Converting Android APK files to Blackberry OS 10 BAR file

mohamedibrahem · Sep 6, 2018

Before you begin make sure you have following items installed:

Android SDK installed on your computer.
To distribute applications to BlackBerry tablet users using the BlackBerry World storefront, must first acquire the code signing keys for Blackberry OS 10.
After your request has been processed, you will receive the following two

Code:

.csj

files in separate emails:
RIM Development Key (RDK) file
BlackBerry PlayBook or BlackBerry 10 debug token (PBDT) file
You will then use the

Code:

.csj

files to register with RIM to create a certificate, which you will use to sign your apps, and create debug tokens. These will allow you to test unsigned apps on a BlackBerry PlayBook tablet or a BlackBerry 10 device.

Step 1: Download the Blackberry Tools SDK for Android apps
Download the Blackberry OS 10 Tools for Android apps.
Extract it to a directory and add it to

Code:

PATH

variables.
Step 2: Configure your computer to sign apps and create debug tokens.
Once your application is accepted, you receive two CSJ registration files by email: one for app signing, and one for creating debug tokens. You'll use these files to register with the RIM Signing Authority.

The following steps help you configure your computer to sign applications and create debug tokens:
1.On the command line, navigate to the directory where you saved the

Code:

CSJ

files received via e-mail.
2.Configure your keystore to communicate with the RIM Signing Authority by using the

Code:

blackberry-signer tool

. You can find

Code:

blackberry-signer

and

Code:

blackberry-keytool

in the

Code:

bin

subfolder where you installed the BlackBerry OS 10 SDK.The password you specify in the

Code:

-cskpass

parameter allows you to access the RIM Signing Authority using your identity. You should protect the password.

Code:

<code> blackberry-signer -csksetup -cskpass <create_a_password> </code>

3.Register with the RIM Signing Authority using your CSJ registration files by using the

Code:

blackberry-signer too

l . Specify the registration PIN you entered in the PIN field on the web form when you requested permission to sign applications.

Code:

<code> blackberry-signer -register -csjpin <PIN> -storepass <csk password from (a)> <RDK_CSJFile> <PBDT_CSJFile>` </code>

4.Create a Developer Certificate by using the

Code:

blackberry-key

tooltool. Ensure that the common name (company name) parameter matches the name submitted when you requested the CSJ registration files.The following command creates a Developer Certificate in the file named

Code:

output_file.p12

. The password you specify in the -storepass parameter allows you to use the

Code:

.p12

file to sign BAR files. You should protect the

Code:

.p12

file and its password.

Code:

<code> blackberry-keytool -genkeypair -keystore <output_file.p12> -storepass <create_a_password> -dname "cn=<company_name>" -alias author` </code>

You should only perform these steps once.

Step 3: Repackaging your Android applications
Your next step to get your Android app ready for the BlackBerry 10 device is to repackage the APK file into a format that is compatible with the BlackBerry OS 10.
I have created

Code:

build.xml

which runs

Code:

apk2bar tool

for converting the Android APK file to Blackberry OS 10 Package BAR file.
Set the variables in

Code:

build.properties

and run

Code:

ant

command to begin converting the file.
t's recommended to copy the Android APK file into the same directory where the

Code:

build.xml

and

Code:

build.properties

are located so the the Blackberry BAR file will appear in the same directory
Please download the script described in this blog post to help you create your Blackberry 10 apps.

Mikestony · Sep 6, 2018

Did you develop this method?
Seems like a copy/paste from this 2013 guide:
https://www.built.io/blog/converting-android-apk-files-to-blackberry-os-10-bar-file

Converting Android APK files to Blackberry OS 10 BAR file

mohamedibrahem

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