Copy file from pc to Windows Mobile 6.1 device

Question

Hello

I have the following setup

Development: Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 Pro on Vista.  Windows Mobile Development SDK

Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional mobile dcevice

I need to copy a file (.sdf) from my pc to my mobile device using VB.net.

There is (as usual) a mine of confusing information on the net regarding using RAPI and I do not know where to start.

I simply want to copy a file from pc to mobile device and back (simple!?)

Can anyone out there help please?

Many thanks in advance.

---

With thanks, NECoder

Answer 1

And another thing - do I really need to use a 3rd party component such as RAPI - can I not achieve this with .net libraries (eg SYSTEM.IO) ?

---

With thanks, NECoder

Answer 2

RAPI is not 3rd party. It is from Microsoft. You can use CeCopyFile to accomplish your task.

You can also use a wrapper. For the wrapper, you may use something like this from CodePlex: http://rapi2.codeplex.com/

Or the popular OpenNetCF Desktop Communications library: http://www.opennetcf.com/FreeSoftware/DesktopCommunication/tabid/90/Default.aspx

I have a CP article covering RAPI2 in C++ you may find useful: http://www.codeproject.com/KB/windows/CeDir.aspx

You can use the System.IO libraries, but it is more difficult than using RAPI. You can write a server program (like FTP) that runs on the device and waits for files to be sent to it and and FTP client for the PC that send files over the ActiveSync network connection. Actually, you can just use a pre-made FTP client/server for this purpose, if you want.

-PaulH

Answer 3

I forgot to say I am a VB.net programmer.  RAPI2 looks good. Are there any VB.NET examples of how to implement?

Thank you.

---

With thanks, NECoder

Answer 4

Looking for further examples on line and CeCopyFile looks to be what I need but I cannnot work out how to implement this in VB.net as there are references to pointers etc???  This must be sooooo simple (if you know how)

Any help always very greatfully received

---

With thanks, NECoder

Answer 5

You will need to P/Invoke the native function if there isn't a VB wrapper available. I'm not a VB.NET person, so I can't help you with specific code, but these two links look useful:
http://www.codeproject.com/KB/dotnet/PInvoke.aspx
http://www.google.com/search?q=vb.net+pinvoke

Also, I misread your original question. CeCopyFile will allow you to copy files from one location on the device to another location on the device. If you want to copy from the PC to the device, you will need to use CeCreateFile, CeWriteFile, and CeCloseFile.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms913647.aspx

-PaulH

Answer 6

Paul, Thanks for your reply.

Having looked at the OpenNetCF option I am experimenting with this. Downloaded and built the assembly.

I have included a reference to OpenNETCF.Desktop.Communication in my vb.net mobile device project.

Only problem is now I get a "Can't find PInvoke DLL 'rapi.dll'" error.  I know you're not a vb person but here's my code:

Imports

 

OpenNETCF.Desktop.Communication

Module

 

FileOps

 

Dim rapi As New RAPI

 

' Initialize RAPI

 

Public Function ConnectRapi() As Long

rapi.Connect()

 

End Function

 

' Uninitialize RAPI

 

Public Function DisconnectRapi() As Long

rapi.Disconnect()

 

End Function

 

 

Public Sub xFerFile()

rapi.CopyFileToDevice(

"c:\my documents\test.text", _

 

"my device\program files\ie_mobile\test.text")

 

End Sub

 

End

 

Module

Rapi.connect fails with the Pinvoke error.

Trawling throught the net, others say it the RAPI.dll must reside in the program files or windows folder on the device, which it does as it is getting copied over when deploying my solution.

I am at a complete loss as to how something so simple as copying a file from pc to device can be so difficult??

---

With thanks, NECoder

Answer 7

Do you have the Windows Mobile Device Center for Vista installed?

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=46f72df1-e46a-4a5f-a791-09f07aaa1914&displayLang=en

 

You will need that to communicate with the device. It should be in C:\Windows\System32

-PaulH

Answer 8

Yes, I have that installed, although I was getting problems with "Not Connected" but that's an asside issue (within visual studio it works fine)

 

---

With thanks, NECoder

Answer 9

Can you verify that c:\windows\system32\rapi.dll exists on your system?

You're running this executable on your PC and not your mobile device, correct?

-PaulH

Answer 10

Yes rapi.dll is on my Vista machine.  When I run the mobile application, the mobile emulator (or my actual mobile device if connected) runs my program. rapi.dll is copied over to the emulator/device on debug.

 

---

With thanks, NECoder

Answer 11

RAPI applications need to run on your PC not the mobile device. RAPI.dll is compiled for x86 Windows, not Windows Mobile, so it will not work on your mobile device.

The PC application communicates with a RAPI service that is always running on your mobile device and comes pre-installed with Windows Mobile. 

-PaulH

Answer 12

My end goal is to copy a file (sql ce database) from a computer to the mobile device.  Surely this must be achieveble?

All articles I have seen so far seem to suggest this is achieveable via the OpenNetCF Desktop Communications library.

Thanks for all you help anyway.  Maybe any VB.net gurus could help.

---

With thanks, NECoder

Answer 13

This is possible. You must write a PC based application that uses the OpenNetCF Desktop Communications Library.

Here is an example of doing this in VB.NET:

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/277529/rapi-copy-file-using-opennetcf-desktop-communication-dll

-PaulH

Answer 14

Yes but we are back to square one - my code gives the Can't find PInvoke DLL 'rapi.dll' error when trying the rapi connect.  :(

 

---

With thanks, NECoder

Answer 15

Are you still trying to run your application on the mobile device or have you changed it to run on your Windows PC?

-PaulH

Answer 16

The application is designed to run on the mobile device and when connected, copy a database from the pc to the mobile device (and then later copy it back again).  Thanks.

---

With thanks, NECoder

Answer 17

You can not do that using RAPI as it only only allows accessing device from the desktop side and not desktop from device which is what you need.

To access desktop from device you can use file shares accessible from device via UNC paths (\\computer\share\path), web server running on device or other custom means of communication.

---

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Answer 18

Hello Ilya, thanks for your input.

RAPI2 suggests that you can copy files back and fourth - from a pc to mobile to pc (via activeSync / WMDC)

rrapi2.system.devices.remoteFile.CopyFileToDevice

rrapi2.system.devices.remoteFile.CopyFileFromDevice

I would like to see this used in a VB.net example as I cannot understand C# !!

---

With thanks, NECoder

Answer 19

RAPI is a desktop only API. It is indeed allow moving files both ways (among other things it can do) but that is done by the application running on the desktop, not by the application running on the device. If you need to do something from the application running on device then RAPI is simply not an option, whatever in VB or C#.

---

This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

Answer 20

OK, thanks for clarifying that.  I can do that processing from my desktop application. 

Do you know of any samples using RAPI/RAPI2 in vb.net to get me started?  I downloaded a bunch of test applications written in C# from codeplex and although these were excellent they did not demo file copying (and were in C#)?  VB samples would be wonderful.

Thank you for your help

---

With thanks, NECoder

Answer 21

Thanks for all your help everyone.  Created a forms app in Visual Studio and added some RAPI code to achieve my end goal.  My problems was I was trying to run the code from the device - as Ilya pointed out above - RAPI is designed to run from desktop only.

Solutiuon:

create new vb.net forms app

add RAPI2.dll reference (get RAPI2 from Codeplex.com)

In form import System.devices namespace

Here's a dump of my code for anyone who needs it (note -change file references to something meaningful to you) :-

 

Imports

 

System.Devices

Public

 

Class Form1

 

Dim dev As RemoteDevice

 

Dim mgr As New System.Devices.RemoteDeviceManager

 

Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click

dev = mgr.Devices.FirstConnectedDevice

 

If dev Is Nothing Then

MsgBox(

"No device connected")

 

Else

MsgBox(

"Connected to: " & dev.Name)

 

End If

 

End Sub

 

Private Sub Button2_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click

 

Dim RAPIfile As RemoteFile

RAPIfile.CopyFileToDevice(dev,

"C:\Users\Ian\Documents\test.txt", "\\my documents\test.txt", True)

RAPIfile =

Nothing

 

End Sub

 

Private Sub Button3_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button3.Click

 

Dim RAPIfile As RemoteFile

RAPIfile.CopyFileFromDevice(dev,

"\\program files\ie_mobile\client.sdf", "C:\Users\Ian\Documents\client.sdf", True)

RAPIfile =

Nothing

 

End Sub

End

 

Class

---

With thanks, NECoder

Answer 22

I use a bought product from Sapphire Solutions to ftp my files.  below is an example I use to send my database from a WM6 device to my iSeries IBM computer:

 

Public Sub TransFile()

        Dim ftperror As Integer

        Dim ToFile As String

        Dim msg As String = vbNullString

        Dim mya() As String

        Dim getfiles() As String

        Dim endstr As Integer

        Dim TrnFile As String = "/ftptcomm/V300/" & DeviceID & "/mail/" & DeviceID & ".sdf"

        Dim SndFile As String = Data_Path & "\Datafiles\PreSale.sdf"

        Try

            showstatus("Attempting to send Data file")

            ftperror = sFTPOpen(Host_IpAddress, DEFAULT_FTP_PORT, "UserName", "PassWord", lPassive, lTimeOut, SapphireFTPLicence)

            ftperror = sFTPPut(SndFile, TrnFile, FTP_TRANSFER_BINARY, SapphireFTPLicence)

            If ftperror = 0 Then

                showstatus("sending Data file")

            Else

                MsgBox(" The program could not send " & SndFile & " to " & TrnFile & "!  The file is in use or missing.  Reset your device one time or exit the data entry program normally to ensure the file is not in use and try to resend.")

 

            End If

        Catch ex As Exception

            MsgBox(" The program could not send your PreSale Database!  The file is in use or missing.  Reset your device one time or exit the data entry program normally to ensure the file is not in use and try to resend.")

        End Try

        Try

            getfiles = System.IO.Directory.GetFiles(Data_Path & "\TransFiles")

            Dim gfile As String

            If getfiles.Length > 0 Then

                For Each gfile In getfiles

                    mya = gfile.Split(Diag)

                    endstr = mya.Length - 1

                    ToFile = "/ftptcomm/V300/" & DeviceID & "/mail/" & mya(endstr).ToString

                    ftperror = sFTPPut(gfile, ToFile, FTP_TRANSFER_ASCII, SapphireFTPLicence)

                    If ftperror = 0 Then

                        showstatus("sending Data file")

                    Else

                        MsgBox(" The program could not send " & gfile & " to " & ToFile & "!  Try to resend.")

 

                    End If

                Next

            End If

            MsgBox("The program sent your transmission files and database to /ftptcomm/V300/" & DeviceID & "/mail/.  Please Read this Message to the IT person helping you.")

 

        Catch ex As Exception

            MsgBox(" The program could not send your text files!  Try to resend.")

        End Try

    End Sub

 

Answer 23

i have a few questions: what have u declared to be used as your deviceID, datapath?

  i also cant make use of this line of code sFTPOpen(Host_IpAddress, DEFAULT_FTP_PORT....

Answer 24

This is what I am trying to do, but all I need is how to detect the connection to WMDC programmatically(C#) on the device run application?

Answer 25

Check out the reply in the following thread.

 

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/541833/how-to-detect-activesync-connection-on-a-mobile-device

 

Regards,
Prabu [eMVP]
http://prabukumar.wordpress.com/
www.e-consystems.com

Answer 26

 

 

i am okay for your answer ,

i have given password to that SDF file  and i brought that sdf file to desktop application and again i reset to that SDF file into mobile application .

 

but problem is  sdf file losses security(password) or again need to install new sdf file  in mobile application

 

i am thinking alternative for this one

that is i don't want to get the sdf file in to desktop application . just getting the table data into desktop application.

is it possible?