(Click here for a larger view of the AdvancedCombo control in MobileForms Toolkit 2009 Volume 2)

Resco says its product helps developers create fast, responsive forms and other user interface elements that conform to Windows Mobile standards. All controls support the small displays, low CPU performance, and limited methods for user input available on mobile devices, the company adds. The suite is said to have been been optimized for use with Microsoft's Visual Studio 2008 and .NET Compact Framework 3.5.


Resco's new NumericUpDown (left) and TouchDateTimePicker (right) controls
The three new controls in Resco MobileForms Toolkit 2009 are described by the company as follows:

• Resco AdvancedCombo for .NET CF (pictured at the top of our story) -- Offering the same basic functionality as a standard Combo Box, this control supports finger scrolling and can display lists over the entire screen. Its design is customizable, supporting custom pictures, links, and buttons, and templates that can be saved to or loaded from XML files.
  
• Resco NumericUpDown for .NET CF (pictured, above left) -- This control supports multiple number formatting options for both decimal numbers and hexdecimal numbers. It also supports Vista-style and gradient visual customizations.
  
• Resco TouchDateTimePicker for .NET CF (pictured, above right) -- This is an "easy to use" time picker control that "abounds in very attractive graphics. It includes touch scroll functionality, format customization, and changing the rollers' order and displayed format.

Previously offered controls in Resco's MobileForms Toolkit, carried over to the new release, are said to include:

• AdvancedTree .NET -- Tree with expandable/collapsible nodes and no horizontal scrolling
  
• AdvancedTree -- For text, links, or images, with optional "DelayLoad"
  
• AdvancedList .NET -- List for small displays
  
• DetailView .NET -- User input form
  
• SmartGrid .NET -- Grid with "auto edit"
  
• CompactChart .NET -- Five chart types
  
• OutlookShortcutBar .NET -- Shortcuts
  
• OutlookWeekCalendar .NET -- Day/Week appointment scheduling
  
• OutlookMonthCalendar .NET -- Month/Year appointment scheduling
  
• OutlookDateTimePicker .NET -- Common functions
  
• InkBox .NET -- Ink control which records signatures and notes from the mouse movement
  
• Zip .NET -- Compression library

When Resco's software was updated as MobileForms Toolkit 2008 at the end of 2007, it gained Visual Studio 2008 and .NET Compact Framework 3.5 compatibility, plus updated graphics capabilities, with gradient background colors, Vista-style buttons, and other features claimed to allow developers to match the latest Windows Mobile 6.x environments visually. (Resco's previously released version of the MobileForms Toolkit was optimized for .NET Compact Framework 2.0 and designed to integrate into Visual Studio 2005.)

Peter Sartoris, Resco's head developer, says "Even though the data input in a mobile environment is complex and tricky, it is part of every mobile application. We are very pleased that with three new components that are part of the Resco MobileForms Toolkit 2009 Volume 2, we make mobile data input much easier."

Availability

Resco MobileForms Toolkit 2009 Volume 2 is now available, according to Resco. A version licensed for a single computer is priced at approximately $600, a license for four computers costs approximately $1200, and a site license is approximately $2400. A free trial version is also available from the company's Web site, here.

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