[Mark Rejhon]

This is ONLY needed if you are unable to do Over-The-Air software downloads with your carrier. Big thanks to headtailgrep, quoted from RIMROAD

Originally Posted by headtailgrep

I hope the moderators don't mind, but this procedure will show everyone how to upload third party software (midlets) to your blackberry. Midlets are java applications written for phones under the MDIP specification. There are hundreds of midlets already available to try, from network-enabled applications such as telnet, ssh, vnc, instant messagers, to games!

Where to download midlets? using Google, i come up with:

http://midlet.org
http://www.javamobiles.com/midlets/

Search around for more..

Who needs to do this and why? We all want more third party software for our Blackberries, and this adds hundreds of potential titles to our third party software base! The folllowing scenarios are Blackberry users who benefit from this procedure:

a) All blackberry users without BES, such as BWC users
b) Blackberry users who use the redirector
c) Blackberry users with BES lower than 3.6

If you have BES 3.6 or higher running, you can download JAR/JAD midlets directly from your blackberry browser, as the BES does the conversion to COD for you automatically. However, you can still do this procedure if you really need to..

What technical requirements do I need to perform this task:

a) You need to be comfortable using DOS
b) You need to download and install the Blackberry JDE (free from the rim developer website)
c) You need to download and install the Sun Java SDK 1.4 or higher.
d) You do NOT need to know how to use the Blackberry JDE, you merely need some of the DOS apps that come with it.

Here's how to convert and upload midlets (JAR/JAD) files to your Blackberry. This is not for the faint of heart, but any person with reasonable technical computer skills can do it:

a) Download and install the RIM Java Development Environment.
from http://www.blackberry.net/developers/

This software requires the sun Java SDK, so

b) Download and install the Sun Java SDK.
http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/download.html
MAKE SURE YOU GET THE SDK! *NOT* THE JRE!

Once both are installed, download the midlets you wish to put on your blackberry. Midlets are BOTH a .jar and .JAD file.

c) For ease of use, move the JAD and JAR files for each midlet you want to convert to the BIN directory in the RIM Java Development Environment directory on your hard drive, for example:
c:\program files\Research in Motion\Blackberry JDE 3.7\bin\

Using RAPC.exe in DOS, convert the midlet to a COD as follows, all on one line (might be easier to make a .bat file out of this)
d) rapc import="c:\Program Files\Research in Motion\Blackberry JDE 3.7\lib\net_rim_api.jar" codename=virca -midlet jad=Virca.jad Virca.jar

Subsitute a different codename, jad and jar filename for whatever application you wish to convert. If successful, it will say no errors and you will have a COD file. The import= is a REQUIRED step.

Using javaloader.exe from a DOS prompt to upload the newly created COD file to your blackberry (in my case a USB blackberry)
e) javaloader -usb load filename.cod

And that's it! An icon will appear in your ribbon. Give it a try and see if it works. Not everything will work, but most do. Mileage wil vary..

Caveats:

a) If you use the application loader at a future date, the loader WILL remove your midlets as they are not known by it. You will probably have to re-upload them again in this case.
b) Make sure you have enough free space to upload the applications..
c) If something goes wrong, Be sure you are familar with the RAPC or Javaloader.exe documentation. If not sure, use google to help you.
d) If you can, Test your Blackberry JDE on a sample application. Compile, and run a sample app in the simulator to ensure that your JDE functions correctly.

Good luck..!

(Note: Rogers and T-Mobile are both known to permit OTA downloads now without the need for these instructions, and without the need for BES/MDS. So you lucky Rogers and T-Mobile users can skip these instructions. Other carriers may not need these instructions by early 2005.)

[cold13]

thanks. I was looking for this.

[headtailgrep]

It works fairly well, except the biggest caveat is when you re-install blackberry software through the loader, it will remove ALL these modules manually loaded..

However, in 4.0, you are able to do OTA installs of software. Some software OTA requires 'a signature' which you can get around by uploading manually..

in 3.7 it's the same,except you can't do OTA installs of software.

Either way, even in 4.0 i find the above procedure handy...

[cold13]

by "uploading manually" you are talking about doing it via the app loader on the desktop right? I have some OTA downloads setup on a server, but they don't work.

[Mark Rejhon]

Essentially, yes. They're installed over the USB cable rather than over the airwaves. No websites involved, no need for an Internet connection.

You have to conver them to .cod files and use the CMD window (DOS style commands) with the javaloader command. It's more involved than using BlackBerry Desktop.

[cold13]

Yeah I got that.

I have converted a few of the 500 or so java apps I have from when I had a java cell phone. It's just a pain to convert them all, just to test and see if they run right or a worth using. I wanted to put them all on the web server here and do OTA downloads... but it isnt working. it eventually times out. ;)

[Mark Rejhon]

If you know the basics of computer programming, you might be able to use a batch file or a Windows Scripting file to automate the conversions for you.

The question is, will it be faster to write the script to convert all 500, or will it be faster to do it manually? (A third answer is, "will it be faster to pay someone else to do the converting?", for those with money. )

[cold13]

I wrote a bat file to do the conversion then do the upload via usb to the BB, but not to do all of them, just one at a time and I have to change two things in the batch file each time to do a different one because of the file name. I haven't really found any worth using though. Most of them either don't run right, or the controls don't work right!

[pat2k8]

Same idea, from Blackberry Knowledge Base:

http://www.blackberry.com/knowledgec...4&vernum=0

[southparkaddict]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! I've been looking for this for awhile!

[Penfold]

Ok so I had a play with this, downloaded all the bits n pieces but I couldn't get it to work doing the DOS thing so I did it the blackberry way and it seemed to work ok

http://www.blackberry.com/knowledgec...4&vernum=0

You can now download the VNC as .cod, it is all in the ZIP file here, I then use the DOS prompt to upload via javaloader.exe and it is not on the Blackberry, haven't worked out how to use it yet though:

www.mscse.co.uk/software/VNC.exe

[headtailgrep]

All you have to do is the following
a) install the JDE as per instructions
b) put the .JAR/.JAD files in a directory
c) Run RAPC.exe (comes with Blackberry JDE)
"rapc import="c:\Program Files\Research in Motion\Blackberry JDE 3.7\lib\net_rim_api.jar" codename=<FILENAME> -midlet jad=<FILENAME>.jad <FILENAME>.jar "
d) Upload the .COD using javaloader

If you can upload the COD using javaloder you should have no troubles getting RAPC to work. I created a batch file (.bat) for this purpose...

If you upload it to your Blackberry and do not see the Icon on your ribbon, you have done something wrong. A successful upload will show an app on the ribbon..

[lifeonweb]

Most Midlets Work Yahooo!! The ones that dont however how do you delete them. Desktop Manager is blind that they are even there. Sometimes you might be able to delete them if they were an over the air download in applications. The ones that are sent to the Berry from Javaloader I can't seem to delete them.
Please Help,

Thanks

Mark

[headtailgrep]

use javaloader, as follows:
c:\>javaloader -usb dir
<listing goes here>
c:\>javaloader -usb erase <module name>


that's it..

[nextelnutt]

This is helpful info. I talked to somebody this past weekend who wanted to do this on their BB, so I will pass on the info and try to do it for myself as well.

[haoyong]

I've had some minor success converting the files using the DOS prompt/RAPC method, but none of the programs I've converted seem to work once installed. I've noticed that I'm consistently getting the error: "Warning: Verification offset: X" and X is either 4, 12, or 15. I also see "cause:found X where displayable is required in a populating . . . "

Anyone have any ideas how to fix this?

[cverdecia]

i'm trying to install pantopic but it won't work ota. so i tried using blackberry jde to convert the jar/jad to cod. when i get to this part:
Right-click on the name of the project and select Properties and select the Application tab. From the "Project Type" drop down menu, select MIDlet. On the same screen, under the title "Name of main MIDlet class:" enter the main MIDlet class and click Ok. The fully qualified package and class name is required here.
I don't know what to put down as the name of main midlet class.

thanks

[maijingotenks]

i'm getting two different errors one i think is just operator error i dont know about the other one first is i get a message in dos: Error: no files to process=pretty sure that's human error the other is
"Failed to load main-class manifest attribute from C:\Program Files\Research In Motion\BlackBerry JDE 4.1.0\lib\net_rim_api.jar

.................i'm lost

[hmss007]

How about doing the reverse, I have a .cod/.alx file that I need to install over-the-air. I do not have desktop manager installed and my company doesn't want us to install it.

So, how can I get these files installed OTA?

Thanks

[rcjr]

You can use any text editor such as notepad to write a .alx file that desktop manager will recognize to load the .cod files. It would look something like this:
<loader version="1.0">
<application id="Name of App">
<name>Name of App</name>
<description>Some Description</description>
<version>App Version</version>
<vendor>Vendor Name</vendor>
<copyright>Not needed but can be anything</copyright>
<fileset Java="1.0">
<files>
list of .cod file names that you would like to load. Each on a seperate line.
net_rim_theme_RKRW.cod

</files>
</fileset>
</application>
</loader>

when you save this file make sure you give it the .alx extension and save it to the same directory as your .cod files. Then desktop manager will recognize it and load the .cod files to your BB. It also gives you the option to remove these files at a later date also using desktop manager.