Introduction to customizing the Windows Mobile application
The ArcGIS for Windows Mobile application framework allows you to extend the ready-to-deploy application by modifying existing workflow and functions or introducing new business logic. This application has been designed to run on a hand-held device with a small screen, limited processing capabilities, and limited disk storage space. Working within these limits means the application focuses on basic functionality and the user experience, while providing features required for field workers. When customizing the application, follow the pattern of lightweight (for CPU and disk footprint) and easy to use functionality.
A mobile project has tasks and extensions. Each task fulfills a workflow by navigating through one or more pages, for example, the Collect Features task. An extension is much like a functional component used by the application or task; it may or may not have a user interface (UI). For example, the Field Crew Logging extension logs Global Positioning System (GPS) locations in the background.
The application framework allows you to plug in your own business logic as a new task, or to extend or modify existing tasks at their extensible points. For example, you can modify the data collection workflow by adding a new way to collect geometry.
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The application framework exposes functionality that you can use in your implementation, for example, the transition from page to page or the geometry collection methods. There are a lot of components the application framework has to offer including; the set of base classes for you to inherit, such as Page, Dialog, FeatureListPage, MapPage, Groups, and so on. These base classes reduce the amount of effort needed for customization and make your UI more consistent with the out-of-the-box application. For example, the application framework provides different groups for organizing information, such as the ListViewPage, MenuDialog, and so on.
the ArcGIS Mobile framework for Windows Mobile is built on top of the core mobile software development kit (SDK) and allows you to extend the ready-to-deploy application by modifying existing functionality or embedding new functionality as required by your organization. While both the Windows and Windows Mobile applications have similar application frameworks, there are some differences beyond the Windows Mobile vs. WPF development environments, such as the ListViewPage and MenuDialog classes
The design of the application framework inherits the design behind the ready-to-deploy mobile application for Windows Mobile. Therefore, it's helpful if you're familiar with the mobile application before you start customizing it. Most importantly, note that the application is workflow driven and task centric. The application programming interfaces (APIs) are provided parallel to key concepts embraced by the application, including MobileApplication, Project, Task, Page, and so on.
The Customizing Windows Mobile Application Help is provided in the following groups:
If you're new to the application framework, start with Getting started, which talks about the basics of the application framework and tools that you can use out of the box to get you started.
After you learn the basics of the application framework, you can dive into various extensible points in the application framework, depending on your customization needs. For more details, see Using the Application Framework.
The Samples available for ArcGIS for Windows Mobile contain various task and project extension samples that demonstrate how to leverage the application framework. The samples are provided at different levels of difficulty. Some are basic and are designed to help you understand the architecture of the application framework. Others are more rich in functionality and may be useful in your daily work.