An Intoduction to Creating BlackBerry Apps
Are you considering creating apps for BlackBerry phones? If so, there are some things you will need to know.
Use Cascades if You’re Creating a New App
With Cascades, you can create custom apps on the BlackBerry platform. Whether you’re creating your app in QML or C++, this program will help you create an app that will work well with the BlackBerry platform. With Cascades, you can also use the framework that is already there, allowing you to create your apps much more easily and quickly.
Designing for Different Software Versions
When designing for BlackBerry 10 smartphones, it’s important to remember that you are programming your application for the software version. In addition, you may be designing it for a specific phone design. When creating your app, you should keep the screen sizing in mind. With some UI adjustment, you will be able to make the app cross-compatible between multiple phones and software versions. This will need to be done in Cascades.
Debugging Your App
As you are creating the app, you need to make sure you are debugging it. The tool you’ll want to use for this is the QNX Momentics IDE. This gives you a testing and debugging environment that offers you the opportunity to ensure that your code is working properly. It’s good to note that you can debug code that you have created in either C++ for QML. Make sure that you are using this tool, and debugging your code in chunks as you create the application, or you may find yourself with a lot of problems at the end.
Security in Your Apps
When creating an app for BlackBerry phones, it’s important to take security into consideration. If you’re creating your app in Cascades, there are two safe string classes you can use. For ASCII strings, you can use QByteArray, and for Unicode strings, you can use QString. Keep in mind you should never use C strings when creating applications in Cascades. Be careful about the fields and paths that you use; make sure that you validate paths that come from an untrusted source.
Get Your App on the BlackBerry App World
It’s pretty simple to submit your app to the BlackBerry App World. You will need to create a Vendor Portal account. This requires a simple application with your contact information. You will also need to have a PayPal account. Once you have filled this information out, you will be able to submit your app to the App World. You will need to make sure that your app adheres to the BlackBerry World Vendor Guidelines, which you will need to read before you submit your app for consideration. All of the documentation is available on the BlackBerry App World website.
Creating an app for the BlackBerry App World is a great way to get your new game or app out there. No matter what type of app you’re creating, when you make it available on BlackBerry phones, you’re expanding the number of people who will use it.
Image via Flickr by MissMessie