[moved] signed python script shell

[joemarshall]

The current python script shell is not signed, which means that if you want to use things like location, or other interesting capabilities of the phone, you are unable to.

If there was even a way to get a signed script shell just for one IMEI, that'd be a start.

Open signing won't let you sign your own test version of the script shell, unless you hack the SIS file. Hacking files isn't an acceptable way to enable development on a platform. Symbian signed doesn't allow me to get a developer certificate without paying a minimum of $200 a year.

Turning off capabilities using the debugger hacks is an okay temporary solution for developers, but presumably you are going to block this on a later firmware update.

The current situation just shows no support for python developers, which is pretty poor. To have the only easy way to develop in an officially Nokia supported language be to hack either firmware or SIS files is just not on. Please please either give us an easy way to get a signed script shell, or an easy way to turn of capability checking on the phone (they are our own phones, that we own after all).

Joe

[croozeus]

Hi Joe,

Here is a solution for you.

1) Download the Scriptshell from here

2) Get it signed with all the capabilities using Open Signed online.
(You will not face any problems as the UID of this scriptshell is in the proper range to be opensigned)

3) Install the signedshell on your device. You will be able to use all capabilities now

Let us know if you face any other problems.

Best Regards
Croozeus

PS: Please use the Python forum for Pys60 related discussion.

[joemarshall]

Right, that's the hacked version of the script shell that I was talking about.

I *know* I can do this using dodgy hacks, but it'd be nice if we didn't have to use them and Nokia supported us developing on our phones like we can on any other platform that we use. Which is why this is in the feedback to nokia forum.

Nokia are way worse than even Microsoft in this respect, even Windows Mobile is nicer to develop for.

It's especially a hassle when you have a bunch of phones, we have about 10 symbian 3rd edition phones here (loads of 2nd edition ones), and if you want to test things over multiple phones, you have to hack each one individually.

Joe

[hartti]

Thanks Joe for the feedback,

If I understand correctly you consider signing (with Open Signed) the available non-signed python script shell a hack. Right? (If you want to use the term hack in here, that's fine - I just want to be sure I understand your feedback correctly.)

The background for this situation is that on S60 3rd Edition introduced platform security. In short applications need to be signed and there are various levels of signing for getting more capabilities for you application.
http://www.forum.nokia.com/main/plat.../security.html

If you build a Symbian application which needs to use the location capability, you need to sign that application (for testing with Open Signed and for sales with Express signed). Open signing online allows one phone only, with Open signed offline you can sign your app for multiple devices.

This same platform security affects the python scripts as well. As they are run inside the scriptshell, you need to sign the script shell (as you do not need to / cannot sign the script itself.

Here is a page which describes the available signing options more clearly
http://www.forum.nokia.com/main/tech..._granting.html

For your case maybe the Open Signed offline is more proper. That would allow you to test the application on multiple different devices (although you still need to know the IMEI codes of those devices)

I hope I provided at least some kind of an answer to you in this. Some of our Symbian experts can likely provide more comprehensive answer for you

best regards
Hartti

[gaba88]

hi hartti
that was really a nice explanation. I think the forum experts should suggest to have a special new forum to deal with symbian security platforms.
thanks

[joemarshall]

If I understand correctly you consider signing (with Open Signed) the available non-signed python script shell a hack. Right? (If you want to use the term hack in here, that's fine - I just want to be sure I understand your feedback correctly.)

The problem is that open signed online will not sign the standard python script shell, as the app ID is in the standard range, only versions that have been hacked to have an application ID in the test range can be signed. Which is okay, but it means that we have to hack the script shell sis file to have the wrong app ID (or wait for someone else to do it) each time a new Python comes out.

It's just really annoying there's no non-hack way to turn a phone into 'developer mode', or even to get a developer certificate any more without paying $200 a year for a publisher cert. It's hard to justify paying this money as we don't have to pay it for Windows Mobile, Linux etc.

I really want to keep developing for symbian, the N95 is a great little phone, my personal phones are both symbian and Python is a really powerful and neat language but really Symbian / Nokia seem to keep increasing the hurdles for development. It's like there's a constant battle between developers who really want to develop for this 'open' system, and symbian who want total control of the system.

Joe

[croozeus]

The problem is that open signed online will not sign the standard python script shell, as the app ID is in the standard range, only versions that have been hacked to have an application ID in the test range can be signed. Which is okay, but it means that we have to hack the script shell sis file to have the wrong app ID (or wait for someone else to do it) each time a new Python comes out.

This is going to be solved in the next Python release which will be out soon.

Happy Pythoning.

Best Regards,
Croozeus

[hartti]

The problem is that open signed online will not sign the standard python script shell, as the app ID is in the standard range, only versions that have been hacked to have an application ID in the test range can be signed.

Ok, thanks for the correction, Joe.

Hartti

[jplauril]

The problem is that open signed online will not sign the standard python script shell, as the app ID is in the standard range, only versions that have been hacked to have an application ID in the test range can be signed. Which is okay, but it means that we have to hack the script shell sis file to have the wrong app ID (or wait for someone else to do it) each time a new Python comes out.
Joe

In your use of the word "hack" I sort of detect a connotation that modifying the script shell package in this way would be somehow illegal or immoral. It's not - it's merely inconvenient. Recompiling the script shell package with a changed UID is perfectly fine according to both the letter and the spirit of the license.

And no, you don't need to "hack" the script shell SIS for every release. The next release will contain an "official" build of the script shell with the UID from the range valid for Open Signed.

This restriction in Open Signed just caught us in the Python team a bit by surprise. That unofficial build is a stopgap measure while waiting for the next release.

[safaltechnical]

hi,
when we diaplaying the query
the leftsoftkey and rightsoftkey is is automatically changing to OK and CANCEL I tried using uitricks but i am getting an error

kernel not found
symbian error -1

[gaba88]

hi safaltechnical
it will be better if we you post some code so that you will get more help.

[matbal]

As I would like to use location.gsm_location(), I tried to sign the python interpreter like croozeus describes in his post. The online signing process seems to work but unfortunately, after the installation on my N95 I can't open the interpreter, i.e. nothing happens if I open the program. Do you have any hints for me?

[gaba88]

As I would like to use location.gsm_location(), I tried to sign the python interpreter like croozeus describes in his post. The online signing process seems to work but unfortunately, after the installation on my N95 I can't open the interpreter, i.e. nothing happens if I open the program. Do you have any hints for me?

hi matbal
please go through this thread for signing related queries and check if it can sort out your problem.Otherwise please reply again.

Enjoy Pythoning
Gaba88

[bogdan.galiceanu]

As I would like to use location.gsm_location(), I tried to sign the python interpreter like croozeus describes in his post. The online signing process seems to work but unfortunately, after the installation on my N95 I can't open the interpreter, i.e. nothing happens if I open the program. Do you have any hints for me?

Hi,

The Python interpreter and the Python Script Shell are two different things. Croozeus said you should sign the Script Shell, not the interpreter which comes signed with almost all capabilities. My advice is to remove your current installation of Python, go to Sourceforge and download the interpreter if you don't already have the latest version (PythonForS60_1_4_4_3rdEd.sis) and the unsigned Shell (PythonScriptShell_1_4_4_3rdEd_unsigned_testrange.SIS) and sign the Shell only. Install the interpreter and then the signed shell.

[matbal]

Dear Bogdan,
Exactly, I confused the Interpreter with the Shell. After a reinstallation everything works fine.