Orbiter not working on Web Pad

[archived]

I bought on E-bay a Web Tablet with Win CE.Net in order to use it as a Pluto Orbiter

I downloaded the Win CE installer and also all the other files, but when I try to launch the installer I get an error message saying that the file is not a valid Win CE application.

The device is a Digital Research DT325 (that is an old model belonging to the same product line of DT375) and according to System properties it has  Win CE.Net version 4.1 (build 908).

Is there something that I'm doing wrong with sw configuration/installation?

Or is there something wrong with the device?

Thanks in advance
Marco

[archived]

Hi Marco,

    So far, we're only supporting devices running Windows CE .NET 4.2. For Windows CE 4.1, we need to recompile OrbiterCE with another SDK for your OS. I am busy right now porting Orbiter for the newest devices, but as soon as I will have some time, I'll build the binaries for DT325.      
However, if you are a programmer, you can download the SDK from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=2dbee84a-bd94-4167-b817-2b2e548b2e92&displaylang=en (it's free) and, using Embedded Visual C++ 4.0 (also free), you could compile those binaries by yourself. The sources for OrbiterCE can be found here: http://plutohome.com/support/index.php?section=packageDownload&pkid=138.
Good luck!

Regards,
     Chris M.

[archived]

Thank you Chris for your quick reply.

Even if I'm not exactly a programmer, I'll give it a try and just in case I'll come back to you.

Any suggestion is welcome ...

At the moment it would be enough for me to have a confirmation that it is just a matter of recompile with proper tool.

If it's not like this please tell me as soon as you can, as there is no point for me to keep a device that cannot be used.

Thanks again and regards
Marco

[archived]

If you are in a hurry, maybe you should upgrade your device to a DT375 for e.g. which has Windows CE.NET 4.2. Or, you can upgrade it to a device which runs Windows XP (embedded).

Theoretically, Orbiter CE's sources should compile with the SDK for Windows CE 4.1 without any modifications, but I can't be sure (Some api functions could be declared deprecated in the SDK for 4.2 and not used).

My advice is to upgrade your device; OrbiterCE for Windows CE.NET 4.2 runs faster and it's stable.

Regards,
Chris M.

[archived]

Actually it's not a matter of time, but a matter of budget  

Upgrading to DT375 would be definitely the best option, but it would be much more expensive compared to the opportunity I catched on ebay.

I prefer to spend some time and try to make it work on the device I have, and if really it won't work I will resell it.

I'm starting now setting up CE SDK and Embedded C++ and i will try to do something.

In the mean time, if you happen to find some spare time to recompile Orbiter for CE 4.1 just let me know.

Thanks again and regards
Marco

[archived]

Hi Chris

I've downloaded the SDK that you pointed me to with your link (that is Pocket Pc 2002 SDK) and also Embedded Visual C++ 4.0 but it seems that EVC 4.0 is not working with that SDK.

As I don't have a clear picture of the whole thing I didn't make any further test.
As soon as you have some spare time let me know something.

Regards
Marco

[archived]

Hi,
eVC should be installed first, and then the sdk to be registered in the IDE. You should see the platform on one of the toolbars, something like "POCKET PC 2002". (I installed PocketPC 2003 SDK and Smartphone 2003 SDK after eVC and it's working). Maybe it a known bug for that SDK and you should search on google to see if there is an workaround for this.

Regards,
Chris M.

[archived]

Hi Chris

I'm so sorry to bother you again with this issue, but unfortunately I'm still totally stuck to Orbiter recompiling for my CE.Net 4.1 Web Pad and so far I am clueless.

Basically I couldn't find out how to properly install the compiling environment,  and I'm starting to think that this is a task a little bit out of my reach.

I know that you guys are very busy with new releases, but is there any chance you may give it a try?   :wink:

Thanks in advance and regards

Marco

[archived]

Hi Marco,

I can't exactly say when I'll have time for this in the future, but I added a mantis for me:
http://plutohome.com/support/mantis/view.php?id=1037
and you'll be able to see the progress with this.

Regards,
Chris M.

[archived]

Thanks Chris

I owe you a drink ...

Regards
Marco

[archived]

Hi Chris

this is to say that I tryed again to install CE Orbiter on my Web Pad DT325 and with my big surprise it works !!

Does this mean that you made some trick to make it working also on previous releases of CE.Net , or does it simply mean that I was mistakenly thinking to have an unsupported device (and maybe doing some installation errors on my first attempts)?

If the second option applies (so I have a supported and working device) I have some issue to notify, otherwise I will bear with them ...


Thanks and regards
Marco

[archived]

Hi Marco,

There were few changes made on Orbiter, but nothing specific to make it work on a DT325. I'm glade to hear that it's working on your device. However, now we have a CAB file installer and maybe this did the "trick".

Regards,
Chris M.

[archived]

Hi Chris and thanks for your reply

so in the end I have a supported device, but I realized this with only 6 months delay ...  :oops:  ... better later then never ...

Ok, so back to business with some issues that I noticed and that I'm going to list in no particular order:

1. Orbiter on my device is not that "stable", i.e. sometimes suddenly crashes with no apparent reason.

2. After an Orbiter crash, the orbiter won't start if my hybrid is playing some video. I have to stop playback and have the Onscreen Orbiter go back to the main screen and then the Orbiter on Web Pad will start.
Once it happened also that the hybrid wasn't playing, my XP Orbiter was in use (maybe on Computing screen) and Web Pad Orbiter didn't start until I switched back XP Orbiter to main screen.

3. When starting Orbiter it always tells me that last time it failed to update, and asks me to do again. If I say "yes" it gives me an error:

Code:

Failed to start UpdateBinaryCE.exe application
Please be sure that you are running the correct orbiter

4. Recently I've seen that occasionally on Orbiter restart the configuration file gets lost, i.e I have to re-enter device name and dcerouter IP

5. After a quick router reload Orbiter is not restarting automatically (as it happens for WinXP Orbiter). It always tells me obviously about the failed update, and it ends giving me a Fatal error: Window creation failed, and then I have to restart Orbiter manually

6 . I have made some restriction on the user that can access Orbiters. Basically I have 2 user, a "family" one and myself. On pluto admin I arranged the settings in order to require the pin code when someone is accessing any orbiter using my account, but it is not working.
This means that user "family" can switch to my account without being asked any pin. This is happening on any orbiter (i.e also on Xp Orbiter and hybrid OnScreen Orbiter)
[/list]

I also posted on another thread a strange behaviour when playing mp3 files, but as I'm not sure that is related to Orbiter I've posted it on General issues -> http://plutohome.com/support/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?p=2613#2613

Forgive me if these are already known issues or if are due to some erroneous use/configuration of the device (I'm using Web Orbiter intensively only since 2 weeks..)

TIA
Marco

[archived]

Hi Marco,

1. Orbiter on my device is not that "stable", i.e. sometimes suddenly crashes with no apparent reason.

First, Orbiter CE for WinCE 4.2 shouldn't work on WinCE 4.1; it's like having an application written for winxp and for you to expect that it will work flawlessly on Windows 95. We don't even have a tablet like yours to test it here, so it's very difficult to intuit what's exactly wrong. Best solution will be to have an Orbiter compiled against Pocket PC 2002 SDK.

2. After an Orbiter crash, the orbiter won't start if my hybrid is playing some video. I have to stop playback and have the Onscreen Orbiter go back to the main screen and then the Orbiter on Web Pad will start.
Once it happened also that the hybrid wasn't playing, my XP Orbiter was in use (maybe on Computing screen) and Web Pad Orbiter didn't start until I switched back XP Orbiter to main screen.

There's no reason the behave differently that any other orbiter. Can you give me the log file?

3. When starting Orbiter it always tells me that last time it failed to update, and asks me to do again. If I say "yes" it gives me an error:
Code:
Failed to start UpdateBinaryCE.exe application
Please be sure that you are running the correct orbiter

UpdateBinaryCE is also an application that is suppose to work only under WinCE 4.2. When Orbiter upgrades itself, it downloads from the server UpdateBinaryCE and tries to launch it but it fails, because it doesn't run on WinCE 4.1, as I can see. You could try running it manually, with the params from the log file and see if it runs, just to confirm my idea.
 

4. Recently I've seen that occasionally on Orbiter restart the configuration file gets lost, i.e I have to re-enter device name and dcerouter IP

That's weird because it doesn't happen with our Orbiters. No one deletes the configuration file, so again it might be something change in the api from Windows CE 4.1 to 4.2. Did ever happen same thing with Orbiter XP?

5. After a quick router reload Orbiter is not restarting automatically (as it happens for WinXP Orbiter). It always tells me obviously about the failed update, and it ends giving me a Fatal error: Window creation failed, and then I have to restart Orbiter manually

This is expected.

6 . I have made some restriction on the user that can access Orbiters. Basically I have 2 user, a "family" one and myself. On pluto admin I arranged the settings in order to require the pin code when someone is accessing any orbiter using my account, but it is not working.
This means that user "family" can switch to my account without being asked any pin. This is happening on any orbiter (i.e also on Xp Orbiter and hybrid OnScreen Orbiter)

This is a bug.

Best regards,
Chris M.