchronizes the Microsoft Outlook™ messaging and collaboration client with Outlook data on Windows CE–based devices.
Other data types require developer-written service providers to perform the synchronization. The developer has complete control over which data is synchronized and the criteria that determine when synchronization should be performed.
See Also
ActiveSync Programming Overview
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