1. SDK Edition and API Family Compatibility

All PrintBoy SDK Editions are fully compatible with Windows Mobile 5 and Windows Mobile 6 handheld devices:

2. Bluetooth Printing Configuration and Support

PrintBoy SDK and the PrintBoy Print Engine continue to be fully compatible with the Bluetooth functionality which ships on Pocket PC and Windows Mobile 5.0 handheld devices and smartphones. However it is important to note that starting with Windows Mobile 5.0, Microsoft changed its Bluetooth stack and Bluetooth configuration process, which in turn changes the way that users need to successfully pair their handheld device with a Bluetooth printer.

With a Windows Mobile 5.0 device, the steps required in order to achieve a successful Bluetooth pairing with a printer have changed from the steps previously used in Pocket PC 2003. This change has nothing to do with PrintBoy or PrintSetup, rather it is a change in the way Microsoft's Bluetooth Configuration process works. Unfortunately The following steps should be followed on a Windows Mobile 5.0 device:

Step 1) Tap on Start->Settings, then choose the Connections tab
Step 2) Tap on the Bluetooth icon on the Connections tab
Step 3) Make sure your Bluetooth radio is turned on (tap on the Turn on Bluetooth checkbox)
Step 4) Tap on the Devices tab, and select the New Partnership entry
Step 5) Your device will now scan for Bluetooth devices. Your printer (or Bluetooth print adapter) should appear in this list. Select your printer from the list and tap Next.
Step 6) In the Passkey dialog enter the passkey for your printer or print adapter. If you have forgotten or do not know the passkey, you will need to refer back to your printer or print adapter documentation, or contact your vendor. For the HP DeskJet 460 the default passkey is "0000" (4 zeros).
Step 7) If the passkey entry was successful, you will see a list of services to use from your printer. For most printers and adapters you will only see a checkbox marked "Serial Port". Check this box and tap Finish.
Step 8) Now, under the COM Ports tab you should see an option for "New Outgoing Port". Select this option, and then select your printer from the list on the next screen and tap Next
Step 9) Note the suggested COM Port number in the next screen, and tap Finish. Write down the COM port number, since you will need to know the COM port number when you go into PrintBoy's PrintSetup.

After following these steps, you will have created a Bluetooth pairing between your handheld and your Bluetooth-enabled printer. This pairing will then be used anytime you print from PrintBoy using the Bluetooth communications settings for your print driver.

The steps for configuring your printer driver in PrintBoy's PrintSetup have not changed. All you need to do is select your driver in PrintSetup, then when you choose the Bluetooth communications option, select the proper COM port number you noted at the end of your Bluetooth pairing configuration.

In our tests, some Bluetooth print adapters may require you to attempt to pair a couple of times before you are successful. If you have entered your passkey, but you do not see the screen with the Serial Port service option, your pairing was *not* successful. Delete the partnership and try again. If you continue to have trouble achieving a successful pairing, you may need to contact your Bluetooth printer or print adapter vendor for customer support.

3. Visual Studio 2005 Support

The current version of PrintBoy SDK assumes you are using eMbedded Visual Studio version 3 or 4 (eVC3 or eVC4), and all of the SDK examples are created using these tools. Although not fully certified by us to be compatible with Visual Studio 2005, we believe it to be compatible. However, until we release the next SDK version which "officially" supports VS2005, developers will need to migrate the existing sample projects to VS2005.