Configuring comms database using CED and CEDDUMP

The comms database configuration editor tools, CED and CEDDUMP, are command line tools that allow you to modify the comms database systematically and securely. This is useful, for example, when you need to configure modem, Internet connection and other network component settings for the emulator/phone.

Note that v9.1 does not store comms settings in the same way as previous OS releases. Instead of the CommDb API, which stored settings in a database file cdbv3.dat, the CommsDat API (new in v9.1) is used, which stores settings in the central respository. v9.1 updates the CED and the CEDDUMP tools to use the new API.

You are not allowed to edit the comms database directly. Instead, you must use CEDDUMP to create an editable configuration file that represents the contents of the comms database. After you have edited the configuration file, use CED to turn it into a new comms database.

This is shown in the diagram:

The typical workflow process when using CED and CEDDUMP is as follows:

1. Use CEDDUMP to create a configuration file based on the current comms database.

2. Edit the configuration file to modify settings or to add new settings.

3. Use CED to create a modified comms database.

You do not have to use CEDDUMP to create the configuration file. An alternative is to create a new configuration file and use CED to turn it into the comms database for Symbian OS to use.

Configuration files can be in two formats: text (with the extension .cfg as output by CEDDUMP), or an XML file (.xml).

The configuration file can be edited with a text editor, an XML editor, or the Symbian CommDb Editor, a Java graphical utility that can be downloaded from the Symbian Developer Network.

For information on the format of the .cfg or .xml file, see Comms database configuration file format.

CED and CEDDUMP are Symbian OS programs, so are run from the emulator binaries directory, epoc32\release\<emulator-build>\<udeb or urel>.

CEDDUMP outputs a configuration file in text format called epoc32\<emulator-build>\c\cedout.cfg.

CED does not output a file. It updates or overwrites the central repository area that stores the comms settings.

Note: Both the CED and CEDDUMP tools are console programs, and are best run without the emulator GUI shell. To do this, either add the statement textshell to the beginning of the epoc32\data\epoc.ini file, or call the tools with the option -dtextshell -- on the command line.

CED is located in \epoc32\release\<emulator-build>\<udeb or urel>.

The command line syntax for the CED tool is as follows:

>ced.exe [-a] [-d] [-f] [-h] [-i <input_file>] [-o <log_file>]

The defaults are:

• the existing settings will be deleted

• the input file is \epoc32\<emulator-build>\c\ced.cfg or ced.xml

• the log file is \epoc32\<emulator-build>\c\ced.log.

The following arguments are used with the CED tool.

Once the CED tool has been run, a statement at the end of the log file will show whether the process was successful or whether any errors were produced.

The following is an example of using the CED tool with:

• a file c:\logs\test\faxrecv.cfg as input

• new settings added to the existing database

• a log file written to c:\cedout.log

>ced.exe -i c:\logs\test\faxrecv.cfg -o c:\cedout.log -a

CEDDUMP is located in \epoc32\release\<emulator-build>\<udeb or urel>.

The command line syntax for the CEDDUMP tool is as follows:

>ceddump.exe

No arguments are necessary for CEDDUMP.

The output is a .cfg text file called \epoc32\<emulator-build>\c\cedout.cfg. This file represents the content of the comms database, and can be used by the CED tool.