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Obtaining the Tablet PC SDK
In the preceding chapters, we have looked at the basics of VB .NET development, but up to this point in time, we have yet to get into the specifics of the Tablet PC. In this chapter, we change that as we install the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition Platform Software Development Kit (SDK). In the remaining chapters, we actually look at the various aspects of the development tool as we create a Tablet PC-specific application in each of them.
The SDK
The Tablet PC Platform SDK has undergone a series of betas since its initial release in 2001. Currently at version 1.5, the Tablet PC Platform SDK is available from the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) Web site. At this time, the SDK is specifically available at http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/downloads/list/windevtpc.asp. You should download it before continuing on with this chapter. The Tablet PC Platform SDK is relatively small and is freely available. The SDK includes several key concepts:
Managed application programming interfaces (APIs): If you remember way back to Chapter 1, The Tablet PC, we talked about the pen and ink capabilities of the Tablet PC. The SDK provides a set of managed APIs for .NET applications that expose these pen and ink features.
Ink controls: Another way to incorporate ink into an application is the ActiveX and .NET controls. The controls include InkPicture and InkEdit. The controls are very quick and easy to use, but unlike the managed APIs, the Ink controls expose a subset of the available underlying functionality. The InkEdit control is the more restricted of the two.
Component Object Model (COM) APIs: If you are interested in developing outside of .NET, COM APIs are available for C++ and Visual Basic 6.
Runtime libraries: To make the development of Tablet PC applications possible on non-Tablet PC editions of Windows, the SDK installs the necessary runtime libraries.
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