INFO: What Is Handled Differently in Windows CE, VBCE, and eVB

The Windows CE Toolkit for Visual Basic (VBCE) and eMbedded Visual Basic are similar to Visual Basic in both functionality and design. However, several Visual Basic features have not been implemented because of limitations in the Windows CE operating system and other factors. This article addresses the restrictions imposed by these limitations.

IDE AND PROJECT STRUCTURE

• Visual Basic class files are not supported.
• Designers and insertable objects, such as Excel, are not supported.
• The Auto Increment checkbox on the Make tab is not supported.
• The Standard, Edit, and Menu Bar toolbars can be customized, but the changes are not persisted. This means that the next time you launch the design environment, it will launch with its default settings.
• The Debug toolbar is not available (VBCE6 only).
• Some properties and methods are provided by the IDE but are not supported.
• Icons cannot be specified in the Project Properties dialog.
• The menu editor is not available (eVB only). Use either the CommandBar or MenuBar (PocketPC platforms) for this functionality.

OBJECTS AND CONTROLS

• ActiveX components cannot be created.
• ActiveX controls written for Visual Basic 5.0 or 6.0 cannot be used.
• The Printer object is not supported.

LANGUAGE FEATURES

• Help files are not supported.
• The only variable type is Variant. Although variables can be declared as a specific type, this is only for Intellisense help.
• Duplicate sub or functions, such as a sub-sub, function-function, or sub-function combination, are not supported.
• Conditional compilation is not supported.
• Command line arguments are not supported.
• The Next statement does not take an argument (VBCE6 only).
• Only lete binding is supported.

RUNNING AND DEBUGGING CODE

• Programs are compiled before they are run.
• Most language errors are displayed only at run-time.
• Arrays may not get initialized when there is little free memory.
• The Debug object is not supported.
• An external debugger is provided.

NOTE: Adding an existing Visual Basic code module or existing Visual Basic forms, including those listed in the Add Form dialog, to a Windows CE Toolkit for Visual Basic or eMbedded Visual Basic project is generally not supported because the code module or form may use controls and/or language syntax not supported by Windows CE Toolkit for Visual Basic.

eMbedded Visual Basic Online Help

The Windows CE Toolkit for Visual Basic 6.0 Books Online

For more information regarding Windows CE, please visit the following Microsoft web address: For additional information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: