Can some kind sole out there advice me if the following is possible, and
if so where do i start.
i have a symbian s60 phone (nokia n73 to be precise) and i want to
create a windows based app which will connect to my phone and interact with/extract info from it (in a splendid user interface).
i want to be able to create this app using visual basic.
i suppose what i'm asking is, is it possible to write an app in vb which
will interact with a symbian s60 phone?
thanks
NB: Apologies if this is in the wrong area of the forum
Yes, but...
By writing only the VB app with no addiitional sw to install on the PC or the phone, you will be limited to primarily AT commands through a [virtual] serial port (talk to the phone as it if it was a modem).
If you have Nokia PC Suite installed, then you can do some basic actions (file transfer and application installation) with the Nokia PC Suite Connectivity API v1.1 that is available on the free Forum Nokia ( http://forum.nokia.com ).
If your organization (not individuals) is a Forum Nokia PRO ( http://pro.forum.nokia.com ) member, there's a PC Suite Connectivity API v3.0 with more functionality (messaging, PIM, etc.). Note: Do not confuse the PC Suite API packages with the ancient Nokia PC Connectivity SDK 3.0 for ancient phones (which you can also find on the public Forum Nokia site).
If you are also willing to write a C++ server/service application that runs on the phone, then you can provide acceess to any feature/function that an S60 app can access, and with which you communicate over, e.g., Bluetooth, IrDA, USB, or the cellular network (Internet) using you VB app and using your own communications protocol.
so what you're saying is that i can write an app with vb but i can't view any of the file structure or, for example, send/receive text messages, etc.
or have i totally got the wrong point ?
cheers
Not really. I'm saying that through all the different approached with VB that you can take, only using Nokia PC Suite Connectivity API 3.0, or also writing your own phone-based server that your VB app talks to, can you do all or most of what you want to accomplish in/with your VB app.
And I'm also saying that you can't do very much with AT commands, or using the Nokia PC Suite Connectivity API v1.1
I'll also add that if you connect the phone in USB mass storage mode, then your VB app can do any file operation directly to/on the memory card (create, copy, rename, delete, modify).