Module 1: Introduction to Windows CE

Overview Windows CE Design Goals Comparing Windows CE and Windows NT Embedded New Windows CE 3.0 Issues Windows CE Architecture Supported Technologies, Libraries, and Tools System Memory Architecture

Windows CE Design Goals Small Portable Modular and Compact Win32 Compatible Development Tool Support Connectivity Real-time

Small Typical hardware: 4MB-8MB ROM Smallest footprint: 500K Win32 API is only API Win32 API is subset of desktop Compared to Windows Me (100MB) or Windows 2000 (500MB)

Portable Easy portability to new processors Most parts of the OS written in C Various processors supported Complete list of supported processors available on Windows CE Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/Windows/embedded/ce/guide/ processors/proc30.asp Easy portability to new platforms OAL layer

Modular and Compact Modules Kernel, GWES, Filesys, and Communications Each module is divided into components Build an OS image that fits your needs Windows CE configurations: MINKERN, MININPUT, MINCOMM, MINGDI, MINWMGR, MINSHELL, MAXALL, IESAMPLE, MAXDX Components can be added, deleted, or replaced. Execute in place (XIP) from ROM

Win32 Compatible Uses the same Win32 programming model Uses the same Win32 PE file format Supports a large number of Win32 API functions Supports other programming interfaces: MFC, ATL and Embedded VB Advantages: Ease of porting existing Windows applications Many developers have good Windows knowledge

Development Tool Support Major requirement of OEMs and ISVs Not restricted to a particular language Strong development support Languages: Embedded Visual Basic, Embedded Visual C++ Tools: Remote debugger, emulators Technologies: COM, DCOM and MSMQ APIs: TAPI, Winsock, CryptoAPI, NLS API Libraries: ATL, MFC

Connectivity Windows CE devices designed for mobility Support connectivity to desktop PC, other Windows CE devices, and the Internet Wide variety of communication options and API: Serial (Win32), LAN (NDIS), Modem (TAPI), Infrared (IrDA), RAS, Winsock, Web Server and WinInet Secure communications at all levels Synchronization model: ActiveSync Mobile channels

Real-time Interrupt Handling Guaranteed maximum latency for highest priority interrupt Nestable (Prioritized) Interrupt Handling Thread Scheduling Guaranteed maximum latency for highest priority thread 256 thread priorities Controllable thread quantum

Comparing Windows CE and Windows NT Embedded Feature Windows CE NTe Memory Footprint 500K - 8MB+ 8MB- 300MB Configurability 200 Modules 4 Configurations API Support “Best of” Win32 plus Windows CE-specific enhancements Complete Win32 CPU Support x86, PPC, MIPS, SHx, ARM Only x86 Device Driver Fine-tuned for size derivative of NT Driver 100% compatibility with Desktop Security Minimal Complete NT security module Development Environment Windows NT/ Windows 2000 Windows NT/ Windows 2000

New Windows CE 3.0 Issues The Add-on Pack Porting to Windows CE 3.0

Operating System Features The Add-On pack Operating System Features XML Parser (MSXML 2.0) Internet Connection Sharing Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) Crypto API 2.0 Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) 5.0 DirectX Support Windows Media New Tools Kernel Tracker Remote System Information Remote Performance Monitor

Porting to Windows CE 3.0 Interruptible ISRs ISTs and WaitForSingleObject Thread priorities Thread quantums Timer granularity Simpler Priority Inversion Handling Multiple XIP ROM regions supported 256MB max object store

Windows CE Architecture Overview of Windows CE Architecture The Hardware The OEM Adaptation Layer The Kernel Module The Filesys Module The GWES Module Communications Support

Overview of Windows CE Architecture Microsoft OEM ISV, OEM Applications WIN32 APIs COREDLL, WINSOCK, OLE, COMMCTRL, COMMDLG, WININET, TAPI Windows CE Shell Services Remote Connectivity Embedded Shell Kernel Library GWES Device Manager File Manager IrDA TCP/IP OAL Boot loader Drivers Device drivers File drivers Network drivers OEM Hardware

The Hardware Minimum hardware requirements: Supported processor Timer for Scheduler Interrupts Memory Reference platforms: HARP CEPC Blue Planet

The OEM Adaptation Layer Layer between the kernel and the hardware Coded by OEMs to adapt Windows CE to their own platforms Linked with processor-independent code provided by Microsoft to build the kernel Set of functions related to system startup, interrupt handling, power management, profiling, timer, and clock

The Kernel Module Portable across supported processors NK.EXE, COREDLL.DLL Support RAM and ROM execution Modules can be compressed in ROM Demand paging

The Filesys Module Three types of persistent storage File systems Registry Property Database The object store is built on an internal heap The internal heap is transacted to ensure integrity The internal heap is compressed to save memory

The GWES Module Graphics, Window, and Event manager Graphic output (display and printer) User input: keyboard, stylus, mouse, etc. Window management: message routing, etc. GWES is the most componentized Windows CE module GWES exports only a subset of the Win32 API functions

Communications Support Unimodem TAPI WinINET Applications (PIE, dialing app, etc.) Network Redirector RAS Winsock TCP/IP IrDA PPP/SLIP Serial Driver Installable drivers NDIS Ethernet Miniports

The Communications Support (continued) Desktop Connectivity ActiveSync for data synchronization between a desktop PC and a Windows CE device Remote API (RAPI) as remote procedure call mechanism Mobile Channels

Supported Technologies, Libraries, and Tools Support for Development Languages and Tools Support for Popular Technologies and Libraries API Differences with Windows 95 / Windows NT International Support

Support for Development Languages and Tools Microsoft Platform Builder Microsoft Embedded Visual Tools 3.0 Custom SDK

Support for Popular Technologies and Libraries Supported Technologies Component Object Model (COM) Message Queuing Service (MSMQ) DirectX Supported Libraries Microsoft Foundation Classes (MFC) Active Template Library (ATL)

API Differences with Windows 95 / Windows NT What is missing Redundant APIs Windows NT security functions, ANSI API, “LE” of OLE printing, USER/GDI Portions of the large APIs such as TAPI, Sockets, Some flags on very complex APIs What is different Memory size and power management are special concerns Device driver model is different Thread scheduling is simpler Different product classes have different API sets

International Support Windows CE supports Unicode strings only OS ships localized in several European languages Easy to localize for other European languages National Language Support (NLS) API Input Method Editor (IME) End User Defined Characters (EUDC) Soft Input Panel

System Memory and Architecture Physical Memory Virtual Memory Object Store

Physical Memory Physical Memory Virtual Address Space 4 GB 3 GB ROM NK .5 MB to 512 MB NK RAMIMAGE RAM–Object Store Program Memory 2 GB RAM .5 MB to 512 MB 1 GB Physical Memory Virtual Address Space

Virtual Memory Memory Mapping (Shared) Reserved Slot 32:Process32 . Slot 0:Active Process 2GB 32MB

Object Store: File System File system access is through Win32 API No letters assigned to file systems No concept of current directory No support for overlapped I/O Support for installable and remote file systems Support files stored in ROM File-shadowing mechanism

Object Store: Registry Provides a common repository for system settings, application data, and user preferences Resides in RAM If not present in RAM, the registry can be: Reloaded from persistent storage Rebuilt from ROM Access to the registry is through the same set of Win32 API functions as other Windows operating systems Registry functions specific to Windows CE

Object Store: Databases Windows CE built-in lightweight database management system Data stored in a flat model (no hierarchy) Ideal for storing contacts, notes, and mail Accessible through a new set of Win32 API functions specific to Windows CE Also accessible to ActiveX Data Objects for Windows CE (ADOCE) Supports multiple volumes on installable file systems

Review Windows CE Design Goals Comparing Windows CE and Windows NT Embedded New Windows CE 3.0 Issues Windows CE Architecture Supported Technologies, Libraries, and Tools System Memory Architecture