Windows CE Mobile Channel Wizard Users Guide

Applies To

• Windows CE 2.0
• Handheld PC Professional
• HPC2000

Overview

This article provides information on expanding the usefulness of Mobile Channels. Providing step by step instructions on how to use the Channel Wizard software. The article assumes basic knowledge of using Windows CE and your desktop or portable computers software.

Downloads

• Mobile Channel Wizard

Guide

What is the Mobile Channel Wizard?

The Microsoft Mobile Channel Wizard is a utility which allows a Windows CE 2 or above users to archive a web site and have it automatically synchronised to their Handheld PC when its content changes.
The Mobile Channel Wizard can convert any web page into a Mobile Channel whether or not it is linked using a CDF (Channel Definition File) script.

Mobile Channel Wizard requires the Windows CE Mobile Channel Viewer to be installed on your device. Some H/PC manufacturers provide the utility pre-installed, if not you can download it from Microsoft Mobile. All Pocket PC's are equipped with the P/PC Mobile Channel Viewer. Unfortunately Microsoft do not provide a Channel viewer for HPC2000 or Pocket PC Devices.

You will also require Microsoft ActiveSync 3.0 or higher with an established partnership to your device. Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 or higher and a Internet connection set-up on the host PC before installing the Channel Wizard.

Getting Started

Downloaded the Mobile Channel Wizard from CESD double click WCEOCW.EXE to begin the installation

Once installed connect to the Internet

To launch Mobile Channel Wizard, click : 

Start > Programs > Mobile Channel Wizard > Microsoft ® Mobile Channel Wizard for Windows CE

The Wizard will begin

Selecting the web site

There are 4 ways by which you can select a site for conversion:

1. Should you know the web address of the site and page you would like to convert to a Mobile Channel type the full address including http:// and the name of the page e.g. index.html into the space provided.
2. If you have a saved reference to the site in your Internet Explorer Favourites you can click on the Open Favorites... button and link directly to the shortcut file.
3. Having Microsoft Internet Explorer open at the desired web site before starting the wizard.
4. Selecting a previously used site from the drop down menu.

Finally choose how you would like the site to be downloaded, either just the page you have selected (Go to Content), or whether you want to download and store pages that link off of the first one (Go to Page depth). 

Make your selection and click next

Page Depth

If you selected to download linked pages, you will now see the page depth section.

Firstly, select how many levels (See Flow Chart) you would like to save from the site. You are permitted up to 5 levels.

You must now choose what sources you want the Wizard to download from :

Pages within site and below your starting page - Specifies 

Pages within site - Allows only for the download of pages from within the chosen web site

Unrestricted - Allows for the download of all hyperlinks, whether internal (Within the chosen site), or external (Links to other web sites)

The more levels you select, the more storage memory is required on your device, and the longer it will take to download and synchronise. When you have made your selection click next

Content

The content screen allows you to make changes to how the web page will be manipulated as a channel. This is aimed as conserving storage space on your device.

Firstly you can choose whether you wish to download Images and sounds from the web site to your device

Secondly you can specify a limit in Kilo bytes (KB) as to how much storage space the Channel may take up

Click next

Finishing the wizard

The Mobile Channel Wizard Will now download the web site to your desktop computer. Once complete you will be displayed how big the size of the files is and given the option of changing the name of the site.

The Customise option allows you to modify the components included in the download, so that you can save storage space

Click Finish. The wizard will tell you if it has completed successfully and will exit.

Synchronising the Channel to the device

Open Microsoft ActiveSync and select options.

Ensure that Channel Item is selected

Click OK

Connect your device and Synchronise normally

Should you change your mind about the channel, and not want to initially upload it. The file is stored in : 

x:\My Documents\Mobile Channel Wizard\ (Windows 9x)

x:\winnt\profiles\%USER%\Personal\Documents\Mobile Channel Wizard\ (Windows NT 4.0)

x:\Documents and Settings\%USER%\My Documents\Mobile Channel Wizard\ (Windows 2000, XP, 2003)

Where x: is the drive letter when My Documents is found and %USER% is the name of the user account your logged in as

See also: Creating Mobile CDF Files, Compatible HTML