Professional Windows® Embedded CE 6.0

Chapter 15. Customizing the UI

All Windows Embedded CE devices are built with a unique User Interface (UI) designed to capture input and provide output unique to the device's functions and features.

The elements needed for the UI depend on the device's features and function, and can be very different between devices for different application scenarios.

• The common input and output interfaces for a CE-based thin-client terminal consist of the following:

  • Standard computer keyboard and mouse

  • Switches to reset the system and turn the system on and off

  • Computer monitor, speaker, and printer port for output

  • Wired and wireless network link for inbound and outbound data

• The common input and output interfaces for a CE-based home automation control system include the following:

  • Custom keypad

  • Multiline character display LCD or small graphical display LCD

  • Temperature sensor

  • Humidity sensor

  • Light sensor

• In addition to the above input, output, and sensor devices, the home automation control system also uses GPIO (General Purpose Input and Output) to link to LEDs and buttons, and Relay to turn appliances on and off.

In this chapter, I will go over some of the common inputs and outputs you may find on the CE device, and we will work through two exercises to create customized UIs for the device. For the exercises in this chapter, the development workstation is connected to a local area network with a DHCP server to provide IP addresses dynamically.

Input and Output for the CE Device

Applications for the desktop ...