14 DAY TRIAL // A new tool is available for download for customers running the latest iteration of Windows Embedded. Package Mapper went live on the MSDN Code Gallery earlier this month, and is currently up for grabs along with the documentation, providing insight into its usage. According to Microsoft, Package Mapper is designed to work exclusively with Windows Embedded Standard 7, formerly codenamed Quebec, and even labeled Windows Embedded 2011 at one point.
“Package Mapper is a PowerToy we released publicly because we found it to be quite useful as we created templates. The purpose of Package Mapper is to take a list of Windows binaries (exes, dlls, etc.) and map them to the packages within Standard 7 in which the binaries are contained. The packages are output in the easy-to-use format of an answer file, which can then be fed right into ICE,” J.T. Kimbell, program manager on the Windows Embedded team, revealed.
For those unfamiliar with Windows Embedded Standard 7, the operating system provides customers with the Image Configuration Editor (ICE), a tool that enables the configuration of the components set for installation in the platform. Obviously, those looking to take advantage of Package Maker should have ICE installed. Microsoft revealed that the PowerToy also required .NET Framework 3.5, and customers will need to register the COM DLL EmbeddedDSI.dll present in ICE installation folder (regsvr32 EmbeddedDSI.dll).
“After specifying the configuration file click on the button ‘Map Package’ to start processing the configuration file. The application emits status messages in the Status text box as it starts processing the configuration file,” Microsoft revealed.
Windows Embedded Standard 7 was released to manufacturing earlier this month. Microsoft is currently allowing customers to test drive the successor of Windows Embedded Standard 2009 via a trial version of the platform.
Package Mapper is available for download here. 32-bit (x86) Windows Embedded Standard 7 RTM, 64-bit (x64) Windows Embedded Standard 7 RTM and the Windows Embedded Standard 7 Evaluation toolkit are available for download here.