Creating an .ini File for the Application Manager

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The .ini file contains information that registers an application with the Application Manager. The .ini file uses the following format:

[CEAppManager]
Version      = 1.0
Component    = component_name

[component_name]
Description  = descriptive_name
[Uninstall   = uninstall_name]
[IconFile    = icon_filename]
[IconIndex   = icon_index]
[DeviceFile  = device_filename]
CabFiles     = cab_filename [,cab_filename]
  • component_name
    String that identifies the name of the section for the application.

  • descriptive_name
    String that will appear in the Description field of the Application Manager when a user chooses the application. The full name of the application is found in the CAB Wizard .inf file, in the format "provider appname". The value for provider is from [Version] Provider, while appname is from the [CEStrings] AppName.

    If there is more than one CAB file listed in the .ini file, the name is taken from the first CAB file on the list.

  • uninstall_name
    String that identifies the application's Windows Uninstall registry key name. This name must match the application's registered Windows Uninstall key name, which is found in the HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows
    \CurrentVersion\Uninstall registry key. Providing this name enables the Application Manager to automatically remove the application from the desktop computer and the device when a user clicks the Remove button in the Application Manager UI.

  • icon_filename
    String that identifies the desktop icon file. This string is used to display the device_filename when the file name is viewed in ActiveSync.

  • icon_index
    Numeric index into icon_filename. The value is used to display the device_filename when it is viewed in ActiveSync. If this key is nonexistent, the first icon in icon_filename is used.

  • device_filename
    File name on the device that will display the icon specified by icon_filename and icon_index when the device_filename is viewed in ActiveSync.

  • cab_filename
    File name of the available .cab files, relative to install_directory. Use commas to separate multiple cab_filenames. Do not include unnecessary spaces in this list of file names.

    Note   In a situation where the .ini file lists multiple .cab files, to ensure that the correct .cab is installed on the device, the list must follow a specific order. This list must begin with the .cab file that is targeted at the widest range of platform types and versions, and end with the .cab file for the most specific platform types and versions. The list must also use an order that begins with the newest version and ends with the earliest version. Finally, if platform string and version information are specified, information about the OS version is ignored.

Example

In the following example of a versioning scenario, there are three cab files targeted toward the following platforms:

  • Windows Mobile 5.0 for both Smartphone and Pocket PC platforms
  • All versions of Windows Mobile™-based Smartphone
  • Windows Mobile™-based Pocket PC 2003.

In the Application Manager .ini file, these .cab files would be listed according to the platform that they are targeted toward. The following list shows the order that the .cab files are listed in.

  • All versions of Windows Mobile™-based Smartphone
  • Windows Mobile 5.0 for both Smartphone and Pocket PC
  • Windows Mobile™-based Pocket PC 2003

See Also

Using the Application Manager | Sample .ini File | Delivering Applications

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