Blackberry Tablet OS

This documentation explains how to build for Blackberry OS target with the ShiVa Authoring Tool.

Prerequisites

There is a few things to do before being able to build an application for Blackberry target :

Install the Blackberry SDK

Please refer to ShiVa Authoring Tool Installation, Blackberry part for more details.

Be sure to indicate the sdk and path in the tool settings, as explained in the tutorial above.

Step 1 : Content

Application pack

A game in ShiVa Editor is made of various files : 2d media, 3d media, audio and scripts.

You must export all these files into a unique .stk file. For that, in the Game Editor Module in ShiVa Editor, select option to export the game as a run-time package. ShiVa Editor will produce a single .stk file. Select this file in the Application Pack field.

Restriction : file name must contain only alphanumeric characters (dot, column, dash or weird characters are not allowed).

Icon

This icon will appear in the Home screen and application screen as a direct link to your game.

Format : the icon must be a png file 86x86px.
Guidelines : you may want to follow the Blackberry UI design guidelines described here : http://docs.blackberry.com/en/developers/

Startup splash-screen

The splashscreen is the first image displayed on the device, before the 3d content.

Format : the image must be a png file 1024x600px.

Preview

The preview area for the icon and the splashscreen.

Native Code

ShiVa Editor 1.9 allows you to code some parts of your application in C++ or convert all your lua code into readable C++.
To use this feature, when exporting the game in Shiva Editor, check option “Runtime package ( stk and cpp source )” as shown in picture below.

Shiva Editor will generate a .stk package (that does not contain any lua code) and a folder containing your lua code converted into C++. You must add these C++ files manually in the Content panel so that the Authoring Tool builds them as part of your application.

Using native code feature gives you a chance to modify the generated C++ files before adding them in the panel. This has two main purposes:

Modify the generated C++ files to improve the performances.
Modify the generated C++ files to make them invoke some APIs located in external C++ files. For that, you need to add your external C++ files in the panel together with the modified generated C++ files. This may be usefull to call a complex C++ algorithm that requires performances or to invoke a system library. Please note that the only way to invoke external C++ APIs is to invoke them from the generated C++ files (because Shiva Engine is not aware of their existance).

Note: every time you export the game from Shiva Editor, the C++ files are generated again. That may overwrite the changes you made to these files.

Additional files

Additional application data files (for instance a xml data file, or a movie file).
Use the application.getPackDirectory function to get the absolute path of the files and load them while application is running.

Step 2 : Authoring

Warning: as step 2 and step 3 are optional, Authoring tool does not display the 'Next' button to reach them. Instead, to reach 'Step 2' and 'Step 3' panels please click the panel name on top of Authoring Tool window.

Authoring type

Authoring type is the type of the generated application as follows:

BAR Package : generates an application to push directly on the Blackberry App Catalogue. Generates a single BAR file that you can upload on the Catalogue : https://developer.Blackberry.com/index.php?option=com_appsubmission&view=applist

Signing

Bundle identifier
Unique identifier used to generate the project, usually com.yourname.app.yourapplicationame, must be lowercase.

Signing identity
Application vendor, for instance, your company name.

Versioning

Version
Application version : of the form x.x.x, used as follows. This is the version the end user will see.

Step 3 : Build

Use OpenGLES 1.1

Force the engine to be in OpenGLES 1.1 that ensure good performance but less quality as it disable all the “nextgen” effects like normal maps, bloom...

Use Location Service

If your application needs to use the GPS.

Use Network

If the application need to use the network, multiplayer use for instance.

Use Device Info

If you need to use the unique identifier device in your application.

Use Camera

If the application needs to use the device's camera.

Use Microphone

If the application needs to use the device's microphone.

Install on connected device

Push the generated app directly on all connected devices.

Device IP

The IP of the device on which you want to push your application.

Device Password

The password of your device.

Device Debug Token

The path to the token you have generated for your device.

Output folder

Folder where to save generated application.

Custom post build script

To execute some commands right after the build, create a .bat file with the commands and copy it int the script folder “Stonetrip\ShiVa Authoring Tool\Data\YourOS\Blackberry\Scripts”. This file will be available in the dropdown list once Authoring Tool has been restarted.