Sync files from website

Hey guys-

I am programming a device in WinCE 5.0

I am trying to program the device such that when you connect it to the PC with a USB cable, the device automatically logs onto a specific web page URL and downloads files from the web page into its memory (e.g. grabs photos from web page and saves them onto the device)

Does anyone know how this could be done?

-Aku1a

You would need to write a sync plug-in for ActiveSync and a H/PC side parser so that the H/PC knows what to do with it - registered dll's effectively.

Then all you need to do is have the host side version open up a socket and start talking.

It would be like AvantGo with photo's

Hi C:Amie,

So it could be done? Do you know how to do it?
I'm asking because although I know CE 5.0, some of the things you mentioned "H/PC side parser" and "open up a socket" I am pretty lost about.
Do you know of any documentation or would you be willing to help me further as I try to get it to work? Thanks a million-

Aku1a

Aku1a,

Yes it can be done, yes I know the implementation requirements to do it. What we're talking about here is C++ prorgramming for Win32/Win64 and WinCE. It's not really beginners stuff, and if you don't know what a socket is, it's probably well over your head at the current time.

The ActiveSync API follows a server client methodology.

The PC has ActiveSync and a sync processor DLL (plugin), that tells ActiveSync how to get the data in the first place, perform any conversions to make it compact for Windows CE and ultimately how to direct it accross the network connection to the CE device on Sync.

The client dll on the CE device (needed if doiny anything more sophisticated than writing to the file system) receives the new information from ActiveSync, writes it to any databases, but more importantly handles feedback for synchronisation for example if something changes on the WinCE device it alerts ActiveSync that something has changed.

Another way to do it would be to use XML/RSS. This way you could write a program for the WinCE device that utilises MSXMLCE, ActiveSync wouldn't be required and it could be written in C++ or VB. Your web server would have to have an XML file on the other end to inform the CE device of new files though.

Thanks C:Amie, I have to think about this a little more. But thanks for your input!

Aku1a

If you're going to look at starting out with programming, look at using eVB and get it running with the XML/RSS option. If you're only looking for off the shels solutions, have a look at existing RSS software to see if there is anything that can handle what you need and actually cache pictures. If there is then writing a RSS file and dropping it on a web server isn't tricky.