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Preparing to distribute BlackBerry Java Applications

To send a BlackBerry® Java® Application to BlackBerry devices, the application developer must create a .zip file that contains the necessary application files and an .alx file that contains information about the application. If a directory structure is described in the .alx file, that directory structure must be represented in the .zip file.

For more information about creating BlackBerry Java Applications and .alx files, visit www.blackberry.com/developers to see the BlackBerry Java Development Environment Development Guide.

Before you distribute BlackBerry Java Applications, you must specify a shared network folder for BlackBerry Java Applications using the BlackBerry Administration Service. This shared network folder must not be the same network share location that is used for BlackBerry® Device Software, and it must not be located in <drive>:\Program Files\Common Files\Research In Motion. The BlackBerry Administration Service accesses the shared network folder to install BlackBerry Java Applications on BlackBerry devices. Do not add application files to the shared network folder or make changes to the files that the BlackBerry Administration Service stores in the shared network folder.

To make a BlackBerry Java Application available for installation on BlackBerry devices, you must add the application to the BlackBerry Administration Service application repository. After you add an application to the application repository, you can add the application to a software configuration, specify whether the application is required, optional, or not permitted on BlackBerry devices, and assign an application control policy to the application to control the access permissions for the application. You assign software configurations to user accounts to install or upgrade BlackBerry Java Applications on BlackBerry devices, or to remove BlackBerry Java Applications from BlackBerry devices.

Specify a shared network folder for BlackBerry Java Applications

You must specify a shared network folder for BlackBerry® Java® Applications using the BlackBerry Administration Service before you add any BlackBerry Java Applications to the application repository. The BlackBerry Administration Service must access the shared network folder to install BlackBerry Java Applications on BlackBerry devices. Do not add application files to the shared network folder or make changes to the files that the BlackBerry Administration Service stores in the shared network folder.

Before you begin: Create a shared network folder on the network that hosts the BlackBerry® Enterprise Server. This shared network folder must not be the same network share location that is used for BlackBerry® Device Software, and it must not be located in <drive>:\Program Files\Common Files\Research In Motion.The administration accounts that you use for the BlackBerry Administration Service must have write permissions for the shared network folder. The administration accounts that run the BlackBerry Administration Service Application Server service must have write permissions for the shared network folder. BlackBerry devices and the computers that host the BlackBerry Enterprise Server instances must have access to the shared network folder.

In the BlackBerry Administration Service, on the Servers and components menu, expand BlackBerry Solution topology > BlackBerry Domain > Component view.
Click BlackBerry Administration Service.
Click Edit component.
In the Software management section, in the BlackBerry Administration Service application shared network drive field, type the path of the shared network folder using the following format: \\<BlackBerry_Administration_Service_computer_name>\<shared_folder>. The shared network path must be typed in UNC format (for example, \\ComputerName\Applications\Testing).
Click Save all.

Add a BlackBerry Java Application to the application repository

To send a BlackBerry® Java® Application to BlackBerry devices, you must first add the BlackBerry Java Application bundle to the application repository. To send an updated version of a BlackBerry Java Application to BlackBerry devices, you must first add the updated bundle to the application repository.

In the BlackBerry Administration Service, on the BlackBerry solution management menu, expand Software > Applications.
Click Add or update applications.
In the Application location section, click Browse. Navigate to the BlackBerry Java Application bundle that you want to add to, or update in, the application repository.
Click Next.
Click Add application.

Add a collaboration client to the application repository

To send a collaboration client to BlackBerry® devices, you must first add the collaboration client bundle to the application repository. To send an updated version of a collaboration client to BlackBerry devices, you must first add the updated bundle to the application repository.

Before you begin: To download the .zip file for the latest version of the collaboration client, visit www.blackberry.com/support/downloads. For information about collaboration clients and whether they are compatible with specific versions of the BlackBerry® Enterprise Server, visit na.blackberry.com/eng/support/downloads/im_server_compatibility.jsp.

In the BlackBerry Administration Service, on the BlackBerry solution management menu, expand Software > Applications.
Click Add or update applications.
In the Application location section, navigate to the collaboration client bundle that you want to add to, or update in, the application repository.
Click Next.
Click Publish application.

Specify keywords for a BlackBerry Java Application

You can specify keywords for a BlackBerry® Java® Application. You can use the keywords to search for the application in the application repository.

In the BlackBerry Administration Service, on the BlackBerry solution management menu, expand Software > Applications.
Click Manage applications.
Search for an application.
In the search results, click the name of an application.
Click Edit application.
In the Application keywords field, type a keyword.
Click the Add icon.
Repeat steps 6 and 7 for each keyword that you want to add.
Click Save all.