Build an OS (Compact 7)

3/12/2014

The ultimate goal of the build process is the creation of an OS image - a binary file that can be downloaded to the device and run. The build process compiles and links the OS components and creates the image.

A Compact 7 installation includes the jobs, programs, and files necessary to build an OS image. It also includes Platform Builder, a Visual Studio 2008 add-in that provides an integrated development environment (IDE) for building.

It is possible to build and run your OS, or to build applications to run on it, without hardware. To do this you would use a virtual CEPC, which is a virtual machine that runs your Windows Embedded Compact OS on your development computer. Even if a virtual CEPC is not a practical tool for you, building one is a good way to become acquainted with the build system and with Platform Builder. For more information, see Develop with Virtual CEPC.

In This Section

  • The Build System
    Discusses the jobs, programs, and files that compile and link code to build an OS.
  • Improve The Build Process
    Describes techniques to create accurate builds that reduce overhead and make design changes testable as quickly as possible.

See Also

Concepts

OS Development