Command-line Tools

The BlackBerry Tools SDK for Android apps provides a set of command line tools that you can use to port an Android application onto the BlackBerry Tablet OS or BlackBerry 10.

In this section, you'll learn how to use the command line tools to repackage, test, and sign your apps so that they can be distributed to BlackBerry users.

Before you begin: The tutorials in this guide assume that you have the Android SDK installed on your computer. If you don't, you can get the Android SDK by visiting http://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html. See Install the Android SDK section for more information.

To distribute applications to BlackBerry tablet users using the BlackBerry World storefront, you must first acquire the code signing keys.

Checking the compatibility of APK files

Some APIs of the Android SDK are not supported, or are only partially supported, by the BlackBerry Runtime for Android apps. As a result, not all APK files are readily compatible with the BlackBerry Tablet OS and BlackBerry 10. You can pre-screen your APK files to determine which are most likely to be compatible, and which don't need to be repackaged.

In this tutorial you'll learn how to:
  • Pre-screen an APK file using the apk2barVerifier tool
  • Assess the pre-screening results

Repackage Android applications as BAR files

Once you've completed the previous tutorials, you're ready to start repackaging your APK files into BAR files that are compatible with the BlackBerry Tablet OS.

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to:
  • Repackage an APK file using the apk2bar batch repackaging tool
  • Fix invalid entries in a BAR manifest file

Test your repackaged app on a BlackBerry PlayBook tablet

After you have repackaged your BAR files, it's time to test them on a BlackBerry PlayBook tablet.

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to:
  • Create a debug token
  • Upload the debug token to a BlackBerry PlayBook tablet
  • Load an unsigned app on your BlackBerry PlayBook tablet

Sign your repackaged app and publish it to BlackBerry World

In the final step of the process, it's time to publish your apps so that they can be sold to BlackBerry tablet users using the BlackBerry World storefront.

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to:
  • Signing a repackaged BAR file using the batchbar-signer tool
  • Add your apps to BlackBerry World
  • Make your app available for distribution using BlackBerry World