Installing apps on your Pre HOWTO

[mapara]

Ok, so many people (incl. me) have some problems with signing their own ipk packages. I tried openSSL for windows, but failed.

Another way how to get an unofficial app installed on your devices is to enable dev mode and just install it via USB.

Here's how:

1.) have your ipk ready
(CMD --> palm-package yourappfolder | or download/get it from someone)

2.) kill the Palm SDK emulator and WAIT like 3-5 mins

3.) enable DEV MODE (just type: upupdowndownleftrightleftrightbastar and click the icon - you will have to restart Pre)

4.) connect Pre via USB (just charge) - make sure no error happened; otherwise unplug and try again

Wait again 2-3 mins.

5.) CMD --> palm-install -d usb nameo****rapp.ipk
You need to be in X:\program Files\Palm\SDK\bin to do that.

Example (for my app):
palm-install -d usb com.mypreapps.lottopicker_1.0_all.ipk


6.) profit

-------------------------

BTW: Do NOT waste 18 bucks on that stupid "Palm webOS, 1st Edition" book. It SUCKS!!! You can learn more from web and samples in SDK folder.


HAVE PHUN!

[Blubble]

Can you delete the apps from your Pre once they are installed?


I actually get the book as part of my Oreilly safari books subscription so it doesn't cost me anything extra. My company pays for the subscription anyway. Is the book so bad that it is not worth reading since I get it essentially free?

[sacherjj]

You can delete apps with the Orange+click. However, as with any Apps, they are currently not removed. (This seems to be true of the App Catalog apps as well.)

To completely remove them, delete then SSH in and clean out the app directory from /var/usr.

[Blubble]

Thanks for the tip.

[MLJones8]

Could you elaborate on what needs to be done if you have a non rooted pre and want to use this method....

Or how how far on the wiki site we need to go before getting to your steps.

[cmiller74]

This may be posted somewhere on the forums, but I haven't seen it. I know how to get into developer mode, but how do you get out of developer mode?

[tasdad]

Originally Posted by MLJones8

Could you elaborate on what needs to be done if you have a non rooted pre and want to use this method....

Or how how far on the wiki site we need to go before getting to your steps.

The instructions in the OP are for an un-rooted Pre. All you need is the leaked SDK. No need for the wiki site.

Originally Posted by cmiller74

This may be posted somewhere on the forums, but I haven't seen it. I know how to get into developer mode, but how do you get out of developer mode?

Same way.

[Colonel Kernel]

Thanx, Mapara. This helped clarify a few things.

After I install my app, when I go to remove the Pre I get an error message saying Novacom can't be shut down because something is still accessing it. I'm searching all the webOS sources I can find, but I haven't found anything so far.

Any help will be appreciated, thanx.

[Blubble]

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned, but you may need different NovaCom drivers for Vista 64bit on Intel procs.

I have Vista 64 on an Intel Core i7, and ended up having to get the 64bit NovaCom driver installer from the WebOS Doctor jar. The drivers that come with the SDK did not work for me.

[Colonel Kernel]

I'm on 32bit XP and guessed, incorrectly it seems, that NovaCom was related to webOS's code name, Nova.

What is NovaCom, then, and how do I fugure out what drivers I need?

[cjmedina26]

Originally Posted by Colonel Kernel

I'm on 32bit XP and guessed, incorrectly it seems, that NovaCom was related to webOS's code name, Nova.

What is NovaCom, then, and how do I fugure out what drivers I need?

try this
pre dev wiki: Using Novaproxy to Gain Root Access
the actual driver is in here you have to unzip
asedeno's novaproxy at master - GitHub

[MLJones8]

mapara...

Thanks this worked great but I'm curious what's the point in doing all the waiting?

[TreoRock]

It looks harder than it is. FYI, the konami code is missing a 't' at the end for start.

[TreoRock]

Question: Once you are done installing your apps, do you just unplug the Pre? or should you do a reset or what is the best way of disconnecting?

[CTL Advance]

Eject your hardware, in windows its the device manager popup that shows in the notification area bottom right, select devices and disconnect. If you have a mac then hit the thing with a sledge hammer.


ok just kidding... not sure for mac or linux, I would assume unmount, but there must be an easier way.

Also Mods this should be a sticky!!!!!

[SirataXero]

Originally Posted by mapara

BTW: Do NOT waste 18 bucks on that stupid "Palm webOS, 1st Edition" book. It SUCKS!!! You can learn more from web and samples in SDK folder.


HAVE PHUN!

W00T!

That's what I keep saying but people seem to swear by it.

Honestly, webOShelp.net has a list of the functions (if you really need it) otherwise you can just use the WebOS doctor's ROM and/or previously installed/sample apps from the SDK and basically learn anything you really need to.

Good work!

[CTL Advance]

Originally Posted by SirataXero

W00T!

That's what I keep saying but people seem to swear by it.

Honestly, webOShelp.net has a list of the functions (if you really need it) otherwise you can just use the WebOS doctor's ROM and/or previously installed/sample apps from the SDK and basically learn anything you really need to.

Good work!

WebOS help.net is also very complicated when you are trying to find usefull information. I was using that for about a week then I decided to but the book yesterday. Best 18 (Online and PDF) I ever spent.

Here is how to judge on the book:

Can you run with WebOShelp.net?

Do you need more structure to start out with? (buy the book) then you can go back to weboshelp.net for a ref. All about dev preference.

[SirataXero]

Originally Posted by CTL Advance

WebOS help.net is also very complicated when you are trying to find usefull information. I was using that for about a week then I decided to but the book yesterday. Best 18 (Online and PDF) I ever spent.

Here is how to judge on the book:

Can you run with WebOShelp.net?

Do you need more structure to start out with? (buy the book) then you can go back to weboshelp.net for a ref. All about dev preference.

I see...

Well I personally started with just the HelloWorld sample app for the structure and honestly learned everything off of that (plus the other sample apps) to build a basic (albeit shaky) foundation. After that I just went on WebOShelp.net for a reference (once or twice) and to be honest, it wasn't that helpful, since it is extremely incomplete and non-descriptive. To be honest, the best thing that I found for reference is the javascript help files in the

Palm/SDK/share/framework/javascripts

folder. There's a huge list of assistants in there with commented samples on each function, how to use it, how to call it, how to initiate it and how to listen to it. I've built 1.5 apps with widgets completely off of those instructions before I even saw WebOShelp.net.

I guess it is up to Dev. preference, I'm just coming off of the mindset that if I don't necessarily NEED to spend money, I shouldn't have to. Especially since I only plan on developing simple lightweight freeware apps for reference/convenience/fun more than heavy computational apps. So for me, the samples and maybe WebOShelp.net as a reference (if it eventually becomes more robust) should be more than adequate.

[Colonel Kernel]

Originally Posted by CTL Advance

Eject your hardware, in windows its the device manager popup that shows in the notification area bottom right, select devices and disconnect. If you have a mac then hit the thing with a sledge hammer.


ok just kidding... not sure for mac or linux, I would assume unmount, but there must be an easier way.

Also Mods this should be a sticky!!!!!

Do we also need to eject/unmount/disconnect Novacom, too? I get an error message if I try to do that, saying something is still accessing it.

[ken@weboshelp.net]

Originally Posted by SirataXero

After that I just went on WebOShelp.net for a reference (once or twice) and to be honest, it wasn't that helpful, since it is extremely incomplete and non-descriptive. To be honest, the best thing that I found for reference is the javascript help files in the

Palm/SDK/share/framework/javascripts

folder. There's a huge list of assistants in there with commented samples on each function, how to use it, how to call it, how to initiate it and how to listen to it. I've built 1.5 apps with widgets completely off of those instructions before I even saw WebOShelp.net.

Yeah, unfortunately we didn't have access to the ROM image or SDK when creating most of the material that's there now; just the Palm webOS book. But now that there's a ton of other info around, we're going to try to get things updated and more fleshed out. With everyone jumping on the SDK bandwagon, there's a real need for some good reference materials to go along with it.

Also, we're looking for suggestions on the types of stuff people would find most useful. More documented code examples? End-to-end tutorials of completed apps? Better API documentation? (obviously.) Let us know what you want to see and we'll do our best to make it happen.