How to Configure the Shell and User Interface in an OS Design (Windows Embedded CE 6.0)

1/6/2010

This topic provides a step-by-step procedure for configuring the shell and user interface in an OS design.

To configure the shell and user interface in an OS design, you can select and remove shell and user interface (UI) components. Then, you can configure options and perform customizations. After you have configured the shell and UI in an OS design, a software developer can write applications that target the UI functionality in the run-time image.

Hardware and Software Assumptions

• You are familiar with the UI-related hardware that will be available on the production-ready device, such as a mouse or a touch screen.
• You are familiar with the device drivers that must be included to support the UI-related hardware.
• You are familiar with how to select and remove components in the Catalog. For more information, see Adding Catalog Items to an OS Design and Removing a Catalog Item from an OS Design.
• You have decided on the target device category and already know the features that you want to include, the features that you want to remove, and the features that you must configure. For more information, see Design Template Selection.

Steps

Step	Related information
1. Use the Windows Embedded CE OS Design Wizard to select a design template and the initial components for the OS design. To replace the shell with a custom shell, create an empty, display-based device for this step.	Creating an OS Design with the Windows Embedded CE OS Design Wizard Creating an Empty Display-Based OS
2. In Platform Builder, choose Catalog Items View, and then browse to Core OS\CEBASE\Shell and User Interface\Shell.	Catalog Item Management
3. To include the AYGShell API, select the box next to AYGSHell API Set. The AYG Shell API provides helper functions for configuring functionality in the shell.	AYGShell Reference AYGShell API Extensions
4. Expand Command Shell. To include the command processor shell (cmd.exe) on the target device, select Command Processor. To include the console window, select Console Window. The console window provides a window through with the Command Processor can provide output or accept input.	Command Processor OS Design Development
5. Expand Graphical Shell (Choose 1). To include the Standard Shell, choose Standard Shell. To include the Windows Thin Client Shell, choose Windows Thin Client Shell. To include your own custom shell, make sure that both options are not selected. To include the Taskman shell, ensure that both options are not selected, and then set the environment variable __SYSGEN_TASKMAN to 1.	Standard Shell Overview Windows Thin Client Shell Overview Including the Taskman Shell
6. In Shell and User Interface, expand User Interface.	No further information
7. To include accessibility features that use the shell, keyboard, and audio functionality on the target device, select Accessibility.	Accessibility OS Design Development
8. To include common controls for user interface development, expand Common Controls and then select Common Control. Note: This Catalog item is a dependency of the AYGShell API Set. To include support for animation controls, select Animation Control.	Working with Common Controls Animation Controls
9. To include support for common dialog boxes, such as Control Panel dialog boxes or Internet Explorer 6 for Windows Embedded CE dialog boxes, select Common Dialog Support.	No further information
10. To include support for Control Panel applications, select Control Panel Applets.	Control Panel
11. To support Pocket PC-style UI controls, select Control Option B. Controls Option B enables a set of controls with slightly different behavior than the default option, to enable Pocket PC applications to be compatible with Windows Embedded CE-based devices.	No further information
12. To include the predefined skin that resembles the Windows XP UI, expand Customizable UI and select Windows XP-like Sample Skin.	Creating a Skin
13. To include support for tap UI menus, select Menu Tool Tip. A tap UI menu is a UI feature that provides menu items that must be tapped with a stylus before they are enabled.	No further information
14. To include mouse functionality in the UI, select Mouse.	Mouse OS Design Development
15. To include the Network User Interface (NetUI), select Network User Interface. NetUI defines configuration settings for the Network and Dial-up Connections icon in Control Panel.	Network User Interface OS Design Development
16. To include support for overlapping menus, select Overlapping Menus. The overlapping menus feature is useful for small-screen target devices.	No further information
17. To include support for Quarter VGA Resources, select Quarter VGA Resources - Portrait Mode.	Using Applications in Landscape and Portrait Modes
18. To include support for a Software Input Panel (SIP), expand Software Input Panel, expand Software-based Input Panel (SIP), and select either SIP for Large Screens or SIP for Small Screens.	Software-based Input Panel OS Design Development
19. To include support for a touch screen, select Touch Screen (Stylus).	Touch OS Design Development
20. To include support for the Windows Embedded CE Terminal Services Client in a target device that support Remote Desktop Protocol, browse to Core OS\CEBASE\Applications - End User\Remote Desktop Connection, expand Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), and then select User Interface Dialog Boxes.	Windows Embedded CE Terminal Services Client (CETSC)
21. (Optional) If you included support for the standard shell, configure the standard shell.	Configuring the Desktop Background on a Thin Client Configuring System Sound Events Control Panel
22. (Optional) If you included support for the Windows Thin Client Shell, configure the Windows Thin Client Shell.	Configuring the Windows Thin Client Shell
23. (Optional) If you included support for RDP, customize parts of the Windows Embedded CE Terminal Services Client user interface (UI).	Customizing CETSC UI
24. (Optional) To use a custom shell, you must create the custom shell.	How to Customize the Shell Installing a Custom Shell
25. Build the OS design into a run-time image.	Building a Run-Time Image

See Also

Concepts

How to Customize the Appearance of Common Controls
How to Implement a Control Panel Application

Other Resources

Shell and User Interface How-to Topics
How to Replace the Network UI for a Target Device
How to Implement a Wireless Configuration UI for a Thin Client