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Helisso – A Packager for Symbian devices


As some of you know, learning about AIR, AS3, Flex, Flash Catalyst, Flash Builder has been my side-project for a few months now.  As I mentioned in a previous post, it is essential to prepare for the future and invest now in learning new skills.

For me, the best way to learn new things is to create a project that’s difficult, yet cool enough to keep you interested.  So my first few steps revolved around learning how to use Fireworks, then Flash Catalyst, Flash Builder and ultimately distribute an application using Adobe AIR.

AIR 2.0

One of the amazing new features of AIR 2.0 is the ability to embed and execute native code from right inside Actionscript, an API called NativeProcess.  This means that you can safely run existing services over the command line, as well as install your own native service components.  AIR 2.0 is in beta right now on Adobe Labs, and is mobile ready as designed so it’s a great time to get started.

So what would a Platform Evangelist for mobile and devices create?

Introducing Helisso

What is it?

  • A packaging utility that can produce SIS packages for Symbian devices
  • It targets the Flash Lite 3.x runtime for Nokia’s S60 devices
  • It runs on PC and Mac OS, all versions

Details

  • The tool has embedded Python binaries inside, compiled versions of “Ensymble“
  • For signing purposes the tool also includes OpenSSL for certificate signing
  • It is unsupported and without warranty

How do I use it?

How do I install it?

I have been hugely impressed with the capabilities provided by AIR, in this only my first AS3 project.  Looking back on all of the technologies that I have used has really got me excited about AIR applications on Android, and even sprouted a few iPhone applications in advance of that.  Seriously, imagine having all of the power of AIR and this toolchain on mobile phones?

Lastly, a big shout out to Steve Hartley of Oppian, Jussi Ylänen creator of Ensymble, without whom this wouldn’t have been possible.

This entry was posted on March 3, 2010, 12:32 am and is filed under Android, Devices, Distributable Player Solution, Flash Lite, Industry News. You can follow any responses to this entry through RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

  1. #1 by Scott Janousek on March 3, 2010 - 1:22 am

    Congrats, Mark.

  2. #3 by Leonardo França on March 3, 2010 - 2:20 am

    Great work !!!
    the symbian platform could not stay out

  3. #4 by David Brown on March 3, 2010 - 4:17 am

    Not having to install all the usual SDK prerequisites is great. That process was long and hard. This really shows the power of AIR. Not bad for your 1st AS3 app!

  4. #5 by Dale Rankine on March 3, 2010 - 4:27 am

    Excellent, just in time for something I need to package :) Nice to see this work finally come out!

  5. #6 by Pasi Manninen on March 3, 2010 - 6:36 am

    Excellent Mark.

  6. #7 by SajiSoft on March 3, 2010 - 6:37 am

    Great Job! i was also playing with ensymble binaries and thinking to implement it on mobile side but u already make it cross-platform by using python. Thanx :)

  7. #8 by Peter Moelker on March 3, 2010 - 9:30 am

    I was just looking for a good FL Symbian Packager. Thanks for this.

  8. #9 by Leonardo Risuleo on March 3, 2010 - 10:15 am

    Hi Mark!

    Thank you for sharing this… looking forward to test on some projects :)

    -Leo

  9. #10 by Daniel Demmel on March 3, 2010 - 10:25 am

    Hey Mark, looks great! :)

    Do you plan to share the sources?

  10. #11 by Wommi on March 3, 2010 - 10:56 am

    Hey – thanks – I was looking for such a simple software. Would it be also posible to exclude some of the devices from the 3rd / 5th edition in a future version? – This would be a huge help, since I get some performance issues on the new Music Express because of the large display?
    You might sell a license of this packager to Nokia ;) They still didn’t sort out their online packager…

    • #12 by Mark Doherty on March 3, 2010 - 12:22 pm

      Hi Wommi, The Symbian installer does not allow you to exclude devices individually, but it is ultimately up to you to decide which devices can receive the installer. On the OVI store it is possible to distribute on a per-device basis.

      Mark

  11. #13 by Jermaine G. Anderson on March 3, 2010 - 11:11 am

    Good stuff Mark,

    JA

  12. #14 by Marcos on March 3, 2010 - 11:59 am

    Another great resource! Thanks a lot for your support and effort Mark, your work is really appreciated.

  13. #15 by chall3ng3r on March 3, 2010 - 1:11 pm

    wow, great news!

    // chall3ng3r //

  14. #16 by Ian on March 3, 2010 - 3:06 pm

    Hi Mark,

    I really would like to know if this new flash lite will be able to have access to the phone’s music library. In Nokia, android, palm or iphone. Or will I have to use a complimentary language like python?

    • #17 by Mark Doherty on March 3, 2010 - 4:22 pm

      Hi Ian, this packager is for Flash Lite only but on S60v5 you can use Nokia’s service API to access those features. Check it out at Forum Nokia.

  15. #18 by Greg on March 3, 2010 - 3:24 pm

    Cool :-)

  16. #19 by Manikantan on March 4, 2010 - 3:51 pm

    Awesome work.. There has been really a need for this for the past few months..

  17. #20 by Damilola Jegede on March 6, 2010 - 6:27 am

    Hey Mark, you know, Adobe’s shutting down the distributable player solution has been tagged a mistake worldwide.

    This right here has set Flash Lite back on track. At least, until Mobile AIR and 10.1 breaks the ice.

    Thanks for your pure awesomeness!

  18. #21 by starlet on March 10, 2010 - 2:05 am

    Hi Mark, awesome app!! the generated .sisx file works really well on tested nokia 5530 xpress – Would it be possible to select the installation target? I would like to install a larger application to the memory card.
    Thanks a lot for your support and effort!

    • #22 by Mark Doherty on March 11, 2010 - 8:39 am

      Hi, Changing the target disk is not supported as this would allow content to be copied from the memory card. Using the RAM disk and C: drive for storage is also faster for installation.

  19. #23 by Supriya Tenany on March 11, 2010 - 2:57 am

    Hi Mark,

    I aim to publish my flash lite 3.0 app at the Ovi store for S60 3rd edition up, after getting it a Certified Signed from Symbian. Should I use Adobe AIR 2 Beta 2 or Adobe AIR 1.5.3 or none?

    Please let me know.

    Thanks.

    • #24 by Mark Doherty on March 11, 2010 - 8:41 am

      Hi Supriya, only the packaging tool is created with Adobe AIR. The packages uses Adobe Flash Lite, so you should use that.

      • #25 by Supriya Tenany on March 11, 2010 - 9:46 am

        Hi Mark,

        I just meant to ask whether I can use this packager for creating the SIS to be sent to Symbian Signed for getting my app Certified Signed. Refering “Adobe AIR 2 is in the early stages of development which means it contains bugs, and not all features are fully implemented. This software is for evaluation use only, and should not be used for any mission-critical work. ” in http://labs.adobe.com/downloads/air2.html

        • #26 by Mark Doherty on March 12, 2010 - 9:46 am

          The AIR Packager is based on a beta product, the resulting packages are not. You can submit the .SIS files through SymbianSigned, in fact others have done this already. Good Luck!

  20. #27 by Supriya Tenany on March 11, 2010 - 3:54 am

    Hi Mark,

    This packager surely comes as a breather, but I face a few problems while packaging:

    1. When I do not select the Symbian Signing option, the packaging goes on indefinitely.

    2. If I select the Symbian Signed option and enter the allotted UID and the publisher ID, I get a SISX, which is not permitted for sending for the Certified Signed to Symbian.

    3. Also, this SISX is signed with the Publisher ID, I am unable to test this app on my phone also. I have tried deleting this signature and signing with the certificate from Open Signed Offline, but even that doesn’t seem to work on my phone.

    In the above cases 2 & 3, I get the following error: Unable to install, contrained by the certificate.

    Please help.

    Regards,
    Supriya Tenany

    • #28 by Mark Doherty on March 11, 2010 - 8:47 am

      Hi Supriya,
      Some answers…
      1. This happens only once I believe, I’m not sure why but you should just restart the application and try again.
      2. Agreed, this was a mistake – you can change the extension to .sis
      3. It is not possible to do this, you need to generate a developer certificate to install. You can test using the unsigned option, and then using the signing option for release.

      The goal with this tool is to make it as simple as possible for developers and designers to package applications for Symbian. I made some decisions to simplify the process, so for someone who clearly understands the Symbian security and certificate usage it might look strange. The result however, is an tool that’s easier for most people to use, hopefully.

  21. #29 by Supriya Tenany on March 11, 2010 - 10:02 am

    Hi Mark,

    Yes, the indefinite state happens just once. 2 more questions plz.

    1. Shall I rename the SISX through the command prompt (in PC) : move MyApp.SISX MyApp.SIS ; will this work?

    2. Refering to your third option, as mentioned in the Symbian Signed process, I should be using the allotted UID and then do a test on my handset, with the DevCert created through the Publisher ID (p12 file from the trust center), before I submit for the Certified Signed. I guess, this step cannot be perfomed with this packager as for an unsigned option, I can’t enter the protected UID (or can I…?)…is there a workaround?

    Regards,
    Supriya

  22. #30 by Supriya Tenany on March 11, 2010 - 10:15 am

    I renamed the SISX to SIS from the command prompt and then deleted the signature from the SIS
    (generated from the Symbian Signed option) using sis edit tool and then signed with my DevCert. Couldn’t install still. Error : “Unable to install, contrained by the certificate.”

  23. #31 by joseph on March 12, 2010 - 3:37 pm

    I just installed Helisso and run it for the first time, but I’ve got an error message: The logfile ‘C:…\Wrap.exe.log’ could not be opened: [Errno 13] Permission denied: ‘C:…\Wrap.exe.log’
    Any suggestions?

    Regards,
    Joseph

    • #32 by Mark Doherty on March 12, 2010 - 8:11 pm

      This could be a bug, can you restart the app and see if this fixes the problem? Alternatively, create the file at that location and see if that allows it to run. I suspect that this is a permissions problem?

  24. #33 by Valdimir Wolstencroft on March 14, 2010 - 9:57 pm

    Hi Mark,

    Great application, this is exactly what I have been looking for since Nokia took down there SiS packager from there website!

    Although I do seem to be experiencing a few problems and it would be great if you could point me in the right direction!

    The application seems to create the the SiS without a problem and the phone also installs it fine, but every time I go to open it the phone asks to download and install “An updated version of Adobe Flash lite”

    After clicking OK, it seems to download and tries to install but then generates the following error:

    “Certificate may nit be valid, is expired or phones date settings may be incorrect”
    But I don’t even sign the SiS with any certificates!

    And the application just quits!!
    Restarting the app just promps the same messages – download flash lite… etc

    Testing the .swf directly on the mobile works fine!!

    Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

    Thanks very much
    Vlad

    • #34 by Mark Doherty on March 16, 2010 - 10:31 pm

      Please ensure that your date and time on the phone are set correctly. Also try installing after a few minutes.

  25. #35 by Supriya Tenany on March 15, 2010 - 3:45 am

    Hi Mark,

    I renamed the SISX to SIS from the command prompt and then deleted the signature from the SIS
    (generated from the Symbian Signed option) using sis edit tool and then signed with my DevCert. Couldn’t install still. Error : “Unable to install, contrained by the certificate.”

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