Remote Debugging VS2003

This page contains information about creating applications on the HOST development PC with Microsoft VS .NET 2003 CE, and debugging them through the source code, in cases where the application itself runs on the actual target CE-device.

Remote debugging is part of the Microsoft development environment. The ActiveSync connection allows the remote debugging to proceed efficiently and effectively over Ethernet. The disadvantage of the ActiveSync connection is that creating the ActiveSync connection can frequently call for considerable effort: it is first necessary to establish a serial connection between the CE-device and the HOST-PC through a serial null-modem cable, and only then can the higher performance Ethernet interface be selected.

The "Smart Device Utility" variant described here is based on the add-on package for the Windows CE service programs for Visual Studio .NET 2003.

1. Requirements:

Required software on the host PC:

• Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003
• In order to create the connection for remote debugging by means of Smart Device Utility it is necessary to have the Microsoft Windows CE .NET Utilities for Visual Studio .NET 2003.EXE software. This is freely available on the Internet.
  

Required software on the CX1000:

• The files SDAuthUtilDevice.exeandtoolhelp.dllmust be contained in the \hard disk\system directory.
• Download CE5_DbgHlp.zip from http://download.beckhoff.com/download/Software/embPC-Control/CE/Solutions/VS_NET20xx_DbgHelp/
  If FTP area access require a password, please contact Beckhoff support hotline.
  
• Unzip the file and copy the contents to CE5 device folder \hard disk\system

2. Establishing the connection:

• On the CE-device : Start the \hard disk\system\SDAuthUtilDevice.exe tool, and click "Start". The IP address of the CE-device is now displayed; the CE-device is ready to respond to communication.
• On the HOST-PC in Visual Studio 2003: Open the "Tools" menu and select "Smart Device Authentication Utility". Enter the IP address of the CE-device, and finish by selecting "Set up device".
  If the connection to the CE-device is successfully established, the message "Device has been prepped and ConmanClient.exe has been successfully launched" appears.
  Confirming with "OK" and "Close" will close the utility, and the connection to the CE-device will have been made.
• In Visual Studio 2003 it is now only necessary to choose "Windows CE.NET Device" as the selected destination device. Here, under transport, "TCP transport connection", by selecting "Configure...", the IP address of the CE-device should be entered into the "Use special IP address" box.