1. Module 1: Introduction to Windows CE

2. 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

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

4. 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 (500MB)

5. 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 processors/proc30.asp
Easy portability to new platforms
OAL layer

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

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

18. 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

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

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

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

26. 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)

27. 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

28. 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

29. System Memory and Architecture
Physical Memory
Virtual Memory
Object Store

30. 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

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

32. 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

33. 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

34. 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

35. 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