How to Download and Install BlackBerry Java Development Environment

How to Download and Install BlackBerry Java Development Environment
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BlackBerry JDE

This article explains how to download and install the BlackBerry Java Development Environment (JDE).

You can download it from here using a developer account. For the purpose of this tutorial, we will use the latest JDE version, 6.0. Before deciding which IDE to use, you may want to know that most of the time you’ll get the newest version of a JDE component first for JDE then the equivalent plug-in for Eclipse. So if you’re developing an application using the latest features you should seriously consider using JDE instead of Eclipse.

Another thing to take into account is that if you are intending to use several JDE component versions, or you are developing for different devices which need different JDE component versions, you cannot integrate them in one IDE. Instead of that, you will need to download and launch several IDEs, one for each version you use. That doesn’t happen using Eclipse.

Before installing, you should have a look at the technical requirements:

  • Windows® 2000 SP1 (o posterior) o Windows® XP
  • Windows Vista™ (BlackBerry JDE v4.2.1 y versions superiores)
  • BlackBerry JDE v4.5 y versions superiores: Java SE JDK v6.0
  • BlackBerry JDE v4.2.1 y v4.3.0: Java SE JDK v5.0 o v6.0
  • BlackBerry JDE v4.1 y v4.2: Java SE JDK v5.0
  • BlackBerry JDE v4.0 y v4.0.2: Java SE SDK v1.4

So, in our case, you should have Java SE JDK v6.0.

After downloading the file, just double click on it and the installing process will start. The file will check that the required components it needs are present, and if not they will be installed if possible. Once installed, run it to have a look to its Java style.

JDE Image

Running a sample application

The first time you run the IDE you’ll get the samples workspace opened. This is a set of multiple samples which cover most of the functionalities available in a BlackBerry device. In order to install and launch them on a simulator we just have to select Build>Build and Run. This will build every sample application on the workspace and install it in the default simulator. The simulator will also be launched (you can select between default simulator or 9800 device, or download a new specific simulator later).

Let’s have a look to the helloworld demo. As you probably may know, one of the new features 6.0 offers us is a strip at the bottom of the home screen. Just select “All” and after that start clicking the world “hello…” This makes the find option look for those applications installed which start with “hello…” After finding helloworlddemo, just click on it and the Hello World screen will appear.

hw

home

BlackBerry Java Development Environment

So now you have your JDE correctly set up and you can develop applications using it, in the same way you did if you followed previous articles.