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Full Screen Application: Windows CE and Pocket PC

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14 Jun 2007CPOL1 min read 138.7K   2.7K   63   19
Making a full screen application for Windows CE and Pocket PC devices.

Screenshot - fullpocket.jpgScreenshot - fullCE.jpg

Introduction

Many developers must include a "full screen" feature into their applications. In this article, I am focusing on Pocket PC and Windows CE devices. I've tried to introduce a universal solution for PDA software developers using the .NET Compact Framework that will enable them to include a full screen mode on both platforms, without requiring recompilation or code changes.

Background

Why do we need a full screen mode on our PDAs? My three main reasons are:

  • To disable user interaction and access other programs on the device
  • To make full use of the screen space
  • To customize forms

Using the code

There are three steps to my full screen solution.

  1. Detecting the platform type by invoking Windows API and changing the form behavior accordingly:

    Platform type detection is a simple call to SystemParametersInfo to find whether you are running on a Smartphone or a Pocket PC. You need a few constants defined and the P/Invoke marshaling code to make it work from managed code. I am using SystemParametersInfo4Strings P/Invoke to detect if the device is a Pocket PC or not.

    C#
    public enum SystemParametersInfoActions : uint
    {
        SPI_GETPLATFORMTYPE = 257, 
        // this is used elsewhere for Smartphone/PocketPC detection
    }
    #endregion
    
    /// 
    /// Get Platform Type: Pocket Pc or Windows CE
    /// 
    /// 
    public static string GetPlatformType()
    {
        StringBuilder platformType = new StringBuilder(50);
        if (SystemParametersInfo4Strings(
        (uint)SystemParametersInfoActions.SPI_GETPLATFORMTYPE,
            (uint)platformType.Capacity, platformType, 0) == 0)
            throw new Exception("Error getting platform type.");
        return platformType.ToString();
    }

    Platform detection method:

    /// 
    /// Platform Detections methods
    /// 
    internal partial class PlatformDetection
    {
        public static bool IsSmartphone()
        {
            return PInvoke.GetPlatformType() == "SmartPhone";
        }
        public static bool IsPocketPC()
        {
            return PInvoke.GetPlatformType() == "PocketPC";
        }
    }

    P/Invoke descriptions:

    C#
    //to find whether you are running on a Smartphone or a Pocket PC
    [DllImport("Coredll.dll", EntryPoint = "SystemParametersInfoW", 
        CharSet = CharSet.Unicode)]
    tatic extern int SystemParametersInfo4Strings(uint uiAction, 
        uint uiParam, StringBuilder pvParam, uint fWinIni);
        
    //The GetCapture function retrieves a handle to the window  
    [DllImport("coredll.dll")]
    private static extern IntPtr GetCapture();
    
    //The SetCapture function sets the mouse capture to
    //the specified window belonging to the current thread   
    [DllImport("coredll.dll")]
    private static extern IntPtr SetCapture(IntPtr hWnd);
    
    //This function can be used to take over certain areas of the screen
    //It is used to modify the taskbar, Input Panel button,
    //or Start menu icon.
    [DllImport("aygshell.dll", SetLastError = true)]
    private static extern bool SHFullScreen(IntPtr hwnd, int state);
    
    //The function retrieves the handle to the top-level 
    //window whose class name and window name match 
    //the specified strings. This function does not search child windows.
    [DllImport("coredll.dll", SetLastError = true)]
    private static extern IntPtr FindWindowW(string lpClass, string
        lpWindow);
        
    //changes the position and dimensions of the specified window
    [DllImport("coredll.dll", SetLastError = true)]
    private static extern IntPtr MoveWindow(IntPtr hwnd, int x, 
        int y, int w, int l, int repaint);

    This code is of the "set full screen" method:

    C#
    //if not Pocket PC platform
    if (!Platform.PlatformDetection.IsPocketPC()) 
    {
        //Set Full Screen For Windows CE Device
    
        //Normalize windows state
        form.WindowState = FormWindowState.Normal;
    
        IntPtr iptr = form.Handle;
        SHFullScreen(iptr, (int)FullScreenFlags.HideStartIcon);
                
        //detect taskbar height
        int taskbarHeight = 
            Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.Height - 
            Screen.PrimaryScreen.WorkingArea.Height;
    
        // move the viewing window north taskbar 
        // height to get rid of the command bar 
        MoveWindow(iptr, 0, -taskbarHeight, 
            Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.Width, 
            Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.Height + taskbarHeight, 1);
    
    
        // move the task bar south taskbar height so that it's 
        // not visible anylonger 
        IntPtr iptrTB = FindWindowW("HHTaskBar", null);
        MoveWindow(iptrTB, 0, Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.Height, 
            Screen.PrimaryScreen.Bounds.Width, taskbarHeight, 1);
    }
    else //pocket pc platform
    {
        //Set Full Screen For Pocket Pc Device
        form.Menu = null;
        form.ControlBox = false;
        form.FormBorderStyle = FormBorderStyle.None;
        form.WindowState = FormWindowState.Maximized;
        form.Text = string.Empty;
    }
  2. Calling the form load event's "make full screen" method:
    C#
    private void MainForm_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {
        FullScreen.StartFullScreen(this);
    }
  3. Calling the form closing event's "remove full screen" method:
    C#
    private void MainForm_Closing(object sender, CancelEventArgs e)
    {
        FullScreen.StopFullScreen(this);
    }

What is next?

In addition, you can customize forms as well as set your own title with battery life and your own close button. Let's do it!

History

  • 7 June, 2007 -- Original article posted
  • 13 June, 2007 -- Updated
  • 14 June, 2007 -- Updated some more

License

This article, along with any associated source code and files, is licensed under The Code Project Open License (CPOL)


Written By
Software Developer SoftSolutions
Israel Israel
This member has not yet provided a Biography. Assume it's interesting and varied, and probably something to do with programming.

Comments and Discussions

 
QuestionHow to do MDI applications in Windows CE 5.0 (.Net) Pin
SanShark20-Jan-09 21:12
SanShark20-Jan-09 21:12 
AnswerRe: How to do MDI applications in Windows CE 5.0 (.Net) Pin
Oleg Levin21-Jan-09 9:49
Oleg Levin21-Jan-09 9:49 
Questionbackground image? Pin
Alessandro7-Jul-08 0:49
Alessandro7-Jul-08 0:49 
AnswerRe: background image? Pin
Oleg Levin7-Jul-08 1:32
Oleg Levin7-Jul-08 1:32 
Generalhide the SIP keyboard icon Pin
ram krishna pattnayak25-Mar-08 22:10
ram krishna pattnayak25-Mar-08 22:10 
GeneralRe: hide the SIP keyboard icon Pin
Oleg Levin26-Mar-08 4:21
Oleg Levin26-Mar-08 4:21 
GeneralRe: hide the SIP keyboard icon Pin
ram krishna pattnayak26-Mar-08 4:45
ram krishna pattnayak26-Mar-08 4:45 
GeneralRe: hide the SIP keyboard icon Pin
Oleg Levin26-Mar-08 18:36
Oleg Levin26-Mar-08 18:36 
QuestionWhat about restoring?... Pin
Win32nipuh7-Nov-07 20:51
professionalWin32nipuh7-Nov-07 20:51 
GeneralMaximized Pin
Dali Hammadi16-Aug-07 8:08
Dali Hammadi16-Aug-07 8:08 
GeneralTweak for Smartphone Mobile 5 Pin
T MacLachlan30-Jul-07 12:12
T MacLachlan30-Jul-07 12:12 
Questionwhy use partial class Pin
David J Gu3-Jul-07 4:05
David J Gu3-Jul-07 4:05 
AnswerRe: why use partial class Pin
Oleg Levin3-Jul-07 4:26
Oleg Levin3-Jul-07 4:26 
GeneralFormWindowState.Maximized Pin
ronzulu16-Jun-07 21:04
ronzulu16-Jun-07 21:04 
GeneralMissing Information Pin
Niteman12-Jun-07 21:18
Niteman12-Jun-07 21:18 
GeneralRe: Missing Information [modified] Pin
Oleg Levin12-Jun-07 21:32
Oleg Levin12-Jun-07 21:32 
GeneralRe: Missing Information Pin
Niteman12-Jun-07 21:55
Niteman12-Jun-07 21:55 
QuestionWorks for all resolutions? Pin
lonifasiko12-Jun-07 0:56
lonifasiko12-Jun-07 0:56 
AnswerRe: Works for all resolutions? Pin
Oleg Levin12-Jun-07 1:43
Oleg Levin12-Jun-07 1:43 

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