Create an application for Nokia using Adobe Mobile Packager

Nokia E61i

After I read this Flash Lite 3.1 news a week ago I tried to get a demo application working on my Nokia E61i as soon as possible. I found the process not very intuitive and had to take some hurdles, that’s why I wrote this tutorial. Many thanks to Mark from www.flashmobileblog.com who helped me crossing some hurdle barriers.

Start by downloading the Adobe Mobile Packager from http://labs.adobe.com/downloads/distributableplayer.html (my first hurdle: only for Windows).

Update 12 January 2010 – When you follow the labs.adobe link above, you’ll read this:
The Distributable Player Solution beta has ended and the program has been cancelled. The solution is no longer available and will not be brought into production. If you are interested in continuing to develop mobile applications, we recommend taking a look at developing applications for the iPhone. For mobile web app and content development, we recommend you participate in the Flash Player 10.1 beta program.
Too bad but no problem, I switched to iPhone some months ago.

You need to install some additional software, so I suggest you read the detailed documentation (PDF) or view the video tutorials at Adobe TV for detailed instructions. I found the video tutorials very clear.

Now you’re ready to create a package. I created a simple animation called “HelloWorld.swf” and published a “HelloWorld_signed.sis” package.

If you install this sis to your Nokia with default factory settings, you probably get a certificate error (my Dutch phone displayed “certificaatfout”). You can only distribute officially signed application, so if you want to test your unsigned application on your own phone you have to disable this online certificate check.

Go to Menu > Installat. > App. mgr.. >  Options > Settings >
and change these settings:
Software installation: select all applications.
Online certif. check: select no online checks.

On my Dutch phone, it is Menu > Installatie > Toep.beheer > Opties > Instellingen >
Software-installatie: alle toepassingen installeren.
Online certif.controle: Uit

You’re almost there, one hurdle to go.

When you try to run your application, your phone probably asks:
“HelloWorld needs Adobe Flash Lite to Run. Continue?”
When you click “yes” but you are not in the U.S., UK, Italy, Spain, or India, you’ll get this message:
“Sorry. Adobe Flash Lite is not available for this device.”

Users in U.S., UK, Italy, Spain, or India, will get the Distributable Player over the air. In other countries, download and install the Flash Lite 3.1 Distributable Player binary from http://labs.adobe.com/downloads/distributableplayer.html. My Nokia E61i is not officially supported but I could install Flash Lite 3.1 without a problem.

After installing Flash Lite 3.1 you’re ready to run your app. Good luck!

2 thoughts on “Create an application for Nokia using Adobe Mobile Packager

  1. Tommy

    Hi Arie,

    Ik ken je problemen, ben momenteel bezig met afstuderen en daarvoor moet ik uitzoeken wat het best passende mobiele platform is voor ontwikkelen van een evenemententool. Ik wilde eigenlijk voor Symbian gaan, omdat het het meest gebruikt word, maar hetgeen jij beschrijft heeft me doen veranderen… heb je btw. wel eens een .sis proberen te signen? Wat een drama is dat…

    Ik hou je weblog in de gaten 😉

    Tommy

    Reply
  2. Arie

    @Tommy,
    ik vond het een uitdaging om aan de praat te krijgen maar voor een willekeurige gebruiker is de installatie niet erg gebruiksvriendelijk. Vooral omdat je in Nederland niet automatisch een update van de Distributable Player krijgt. Daarom denk ik niet dat ik er op korte termijn veel energie in ga steken.

    En een .sis signen? Ik heb het geprobeerd via Open Signed Online van symbiansigned.com maar ik kreeg continu deze foutmelding:
    Your application (HelloWorld.sis) signing has failed. This may be because it has been flagged as a potential virus by our scanning or because the format of your sis file is incorrect or corrupt. Please try re-building your .sis file and re-submitting.
    Het is bovendien erg duur om een applicatie te laten signen.

    Reply

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