HOWTO: Use the Control Manager in CE Toolkit for Visual Basic

ID: Q185204

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

This article discusses the basics of how to use the Control Manager in Windows CE Toolkit for Visual Basic 5.0 (VBCE) to install controls (including custom controls) in emulation or on the remote device and synchronize them on the desktop.


MORE INFORMATION

Several controls are included with VBCE. These controls will show up in the Control Manager box, and they must be installed and registered for use in emulation or on the remote device. Other custom controls from third-party vendors should be installed according to the instructions provided with the control.

To Start Windows CE Control Manager

In the Visual Basic 5.0 IDE, select the Windows CE menu and click Control Manager.

-or-

Click the Start button, point to Programs, select Visual Basic 5.0, select Windows CE, and then click Control Manager.

If a control is not installed/registered correctly through the Control Manager, using it will generate the following run-time error:
Error while attempting to load the Startup Form
For more detailed information on this message, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

Q180628 PRB: Running Project Causes Error While Attempting to Load Form

Installing a Custom Control Not Listed in the Control Manager

Use the following steps to install a custom control not listed in the Control Manager:
  1. On the Windows CE menu, select Control Manager.


  2. Click Emulation (for installing the control on the emulator) or Device (for installing the control on the device), and then select Install Control. An Open dialog box displays for the location of the control.


  3. Locate the directory where the control resides.


  4. Click the control to install.


  5. A message box will report the following:
    Success: Registration of \\Windows\XXXXX.dll
    Error = 00000000
    NOTE: The Error 00000000 indicates a successful installation and registration of the control. The Control Manager will have a "Yes" in the Emulation or Device column for the control.


Synchronizing Controls on the Desktop

Use the following steps to synchronize controls on the desktop:
  1. Click any of the controls shown in the Control Manager box.


  2. On the Emulation or the Device menu, click Synchronize.


Installing or Uninstalling a Control Listed in the Control Manager

Use the following steps to install or uninstall a control listed in the Control Manager:
  1. Click the control.


  2. Under Emulation or Device, select Install. The control will be installed.

    -or-

    Under Emulation or Device, select Uninstall. The control will be uninstalled.


Product Limitation

VBCE does not provide Control Creation capability. Calling API functions from VBCE is not supported in this version. The workaround is to create ActiveX Controls to wrap API calls using Windows CE Toolkit for Visual C++ 5.0 (VCCE) and use them for VBCE.

Known Problems with the Control Manager

The Control Manager does not uninstall the control properly due to a known bug. To work around this problem, the registry keys for the control must be manually removed using the Registry Editor shipped with VBCE.

Additional query words: wince vbce vbce5 


Keywords          : kbToolkit kbVBp kbVBp500 kbWinCE kbWinCE100 kbGrpVB 
Version           : WINDOWS:1.0
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: February 26, 1999