Tutorial: Converting .APK to .Bar using BBHTool

Hey Everyone, I just wanted to post this in case anyone is having trouble using HaTaX's Method to convert and sign .APK files to .Bar.

Note that before you can do this, you have to have your .p12 file (registered from your .csj files). Also, you will need Android-SDK, Adobe Air SDK, and Playbook OS for Adobe Air

This is the First part of the Tutorial, which teaches you how to create a .p12 file ALLOWING you to be able to SIGN .Bar files =)

Step 1- Register on Blackberry's Website for your .csj files: Signed Keys Order Form

Step 2- Fill out all info, remember your Company Name, and your PIN, Then Select the Key to be "Blackberry Tablet OS Code Signing Key" (It can take up to 2 hours for RIM to send you your .csj files!)

Step 3- While waiting for your .csj files, download and install these files IN ORDER!

-Adobe Air SDK: rich Internet applications | Adobe AIR SDK
-Black Berry Tablet OS for Adobe Air: Tablet OS for Adobe Air Updated Tablet OS for Adobe Air Link
-Android SDK: Android SDK | Android Developers

**I would install the Android SDK directly on your C:\ Drive, so it should be like C:\Android-SDK**

Step 4- Open "SDK Manager", let it load, scroll down to "Android 2.3.3", open the subfolders, and Checkmark "SDK Platform", then Click "Install Packages"

Step 5- Go back and download your .csj files. There is one called "client-PBDT-XXXXXXXXXX.csj" and one called "client-RDK-XXXXXXXXXX.csj" Download both and make copies of them.

Step 6- Now navigate to where you Playbook Tablet OS for Air Installed. Usually, it will install INSIDE Research In Motion's "Program Files" folder. So for me it would look something like this: C:\Program Files\Research In Motion\blackberry-tablet-sdk-1.1.1

Step 7- Once you have found your Blackberry Tablet SDK for Air, navigate to the "bin" folder and copy your .csj files into it. (Yes both the client-PBDT and client-RDK)

Step 8- We need to open up a command prompt now. Go to your windows icon and search "Cmd", find that program, right click, and run as an administrator. If you have something like Windows XP look for a program called "Run" and then type "Cmd" to launch the commant prompt.

Step 9- Since our command prompt is up, we need to direct it to that bin folder. Copy the Address bar at the top of the "bin" folder, so for me it would be: C:\Program Files\Research In Motion\blackberry-tablet-sdk-1.1.1\bin. Once this has been copied, go back to your command prompt and type:

cd C:\Program Files\Research In Motion\blackberry-tablet-sdk-1.1.1\bin

(It depends on where your "bin" file is located for you so change that based on your harddrive!)

Step 10- Now once our command prompt is directed to that "bin" folder, put this following code in, but replace where it says "YOURPINHERE":

WHEN ENTERING IN YOUR PIN DO NOT USE ANY CAPITAL LETTERS, USE LOWERCASE OR ELSE YOU GET ERRORS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

blackberry-signer -csksetup -cskpass YOURPINHERE
NOTE: I am making this simple by have you put all your passwords the same as your pin. This just helps you, you don't have to use your pin, but I reccommend it so you don't ever forget!

Step 11- Next, we must now register our .csj files in order to get the .p12 files. YOU HAVE TO REGISTER BOTH .CSJ FILES, THE PBDT AND RDK FILES OR ELSE IT WILL NOT WORK!

Paste this code in after changing to fit your information:

blackberry-signer -register -csjpin YOURPINHERE -cskpass YOURPINHERE client-PBDT-putyourfilecodehere.csj
You HAVE TO put your pin after the "-csjpin YOURPINHERE" part because you registered for your keys online with your pin, after "-cskpass YOURPINHERE" you just have to put the password that you created that is most likely your pin!

Now register the other .csj file with the same code EXCEPT you have to change the file in the last part:

blackberry-signer -register -csjpin YOURPINHERE -cskpass YOURPINHERE client-RDK-putyourfilecodehere.csj

Step 12- Make sure that you don't get any errors when you register those files, you should get a message saying you connected/registered to RIM's servers. You should also get an email saying you are registered.

Step 13- Now that you are registered, you can generate your .p12 file. To do that, input this following code into the command prompt:

REMEMBER NO CAPS IN PIN!!!

blackberry-keytool -genkeypair -keystore QNX.p12 -storepass YOURPINHERE -dname "cn=YOURCOMPANYNAMEHERE" -alias author

What this code does is, creats your .p12 file, I put QNX as the name just to make it easier to find, you can change the QNX part, but I would keep that, because it is easier to find. When you registered online with RIM, you put in your company name, well you have to put that in where it says "YOURCOMPANYNAMEHERE" you have to leave the cn= part. You are also creating another password, but you should just use your pin once again.

Step 14- You have just created your .p12 file. If you didn't change the command lines from mine, it will be called "QNX.p12" YOU CAN LOCATE IT IN YOUR "BIN" FOLDER WHERE YOU HAVE ALREADY NAVIGATED TO! MAKE SURE YOU SAVE IT AND BACK IT UP BECAUSE IF YOU LOSE IT YOU HAVE TO DO THIS WHOLE PROCESS OVER!

Note: You can copy your .p12 file to an easier location for access when using the BBHTool in the tutorial below.


When using BBHTool, all files inputted have to be .APK you cannot just sign a .bar, it converts and signs at the same time!

Here is the second part of the Tutorial, showing you how to Convert and Sign apps using the BBHTool

Step 1- Download the lastest version of BBH Tool here and install it: BBHTool (Public Version) - Downloads - BBH-Plus Forums BBHTool Latest Version

Step 2- Once installed, open it up.

Step 3- Go to the tab at the top and click "Playbook"

Step 4- Click on "APK Converter"

Step 5- Under the "Android-SDK (Required): Browse for your android-sdk folder. I just saved mine to C:\android-sdk to make it easier.

Step 6- At "Conversion Info" make sure you browse where you want your converted .APK files to be saved to (it will automatically place your converted and signed .Bar file into this folder)

Step 7- Click the checkmark for "Sign Converted File"

Step 8- Browse for your Keystore file (that is the .p12 file that you got from registering your .csj files in the tutorial above)

Step 9- Enter Your Keystore Password and your CSK Password into both fields. Remember when you were registering your .csj files, you created both passwords. If you followed my tutorial, then all of your passwords will most likely be your Playbook's PIN. That's what I have mine set to, it's easiet to remember.

Step 10- Once you are done with all of that info, click "Add Files" and browse to your .APK file you wish to convert.

Step 11- Click "Convert/Sign It!" And your converted and signed .Bar file will be where you set it to be!

For me, I can only convert and sign one file at a time or else it doesn't work, so only do one at a time!

After all this is done you can then install the file using DDPB Installer, or any other tools. I prefer HaTaX's tool.


I hope this tutorial will be helpful, am expecting your comments

Thanks So MUCH for reading! =)