The application descriptor file DTD

The Document Type Definition (DTD) provides the schema for the BAR application descriptor file, named bar-descriptor.xml.

The application descriptor file describes what the BAR file looks like for your application. The application descriptor file format is required to run your applications on the BlackBerry 10 OS.

The top-level element for the application descriptor file is the <qnx> element. In general, there is no prescribed order for child elements under the parent elements - with the exception of the arg element. The elements that follow are valid in the application descriptor file.

Related links

  • The BAR application descriptor file

    The BAR application descriptor file (or the application descriptor file), named the bar-descriptor.xml file, specifies the parameters for identifying, installing, and launching native apps on BlackBerry 10 OS.

  • <action>

    (Optional) The actions that are associated with the invocation target

  • <arg>

    (Optional) The program arguments that can be used to configure the application when started

  • <aspectRatio>

    (Optional) Whether the application is in landscape or portrait mode

  • <asset>

    (Optional) Specifies an asset that is used in the BAR file

  • <author>

    (Required) The name (typically the company or developer name) you used to register your BlackBerry World signing account

  • <authorId>

    (Required) The value provided to you by the BlackBerry Signing Authority server

  • <autoOrients>

    (Optional) Whether the orientation of the content in the application automatically changes as the user changes the physical orientation of the device

  • <buildId>

    (Optional) The build identifier, which is an integer value between 0 and 65535

  • <buildIdFile>

    (Optional) The file that stores the build identifier

  • <category>

    (Deprecated) The value is no longer used for BlackBerry 10 OS, BlackBerry Tablet OS 2.0, or later

  • <configuration>

    (Optional) The configuration for alternative sets of assets to package

  • <description>

    (Optional) The text that's displayed when the application is installed

  • <env>

    (Optional) The name and value of environment variables

  • <exclude>

    (Optional) The files to exclude from the BAR file only if they match the filter pattern specified in the name attribute of the element

  • <filter>

    (Required) The target filter.

  • <icon>

    (Optional) The icon to use for the application

  • <image>

    (Optional) The location of the icon image to use for the application

  • <include>

    (Optional) The files to be included in the BAR file only if they match the filter pattern specified in the "name" attribute of the element

  • <invoke-target>

    (Optional) Defines the invocation target, which can be used to launch this application from another application

  • <invoke-target-name>

    (Optional) Defines the label for the target (localizable).

  • <invoke-target-type>

    (Optional) Defines the type of target.

  • <initialWindow>

    (Optional) The <qnx> elements used to override the default tags in the Adobe AIR application descriptor file (*-app.xml)

  • <id>

    (Required) An identifier (50 characters or less) that maps to your package name

  • <mime-type>

    (Optional) The MIME-type of the data that the invoke target can be processed.

  • <name>

    (Required) The string value that's displayed when the application is installed

  • <packageId>

    (Optional) The identifier of the package, assigned by the BlackBerry Signing Authority server when started

  • <packageLocale>

    (Optional) Defines the locales that are supported using values that are defined in the IETF Best Current Practice (BCP) 47 specification

  • <permission>

    (Optional) The privileges (also known as capabilities, user actions, or actions) the application requests from the OS

  • <platformArchitecture>

    (Optional) The processor architecture that the application is compiled for

  • <platformVersion>

    (Required) The minimum target version of the BlackBerry 10 OS on which the application can be installed and run

  • <property>

    (Optional) Additional arguments that the invocation target can receive.

  • <publisher>

    (Deprecated) Use the <author> element instead

  • <qnx>

    (Required) The top-level element for the schema used for the application descriptor file

  • <splashScreens>

    (Required) Specifies splash screens to use.

  • <splashscreen>

    (Deprecated) Use the <splashScreens> element instead.

  • <systemChrome>

    (Optional) Whether the initial application window is created with the standard title bar, borders, and controls provided by the OS.

  • <text>

    (Optional) The localized text for the <name> and <description> elements or file for the <image> and <splashscreen> elements.

  • <transparent>

    (Optional) Whether the initial application window is alpha-blended with the background on the device

  • <versionNumber>

    (Required) The application version, represented as a string value in the format of <0-999>.<0-999>.<0-999>