Auto-Install, SymbianSigned Test Criteria UNI-09, STEP7

[jan_ole]

Hi,

I'm puzzled by Symbian Signed Test UNI-09, STEP7:

> STEP7: After installation to the removable memory card, take another compliant clean phone or format the phone you have,
> and insert the memory card into the new/formatted phone.
> RESULT: The application should install automatically to the new/formatted phone or if the application is copy protected
> it provides suitablemessage to user indicating why it will not install.

Do we really need to make our applications auto-install once they got installed to a memory card?

How do you achieve this?

And even more interesting: how do you display a suitable message that your application won't auto-install?

Cheers
Ole / mobileways.de

[Sogeti]

Hi Ole,

Reading my answer in this thread may help you: http://discussion.forum.nokia.com/fo...d.php?t=125860

Best regards,
Antoine POULAT from Sogeti.

[jan_ole]

Antoine,

thanks so much for your reply! Actually I already read your posting before creating the new thread and I am also involved in the thread on SDN.

My question is actually pretty simple:

I am not using the startup-list, so the current comments do not help much (as I am not necessarily claiming UNI-09.EX1 just for passing this test ;-))

UNI-09 STEP7 says: [...] after installing to memory card [...] new/formated phone [...] insert card [...] application should install automatically [...]

I'd like to know if there is a misreading on my side:

Does this only mean that you should be able to manually re-install the application to a formatted phone with a memory card where your application was already installed before and not having any issues with this?

Or does it mean the application should install automatically when you insert the memory card into a new/formatted phone?

Cheers & thanks for your help!
Ole / mobileways.de

[Sogeti]

Ole,

It means that the application should install automatically when you insert the memory card into a new/formatted phone: when inserting the memory card a "Installing..." message should be displayed and at its end application should be displayed on the Installations (or Applications or My own according to the device) folder. Except of course if an error occurs.

Best regards,
Antoine POULAT.

[jan_ole]

Antoine,

thanks for the clarification. So in the end this means that each ExpressSigned application now needs to auto-install from the memory card?

Do you know of any references for how to implement this? Or even better: how to display a message that your application won't auto-install?

P.S.: Isn't it a bit rude for an application to auto-install without asking the user/owner of the memory-card/phone first!?

Cheers
Ole / mobileways.de

[Sogeti]

Ole,

Antoine,

thanks for the clarification. So in the end this means that each ExpressSigned application now needs to auto-install from the memory card?

Yes, as it is in the Symbian Signed Test Criteria.

Do you know of any references for how to implement this? Or even better: how to display a message that your application won't auto-install?

Sorry, as I am in a Testing House and not a developer, we only know the way the test should pass but not how to implement it. But with what I see in the thread from the Symbian Developer Network forum, if ALL files are installed under the memory card it should work automatically. Maybe you can found information on the Forum NOKIA or Symbian Developer Network wiki.

P.S.: Isn't it a bit rude for an application to auto-install without asking the user/owner of the memory-card/phone first!?

I think it depends on the point of view.

Best regards,
Antoine POULAT.

[jan_ole]

Antoine,

thanks again for your clarification.

I've done some testing today and now figured out that "Auto-Installing from the memory card" really seems to be the default action (not my day, obviously ;-))

This is hard-wired in swipolicy.ini on the phone: "AllowPackagePropagate=true", if anyone cares ...

What I found out as well:

* DevCert-Signed SIS files can be used for testing. They will be auto-installed from the memory card (at least to a formatted phone, N80 in my test)

* Self-Signed SIS files will not be installed automatically

* If you've ever installed the application to the phone (regardless of mem-card or internal) you cannot test this anymore. More precisely, if you delete the application from phone #1 and insert a memory card with the same application installed on phone #2, the application still won't get installed. At least that's my finding.

Cheers
Ole / mobileways.de

[abel.campos]

Hi all.
I'm trying to pass the Symbiansigned Test, and I have a problem with this issue too.
If I do the next, everething goes ok:
1) Install the app on the memory card
2) Remove the memory card from the phone
3) Format the phone (*#7370# + 12345 )
4) Insert the memory card -> The app is installed automatically

But, if I execute the app and I modify some file of the app(i.e. configuration file) between steps 1) and 2), the auto-installing process fails after step 4).

Any idea??

Thanx.

[wizard_hu_]

But, if I execute the app and I modify some file of the app(i.e. configuration file) between steps 1) and 2), the auto-installing process fails after step 4).

It fails because the modified files are obviously different from the ones specified by the stub .sis file.

[abel.campos]

Ok. Thanks wizard_hu_ for your quick answer.

But I don't understand how it works. When I install the app in the memory card, the installation process copies my app files (.exe, .rsc, .mbm,...), but it copies the "original" SIS too, isn't it? And when I re-insert the memory card in the 'just-formated' phone, I thought that only the SIS was used to reinstall the apps. Obviously, I was wrong.

Anyway, whats the solution? I need my application to store data in a file after a succesfull execution, but this causes reinstalation proccess to fail.

Any suggestion?

Thanks again.

[wizard_hu_]

But I don't understand how it works. When I install the app in the memory card, the installation process copies my app files (.exe, .rsc, .mbm,...), but it copies the "original" SIS too, isn't it? And when I re-insert the memory card in the 'just-formated' phone, I thought that only the SIS was used to reinstall the apps. Obviously, I was wrong.

The .sis you provide is only a stub as I know, and if I am correct it does not contain the files, only some kind of checksum for validating the files which are already present in their intended deploy location.

Anyway, whats the solution? I need my application to store data in a file after a succesfull execution, but this causes reinstalation proccess to fail.

Technically it should be possible not including the configuration file in the .pkg, thus it is not going to be validated (and fail). However this approach may conflict with some SymbianSigned criteria, I do not really know.

[abel.campos]

Not including the file in the .pkg may be a patch-up more than a solution, but it could work.

The matter is, why this limitation? Is this necesary to keep the integrity of the phone?

I need a settings file with default values, so it's important to copy this file in the installation. But settings may be modified, so it's important to overwrite this settings file in execution too.
I don't understand why this should be a problem to get the app signed.

I suppose I could use 2 different files. One read-only created in installation, and other read-write created in execution. But this seems to be a little dirty.

Anyway, thanx wizard_hu_. You did your best to help.

[enstedt]

Not including the file in the .pkg may be a patch-up more than a solution, but it could work.

The matter is, why this limitation? Is this necesary to keep the integrity of the phone?

I need a settings file with default values, so it's important to copy this file in the installation. But settings may be modified, so it's important to overwrite this settings file in execution too.
I don't understand why this should be a problem to get the app signed.

I suppose I could use 2 different files. One read-only created in installation, and other read-write created in execution. But this seems to be a little dirty.

Anyway, thanx wizard_hu_. You did your best to help.

There's known issue in FN Wiki regarding the issue, here.

Also, automatic installation (propagation) works pretty much in the same way than pre-installed applications, How to guide for pre-installed applications.

[abel.campos]

Thank you!