The target of my experiment was to create a program or a workaround to enable the developer to create an installation
package to load his .nsb program and the relative NSBasic Runtime free of charges.
The technical note N.28, that you find in the NSBasic CE site, is the first working process that i saw and it is also a
very elegant solution but it is not Free even if not expensive and surely the best for commercial use.
So i will try to found a free alternative to solve the problem.
The procedure use a sort of Wizard, developed by VB 5.0, that customizes a little program already used by me and
developed by eVB Tools 3.0 then using the Install Application Wizard i have been able to create the installer package
that i was searching.
Please note that it is more difficult to explain the procedure than to use it.
Basically i substituted the inf file, not easy to create and test, with a set of eVb programs (one for each CE Operating
Sistem) that are authomatically handled by my wizard program, so that the user does not need to write any line of code.
There is a price for this. You must have eVB Tools installed on your Computer along with almost the SDK usually used.
As quoted in the mentioned Technical Note N.28 i assume that the user know how and where to get the necessary
Runtime libraries and program: Basic.exe
DialogX.ocx
MSCEFile.dll
MSCEPicture.dll
regsrvs.exe
As soon as you have said files available you are ready to start.
Download IPWiz2.zip files from my pages at www.efsoft.it (it is freeware obviously), copy it on the same HD where the
Microsoft eVB Tools 3.0 is installed and click on it to autoextract the content.
You will get a new set of Folder like this one.
Put the above files into the relative SubFolder named respectively Arm - Mips - Sh3
(Example if you wish to create an installation for a PPC with Arm Cpu put the correct files in C:\IPWiz\PPC\Arm folder.)
All the files therein stored will be authomatically included into your installation file so if you need you may add also others
files as the S309PictureBox or the Mark Gamber Libraries avoiding so all the multiple installaton usually requested.
Start now IPWiz2.exe by a click on the file. You will see a Window (No.1) like this one.
You are requested to select here
1) the CE operating system of the target CE unit,
2) its CPU,
3) the Language (NSB by default),
4) if install or not the NSB Runtime checking the CheckBox and
5) the Name of your .nsb program without its
extention.
Press now NEXT to see the Window (No.2)
In this window you will find, or add if any, the disclaimer/licence
text. This text will be shown in the installer windows in your CE
device and you should not modify it that refers to NSB licence also.
This space will be revised to allows the user to better use it.
Remember that if you add something to the textbox you must write
the text without using newline (enter) command otherwise you will
get an error compiling the code in eVB. Click NEXT
If you checked to install the NSB Runtime there is nothing else
to do in this page and you can skip it if your program is a standalone
one .
In this Window( No. 3 ) you will see authomatcally written the number
of dll/ocx that will be registered and a little list of the files that do not
require registration.(You can cancel or add a dll/ocx if you need).
If all is in order Press NEXT to see the Window (No.4)
This page also my be skipped if the 'Add Runtime' has been
selected. You will see only 1 file quoted that is the Basic.exe
file to be moved into its own Dir (\Program Files\NS Basic)
during the installation. If there are others files that you need to
store into specific directory you may add them here.
(if the choiced folders does not exist they will be created)
Press NEXT and go to the last Wndow (No.5)
Here there is only a button quoting 'CREATE CODE'.
Click it and the eVB Tools IDE will run loading the code
customized as requested using the above pages.
And this is what you will see.From this point there is no difference to
create an installation for eVB program or for our NSBasic program
.
Go to the menu file that you will see as
below and click on 'Make(.....).vb... l
You will see now a files dialog window that allow the user to
select the Dir where to store the file .vb that will be created.
ATTENTION! Here there is a little bug that i am working to bypass.
While the storing Dir should be correct (Code Result) the full
path shown in textbox below is wrong. Cancel it and write therein
the full name of the file (I.E. your [programname].vb)
This usually fix the matter, anyway you can always use Explorer to
verify if the file has been created in the correct folder.
Now go to the 'Tools' menu and select the Application Install Wizard
Application Install Wizard is a
multipage program so i will quickly
detail the usual step to complete
the installer creation.
From the First page
1)Check and confirm .evb file path (file's name is the same of your program)
2)Check and confirm the .vb file path (as above)
3)Type (or browse) the folder where the installation files will be stored.
4)Select the CPU type for which the installer will be created
5)Skip the window showing the additional files that the installer needs
authomatically selected by the program .
6)The following page ask for the paths of the others files to add and being very important
for us it require some words more. You will see the following page:
First uncheck the box that allows to add the eVB Runtime.
This option if accepted allows to be sure that the program
will be installed on the devices that do not contain all the
eVB and System Files but you will get a very big installation
file and your user will be requred to tap no for any file that
the installer will ask to overwrite. (This option should be
useful with old device only).
Click now the button ADD.
Using the file dialog window find your program .nsb file, select it and press OK
You will be prompted to define the file as System or No System file. Choice 'NO SYSTEM FILE'
Click ADD button again. Change the path of the File Dialog Window to the folder where you
stored all the NS.Runtime files requested for your program and select one by one all the
files declaring them all as 'SYSTEM FILES'. At the end click NEXT and go over.
7) You will be requested to type:
-The name of the default dir in your device
-The name of your program (without extention)
-A brief description (one word only if you like)
-The name of your company (I use the name of the device dir typed above)
8) You are now in the last page.
Click button to create the files and, if all is in order,
let the program do its work.
When the operation ends go to the folder previously select to store the created files and
find a subDir named CD1. Here you will find the files of your installer as below.
Add to this files your Readme.txt, licence.doc or other similar files if any and do not forget
to add the NSBasic licence text file that is enclosed into the zipped file of IPWiz2.
Remember that, even if with a strane procedure, you are distributing copyrighted file also
in addition to your applications so it is correct to submit this to the user acceptance.
NOTE.: First. please note that IPWiz2 is still a BETA version so you may find some bugs
(I am working to addjust them in the following versions)
Second. Note that on fully new devices you may sometime get an error message about
the missing of the Library "pvbdecl.dll" that you can find under 'Windows CE Tools' Dir
usually installed by eVB. If this happens the user have to load the missing dll in the
\Windows dir of his device. If you want to avoid the problem you can directly add it
to the Runtime files. (if the file exists on the user'device he have only to reply
'NO' to the request to overwrite the original file)...AND NOW THE POINT OF VIEW OF YOUR USER.
The user that install an application, with the installer created as above, must follows the
common procedure. Connect the device by Active Sync, unzip your istallation file, click the
SetUp file, let Install Manager to copy all the files in the unit confirming to install
the program into the default folder.
Up to this point nothing of new has been done.
When the above action ends he must go to the Programs window on the CE device. He will see
a eVB icon with the caption of the your application. (this is not the true icon of theapplication but the one of the eVBInstaller).
A tap on it will show the eVBInstaller window where he can read Disclaimers and Licence text
You will see a window like this
A tap on the button below the text will hide the installer and he will see the icon change in
a NSBasic one. A further tap will run your application just loaded.
To save memory the user can also delete the eVBIstaller file that is into the installed program
dir (about 10Kb) or, to unistall all, he may use the unistall application of WinCE on his
device (Attention this, obviously, will unistall the runtime also)
And this is all
You can download the program HERE
Dont forget that the new INFactoryW2003 is more efficient and no longer require eVBtools even
if you use Win98
Put the above files into the relative SubFolder named respectively Arm - Mips - Sh3
(Example if you wish to create an installation for a PPC with Arm Cpu put the correct files in C:\IPWiz\PPC\Arm folder.)
All the files therein stored will be authomatically included into your installation file so if you need you may add also others
files as the S309PictureBox or the Mark Gamber Libraries avoiding so all the multiple installaton usually requested.
Start now IPWiz2.exe by a click on the file. You will see a Window (No.1) like this one.
You are requested to select here
1) the CE operating system of the target CE unit,
2) its CPU,
3) the Language (NSB by default),
4) if install or not the NSB Runtime checking the CheckBox and
5) the Name of your .nsb program without its
extention.
Press now NEXT to see the Window (No.2) 
1)Check and confirm .evb file path (file's name is the same of your program)
4)Select the CPU type for which the installer will be created
5)Skip the window showing the additional files that the installer needs
authomatically selected by the program .
6)The following page ask for the paths of the others files to add and being very important
for us it require some words more. You will see the following page:
7) You will be requested to type:
-The name of the default dir in your device
-The name of your program (without extention)
-A brief description (one word only if you like)
-The name of your company (I use the name of the device dir typed above)
8) You are now in the last page.
Click button to create the files and, if all is in order,
let the program do its work.
When the operation ends go to the folder previously select to store the created files and
find a subDir named CD1. Here you will find the files of your installer as below.
Add to this files your Readme.txt, licence.doc or other similar files if any and do not forget
to add the NSBasic licence text file that is enclosed into the zipped file of IPWiz2.
Remember that, even if with a strane procedure, you are distributing copyrighted file also
in addition to your applications so it is correct to submit this to the user acceptance.
NOTE.: First. please note that IPWiz2 is still a BETA version so you may find some bugs
(I am working to addjust them in the following versions)
Second. Note that on fully new devices you may sometime get an error message about
the missing of the Library "pvbdecl.dll" that you can find under 'Windows CE Tools' Dir
usually installed by eVB. If this happens the user have to load the missing dll in the
\Windows dir of his device. If you want to avoid the problem you can directly add it
to the Runtime files. (if the file exists on the user'device he have only to reply
'NO' to the request to overwrite the original file)
...AND NOW THE POINT OF VIEW OF YOUR USER.
The user that install an application, with the installer created as above, must follows the
common procedure. Connect the device by Active Sync, unzip your istallation file, click the
SetUp file, let Install Manager to copy all the files in the unit confirming to install
the program into the default folder.
Up to this point nothing of new has been done.
When the above action ends he must go to the Programs window on the CE device. He will see
a eVB icon with the caption of the your application. (this is not the true icon of the
application but the one of the eVBInstaller).
A tap on it will show the eVBInstaller window where he can read Disclaimers and Licence text
You will see a window like this 
A tap on the button below the text will hide the installer and he will see the icon change in
a NSBasic one. A further tap will run your application just loaded.
To save memory the user can also delete the eVBIstaller file that is into the installed program
dir (about 10Kb) or, to unistall all, he may use the unistall application of WinCE on his
device (Attention this, obviously, will unistall the runtime also)
And this is all
You can download the program HERE
Dont forget that the new INFactoryW2003 is more efficient and no longer require eVBtools even
if you use Win98