This topic has been updated for Visual Studio 2005 SP1.
Visual Studio 2005 supports application development for devices running Windows Mobile Version 5.0, Windows Mobile 2003 and 2003 Second Edition, and Windows CE-based hardware running Windows CE 5.0.
However, many legacy devices exist. This situation can lead to confusion as to what is required by way of development tools, .NET Compact Framework version, and underlying Windows CE operating system.
Tools Comparison Charts
The following tables provide a snapshot of the variations in smart device hardware, hardware features, and development tools. These listings can change over time. You can obtain the most up-to-date and complete information by reviewing the technical article Introduction to Development Tools for Windows Mobile-based Devices in the MSDN Library.
Overview of IDE Capabilities
This table provides an overview of the capabilities of the different IDEs. Column heading abbreviations are as follows:
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eVT3C = eMbedded Visual C++ 3.0
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eVT3V = eMbedded Visual Basic 3.0
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eVC4 = eMbedded Visual C++ 4.0 and service pack 4.0
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VS2003 = Visual Studio .NET 2003
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VS2005 = Visual Studio 2005
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eVT3C
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eVT3V
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eVC4
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VS2003
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VS2005
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| Code type | Native Code | X | | X | | X |
| | Interpreted Code | | X | | | |
| | Managed Code | | | | X | X |
| | Server-side Code | | | | X | X |
| Device SDKs | Pocket PC 2000 and Pocket PC 2002 | X | X | | X | |
| | Smartphone 2002 | X | | | | |
| | Windows Mobile 2003 | | | X | X | X |
| | Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition | | | X | X | X |
| | Windows Mobile 5.0 | | | | | X |
.NET Compact Framework Tools and OS Support
This table provides an overview of which tool versions and which Windows Mobile software versions support .NET Compact Framework versions 1.0 and 2.0.
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Version 1.0
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Version 2.0
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| Tool | Visual Studio .NET 2003 | X | |
| | Visual Studio 2005 | X | X |
| Windows Mobile software version | Windows Mobile 5.0 | In-ROM (1.0 SP3) | User installable |
| | Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition | In-ROM (1.0 SP2) | User installable (Pocket PC only) |
| | Windows Mobile 2003 | In-ROM (1.0 SP1) | User installable (Pocket PC only) |
| | Smartphone 2002 | | |
| | Pocket PC 2002 | User installable | |
| | Pocket PC 2000 | User installable | |
Database Technology Support
The following table has been updated for Visual Studio 2005 SP1.
This table provides an overview of which database technologies are supported by various versions of Windows Mobile.
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SQL Server 2005 Compact Edition or SQL Server 2005 Mobile Edition
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SQL CE 2.0
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EDB
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CEDB
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ADOCE
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| Windows Mobile 5.0 | User Installable | User Installable (Pocket PC Only) | In-ROM | In-ROM* | Unsupported User Install |
| Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition | User Installable (Pocket PC Only) | User Installable (Pocket PC Only) | N/A | In-ROM | In-ROM |
| Windows Mobile 2003 | User Installable (Pocket PC Only) | User Installable (Pocket PC Only) | N/A | In-ROM | In-ROM |
| Smartphone 2002 | N/A | N/A | N/A | In-ROM | N/A |
| Pocket PC 2002 | N/A | User Installable (Pocket PC Only) | N/A | In-ROM | In-ROM |
| Pocket PC 2000 | N/A | User Installable (Pocket PC Only) | N/A | In-ROM | In-ROM (most devices) |
* In Windows Mobile 5.0, CEDB is In-ROM but deprecated. Developers should use EDB instead.
Notes
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Check with the device manufacturer regarding upgrading a device to a later version of Windows CE or Windows Mobile. Microsoft does not supply upgrades for specific devices to end users.
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Visual Studio 2005 Express Editions do not include support for Smart Device projects.
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The eMbedded Visual Basic tools are no longer supported. The eMbedded Visual Basic run time is no longer in device ROM.
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eMbedded Visual C++ 4.0 and eMbedded Visual Basic 4.0 can be downloaded from the Mobile Developer Center.
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Version 1.0 of .NET Compact Framework, if not already present in ROM, can be installed in RAM on Pocket PC 2000, 2002, 2003, and 2003 SE devices. Version 2.0, if not already present in ROM, can be installed in RAM or persistent store on Pocket PC 2003, Windows CE 5.0, and Windows Mobile 5.0.
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The current version of the Compact Framework is 2.0, available as a RAM install from the Mobile Developer Center.
See Also