14 DAY TRIAL // Developers interested in having their applications for the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet PCs accepted into the BlackBerry App World would need to sign them prior to having them submitted to the storefront, and Research In Motion has just made another step towards ensuring they have access to all the necessary resources for that.
The mobile phone maker announced that developers can now sign apps using the latest version of the BlackBerry Tablet OS SDK.
According to the company, application builders would have to have the latest version of the BlackBerry Tablet OS SDK for Adobe AIR, or the BlackBerry WebWorks SDK for BlackBerry Tablet OS installed to be able to sign applications (download links are available below).
“Before you start signing your application, you have to register with the Research In Motion (RIM) Signing Authority. Fill out the web form – registration is free, but you need a credit card to complete the registration process,” the company cnotinues.
“A $1 hold will be placed on your account to verify the credit card. The hold is released after your credit card company accepts the transaction, and the hold will not appear on your monthly bill. When the registration process is complete, you receive a CSJ registration file via email.”
The signing process would include two steps, namely configuring the computer, and signing the application.
RIM notes that devs will need to configure their computers only once. They would have to initialize communication with the RIM Signing Authority (which ensures secure information exchange), and to register their CSJ registration file with the RIM Signing Authority (which uniquely identifies any dev).
Next, app builders would have to make sure they have a Developer Certificate. They can use the the signing tool to create a developer certificate, but they need to make sure the common name (company name) parameter is the same as the one entered in the the Company field on the registration form.
As soon as this step is completed, developers can sign their applications:
1. Request a signature from the RIM Signing Authority: Use the signing tool to request that the RIM Signing Authority applies a signature to your application. 2. Apply your signature: Use the signing tool to sign your application using your Developer Certificate.
As soon as the application was signed, a developer can upload it to the BlackBerry App World for distribution. Additional info on the matter can be found on the Blackberry Developers' Blog here.
The BlackBerry Tablet OS SDK for Adobe AIR is available for download here. The BlackBerry WebWorks SDK for BlackBerry Tablet OS can be downloaded from here.