BlackBerry Device Debugging with a new simulator bundle and the JDWP

This entire effort has been an exercise in patience, but there is hope!

Let me start off by saying that we don't use RIM's canned environment, so it isn't necessarily RIM's fault. Tools such as eclipse and comprehensive build tools such as maven 2.x integrated into our continuous integration process are far more helpful than the JDE to ignore. That's a whole other post to come, so let's get back on track.

I finally found a solution to integrating a new simulator bundle into the environment while utilizing the JDWP. None of RIM's instructions or tech notes worked. After some experimentation, I found a way that makes this whole thing much easier if you are just using the JDWP. This deviates entirely from RIM's instructions, which are cumbersome, and ineffective at best.

Here are new instructions (as complete as I am aware). The advantages of this approach are that you can have many versions of the simulators and switch usage with ease, without modifying the JDE installation at all (suggested by RIM's technote).

1. Install the new simulators in their own directory structure (not under the existing JDE). i.e. C:\tools\rim\simulators\4.1.0.194\
2. Open the JDWP, and create a new profile name. i.e. 8700 194 Where the model is the 8700 and the build is 194.
   
3. Goto the advanced tab, then search and replace the copied profile model #, replacing with the target model for the 'Command Line'. i.e. 7100g with 8700c
   
4. In the 'Command Line' box, replace the current location of the fledge.exe with your new location. Here is an example of my total command line:
   C:\tools\rim\simulators\4.1.0.194\fledge.exe /app-param=JvmAlxConfigFile:8700c.xml /app=Jvm.dll /pin=0x2100000A /data-port=0x4d44 /data-port=0x4d4e /app-param=DisableRegistration /session=8700c_194 /handheld=8700c
5. Change the 'Working Directory' to point to your new simulator bundle dir. i.e. C:\tools\rim\simulators\4.1.0.194\
6. Move all the files from C:\tools\rim\simulators\4.1.0.194\Debug to C:\tools\rim\simulators\4.1.0.194\
7. Restart the JDWP.

You can now debug an 8700 for build 194 without altering your original installation at all.

- Kevin Ross

Kevin Ross is president of Metova LLC. If you have projects needing Blackberry Application Development, you may contact the author at Kevin.Ross@Metova.com, or make a general inquiry at info@Metova.com