EConvert Overview (Windows Embedded Standard 2009)
4/23/2012
EConvert.exe is used to convert text files of known formats, such as .inf, into component definition (.sld) files. EConvert determines the file type based on the extension of the file name, and loads and executes the appropriate import add-in to convert the file into an .sld file. Econvert.exe can be found at Windows Embedded\Utilities.
You can convert an .inf file into an .sld file by either importing .inf files into Component Designer or using EConvert. The .inf import add-in is used in both of these methods. The following table shows these methods and what occurs during the conversion.
| Method | Description |
|---|---|
Component Designer |
The first time you convert an .inf file into an .sld file, a buffer is created to use during conversion. In subsequent imports, if a component is found that contains the files referenced in the .inf file, it creates a dependency to the component rather than creating a file resource. |
EConvert |
The .inf file is classified into one of the known .inf file types and processed according to type if you do not use special arguments. The known types are described in the next table. If the automatic processing does not detect a section you want to process or does not process it in the way you want, use custom parsing options. |
During the conversion process, the .inf import add-in converts the information in the .inf file into component resources, such as files and registry resources. However, it does not create a final version of a component. Because an .inf file does not contain all component information, you must open the resulting .sld file and enter the following information manually:
- Display name
- Description
- Version
- Repository
- Dependency information
- Category membership
Also, watch for warning and error messages during the conversion process, because these messages often require you to correct information in the resulting .sld file.
Automatic Processing
By default, EConvert and Component Designer automatically process .inf files. The following table shows the known .inf file types.
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
Device |
The .inf file is a Plug and Play device, as identified by the ClassGUID directive being in the [Version] section. One .sld file is created for each device model in the .inf file. |
Install |
The .inf file has a [DefaultInstall] section. The component name is the name of the .inf file, and the remaining component data comes from the .inf directives specified in the [DefaultInstall] section. |
Unknown |
If .inf file is neither Device nor Install type, you must use custom parsing options to process the .inf file. For information about custom parsing, see the /E parameter in EConvert Commands. |
If a section that you want to process is not detected, you can use the custom parsing option to specify the section name and section type. Once classified, the INF importer extracts relevant information from the .inf file according to the structure of the known type, and then produces an .sld file.