Description:
The main purpose of the VBCE Icons Tool program
is to build "Resource Only DLL's" with a number of Icons to be used on
all the platforms (Targets) supported by Windows CE.
Those DLL's may be used in several ways. Some examples:
- Assign an individual Icon to each VBCE script application
- Give an Icon on the Windows CE
Taskbar to each VBCE Form
- Include a small Icon on the Windows CE
System Tray
For all the examples given, we have free source code available to include on your
applications. We have also examples of Registry Manipulation, Fill a Form with an Image
(.bmp) and others. You can also check on how to use System Function Declares using User
Defined Types (structures) which are not available on this version of the Toolkit. All the
examples are for VB 6.0/CE Toolkit.
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How to Use:
The Main form:
Let's start with the basics:
- Click "Add" and select one or
several Icons to include on the DLL.
- You can "Remove" some if you wish.
- Or "Remove All" of them.
- You can also uncheck some of the Icons on the list and then
"Remove Unchecked". This is just a cosmetic operation: only
those Icon files marked as checked will be included on the DLL
- You can change the order of the files: click on a file and
"Move" it up or down on the list.
- Then select the "Target Machine".
- And press the "Build DLL"
On the "Icon" frame there two
interesting values:
- "ID" gives us the number to use on
some system calls to get the Icon file selected. This value will only be accurate if you
remove all the unchecked files on the list.
- "Images" tell us the number of
images on the Icon file selected. Each Icon file may have several images, usually a 32x32
pixels (large Icon) and a 16x16 pixels (small Icon).
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Tools:
The Images form:
Let's say you don't need the 32x32 pixels image on the
selected Icon file. Go to the Main form menu and select "Tools"
> "Remove Images from Icon". On the list, uncheck this
particular image and "Save" it. If you want to keep the
original file use "Save As". By just clicking each particular
image, you will see it on the left of the listing.
Edit Icons:
The Main form menu option "Tools"
> "Edit Icon" will call the application defined on your
computer as the default edit application for .ico files passing the selected Icon file as
a call parameter. VBCE Icons Tool does not include in itself this editing
functionality.
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Options:
After selecting all the required Icons to include on the DLL,
there are 3 main options on the VBCE Icons Tool application:
- "Build for selected Target": Build
just one DLL for a selected Target platform
- "Build for all Targets": Build
DLL's for all available platforms (Targets). An additional extension identifies the
intended platform of the DLL. This option also builds a DLL for the selected Target
platform as the previous one. Example: Build an Icon DLL to test on the Windows CE
Emulation but leave versions of the same DLL for all available platforms.
- "Create & Change VB6 Setup Files":
Build DLL's to include on CAB files generated by the "Application Install Wizard"
program available on the "CE Toolkit for Visual Basic
6.0". This option performs a number of changes on the .INF file and rebuilds all
.CAB files. It also includes Registry settings on the Target device to automatically
assign the first Icon of the DLL to the application. More
details on this later in this document.
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VBCE Toolkit - The
Application Icon Drawback:
One of the drawbacks of the VB6.0 CE Toolkit is the
impossibility of assigning a different Icon to each application.
The VBCE Icons Tool program addresses the problem
by assigning a specific Icon DLL to every application installed. This Icon DLL may also
include several other Icons to be used on other instances of your application (like
assigning Toolbar Icons to each Form).
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VBCE Icons Tool - The
Workaround:
Proceed as follows:
- Create your Visual Basic
application for Windows CE.
- Call the "Application Install Wizard" to
create the Setup files for that application.
- Call VBCE Icons Tool and include all Icon files
required.
- Select the "Create & Change VB6 Setup Files"
option on the Main form menu and press the "Build" button.
- You will be asked to supply the Setup Directory previously
used by the VBCE "Application Install Wizard" and the name of the Icon
DLL file to create. An emulation version of the DLL (x86) will be left on this directory.
The customized versions of the DLL for each Target System will be left in separate
subdirectories.
- Some other will replace the original extension of your
executable (.vb). You might accept a randomly generated extension or provide your own one.
On the WinCE device, registry settings will assign the first Icon of the new Icon DLL to
this extension.
- The original (built by the VBCE "Application Install
Wizard") .INF file will be backed up and will never change. This permits several
Icon DLL's buildings with only one VBCE "Application Install Wizard"
execution.
- A new .INF file will be built which will include all the new
settings.
- The VBCE "Application Install Wizard" leaves a
"README.TXT" file on the Setup Directory, which provides the command to
use on following .CAB builds. After building the new .CAB files, they will be moved to the
CD1 subdirectory, replacing all previous versions of those files.
- Everything needed to install the application will be left on
the CD1 subdirectory.
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Ordering and
Registration:
The unregistered version of the VBCE Icons Tool
program is intended to be used for evaluation purposes. It performs exactly as the
registered version BUT all the Icons included on the output DLL will be drawn over a GRID
with their COLORS SCRAMBLED.
To order VBCE Icons Tool please access our page
at http://www.commedia.pt/ce. You will need to
provide some kind of Identification (Register to) which will be displayed as the Caption
of the Main form of VBCE Icons Tool.
After receiving the corresponding Key, hit the Main form menu
option "Help" > "Register" and
enter the "Register to" and "Key"
assigned to you.
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License Agreement:
Please read the following terms and conditions before using
this software. Use of VBCE Icons Tool indicates you accept the terms of this license agreement
and warranty.
Registered Version
One registered copy of VBCE Icons Tool may either be used by a
single person who uses the software personally on one or more computers, or installed on a
single workstation used nonsimultaneously by multiple people, but not both.
You may access the registered version of VBCE Icons Tool through a network, provided that you
have obtained individual licenses for the software covering all computers that will run
the software from the network. For instance, if six different workstations will access
VBCE Icons Tool on the network, each workstation must have its own VBCE Icons Tool license,
regardless of whether they use VBCE Icons Tool at different times or concurrently.
Disclaimer of Warranty
THIS SOFTWARE AND THE ACCOMPANYING FILES ARE SOLD "AS
IS" AND WITHOUT WARRANTIES AS TO PERFORMANCE OF MERCHANTABILITY OR ANY OTHER
WARRANTIES WHETHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. Because of the various hardware and software
environments into which VBCE Icons Tool may be put, NO WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE IS OFFERED.
Good data processing practice dictates that any new program should be thoroughly tested by
the user with non-critical data before relying on it. The user must assume the entire risk
of using the program. ANY LIABILITY OF THE SELLER WILL BE LIMITED EXCLUSIVELY TO PRODUCT
REPLACEMENT OR REFUND OF PURCHASE PRICE.
Evaluation Version
Evaluation and Registration
This is not free software. Subject to the terms below, you
are hereby licensed to use this software for evaluation purposes without charge for a
period of 30 days. If you use this software after the 30-day evaluation period,
registration is required. Credit card ordering is available, as described in the Ordering and Registration section of this file. When payment is
received, you will be sent a Key for VBCE Icons Tool via e-mail.
Unregistered use of VBCE Icons Tool after the 30-day evaluation period is in violation of U.S.
and international copyright laws.
Distribution
Provided that you are distributing the current non-registered
Evaluation version (select About from the VBCE Icons Tool Help menu to check) you are hereby
granted permission to duplicate and distribute the program; give exact copies of the
original Evaluation version to anyone; and distribute the Evaluation version of the
software and documentation in its unmodified form via electronic means. There is no charge
for any of the above.
You are specifically prohibited from charging, or requesting donations, for any such
copies, however made; from distributing the software and/or documentation with other
products (commercial or otherwise) without prior written permission.
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