Help me with a airborne CE 4.1 device project

I have one of these:
http://www.paperlesscockpit.com/shop/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&CATID=3&Product_ID=409&count=1&Pcount=2&DETAIL=1

Arm SA-1 processor, CE 4.1 OS.

I am working a project where I need to be able display some map data from a GIS server on this device while it is mounted to the yoke of an aircraft.

I do not have a native development environment for the CE.net environment and I'd rather not go up the learning curve for CE development just for this one project (we are primarily a Linux/Java based company).

I'd love to be able to do this in Java but I am not aware of a Java environment for this device.

My first choice was VNC. I downloaded the VNC binary from this website: http://www.hpcfactor.com/support/cesd/s/0037.asp. I've got a VNC server set up on my linux box using Xtightvnc. It works but it is unusably slow. The CE device crawls to a halt when I connect. I'm pretty sure it is not the VNC server to blame for the speed, I can connect with a client from my Mac and it works just great.

Dumb question: Since this operating system is called "CE .net" does that mean it supports the .net framework? I tried this http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=128549 ".net VNC viewer" but it crashed when I tried to open it.

So lots of questions:
1. Anybody aware of a Java environment (or even a java compiler) for this environment?

2. Any suggestions on speeding up the VNC client? I turned everything else off, maximized the RAM for programs, and it is on my LAN connecting through CF network adapter.

3. Any suggestions on getting that other .net VNC client to run? Do I need to download a .net framework?

4. Any ideas on a better way to do this? I could set up a full Windows box just to serve out a RDP to this device but that is a last resort.

Any help is appreciated, you can reach me at davidsmoot ~at~ gmail.com

David

0) hey what a strange device!

1) yeah. sun's personal java (ARM version), jeode jvm (ppc but it runs fine with atlce300.dll), creme (native hpc version!!). i didn't try creme on ce.net, only on hpc2000 but it should work the other two works on ce.net for sure.

2-3) im not aware of any normal vnc client that wouldnt work this slow...
i don't remember trying the .net version of it though. im not sure if you're device has net cf in rom, check it in \Windows folder. if not, download it from microsoft.

4) netop? there are other kinds of remote control software as well, but i can't remember now their names. (at least one of them is compatible with hpc's and so is netop.)

The Windows CE clients are all based on one source set, with minor modifications. You are correct, the problem is not with the server. The original source for the CE client is at fault. The source is not polished, just a proof of concept.

If you are familiar with Linux development, have you considered installing SIMLinux on it? Pay a visit to the Linux/Unix board if you're interested in following that path.

2. Take the 3.3.7 / 4.0 source and rewrite it is the only way to do it properly.

3. The net Compact Framework will run under 4.1 I beleive, however generally speaking 4.2 would be a better grounding for application compatibility.

Thanks for all the help:

Turns out that this device was intended only to be a remote display for a full windows box (using the terminal services / remote desktop protocol).

So after talking it over with my boss, we're taking the boring but safe route of adding a single board computer to our system running windows just to act as a gateway for this device. Least risk but also the least fun.

Wish they would let me install linux on it, but there are too many risks and no guarantees I'd end up with a better solution.

Thanks guys,
David