Java Development

[dbb]

I have three questions about BlackBerry-endorsed best practices regarding application icons for which I've been unable the answers looking at documentation and forums.  If I've missed the answer, then apologies for the post and a pointer to the information is appreciated.

I used the following references for what I've been able to figure out so far:
OS     reference
4,5    http://docs.blackberry.com/en/developers/deliverables/24224/BlackBerry_Smartphones-UI_Guidelines-T10...
6      http://docs.blackberry.com/en/developers/deliverables/17964/BlackBerry_Smartphones-UI_Guidelines-T89...
7      http://docs.blackberry.com/en/developers/deliverables/28626/BlackBerry_Smartphones-UI_Guidelines-T89...

1. How is one supposed to package applications with appropriate icons?  I only see how to set one file as the application icon (plus another as the rollover icon).  If that's the case, am I supposed to create a different version of the app for each unique combinations of: [icon size by model] X [BlackBerry OS]? So far, I've only been building differing versions based on a few different versions of BlackBerry OS. If you can package multiple application icons in a COD file intended for a given revision of BlackBerry OS, how do you do that so that different models get the right size application icon?

2. It appears that for certain 4.x rev BlackBerry OS models, there are both "Zen" and "Precision" layouts that are supposed to have differently sized application icons.  How is a developer supposed to deliver the appropriate one for BlackBerry App World and self-implemented downloads?

3. I couldn't find one place that fully summarized desired application icons for given models and OS revisions (plus layouts!), so I tried to build one myself.  Is the following correct? Did I miss any cases for OS revisions 4 through 7?

size       model[OS]
-----        ---------
44x44    9300,9330 [6.0]
48x36    7100 [4.0,4.1], 8100[4.2], 8300,8700[4.5] (zen layout)
52x52    8350 [4.5?],8500[5.0],9300[5.0?]
53x48    8300,8700,8800 [4.5] (icon layout)
60x55    7100 [4.0,4.1],8100[4.2] (icon layout)
63x63    9100,9670 [6.0]
68x68    9650,9700,9780,9800 [6.0], 9360[7.0]
72x72    9100 [5.0?]
73x70    9500 [5.0]
73x73    9500 [4.7]
80x80    9000,9650 [4.6], 8900,8980,9600,9700[5.0]
92x92    9810,9850,9900 [7.0]

(I do already know that there are more suggested best practices about application icons, e.g. lighting, palette, transparency, 16 vs. 24 bit PNG, etc.)

Thanks for any help.


[peter_strange]

1. This question has been asked before - I've done a quick search, and I think this is the best answer I can fin.  If you do a search you will probably find other answers and other useful information:

http://supportforums.blackberry.com/t5/Java-Development/Application-Icon-Size-Home-screen-won-t-use-...

So basically the short answer is that you package multiple icons with your application and choose the correct one.  You can do this at start-up time so that users never see the default icon, however there are implications with doing this, as I think this Thread discusses:

http://supportforums.blackberry.com/t5/Java-Development/Displaying-different-icon-sizes-on-different...

Alternatively you can do it at application start-up, in which case the icon will look dodgy after each device reset, until the app is first used.

2.  The preferred icon size will reflect the theme.

3.  I thought there was such a list, but I haven't found it recently either.  Having said that, I don't package all those sizes, I tend to have a 32 * 32 that will work on devices with odd sizes and old devices (4.5 and below) and a selection of newer square sizes, and choose the largest one in my list that matches the requirements of the device. 

Hope this helps.

[dbb]

Peter, Thanks for the pointers, that seems to be what I was looking for!