Adobe AIR Development

[hferreira]

Hello,

It's a while since I dont update my AIR app for PlayBook (my last update was with FB 4.6 + AIR 3.1)

I finished a new update of my app and now with FB 4.7 + AIR 3.1 (since PlayBook/BB10 only supports this).

I intend this time to support both PlayBook and the new BB10 and I just publish the bar file as usual but this time I choose both PlayBook and BB10. As usual after a lot of time I excepted the approval process but I got the following e-mail:

Dear App World Vendor, 

While processing your Release '4.0' from your product 'XXXX' (ticket AAAAA), for inclusion into BlackBerry App World I encountered the following issue(s) that require your attention before we are able to continue. 

Please fix the following issue(s) and resubmit your application as a new release. 

I am testing your app on the BlackBerry PlayBook (OS version 2,1,0,1314). During installation, we got an error message "failure 821 Application-Requires_system: unrecognized system name BlackBerry 10". It means the application requirement need to be install on the device which support OS 10. Either fix the issue on the BlackBerry PlayBook or simply remove it as supported device and change the minimum OS into 10.0 on the portal.

I can't simply remove the BB10 from the portal since I want to support both PlayBook and BB10. Should I publish the update with support only for PlayBook and create a new application id just for BB10 or it's missing something to support both in the same application id ?

[jtegen]

Ypu might need 2 different BAR files for the same app. One BAR file for BB10 at version 4.0.0.1 and another BAR file for PlayBook at version 4.0.0.2 (not the different build numbers).

It seems that App World reviewers are getting confused by this since I had a PlayBook version of my BB10 app get rejected with no explanation. Just add to your released notes that the update is for a particular device (this assumes that App World people read those). You would think that the selection of the devices would give some indication to the reviewers.

[hferreira]

Thank you very much for the explanation.

This in fact very stupid by RIM.

[jtegen]

Around Jan 1, RIM is suppose to release a new App World (vendor portal), that will allow developers to upload different descriptions, images, etc for BB10 and PlayBook. We hope the BAR file upload will be improved then as well.

[hferreira]

Currently you already have that.

I already uploaded the 2 binaries and with info about PlayBook/BB10 in release notes. I hope they read at least the info before they try to reject.

If this dont solve the problem and after 1 Jan they dont improve the developer portal then I will create a new product id.

[jtegen]

Yes, I just saw that the vendor portal was updated. Looks like the BAR upload has not changed. So we are still reliant on the App World testers to know which BAR file goes with which device.

If you are not worried about having your reviews carry to BB10 or PlayBook users able to download the app they previously purchased on BB10, then making it a different product would work.

[hferreira]

Yes, that is my strategy. First try with different sub-version that each one is saw by different devices and if this approch doesn't work than I will go thru different product id (this will work for sure).

We dont have this kind of problems in Android and iOS and they dont have only 2 hardwars.

[jtegen]

Yes, there are a lot of differences with RIM and Android and iOS. Think of RIM as the Titanic and everyone on board is busy fixing the ship at the same time they are moving the ship a new direction. You have great people who want to keep the ship afloat, but there is so much to do to get it to port in time. At least you don't have a captain saying "what hole? I don't see a hole".

[dmalik]

@hferreira - Are you compiling your application with the PlayBook 2.1 SDK for PlayBook and the BlackBerry 10 Gold SDK for BlackBerry 10? 

When you upload to BlackBerry World you should select which devices you want to support, you can choose the PlayBook for one release and the BlackBerry 10 phone for another.

[hferreira]

It was already approved.

The thing was that I installed both PlayBook 2.1 SDK for PlayBook (first) and the BlackBerry 10 Gold SDK for BlackBerry 10 (next) and then:

1. Compiled and upload both for PlayBook and BB10 (rejected with the error);

2. Compiled and upload for PlayBook one release, compiled again and upload for BB10 and the PlayBook was rejected.

3. Then I checked the reference SDK in BB page of Flash Builder and point to the path PlayBook 2.1 SDK path, compiled again, upload for PlayBook and was approved this morning.

I think that this could improve a lot (ordered by preference):

1. Support BB 10 SDK in PlayBook and then just use a single release (like iOS for both iPhones and iPads)

2. Support both PlayBook SDK and BB10 SDK in Flash Builder settings and then generate two bar files for both devices (if you set both SDKs)

3. Support both files as single release if BB developer page as you already have for documentation and graphics

Besides this, a documentation with bold for this case would help a save a lot of time.