.cab type file

[jawnsixteen]

A .cab file is a file that you must activate from your phone from a file explorer of some sort. To get them onto your device, you mist set up an active sync connection and just drop the .cab file somewhere you can find it. it will then ask you where you want to save it, and viola, it works.

[T3ku]

I know this Thread is kinda old by now, but i just got a question on the cab files.
So i see how u make them work now, BUT what exactly are they? what are they made of? what is their exact function?

[lalamac]

.CABs are basically .exe files (for Windows) or .app files (on a Mac). They're executable files which install an app onto your device. Think of them as 'advanced' ZIP files.

[hfrmobile]

.CABs are not a kind of .exe (executable) files! Think of them as advanced .ZIP files. A .CAB can be generated using CabWiz.exe (Pocket PC) or CabWizSP.exe (Smartphone). The source of a .CAB file is a .INF (Textfile with a special format - looks very similar the the good old Windows .INI file format) file.

On a WM device the .CAB file extension is associated with wceload.exe which executes the instructions contained in the .CAB file.

Microsoft Visual Studio will create .CAB for "Smart Device Projects" automatically but often they are not very useful. As a good developer you should consider writing own .inf file for your project so you have the full control what will happening if the user opens your .CAB on the device.

[Senax]

EDiT: Soon I'll try to make a more readable document about *.cab as is now as described below,

Actually *.cab files gives us WM5/6 Standard Professional users the power to configure our devices the way we want! And fast especially when User Customization (http://forum.xda-developers.com/tags.php?tag=user+customization) is build into ROM thus SDConfig.txt + SDautorun.exe cq runcc.exe cq DevPrep is used! Then we 'the users' and 'ROM flashing junkies' get super fast multi mega provxml and cab battle installs on the fly :)

Here some Graphic User Interface (GUI) builds around several cabxxx.exe utilities ;

QuickCab (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=400221) was one of my sticky cab application(s)! It made my day several times :) Nowadays I'm using Extendir Cabs (below).

-=[ Screenshot1 ]=- (http://i548.photobucket.com/albums/ii328/IABovine/App%20Screenshots/quickcab1.jpg) -=[ Screenshot2 ]=- (http://i548.photobucket.com/albums/ii328/IABovine/App%20Screenshots/quickcab2.jpg)

::

Did you know that CAB files transfered via ActiveSync may be altered during the transfer process (http://blogs.msdn.com/windowsmobile/archive/2006/04/25/ppc2003-signed-cabs.aspx)? If you have a CAB file which has been authenticode signed (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_signing) with a certificate, ActiveSync may strip off the certificate during the transfer process if it determines the connected device does not support signed cab files. This is something to be aware of, if you notice your CAB files won’t install if you download them across the network, but will if manually transfered via ActiveSync.

::


Extendir Cabs (with nice GUI) is an utility to create cab files.
Basically it’s a shell around cabarc.exe. It converts rgu/reg/xml/provxml files, create _setup.xml, create all the different install paths to optimize for Extendir (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=4033241) (optionally you can switch this off). So it’s very easy to convert your tweaks or packages to a setup cab.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=4033241&postcount=4

-=[ Screenshot ]=- (http://forum.xda-developers.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=199780&d=1246118713)

[APP] CabGen - easily create .cab from wap-provisioningdoc ONLiNE
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=441577

[APP] ai Cab Explorer utility: new way to explore cab files on your disk (view manila pictures, build multiple cabs album)
http://www.xda-developers.com/forum/showthread.php?t=561968


ProvXMLCreator [1.0][Autoconfiguration for WiFi, Certificates and email]
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=630094

reg/rgu-2-xml
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=386677

Registry format conversor: xml to reg
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=299308

Use SK-Tools (http://www.s-k-tools.com/?sktools/m_feat.html) (not free, though partly functional) it exports registry and can create a cab! It has also a reg editor. Plus.....
S-K-Tools main site!
http://www.s-k-tools.com/index.html?m_products.html
S-K-Tools freeware site! ;
http://www.s-k-tools.com/index.html?m_util.html Check these two free awesome applications;

CabInstl :
-=[ Screenshot animated ]=- (http://s-k-tools.com/freeware/cabinstl.gif)
This program is an installer for CAB files and allows to install PocketPC programs into YOUR specified folder instead of that by default created by the standard installer!

SSNAP : REGiSTRY/~ SNAPSHOT 'N + 2nd SNAPSHOT and COMPARE on PocketPC!
-=[ Screenshot ]=- (http://s-k-tools.com/freeware/ssnap.gif)
The program takes a snap-shot of the state of PocketPC that is useful for monitoring of changes on PocketPC, e.g. those made during installation of programs. To compare snaps of two different PocketPC states it is possible to use the utility iDiffCE on your PocketPC (see below) or any other utilities for comparison of text files on desktop PC – e.g. ExamDiff (http://www.prestosoft.com/edp_examdiff.asp).. or Total Commander (http://www.ghisler.com/) (PC version) (TC (http://www.ghisler.com/) it's; Compare files by content function).
What is saved in a snap:
- contents of the registry (keys and valuess);
- listing of the file system (folders and ffiles; for files their dates and sizes are saved, the control sum is counted up);
- state of system databases (the list, the size, number of records, date of the last update).

Usefull tools for packaging and development issues
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/198038/


[Personal Computer]

[APP] Pocket PC Themes Toolkit v1.03
After installing this application.. magically cabwiz.ddf , CabWiz.exe and makecab.exe appeared within its directory :) just when I needed them!!! *cough*

[UTILITY] CabTools - ROM package <--> CAB converters and more. For ROM builders!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=467842

Free Microsoft XML Notepad 2007;
http://www.microsoft.com/DownLoads/details.aspx?FamilyID=72d6aa49-787d-4118-ba5f-4f30fe913628&displaylang=en
(FYI: manually press download)

Download cabsdk.exe ( http://theether.net/download/Microsoft/Utilities/ ) for documents that describe the internal structures of CabinetFiles, samples to use from C and a description of cabinet.dll.
(FYI: cabsdk.exe is a compressed executable zip file).

Universal Extractor (guess what; it supports cab(!) and so.. so much more (like *.msi). Running from CLI is no problem eighter, which is great for batch processing).
http://legroom.net/software/uniextract
-=[ Screenshot1 ]=- (http://legroom.net/files/software/uniextract_gui.png) -=[Screenshot2 ]=- (http://legroom.net/files/software/uniextract_context.png) -=[ Screenshot ]=- (http://legroom.net/files/software/uniextract_prefs.png)

WinCE cab Manager (http://www.ocpsoftware.com/products.php) not free
-=[ Screenshot ]=- (http://www.ocpsoftware.com/images/wincecab_s.jpg)

CEcabManager TiP; Get your desired *.cab!
1) keep PDA disconnected (no active sync session)
2) install exe as usual and, when standard installation dialog will appear, go on (later cab installation will begin when you'll connect phone to pc)
3) open (on PC) regedit.exe
4) go to this key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows CE Services\AppMgr\Apps
5) there you'll find a list of installable cabs via active sync
6) under each application, the value ListCabFiles is the name of cab file and the value InstallDir is its position of file system.
Remember to uninstall exe after you copy/move the cab file (or delete application key) otherwise installation of cab files will start on next activesync session!!
Simple, isn't it? :D

MSCEInf FREEWARE
Version 2.6 (developed in Delphi 2007 for W32)
-=[ Screenshot ]=- (http://i26.tinypic.com/fwm353.jpg)
http://www.codeppc.com/telechargements/msceinf/msceinf.htm
above webpage Translated into English (http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.codeppc.com%2Ftelechargements%2 Fmsceinf%2Fmsceinf.htm)

MSCEInf (aka MSCEInf.exe) is a fantastic piece of kit that allows the user to inspect the contents of .cab (and .tsk) files.

In addition, the program enables you to extract files from a .cab, and use embedded XML or INF files to construct the relevant .rgu or initflashfiles entries.

http://www.codeppc.com/images/telechargement.gif Version française (http://www.codeppc.com/telechargements/msceinf/MSCEinf.zip)
French Version (http://www.codeppc.com/telechargements/msceinf/MSCEinf.zip) http://www.codeppc.com/images/telechargement.gif English version (http://www.codeppc.com/telechargements/msceinf/MSCEInfEn.zip)
English version (http://www.codeppc.com/telechargements/msceinf/MSCEInfEn.zip) http://www.codeppc.com/images/telechargement.gif Deutsche Version (http://www.codeppc.com/telechargements/msceinf/MSCEInfGer.zip)
Deutsche Version (http://www.codeppc.com/telechargements/msceinf/MSCEInfGer.zip) http://www.codeppc.com/images/telechargement.gif Versione Italiana (http://www.codeppc.com/telechargements/msceinf/MSCEInfIt.zip)
Versione Italiana (http://www.codeppc.com/telechargements/msceinf/MSCEInfIt.zip) http://www.codeppc.com/images/telechargement.gif Versione Spagnola (http://www.codeppc.com/telechargements/msceinf/MSCEInfEs.zip)
Versione Spagnola (http://www.codeppc.com/telechargements/msceinf/MSCEInfEs.zip) http://www.codeppc.com/images/telechargement.gif Version Néerlandaise (http://www.codeppc.com/telechargements/msceinf/MSCEInfDu.zip) (hollandaise)
Version Netherlands (http://www.codeppc.com/telechargements/msceinf/MSCEInfDu.zip) (Holland)

CABpack ; http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/cabpack.htm

Pocket PC Installation Creator 2.6 - Not Free Handy tool for creating exectutable PPC apps
http://pocket-pc-installation-creator.en.softonic.com/pocketpc


A few links I stumbled upon recently;

MS-Cabinet File WrapperClasses
http://www.codeproject.com/KB/files/cabfileclass.aspx

Cabinet File (*.CAB) Compression and Extraction
http://www.codeproject.com/KB/files/CABCompressExtract.aspx
How to implement creation and extraction of Microsoft CAB files

CDirectoryChangeWatcher - ReadDirectoryChangesW all wrapped up
http://www.codeproject.com/KB/files/directorychangewatcher.aspx
This class wraps up ReadDirectoryChangesW.

CTextFileDocument
http://www.codeproject.com/KB/files/textfiledocument.aspx
CTextFileDocument lets you write and read text files with different encodings (ASCII, UTF-8, Unicode 16 little/big endian are supported).

CEregEditor (http://ceregeditor.mdsoft.pl?lang=en) : CEregEditor is free ware and runs on PC in combination with ActiveSync. It allows editing of the registry of the PocketPC right on your PC. Extra's; it dan import/export *.cab files! Use the compare tool to save an image of the registry (F2) then after installing a cab, use Images -> compare registry.
-=[ Screenshot attached as picture ]=-


Senax