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Installing the Tablet PC Platform SDK
In this section, we provide an overview of how to install the Tablet PC Platform SDK. If you have already installed the SDK and have verified its installation by compiling a few of the samples that are included with it, you can skip this section entirely. If you take this approach and later realize you have problems, you can always refer back to this section of the chapter.
System Requirements
The Tablet PC SDK does not have a great deal of specific hardware or software requirements. Of the requirements, there are some variations that may make your development easier (more on this later). The following operating systems and development environments are required, whereas the digitizer hardware is optional:
Operating system: Your development machine should be running a minimum of Windows 2000 or Windows XP; it is preferable to have the Tablet PC Edition of Windows XP. If you are using an actual Tablet PC, you have the correct OS. Windows 2000 will also work if you do not have Windows XP or Windows XP Tablet PC Edition.
Development environment: You can use either Visual Studio 6 for unmanaged development or Visual Studio .NET for either unmanaged or managed development.
Pointing device: Although a digitizer pad is not required for development, it is recommended. Trying to test input with a mouse is very difficult under the best of circumstances. Of course, if you are using a Tablet PC, you already have a Human Interface Device (HID) to use.
Hard drive: You will need at least 50MB of free hard drive space to install the SDK.
Although the SDK was created to develop applications for Tablet PCs, it can be installed and used on any PC running Windows 2000 and Windows XP Professional or Home versions. This is a nice feature for those without a Tablet PC because it allows for development and testing of Tablet PC software on any machine to which you have access. Unfortunately, development outside of an actual Tablet PC comes with a price. There are a few limitations you should keep in mind for developing without a Tablet PC:
If you develop an application that relies on Ink Recognition, it will work only on computers running Windows XP Tablet PC Edition.
Ink controls are limited outside of a Tablet PC, where new ink cannot be captured and existing ink cannot be recognized.
You will probably want to have access to a digitizing pad if you are using a desktop PC to test pen entry.
With the previously listed problems in mind, Tablet PC application development is best done on a Tablet PC. Even this is not a perfect option because developing on a Tablet PC is a bit cumbersome when you are accustomed to a desktop PC. You could also use the Tablet PC only for remote debugging, in which you create your code on a desktop PC and then test it on a Tablet PC. None of the options are perfect, but any one or combination of these options can be used.
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