Paul (MVP), on Feb 20 2008, 13:07, said:
If you're a developer or have knowledge of .net Compact Framework, you'll be aware that version 3.5 has shipped. You'll be aware that it offers a number of enhancements in features, stability and performance, and you'll likely also know that it provides full backwards compatability with previous versions of the Compact Framework. What you may NOT know is that when CF 3.5 is installed on a device, applications that target previous versions of the Compact Framework will continue to run against the old versions, and 3.5 and previous versions will live side by side on the device. Only when new devices come along will we see ONLY 3.5 on a device.
This presents a number of problems, namely
- Users who deploy CF 3.5 to their device but use applications targeting older versions will not benefit from the 3.5 performance improvements
- Developers who develop apps for pre CF 3.5 frameworks cannot easily test their applications ready for when 3.5 only devices come along
Thankfully, help is at hand in the form of a little known Compact Framework 3.5 powertoy named '.Net Configuration'. The application, which is available in
this download at Microsoft, provides the user with
full granularity of control over the .net CF on their device. You can see installed versions, change the used CF version for a particular application or change the used CF version for all applications run on your device! Perfect!
Sadly in Microsoft's infinite wisdom the application in question is tucked away in simple EXE inside the 6.2MB download and somewhat hard to find, so i've taken the liberty of packaging it up into a CAB here that installs it with it's own Start Menu shortcut. I've also included the .net CF 3.5 CAB below, so you can get your device updated quickly and easily by...
- Downloading and installing both CABs below (to internal memory!)
- Running '.Net Configuration' from your Start Menu
- Navigating to the 'Device Policy' tab and selecting version 3.5
- Selecting 'Apply' then 'OK'
That's it, you're done! You can even check it's working by installing my
CamerAware Beta and hitting 'About', after which you should see the screen below.
Enjoy, and hope this is useful
P
PS If you ARE a developer, there's other goodies in that Powertoys package that are well worth a look too!
netcfcfg.cab
NETCFv35.wm.armv4i.cab

Hey Paul, thanks for the App's
I think it's a great job when people exactly know how they can be used. At that point I have a few questions:
1. After install both CAB's on the device and I do nothing furhter everthing will be OK or must i do some final settings anyway to let all work fine? So far as I understood the installed programs choose their own version of NETCF to work correct! (because both versions old and new are on the device now) Its a pitty, after installation the IE explorer doesn't work, but I'm be able to download some stuff(p.a. AppToDate)?
How can I fix the IE problem?
2. Accidentally, I also install AppToDate, not knowing what this App exactly does! After using it I saw a screen appear whit the following info:
Out of date: ticked - SKTOOLS 4.4.1.1. (I installed the last version an hour ago, it must be the last version!?)
Up to date:
un-ticked - net.Configaration 3.08.04.10
un-ticked - App to Date 2.080626
If I would download net.Configaration 3.08.04.10 and install it, would it overwrite v3.5, or would it be also a seperat version next to the other NETCf versions, waiting to be activated and used?
3.Does AppToDate search for new updates for all the programms (official/freeware) I'm already installed on my device , or only offical bought one?
4.I trust that AppToDate is Spy- and Adwarefree?
5.If I choose in net.Configaration the option: Device Policy\Default, does it mean that after Apply, everything(all installed programs) now will be configurated and work with the network version that is activated (in my case 2.0.7045.00 registry_1) at the moment?
6. After this configaration i also can use the option Application Policy: Why can I only see a few .exe-files? Does it mean that these files are the one who left for an optional switch to both versions of NETCF?
These are a lot of questions but I think that more users would like to know!
Sorry for my bad English
Thanks in advance