HowTo get BlackBerry Signature Keys

To be able to sign BlackBerry Java Applications you need your unique set of keys.

Ordering the Keys

Please visit this page:

http://na.blackberry.com/eng/developers/javaappdev/

Under Resources you’ll find “Java code signing keys”

Click on the link and you’ll get detailed information about Java Code Signing Keys:

its recommended to read this document carefully to understood code signing.

If you read through the document, you’ll find the link to the web site where you can order your keys online:

To get the Signature Keys you have to pay 20 $ – these are the only costs to start development of BlackBerry Java Applications.

update 2011-02-21: BlackBerry Code Signing keys are now free: http://j.mp/bbCodeSigningFree

Under https://www.blackberry.com/SignedKeys/ you can order the keys:

Attention: the most important field of this order form is the email adress:

DON’T ENTER YOUR NORMAL EMAIL ADRESS HERE !

…otherwise you’ll run later into email hell, if your email app reports thousands of new messages:

and if you take a look at your In-basket:

there are always the same mails reporting a successfully code signing. I really don’t understand this – would be much better to get only a summary like “xxx classes successfully signed”

Please create an extra email adress for your code-signing and use a filter to move (or delete) all these messages.

The next important thing is your private key – a 10-digit pin – please note the pin – you’ll need the PIN again if you want to install the keys.

After submitting your order you have to wait some days and then you’ll get 3 different emails – you need all three keys together.

Installing the keys

Please copy your 3 files to a location on your disc – as always I’m using short pathes without spaces.

You must have received RBB, RCR and RRT keys.

Now please open your Eclipse and go to Preferences | BlackBerry Java PlugIn | Signature Tool | Install new keys…

Go to the folder where you extracted the keys and select the first one, the RBB key:

The Signature Tool detects that there’s no private key yet and asks you if you want to create a new key pair:

Please answer YES to create a new pair. As next you have to enter a Password:

Attention: this is NOT THE PIN you used while ordering the keys – this is the password you later have to know if you want to sign your sourcecode.

Hit OK and a new private key was generated. Please move your mouse to get random informations:

As next you’ll be asked for the Registration PIN:

Enter the PIN and hit Register. After some seconds you should be notified that the registration was successfull:

Now we have to repeat the process of Installing New Keys… for the RCR and RRT key.

This time the Signature Tool detects that there’s already a private key pair and will ask you for the PIN and the Password:

Congratulations: You have successfully installed the BlackBerry Java Signing Keys !

If you’re switching to another workspace, the Keys will be recognized.

If you have a second Eclipse Installation then you have to “Import” the already existing keys.

If you switch to another PC, then you need another Key – which means another 20 $ 😉

Now lets test the keys.

…back to the overview…