Java Development

[sfbarron]

Hey guys, I'm starting my first BlackBerry app.  I'm wondering which JDE I should use.  Obviously, I want to use the earliest version possible to make it relatively backward-compatible for older BlackBerrys.

This app basically will take a person's phone number, email address and a time to be contacted.  So, the app needs to be able to send an SMS and email daily at the time specified (inputted by user).  Does anyone know when this functionality became possible.  From my brief research I'm thinking 4.2 or 4.3?  Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

Steve

[peter_strange]

I think this functionality was in 3.7.

Given this, then the biggest issue is UI, because there were some  useful UI stuff added in 4.6.

However this KB article helps with creating some nice UI in earlier versions:

How to - Implement advanced buttons, fields, and managers
Article Number: DB-00796
http://www.blackberry.com/knowledgecenterpublic/livelink.exe/fetch/2000/348583/800332/800505/800608/...

So I would go with 4.2 as the earliest OS (all of these components work on 4.2 and above I think).  You can develop using 4.2.1 using the Eclipse plug-in, rather than using the JDE as well.

[sfbarron]

Hey Peter, thanks for the quick reply.

I guess I'll start with 4.6...  Most Curves are up to OS 4.6 at least, right?  When it comes to the touch screen Storm...there's no specific coding I have to implement for the touch sceen behavior, correct?  I am assuming the JDE/API handles this.

Thanks again,

Steve

[RexDoug]

Most Curves are running 4.2, 4.3, or 4.5. There is no 4.6 for the Curve (AFAIK)

If you can accept "compatibility mode" for touch behavior, then you don't need anything special. However, compatibility mode is very painful for most apps.

I suggest that you have two builds: 4.2.1 and 4.7. If you want to maintain a single code base, then you also need to employ the preprocessor to conditionally compile the touch-specific code (because the touch code will not run on the pre-4.7 devices).

Seach the forum for "preprocessor", you'll find lot's of content.

[peter_strange]

For the record, there are at least 3 varieties of Curves

83** Curves - released with 4.2.2, can only upgrade to 4.5

8900 Curves - released with 4.6.1 can be upgraded to OS 5.0

85** Curves - released with 4.6.1, can be upgraded to OS 5.0 on some carriers I believe.