Analyzing Device Application Performance


Recently I tried analyzing my applications' performance running on a Pocket PC. This can be achieved using .Net Compact Framework (.Net CF) Remote Performance Monitor (RPM). .Net CF RPM provides facility to monitor applications which run on devices that are connected to the computer using Active Sync or by general network.

To monitor your device application performance you have to have at least .Net CF SP1 since .Net CF RPM will come with .Net CF Service Pack 1. If you have not yet installed .Net CF SPs then download the SP2 from Microsoft using the following link.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=aea55f2f-07b5-4a8c-8a44-b4e1b196d5c0&DisplayLang=en


RPM consists of 3 main files.
1. NetCFRPM.exe - This is the application file which will run on your computer. This will show performance related data of the device application. This file can be found at C:\Program Files\Microsoft.NET\SDK\CompactFramework\v2.0\bin if you installed the Service Packs to the default location.

2. netcflaunch.exe - This will give you the connection parameters to the device. The details provided will be in handy if the device is not connected to the computer using Active Sync.

3. netcfrtl.dll - This dll facilitates the connection between the computer and the device.

You have to copy both above files to the device Windows folder (\Windows).


If you need more information on how to use .Net CF RPM visit Steven Pratschner's .Net CF weblog articles.
http://blogs.msdn.com/stevenpr/archive/2006/04/17/577636.aspx
http://blogs.msdn.com/stevenpr/archive/2007/03/08/finding-managed-memory-leaks-using-the-net-cf-remote-performance-monitor.aspx

Installing Office 2007 Ultimate on Windows Vista Ultimate

As it always happens, last few days I was busy with a curious error while trying to install Office 2007 Ultimate edition on my newly installed Windows Vista.

The errors I got were.

I have seen many posts on the internet but many were regarding upgrading to the released version from beta. But my case was different because it was a fresh copy of Vista and it was a DVD received from Microsoft.

After some struggle I got Office installed and would like to share how I succeeded. What I suspect was that it was having a problem copying files from source to destination at a stretch. The way I did was like this.

The first advice I give is, If you are installing office to some other directory than default given directory, please create that exact directory in your hard disk and point the setup to that directory.

Then try normal installation of Office 2007. If you are in my category it will fail after giving one of the above errors. Let it fail by pressing Abort button because we have no other option.

Again start the installation, this time select the top node, right click and select "Install on first use" (This will make all the software's install at the first attempt made to use them.) and continue with the setup.

In our earlier setup, it failed saying that one of the cabinet file was corrupt so cannot continue with the setup. This time because we used the option install on first use this error will not appear.

After successfully completing the setup. Try running Word for the first time. This will start the setup process. Sometimes you may be required to insert or point to the installation source during setup. If the same above mentioned error comes click Abort. Even you click Abort Word will start. Then after closing Word do the same on PowerPoint and let PowerPoint also start.

Now you have Word and PowerPoint up and running. Close all opened software's and insert you Office installation source and start the installation again. This time select "Run from Computer" option (or what ever options you want to select). Then start the installation. When Office setup starts the progress bar remove your installation source (CD, DVD,...). Because the new installer will keep the required files for the setup, it will run normally for sometime. If any files for the selected options are missing then installer will ask at that place to point to the source.

After sometime the setup will request for the files which are missing (My case it asked for ExcelLR.cab). This time it will allow you to browse for the file. Be careful this will allow you only once to browse, if you select the wrong location then it will give setup fail message and you have to restart setup after pressing Abort. When browsing for the file remember to just point to the folder above the actual file not to the actual file it is requesting. (In my case I directed to the folder CD:\English\OfficeSystem2007\ULTIMATE2007\Excel.en-us.)

If you properly followed everything setup will now continue without errors.

If you are still having problems then I recommend you to find another edition of Office 2007 (Enterprise, Professional) and try installing Excel with that edition. After successfully completing that setup run the Ultimate setup again. Then when the progress bar starts remove the installation source. You may have to browse for the installation source after sometimes. After you installed ultimate edition successfully remove the other edition using add remove programs. And perform a repair operation on the ultimate setup. This will fix any edition clashes and will configure ultimate edition properly.