how to find information on programming older os

[large_ghostman]

ive tried google but not sure i am using the right search terms, or if maybe i am completely barking up the wrong tree, i am looking for a tutorial on writing programs using C# for old operating systems like pocket pc 2002 and older. what i am trying to do is write a simple program to read the serial line on a couple of old ipaq's (ones without usb just serial cable). i tried to get a terminal type program for them but couldnt ind one anywhere and the ipaq's i have dont have a terminal type prog installed.
So i thought no problem just do a simple C# program to read the serial port! but finding information on using C# with older operating systems is proving hard

 

[large_ghostman]

i have also read microchips app note AN926 which mentions using C# and programming embedded systems using ir protocol but it says there is a program example included in the app note zip file, however i couldnt find the zip file just the app note!

 

[House0Fwax]

There seems to be a link to download it on this page.
**broken link removed**

 

[large_ghostman]

thank you for that, ir isnt what i am actually after but it is a start! i might see if i am allowed to join a C# forum and ask the question there, i have read a few posts on various forums and get a mixed impression, at the mo it would seem like C# isnt the tool for the job hard to tell.
i have started learning (slowly) C# on the pc and its ok on win7 but trying to find out how to do simple apps on older systems is a nightmare!! i am not even sure now if i can use C# on really old ipaq PDA's, shame because they would make ace data loggers and interfaces as you can get them on ebay for peanuts!

 

[JonSea]

I have used an old Handspring device as a terminal emulation and data logger. They have a TTL serial port and an emulator program built-in. A little off the topic but may give you some ideas.

Irradiance Meter

 

[Ian Rogers]

I'm a bit confused by this... C# was introduced in the later half of 2000... It used to be J++ but the law suit from sun systems made them change J++ ( java from MS ) to C#... but I don't remember the .net framework at that time.
.net 1.0 was released in 2003..

I may have wrongly assumed the need for .net for mobile applications??? Maybe there was another interface?

The tiny CLR used with C# apps was released in 2005....

My first smartphone running pocket PC had a java interface...

 

[large_ghostman]

this isnt a smart phone its a hp ipaq, i dont think your wrong about .NET think thats the problem that i need .NET framework but pocket pc 2002 and older wont work with it. maybe what i should be doing is seeing what other languages will work with pocket pc. also i think the other OS is windows CE3.0 or something like that, maybe there is a dev kit for VB for these OS.
no experience of VB and little of C# but for what i have in mind it shouldn't be that hard as visual studio seems to do most the hard bit for you. anyway it isnt essential but i would really like to get pics working with these as it open's up all kind of great ways of data logging and all sorts of stuff really cheaply. also i have bid on a very old hp PDA phone, i guess these were the forerunner of the more modern smart phone, i would like one of these for sms type stuff for my incubator project, they can be had very cheap <£10 and should make sending and receiving texts to and from pics easier if i can get one programmed, i know you can get old mobiles for that kind of stuff but they seem hard to get and finding which model is best is pretty hard, also with the PDA type phone yoou have more options than just the text stuff

 

[Ian Rogers]

this isnt a smart phone its a hp ipaq

Its the same OP... It was really WindowsCE... You can still get all the gear you need.. I have WindowsCE 5 SDK somewhere as I was giving it a go at one stage.. I had an emulator on the PC so I didn't have to own a pocketPC to develop... I think I got it off of Orange...

 

[large_ghostman]

yep that sounds about right Windows CE, i have about three or four versions on the ipaq's, i have been collecting them off ebay after dad got some, one is usb so not really want i want but the others are the old serial link ones, just need to find what version windows CE. and find how to get the Dev kit, and hopefuly i can use C# or at a push VB.
the phone one isnt CE its a odd one not sure what it is now. anyway the PDA's as data loggers and mini control units would be good! especially as you can sync to a spread sheet on a pc. long term plan is too have the temp's and humidity and time they were taken (from ds1307) all logged, might also be cool to be able to change the incubator settings via the PDA and have the values put into the pic eeprom in case the bat goes or the link is interrupted. i normally pay around 3-£4 each for the older ones with dead bats. but you dont need the bat or can get new bat for around £5, i just thought i could do some really cool projects with it, they even have infra red link and some have bluetooth and wifi

 

[Ian Rogers]

Windows CE 5 SDK is a free download at microchip... They recommended Visual C++ as the dev platform.

I have C++ 5.0 and C++ 6.0 and C++ 2008 ( not a lot of difference between 5 and 6 )

There are other tools you can use... Basic for example..
These guys also do Android..

basic4ppc is only $54 for the standard version...

 

[large_ghostman]

C++ ouch!! i was hoping C# or even VB, maybe visual C++ isnt so bad????

 

[large_ghostman]

that basic looks pretty good! only thing pus me off is i would learn just one language and i had kind of started C# not sure if trying to learn that as well is a good idea

but i have to say that it looks like it will do the job!

 

[large_ghostman]

i could only find the android download i want the other one dont i??

 

[Ian Rogers]

Red button!!

 

[be80be]

Just put Linux on it it will run it happily. To write a program for it you had to buy there compiler and it wasn't cheap kind of like the iPhone and iPad type of deal.
I had two of them running Linux cause you could do most anything that way for free
Bash sh as root gave. Full control over the hardware

 

[large_ghostman]

Just put Linux on it it will run it happily. To write a program for it you had to buy there compiler and it wasn't cheap kind of like the iPhone and iPad type of deal.
I had two of them running Linux cause you could do most anything that way for free
Bash sh as root gave. Full control over the hardware

will the old ipaq's really run linux?? wow i thought they were strictly windows machines do i need a small version of linux? there seems so many! how do i get it to link to pc to download stuff onto it? linux is a whole new beast to me, can i download onto ipaq with linux on from a pc with windows on? or better yet rather than bug you with questions is there anywhere i can go to find this stuff out?
i once used a pc for a couple of hours with unbuntu or something like that on it, was really cool a huge list of free programs and all you had to do was click a button!

 

[be80be]

This is easy to do just go here ftp://ftp.ens-cachan.fr/mirror/Handhelds/familiar.handhelds.org/releases/download.php
And Google Linux on ipaq there's a how to that tells how to do it without bricking the
Ipaq

 

[large_ghostman]

thank you for the links! i had better go get the how to! linux is new to me, i looked everywhere to get a simple terminal program for the older ipaq's and got nowhere! so linux might be the way to go. anyway i got to go now school in morning as we had inset day friday i dont get monday as home study.

 

[large_ghostman]

found the guide, this isnt so straight forward, i think i will wait until dad can help with this! Ian i didnt get a red button but i did find the link in the end
i will get you know who to message the forum and see whats what before i go spending money strictly speaking isnt mine until after i inherit