How to Permanently Save Configuration in Windows Mobile Device Emulator

When working with the Windows Mobile Device Emulator, especially in environments with specific network requirements like a proxy server, developers can often find themselves spending unnecessary time reconfiguring the emulator after a hard reset. Each time the emulator resets, important settings, such as network cards, DNS servers, and proxy server configurations, are lost. This blog post aims to provide an effective solution to save these configurations permanently, making your development process more efficient.

The Challenge

As many developers have experienced, hard resets of the Windows Mobile Emulator lead to losing critical network settings. This includes:

• Emulator’s associated network card configuration
• DNS servers for the network card within Windows Mobile OS
• Proxy server settings in the connection configuration of Windows Mobile OS

These repetitive setup tasks not only consume time but can also lead to frustration, especially when performing tests or demonstrations frequently.

The Solution

Fortunately, there are methods to configure your emulator settings programmatically, which allows you to preserve these critical configurations permanently. Here are the steps you can take:

Using Managed Code

If you are developing with managed code, you can simplify the provisioning process through the use of Microsoft.WindowsMobile.Configuration.dll. This library helps automate much of the configuration tasks, allowing you to set defaults that will persist between resets.

1. Reference the Library: Include the Microsoft.WindowsMobile.Configuration.dll in your project.
2. Utilize API Calls: Leverage the various configuration methods available in the DLL to apply your network settings programmatically.

Using Unmanaged Code

For those using unmanaged code, the process involves the DMProcessConfigXML native function. This requires a more manual coding approach but can achieve similar results.

1. Access the DMProcessConfigXML: This function provides a way to apply configurations stored in XML format directly to the emulator.
2. Prepare XML Configuration: Create an XML file that outlines all necessary configuration settings for network cards, DNS, proxy settings, etc.
3. Execute Configuration: Call the DMProcessConfigXML function in your setup routine to apply the settings whenever needed.

Additional Resources

For a deeper dive into provisioning smart devices and utilizing the above methods, check out this blog post by Andrew Arnott. This resource details more advanced techniques and best practices for optimizing your development environment.

Conclusion

By implementing these strategies, you can significantly minimize the repetitive tasks associated with resetting the Windows Mobile Device Emulator. Using either managed or unmanaged code to programmatically set your configurations will ultimately save time and improve your overall development experience. Remember, the key to efficiency in software development lies in automating and streamlining your processes—make the most of these tools to ease your workload!