| The Bold Explorer
BACKING UP APPS AND CREATING
INSTALLERS
============================
INTRODUCTION
With the impending shutdown of
BlackBerry World, it is more important
than ever to backup your apps. This
tutorial explains how to backup your
apps using BlackBerry Swiss Army Knife
and how to create single app installer
files to make reinstallation more
convenient (especially for sharing
apps with your friends,
post-app'ocalypse).
HOW TO BACK UP APPS USING BBSAK
The best tool for getting third-party
apps off a BlackBerry device is
BlackBerry Swiss Army Knife: |
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The process of backing up your apps is
relatively simple.
Install BBSAK, connect your BlackBerry
device to your computer via USB cable,
and press the "Backup Apps" button.
That leaves you with a folder full of
.cod files (the actual apps) and one
.jad file (the installation file),
intended to reinstall all of the apps
at once.
HOW TO CREATE SEPARATE INSTALLERS FOR
EACH APP
After performing a backup with BBSAK,
you can then take any of the .cod
files, and use the "Create-a-Jad"
feature of an app called BBHTool to
create a .jad which will install just
those .cod files. So, if you want to
create a .jad for an app called 'foo',
grab all of the .cods for that app and
put them in a folder (let's call the
folder 'foo'). Then run BBHTool and
use Create-a-Jad, adding those .cods
in the Create-a-Jad dialogue box, and
editing the fields as necessary. Make
the output folder your 'foo' folder,
and it will create a .jad file there.
The .jad file and the .cod file(s)
must be kept in the same folder for
the .jad to work.
From that point, you can put the
folder on your device, upload it to
your home server where you can build
your own app world, or zip it and send
it to a friend. As long as the .jad
and .cod files are in the same folder,
when you click the .jad, the app will
install.
BBHTool download link: |