Updates: I got some feedbacks that the download link in Netbeans is not working anymore, I uploaded the plugin binary into my google doc, please try my link if you have problem to download.
Recently when I checked out the latest version of the source code of LWUIT, I realized that LWUIT used a new solution of developing blackberry application - using Netbeans Blackberry plugin. So today I tried to give an review about this new tool.
Plugin Installation
1. go to this link (or my link)to download the blackberry netbeans plugin, save it in your local drive.
2. In your Netbeans IDE, choose Tools - Plugins, click Downloaded tab, press "Add Plugins..." button, choose the downloaded blackberry plugin .nbm file,
3. Restart your Netbeans IDE, the thing is it seems the blackberry plugin has an issue, you can not see it under the Installed tab of the Plugins UI Form. I was confused it at the beginning as well.
Add BlackBerry SDK platforms
The plugin download link (or here)gives some screen shots about how to add blackberry SDK platform into your NetBeans IDE environment, here I just give an rough description, if you are familiar with the steps of adding other J2ME SDK into the NetBeans IDE, you will know it is the exactly the same steps.
Compare this step with the older solution, you will feel how easy it is.
After Adding the BlackBerry SDKs in your NetBeans IDE, you can use the same way as J2ME Mobility package for blackberry development. Really Nice!!! Good job for the author!
Test
To test how the Plugin works, I choose 2 tests, one is for MIDlet and the other is for CLDC application (RIMlet).
Test1 - build an BlackBerry MIDlet application
I imported an JavaME SDK sample application - SunSamples-Demos into my NetBeans IDE, then add another configuration, choose an BlackBerry platform, I just choose JDE 4.5, then everything else is copied from the default configuration.
1. Test Build
Click "Clean and Build", the IDE build successfully and generate .cod file and bunch of .debug files.
So Build test passes.
2. Test Run
When I click "Run", the IDE launches BlackBerry simulator, then I found the several applications (since SunSamples-Demos contains multiple MIDlets), I choose some apps, they work perfectly.
Application Running also passed.
3. Test Debug
I set several break points in the IDE, then I click "Debug", the IDE launches the BlackBerry JDWP application and the blackberry simulator, when choose an application, the application did not stop at a specific break point.
The debug test failed.
Test2 - build an BlackBerry CLDC application
This time I choose a LWUIT blackberry port demo application - LWUITDemoRIM, just check out the LWUIT source code from its SVN, open the LWUITDemoRIM project. If you installed the plugin and added the blackBerry SDK properly, it is very easy to configure the project in the NetBeans.
Here I would like to mention, for native CLDC application, you need to do a little extra work in your build script. Check this link for details: http://forums.netbeans.org/topic24475.html
1. Test Build
Click "Clean and Build", the IDE build successfully and generate .jad file, .cod file and bunch of .debug files. If you open the jad file, it will tell you the application is CLDC application.
So Build test passes.
2. Test Run
When I click "Run", the IDE launches BlackBerry simulator, you will find the familiar LWUIT demo icon, the application works perfectly as I saw before.
So running test passed.
3. Test Debug
When I click "Debug", I saw the same behaviour as the MIDlet application test, the application never stops at the break point.
Debug test failed as well.
Conclusion
Pros:
- The Blackberry Plugin for NetBeans is pretty easy to install and use. The developer will feel it looks pretty same as other J2ME SDK.
- The Build process is really simple and almost same as regular J2ME application, it will convert jar file into blackberry .cod file.
- The IDE can launch Blackberry native simulator and can run the application successfully.
- The plugin built-in support MIDlet build, need a little work for RIMlet.
Cons:
- Debug is not working, after I read the build script, I know why: based on my experience, you need to copy all the .debug files into the simulator folder, but in build-impl.xml, the target "blackberry-pre-debug" only copied 1 .debug file but missing others. I will post the detailed solution in future.
Next Action
In future, I will continue post my investigation about this plugin, includes:
- How to build the MIDlet and RIMlet
- Dig deeper on how it implement the blackberry build
- How to fix the debug issue
