How to write a BlackBerry application – Lesson 3: Open a webpage, system-wide menu Item, adding an icon and yes/no dialog
This is lesson 3 in a series of BlackBerry application development lessons. These lessons are intended to bring someone with no experience in developing applications for BlackBerry, up to speed with the latest development techniques. It’s easier than you think so try it out!
Before starting, this lesson, make sure you have read Lesson 1 and Lesson 2.
1. Go into the folder where your BlackBerry Lections.jdw file is
2. Create a folder there called Lection 3
3. Open up your JDE and open the Workspace called Lections.jdw
4. Right-Click on Lections.jdw
5. Select Create new Project
6. Name the Project Lection_3 and save it to the Folder \Lection 3
7. Copy the two files HelloWorld.java and Lesson3Screen.java into the \Lection 3 folder
8. In the JDE right-click on Lection_3 and add the two files HelloWorld.java and Lesson3Screen.java into the project
In this Lesson, you learn how to open up a webpage with the default BlackBerry browser. You can use that to create your own Website-Shortcuts or Link to your Homepage straight out of your BlackBerry application.
Another thing you learn in this lesson is how to add your own Menu to the System-Menu! Now you can call up your application or do anything else from everywhere in the System. Make sure that you do not add to many Menus to the System-Menu since that can get very confusing for the user.
This is what happens when you call up the Menu from anywhere in the System:
The third thing you learn is how to add an Icon to your application and how to set the Name for the app.
To add an Icon to the application please do the following:
1. Right-Click on Lection_3 and select Add File to Project
2. Select the file icon.png
3. Right-Click on the newly added file icon.png
4. Click Properties
5. Tick Use as Application Icon
Make sure that the icon you add is about 50×50 pixel and in transparent PNG. I use the software Gimp 2 to edit the icon and to set the transparency.
To set a name for the application you created right-click on Lection_3, select Properties, click on the General-Tab and set the Name in the Title field. There you can also edit the Vendor, Version and Description.
Another small feature is a simple Yes/No Dialog. Here is what it looks like:
I hope you enjoyed this BlackBerry Development Lesson. Please visit my website at mobileutil.com and follow me on Twitter twitter.com/FabianMH!
Let me know what other topics I should cover in the next Development Lesson!
RT @BlackBerryCool: How to Write a BlackBerry Application – Lesson 3: Create shortcuts and more http://bit.ly/u0JMy
Is there any way for a tutorial on how to add/subtract/etc numbers? For instance how to take input, manipulate the data usign mathametical operands, and then display? I know it is simple, but cannot for the life of me figure it out.
Thanks!
@Tone
you can do it like that:
//create new integer
int i = 83;
int result = 0;
result = i * i; //result of 83 * 83
To get a integer from an EditField you can do the following:
//first you need to create a new EditField:
EditField ef = new EditField(”Enter a Number:”,”123″);
//now, to get the integer from that EditField you do the following:
int e = Integer.parseInt(ef.getText()); //parsed to Integer
//make sure that the entered value in the EditField is of type integer
Now in the ‘e’ Variable you have the value from the Field.
You can add or subtract it now:
result = 12313 – e; //the result is 12313 minus the field-entry
Does it work for you? If not, just post again here!
Fabian, that works like a champ! I appreciate the response!
I have been out of coding for quite a few years, and didn’t have a clue how to do it in Java.
Thanks again,
Tone
Relative to Tone’s question, how do you specify the Edit Field so that the device knows it should be a numeric entry (i.e. when you click in the field the numeric keyboard is the default presentation for entering values).
I’m looking for someone who does Blackberry application!
Rite me at peggy.boustany@pigefolio.com (The person have to speek french and be in Montreal )
Peggy ;p
I love the 3 lessons that you have already given us…is there any chance of getting one that will help interface with a web server…i have a web service i am writing that will relay data back and forth but i just need to know how to access my web server from the BB app