Building Rhodes Apps on Supported Platforms

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This page describes how to build Rhodes from source with your app on all of our supported platforms: iPhone, RIM Blackberry, Windows Mobile and Android.

Contents

Prerequisites - All Platforms

Required Software

  • Ruby - http://www.ruby-lang.org/en/downloads/
  • RubyGems (v1.3.5 or higher) - http://rubygems.org/
  • rhodes gem - run "[sudo] gem install rhodes" to install the latest rhodes gem
  • GNU make 3.80 or higher (required by gem). Probably you already have it installed if you are running Mac OS X or Linux. On Windows, download it from http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/make.htm and install somewhere. Ensure you have location when it installed in your PATH environment variable.
  • JDK version 1.6.0_2 or higher. (recommended version 6.0 update 11) - required for Android & Blackberry 
 1.6.0_13 Mac OSX 10.5 (Install then run "Java Preferences" utility to change default version)

 Sun JDK For Windows/Linux NOTE: The 32-bit Windows version is required for Blackberry tools.
  • Make sure you set JAVA_HOME and that JAVA_HOME/bin is on your path.
  • Setup HOME environment variable: 
 C:\Documents and Settings\<account_name>
  • TIP: If you get any "no such file to load -- something" messages while running the rake tasks or rhogen commands, this can usually be resolved by running '[sudo] gem install something'.

Setup Rhodes Source

  • Clone rhodes github repository: 
 git clone git://github.com/rhomobile/rhodes.git
 cd rhodes
  • (Optional) Checkout the branch you are interested in (if not master): 
 git checkout -f -b <branchname> --track origin/<branchname>
  • Make sure you're up-to-date on the branch: 
 git pull
  • Add the bin folder to your path. In linux/mac it is typically done via the .profile. In windows it is done via the system control panel.
  • Configure your environment by running the rhodes-setup script. This will attempt to auto-detect installed SDK's and will prompt you to verify them or enter ones that cannot be detected. 
 rhodes-setup

iPhone

iPhone versions of Rhodes apps need to be built on Mac machines. The instructions below describe how to do this from either the XCode development environment or from the command line.

Prerequisites

  • Follow these instructions
  • the iPhone SDK installed (Apple only lets you submit apps for 2.2.1 or higher, so that is also required for Rhodes, starting with Rhodes 1.2)
  • the XCode IDE (highly recommended but not actually required)

Build Application with XCode

  • Inside the <rhodescheckout>/platform/iphone directory is an iPhone XCode project. Load that project (currently called Rhorunner but will be changed to Rhodes later) and do a build.
  • Open up a command window and switch to your application's directory. Run: 
 rake switch_app

This changes your rhobuild.yml in the SDK folder to point to your application.

  • After you change application code just run 'Build and Go' command in XCode.
  • Tip: after you make changes and want to see them reflected on the device, reset the simulator and repeat #2.
  • Tip: to see a log of what is happening on the device, type command-shift-r in xcode to bring up the rhorunner console.

Build and Release on App Store

Once you have the application building with XCode as described above, it is treated as any other iHhone application when it comes to signing and distributing to the app store.

See this page as a guide on the app submission process [1].

Build Application from Command Line

Unlike building the application from the XCode GUI, you build the application from command line via the rake command inside the directory of the app you had just generated with rhogen.

  • Change directory to your rhodes application
  • Look at the contents of build.yml and verify the following setting for applog.Do not enter full path here, this file will be in your app directory: 
 applog: rholog.txt
  • Run 
 rake run:iphone
  • After application code modification 
 exit application in simulator
 rake run:iphone

BlackBerry

Blackberry does require that you be building on Windows. Thus if you did your development on a Mac or Linux you will need to insure that you've installed Ruby on Windows

Prerequisites

http://na.blackberry.com/eng/support/docs/subcategories/?userType=21&category=BlackBerry+Browser Choose Blackberry version and download the documents.

Build application using rhodes gem

  • Edit build.yml from application directory, set the bbver to the target that you are building for 
 bbver: 4.6

To build and run using Blackberry simulator

  • Run in application root directory 
 rake run:bb
  • Launch application from the simulator's Downloads menu item for 4.6 or from Main menu screen on 4.3 and below.
  • Do not close Simulator manually. Script will restart simulator for you.
  • After application code modification: 
 rake run:bb
  • To see application log: 
 turn log on: select menu\log\options form application menu. 
Set log level to Info and Message classes to APP or to *.
 BB 4.3 and up: 
 go to <simulator folder>\sdcard\rho\<app_name> and open RhoLog.txt
 you can change log settings by editing rhoconfig.txt (application restart required)
 BB 4.2 and down:  
 Use applog property in build.yml to see the log. Do not enter full path, just log file name, log file will be in your app directory
  • To turn on Full Browser mode for Blackberry 4.6. Edit rhoconfig.txt : 
 use_bb_full_browser = 1
  • To turn on Persistent Storage usage mode for Blackberry Edit rhoconfig.txt : 
 use_persistent_storage = 1
  • To clean all data(database and log): 
 BB 4.3 and up: go to <simulator folder>\sdcard and remove rho folder
 Persistent Storage mode: remove app or run clean.bat in simulator folder
 BB 4.3 and down: run clean.bat in simulator folder

Troubleshooting

  • run 'rake config:checkbb' and see are any problems reported
  • Run all rake scripts from windows console. Do not use bash or similar tools
  • When emulator starts, open Blackberry Internet Browser and browse for some web site. If you are unable to browse: 
 check that MDS is running - it should be console window started with emulator.
 open manage connection (blackberry menu button)\check Mobile Network
  • Check your JAVA_HOME environment variable: it should NOT contain 'bin' at the end
  • Do not use 'localhost' or '127.0.0.0' for sync source url. Use local computer name instead if you host sync server on your machine.

To build application for the device

  • You have to sign application before load it to device: 
 http://na.blackberry.com/eng/developers/javaappdev/codekeys.jsp
  • Once you have blackberry certificate files (sigtool.csk and sigtool.db) you should put them in the 'bin' folder of your blackberry jdk and sign any application.
  • If your target device is Blackberry JDK 4.3 and later, you can provide password in rhobuild.yml file (located in the Rhodes SDK folder) in the 'env' section : 
 bbsignpwd: <password>
  • Run : 
 rake device:bb:production

or 

 rake device:bb:debug
  • Deploy to device: 
 by OTA: <application_directory>/bin/target
    • For example, if you rake:bb:production, the files will be in a directory named for the SDK version, like /bin/target/4.6/ota-web
    • You should see many .cod files and one .jad file
    • Upload all of those files to a web server, then open the .jad file from the browser on your blackberry device

Troubleshooting

  • After you get your CSI-file from Blackberry, you have to register them. If after dbl-click you will see message "Already registered":

Incorrect password error when attempting to register signature keys

  • After press Yes in dialog 'Would you like to create a new key pair file' - nothing appear. No dialogs, no error messages just nothing: this is a problem with Java SDK and Blackberry SDK versions

The signature key window disappears after receiving the private key prompt
Supported versions of Java for different BlackBerry JDE versions

  • If you still have a problems:

Manually register CSI files

  • Signature files can be only registered once per computer. If you register them for example in 4.6 Blackberry SDK , you can copy sigtool.csk and sigtool.db to bin directory of any other BB SDK

Application log on the device

The log is written to the file 'rholog.txt'.

  • If your device has SD card it will place Media Card\Rho\<app name>\
  • If not it will place on Device Memory\home\user\rho\<app name>\

To see or copy log file to computer:

  • Add menu item Log to your application menu(See sugar as an example)
  • Call RhoConf.show_log or RhoConf.send_log somewhere in your app(for example on settings page)
  • Open Media application on the Phone , select Menu\explore. You can view log file or send it via bluetooth
  • If you have SD card: Phone options\memory\Mass storage support - ON, save. Then connect device to the computer via cable and you will see USB disk drive in computer explorer. Copy 'rholog.txt' to computer. Do not forget to turn 'Mass Storage support' OFF, otherwise rhodes cannot write to the files!

Connectivity on the device

If your phone has Wifi connectivity rhodes will use it without any additional efforts In case of GPRS, you should :

  • Setup mobile network: Phone Options\Mobile Network\Data Services ON, Connection preferences: Should be not WiFi-Only.
  • Setup APN address: Phone Options\Advanced settings\TCP/IP/APN settings enabled. APN should address specific for your provider(wap.cingular for example).


Build rhodes from the source code using Eclipse

  1. You should have Blackberry Eclipse IDE installed.
  2. Please make sure that there are no .metadata folder in rhodes\platform\bb folder, check also that there are no .project and .classname files in any subfolders of rhodes\platform\bb
  3. Run eclipse and choose rhodes\platform\bb as a workspace directory. Do not create workspace!
  4. Go to File\Import... menu. Select Blackberry\Blackberry JDE workspace node. Press Next. Browse for rhodes\platform\bb\.BB.jdw\BB.jdw. Press Finish. The project will be automatically build.
  5. Go to Window\Preferences menu. Select Blackberry JDE\Installed components node.
  6. Select JDE installation directory for your target device. Please note that Eclipse may not show all your installed JDE in the combobox, in this case press Browse button and choose desired JDE. Eclipse for Blackberry has JDE in the <Eclipse folder>\plug-ins\net.rim.eide.componentpack<version>
  7. Choose Java home directory for selected JDE : jdk1.6.0_2 for JDE 4.2 and above.
  8. Select MDS Simulator node and choose MDS from your JDE directory. Press OK.
  9. Workspace will be recreated. Choose Clean all projects in the dialog. Press OK. RubyVM project should be built , check rhodes\platform\bb\RubyVM\RubyVM.jar
  10. Go to <rhodescheckout> and run 'rake build:bb:rhobundle' command. It should create rhodes\platform\bb\RhoBundle\RhoBundle.jar
  11. Return to Eclipse and select Project\Clean... , Clean all projects, press OK.

Congratulations! It is all done.

Known issues with Eclipse build

Sometime BB Eclipse project is checked in in a wrong state and wouldn't build correctly after loading.

  1. You need to make sure every sub-project is activated for BlackBerry (right-click on the sub-project and select [Activate for BlackBerry] menu item).
  2. Check and set project dependencies correctly (select Project/Properties... menu and navigate to BlackBerry Project Dependencies...). Set following dependencies:
    1. PersLite doesn't have any dependencies
    2. PersImplJSR75 depends on PersLite
    3. RhoBundle depends on RubyVM
    4. RubyVM doesn't have any dependencies
    5. rhodes depends on PersLite, PersImplJSR75, RhoBundle, RubyVM

Rebuilding After Code Changes

  1. Go to <rhodescheckout> and run 'rake build:bb:rhobundle' command. It should re-create rhodes\platform\bb\RhoBundle\RhoBundle.jar
  2. Right click on RhoBundle project in Eclipse and select Refresh. It should rebuild rhodes and RhoBundle. You can see messages in Builder Console. OR Just Clean all projects.

Eclipse simulator debug instructions

  1. Open Debug\Open debug dialog... from toolbar (small bug icons). Dbl-click on Blackberry simulator node.
  2. Go to Simulator page and choose Profile other than Default. Check 'Launch Mobile Data System Connection service with simulator' checkbox.(Please note that you may have install MDS on your computer).
  3. Press Debug button. Simulator starts. Eclipse may ask you about missing debug files, press 'Don't ask me again button'(You can also clean emulator: run <JDE_HOME>\simulator\clean.bat and start emulator again)
  4. Press Menu button on emulator. Go to Downloads, run Rhodes

Windows Mobile

Note that Windows Mobile versions of your Rhodes app must be built in a Windows environment.

Prerequisites

Open ActiveSync main window, go to the File -> Connection Settings, select checkbox "Allow connections to one of the following" and select "DMA" from the list box. It is required to work with emulator.

Build application on the command line

  • make sure that C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\VC\vcpackages is in your path(for vcbuild.exe).Here is the list of paths which should be in PATH env variable:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\Common7\IDE;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\VC\BIN;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\Common7\Tools;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\Common7\Tools\bin;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\VC\PlatformSDK\bin;C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\SDK\v2.0\bin

  • Go to your application directory. From here you can run all of the Windows Mobile rake tasks.
  • To build application for the device, run: 
 rake device:wm:production

To build from IDE

  1. Checkout rhodes source code from github
  2. Open platform\wm\rhodes.sln in Visual Studio.
  3. Select Windows Mobile 6 Professional and build Release configuration.
  4. Open the file 'rhobuild.yml' using a text editor:
    1. redefine the path for CabWiz tool
    2. redefine the path for your application
  5. Run 'rake build:wm:devrhobundle'
  6. Make sure you cradle your emulator (Tools->Device Emulator Manager->Select Running Emulator->Actions->Cradle)
  7. Copy rhodes.exe and rhobundle (platform\wm\bin\Win32\rhodes\Debug\rho) from the previous step to My Computer->Mobile Device to \Program Files\rhodes (you can delete content of \Program Files\rhodes\rho folder first to ensure overwriting all old files)

If you changed your application:

  1. Run 'rake build:wm:devrhobundle' to compile your application code
  2. Copy platform\wm\bin\Win32\rhodes\Debug\rho folder to device or emulator in \Program Files\rhodes\rho to see you changes on device or emulator (you can delete content of \Program Files\rhodes\rho folder first to ensure overwriting all old files)

If you changed your application and use the application's rake tasks:

  1. Run "rake device:wm" to compile your application code
  2. Copy <appdir>\bin\target\rhodes.cab content to device or emulator in \My Documents\ and then loading it to see you changes on device or emulator (you can delete previous .cab file first to ensure overwriting)

Android

Prerequisites

  • Follow these instructions
  • Android SDK (http://developer.android.com/) (version 1.5 and higher required)
    • In case of Android SDK 2.0 or higher: "SDK platform 1.5, API 3, revision x" package need to be additionally installed. To do that, run <sdk>/tools/android, click 'Settings', check 'Force https://... sources to be fetched using http://' and press 'Save&Apply'. Then select 'Available' item in left list, expand 'https://dl-ssl.google.com/....', check needed package and press 'Install selected'.
  • Since Rhodes 1.5 - in case if you are planning to work with native geo mapping (MapView interface), three things should be done:
    • "Google APIs by Google Inc., Android API 3, revision x" package should be installed into your SDK in case of Android SDK 2.0 or higher. See previous item for instructions.
    • Android Maps API key should be retrieved from Google. Follow this document to get it - http://code.google.com/intl/en/android/add-ons/google-apis/mapkey.html. When key received, put it in your application's build.yml or to common rhobuild.yml: 
 android:
   apikey: "GOOGLE-API-KEY-FOR-ANDROID"
    • Enable 'mapping' in your build.yml: 
 android:
   mapping: yes

 Please follow the instructions how to increase Java memory space: http://source.android.com/using-eclipse
  • Make sure to set ANDROID_HOME to where you unziped the SDK
  • Make sure that Android SDK tools directories are available in your PATH variable. 
 For example:
 Update your environment path variable and add directory in (assuming c:\ installation):
 C:\android-sdk-windows\tools


Rhodes 1.2 and lower

On linux/macosx:

Edit <android_sdk>/platforms/android-1.5/tools/dx

uncomment javaOpts="-Xmx215M" and change it to: javaOpts="-Xmx768M -Xms768M"

On windows:

Edit <android_sdk>/platforms/android-1.5/tools/dx.bat

Change the last line: 

call java -Xmx768M -Xms768M -Djava.ext.dirs=%frameworkdir% -jar %jarpath% %*

You don't need that if using Rhodes 1.4 and higher!



Note: A special note for Android 1.5 (and higher) users

Please check you applications and change the way how you include css files into html pages.

For example:

You will need to replace 

  <style type="text/css" media="screen">@import "/public/js/iui/iui.css"; @import "/public/css/rho.css";</style>

by 

  <link rel="stylesheet" href="public/js/iui/iui.css" type="text/css">
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="public/css/rho.css" type="text/css">

Otherwise your css files will not be loaded in android 1.5

Running Your App from the Command Line

  • Ensure that your path has the java bin dir on it.
  • For Rhodes 1.5 and higher: ensure that your path has the perl bin dir on it.
  • From the command line, in your rhodes application directory, run: 
 rake run:android
  • If the rake command gets stuck you can kill the command window, open another window, run 
 adb start-server
 rake run:android


  • Note: First time you will be asked for a few questions about emulator configuration. You should answer "yes" for most questions or use default answers. This is required to creating AVD configuration (this is a new feature in Android 1.5 SDK)

Building Rhodes.apk from the Command Line

  • From the command line, in your rhodes application directory, run: 
 rake device:android:production
Create a keystore to store your own keys and certificates. You only need to do this once. 
    % keytool -genkey -v -keystore my-release-key.keystore -alias alias_name -keyalg RSA -validity 10000
    Provide a password and answer all the questions.
Sign your application using the newly created keystore: 
    % cd <rhodes-app-dir>/bin/target
    % jarsigner -verbose -keystore my-release-key.keystore Rhodes.apk alias_name
Verify the application is signed: 
    % jarsigner -verify Rhodes.apk
    jar verified.
Install the signed app to the device: 
    % adb install Rhodes.apk

Building Rhodes.apk in Eclipse

  • Create a new workspace in the following directory: <Rhodes>/platform/android
  • Go to the Window>Preferences
  • Click on Android node in the tree and specify file path to the installed android SDK (For example: E:\android\android-sdk-windows-1.6_r1)
  • Import all projects from the following directory: <Rhodes>/platform/android
  • If you have set the option to build sources automatically all stuff will be compiled just after the import 
=== Rhodes 1.2 or lower ===

* Click on General/Workspace/Linked Resources node in the tree and click "New..." in the corresponding 
  settings window at the right side.

* You need to create the RHO_SHARED variable and set file path to the shared folder. For example:

  RHO_SHARED
  E:\Projects\rhomobile\1-2-stable\platform\shared

* Close Preferences window

* Build RhoBundle project using rake task build:android:rhobundle

* Refresh Rhodes project to reload changes

* If you don't have an option to build sources automatically click Project/Clean... menu item and 
  select Rhodes and RubyJVM project. Click Ok to clean and rebuild projects.

For SDK 1.5 and later:

Right click on Rhodes project and select 1.5 target for Android.

Check bin directory. You should see Rhodes.apk file created. It will be signed with debug key provided with SDK.

Now you are ready to install your application on device and/or emulator.

Installation of the Rhodes.apk file

Install apk to emulator

To launch Rhodes.apk on emulator you need to start emulator with sdcard support. To create sdcard image you can simply run android tool named 'android'

'android' tool is available in the {android SDK}/tools directory

the example of usage: 

  android create avd --name rhoAndroid15 --target 1 --sdcard 32M --skin HVGA

To delete avd you need to use: 

  android delete avd --name rhoAndroid15

After you have successfully created sdcard image you can start emulator.

You will need to specify the following parameter to enable sdcard: 

  emulator -avd rhoAndroid15

To install Rhodes.apk to emulator you need to use the following command: 

  adb install Rhodes.apk

To uninstall Rhodes application from emulator or device you need to use the following command: 

  adb uninstall com.rhomobile.rhodes

[Note] If you are not able to install or uninstall application using "adb install/uninstall" command please verify that your emulator is connected by executing "adb devices" from your SDK tools/ directory. You should see emulator in the devices list... If you are not able to see emulator than you will need first time to launch it from Eclipse IDE. This should helps... after that you will be able to install apk file and connect to the emulator from command line.

Install apk to device

If you have an Android device, you can develop and debug your Android applications just as usual. Launching your apps on a device works just the same as on the emulator, but there are a few things to do before you can start.

Please check corresponding link of the android documentation: http://developer.android.com/guide/developing/device.html

For Mac Os you will need just to connect your device using USB cable and use "adb install" command to install apk to the handset.

You can verify that your device is connected by executing "adb devices" from your SDK tools/ directory. If connected, you'll see the device name listed as a "device."


Getting application log from device or emulator

To get application log from device or emulator, issue command 'rake device:android:getlog' or 'rake emulator:android:getlog' from root of rhodes source tree (place where rhobuild.yml is located). Application log will be pulled from device/emulator and stored in current directory with name RhoLog.txt

Symbian

NOTE: Symbian support has been suspended pending increased demand as of v1.1 of Rhodes. Symbian versions of your Rhodes app also require being built in a Windows environment.

Prerequisites

  • Follow these instructions
  • Nokia Series 60 3rd Edition SDK for Symbian OS
  • Active Perl 5.6.1

Prerequisites (FP1)

  • PIPS library
  • Open C/C++ Plug-ins for S60 3rd Edition

Installation instructions

Currently it is recommended to use FP2 only because FP1 SDK browser has well-known problem with POST requests.

  • Nokia Series 60 3rd Edition SDK for Symbian OS: 
 Feature Pack 2 recommended
 can be downloaded from: http://www.forum.nokia.com/Resources_and_Information/Tools/Platforms/S60_Platform_SDKs/
 NOTE: SDK and rhodes folders should be on the same logical disk drive.
  • Active Perl v5.6.1 
 Note: specific version 5.6.1
 download it here.

Installation instructions (FP1)

  • PIPS library: 
 download 'pips_9_1_s60_sdk_1_2.zip' file from: http://developer.symbian.com/wiki/pages/viewpageattachments.action?pageId=1411
 locate and extract the files from the archive
 extract it and follow the pdf instructions to copy files into S60 SDK system directories.
  • Open C/C++ Plug-ins for S60 3rd Edition. 
 download it from here: http://www.forum.nokia.com/info/sw.nokia.com/id/91d89929-fb8c-4d66-bea0-227e42df9053/Open_C_SDK_Plug-In.html
 follow the instruction to setup plug-in.

Build application using rhodes gem [1.0 ONLY -- for 1.1 skip to building symbian from source]

Setup HOME enviroment variable. It may be any directory you wish for example: 

 C:\Documents and Settings\<account_name>

Create file rho_build.conf in your HOME directory, and define your apps directory there: 

 apps.dir=<path to test_application>

Edit build.yml from application directory: 

 symbiantools: C:/PROGRA~1/COMMON~1/Symbian/Tools
 symroot: <symbian SDK root>
 change certification parameters if required under 'symbian' section

Run rake -T to see available rake commands

To build and run using Symbian simulator [FP1 SDK]

NOTE: The FP1 SDK emulator has well-known issue with POST requests in browser, in this case we recommend to test your applications using FP2 emulator. To build Rhodes for device you can use both FP1 and FP2 SDK versions.

  • edit C:\Symbian\9.2\S60_3rd_FP1\Epoc32\winscw\c\system\data\config.ini with the following: 
[STDIO]
STDIN = MEDIA1
STDOUT = MEDIA4
  • To view debug output: 
 create empty "in.txt" in C:\Symbian\9.2\S60_3rd_FP1\Epoc32\winscw\c\system\data folder
  • Run in the application root directory: 
 rake run:symbian:app
  • The simulator will start automatically. NOTE: The simulator will take a very long time to start initially. Subsequent launches should be faster
  • Rhodes application will be launched automatically. Using menu go to the ‘Installed’>Rhodes to view application content.


To build and run using Symbian simulator [FP2 SDK]

[Note] This feature is available only in the 1.1 version.

  • Install SDK
  • edit C:\S60\devices\S60_3rd_FP2_SDK_v1.1\epoc32\winscw\c\system\data\config.ini with the following: 
[STDIO]
STDIN = MEDIA1
STDOUT = MEDIA4
  • create empty "in.txt" in C:\S60\devices\S60_3rd_FP2_SDK_v1.1\epoc32\winscw\c\system\data folder

[Note] If you have multiple SDK versions installed and you are using Carbide make sure that every project is pointed to use FP2 SDK (Check build configuration options).

  • In the application root directory check "symroot" path in the build.yml file to make sure that correct path to SDK is used.
  • First time it is required to launch Symbian emulator from start>Programs>S60 Developers Tools>3rd Edition FP2>v1.1>Emulator, open menu Tools>Preferences, go to the "General Settings" tab and set Memory Capacity value to 96 MB
  • Run in the application root directory: 
 rake run:symbian:app
  • Rhodes application will be launched automatically. Using menu go to the ‘Installed’>Rhodes to view application content.

To build application for the device

  • Install PIPS library to your phone: 
 rhodes\platform\symbian\lib\pips_nokia_1_3_ss.sis
  • To sign the SIS package, you need a valid Symbian certificate + key. Only singed packages (SISX) can be installed on real devices. 
 Go to http://developer.symbian.com/wiki/display/pub/The+Complete+Guide+to+Symbian+Signed,
 http://www.symbiansigned.com 
 Follow instructions to obtain a valid certificate/key to sign a Symbian application
 Put your certificate (.cert) and key (.key) files under the folder "symbian/rhodes/sis/cert/"
 Note: you are able to use self-signed generated keys.
  • Run in application root directory 
 rake device:symbian
  • The compiled and signed rhodes.sisx file can be found at 
 $(application root)\bin\target\symbian

Build rhodes from the source code

Change: 

   static const char* const KSuppressPlatSecDiagnostic =
   KSuppressPlatSecDiagnosticMagicValue;

To: 

 #if defined(__cplusplus) 
 static const char* const KSuppressPlatSecDiagnostic =
   KSuppressPlatSecDiagnosticMagicValue; 
 #endif
  • Install Symbian C++ development environment, preferred: "Carbide C++ v2.0". Downloadable from: 
 http://www.forum.nokia.com/main/resources/tools_and_sdks/carbide_cpp/
  • Edit build properties: 
 open file 'build.properties' in 'rhodes\platform\symbian\build' directory
 S60_3rd_FP1=<path to symbian SDK>
 NOTE: This path should NOT include drive letter and should contain slash at the end.
 SDK=S60_3rd_FP1 to set sdk by default
 'build.target=GCCE UREL' to build for device, 'build.target=WINSCW UDEB' to build for emulator
  • create all required environment variables: 
 run '<Carbide20>\x86Build\env_switch\env_update.exe' from command line

Supported Ant Targets

  • Unset RUBYOPT variable. By default on windows, the RUBYOPT variable is set, this is not needed: 
set RUBYOPT=
  • You are able to run the following ant targets: 
build-all                     : to clean + build + make sis + sign sis (no checkout)
build-selfsign                : to clean + build + make sis + selfsign sis (no checkout)
build-build                   : to build + make sis + sign sis (no clean, no checkout)
build-sis                     : to make sis + sign sis (no clean, no checkout, no build)

rhobundle                     : to make rhobundle

There are two options:

  • Build package based on working dirs (targets started from 'build-' prefix)
  • Build RhoBundle

You can see supported targets using "ant" command without parameters Note: For each target you must provide SDK version using SDK parameter. For example: 

ant build-all -DSDK=S60_3rd_FP1

Would build using the S60_3rd_FP1 sdk (as shown in the build.properties file)

Output files (and logs) will be placed in 'rhodes\platform\symbian\bin':

  • "rhodes_v-x.y.z.sis" is the main package
  • "rhodes_v-x.y.z.sisx" is the main signed package

Carbide.C++ Instructions

  • Target your workspace directory to the root ..\rhodes directory.
  • You will need to import the following projects (select import bld.inf in Carbide) 
  rhodes\symbian\shttpd\group
  rhodes\symbian\SQLite60\group
  rhodes\symbian\rubylib\group
  rhodes\symbian\rhodes\group
  • Carbide IDE does not support indexing of the relative file paths. This issue negatively affects importing of the bld.inf files because each of these projects has links to the external include directories.

To resolve this issue you will need to open .mmp file for each project (it is required for successful importing) and temporary comment USERINCLUDE and SOURCEPATH links with “..\..\” and “..\..\..” prefixes:

The example of such links: 

  USERINCLUDE    ..\..\SQLite60\src
  USERINCLUDE    ..\..\..\shared\json
  USERINCLUDE    ..\..\..\shared\syncengine
  USERINCLUDE    ..\..\..\shared\ruby
  SOURCEPATH ..\..\..\shared\shttpd\src
  • After successful importing projects into the workspace you will need to uncomment USERINCLUDE links back.
  • Open Project Properties for Rhodes project, go to Project References and check all projects(rubylib,shttpd,SQLite60)

HOWTO: Customize application name and icon

Using gems (1.1.1 - 1.2.1)

Gem version 1.2.2 and above, use the steps in the next section (Using source).


To set your custom vendor name, application name and icon you need to perform the following steps:

  1. Open build.yml located in the root directory of your application
  2. Change if exist variable named "vendor" to set new vendor name
  3. To set application name change "application-name" variable
  4. To set icon directory change "application-icon-dir" variable

For example (build.yml): 

 env:
 version: 1.1.1
 vendor: VDGGroup
 application-name: SugarCRM
 application-icon-dir: E:/MyDocuments/My Pictures
 ...

Note: You application icon must be named:

  • icon.png for BB, iPhone and Android
  • icon.ico for WM
  • icon.svg for Symbian

Using source

  • currently only works with iphone, android, blackberrry

iPhone using xCode

  • Target->info->General->Name
  • Target->info->Build->Product Name (for all configurations)
  • rhodes\platform\iphone\icon.png - change to your icon
  • check rhodes\platform\iphone\Info.plist it should contain BundleName=${PRODUCT_NAME}

Application Name

In the build.yml in your application folder there is an entry "name". This is the display name that the user will see on the device. Example: 

 name: My Own App

Application Icon

Place your image to use as an icon in a folder called 'icon' in your application. If you created an app called 'testapp' then the folder would be 'testapp/icon'. The icon should be named 'icon.png'. 

 testapp/
   build.yml
   Rakefile
   rhoconfig.txt
   app/
   public/
   icon/
     icon.png
     icon.ico
Retrieved from "http://wiki.rhomobile.com/index.php/Building_Rhodes_Apps_on_Supported_Platforms"
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