How to Configure the Registry to Run an Application at Startup

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You can add an application to your platform, and then configure the registry to run the application when your platform boots. By doing so, you can decrease the amount of time involved in debugging an application. Otherwise, after your platform boots, you have to manually load and run the application on your target device.

Note   The steps in this procedure are written under the assumption that you have already created an application. For information about creating and building an application in the context of using Platform Builder with a CEPC, see Tutorial: Using Platform Builder with a CEPC.

To track your progress, select the check box next to each step.

  Step Topic
1. Open an existing platform, or create a new platform, and then build and download the run-time image to a target device. How to Use the IDE to Create, Customize, and Build a Platform
2. Use the Remote Registry Editor to discover the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Init launch numbers for each executable (.exe) file that runs on the target device at startup.

To run your application at startup, you must assign launch numbers to your application's .exe files in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Init section of the registry of the target device.

  • Connect to your target device using the Remote Registry Editor.

    If the connection fails, see Configuring the Connection to a Target Device Using Platform Manager.

  • In the Windows CE Remote Registry Editor window, expand the Default Device node, then the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE node, and then the Init node.

  • In the right pane, in the Name column, note the launch number for each application.

    These numbers use the launchnn format, where nn is the launch number.

 Opening Remote Registry Editor

Connecting to a Target Device with a Remote Tool
3. Add the application to your platform as a project. Adding an Existing Project to a Platform
4. Create a registry entry in the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Init section of the Project.reg file for your application. Configuring a Registry File to Run an Application at Startup
5. Build the changed features in your platform. Building a Platform
6. Configure a connection between your development workstation and your target device.
Note   Debugging is not necessary at this point.

If your target device is a CEPC, you must boot your OS image on the CEPC. For more information, see How to Boot an OS Image on a CEPC.

If your target device is the Emulator, you must download your platform to the Emulator. For more information, see Downloading an OS Image to the Emulator.

 Configuring a Connection for Downloading and Debugging
7. Once the download process is complete, verify that the application has launched properly on your target device.

The time required to display the OS is dependent on the size of the downloaded platform.

 Not applicable

See Also

Platform Development How to Topics | Remote Registry Editor | Registry | Project Creation

 Last updated on Friday, October 08, 2004

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