We need a new Nokia S60 Flash Lite packaging solution!
It’s been about 4 years that Flash Lite content can be packaged into a sis installer. I remember working on it and getting stuck on some issues, then Leonardo was working at the same time on this issue. We shared some ideas and figure out a solution “Launcher”. (I hope I remember correctly!!) After that many tools came out to help developers creating sis installers for their Flash Lite content.
I said many times that this is not the ideal packaging system but I understand that .sis packaging is understood by operators and content aggregators.
The famous content distribution issue!! Will do another post on this soon.
Couple years ago, Nokia S40 5th Edition feature pack 1 came out and a new Flash Lite packaging was possible, called Nokia Flash Lite .nfl. It’s basically a zip file like jar files. It contains all necessary files.
At the beginning of the summer there were some talks about a new packaging solution for Nokia S60 devices similar to the NFL solution.
I would like to know if Nokia is still working on it? Anyone?
Why I am asking this? Because now with the OVI Store, Nokia is in charge. I got many questions from developers if there was another solution to sis installers for Flash Lite content on Nokia S60 devices. Currently you must provide a signed sis for Nokia S60 (it costs at least $200 for the certificate + $20 per app/signing) versus a nfl for Nokia S40 which is completely free!
Note, Flash Lite platforms services on Nokia S60 5th Edition can access sensitive data so a method to certify the Flash Lite content might need to be in place (maybe Nokia OVI Store QA could be that entity).
Alessandro
November 17th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
There is a packaging solution that is free. You can embed flash into a WRT widget and avoid the signing process of SIS files.
Downside is Platform Service calls will not work. A work around is to do the platform service calls on the Javascript/WRT side and pass the results to Flash.
Hope this is helpful.
Kirk
November 17th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Ciao Kirk,
I know about the wgz but as I remember it is not allowed by OVI Store to package Flash Lite content as WRT apps. Did they change the rules?
Also is still a mixed solution.
Alessandro
November 17th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Your right not sure if they’ll accept it through Ovi Store.
November 18th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
Yes this is a big problem.
They should find a good solution like the old nokia online packager but with fixing it’s bugs and adding some extra features.
Also they should automatically express sign the launchers made using their packager or to find a solution for cheaper and easier signing.
December 15th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
I bought a cert for $200 and $20 for express signing for a new flashlite app I wanted to submit to OVI for S60 devices. Finally got my cert in my email and went to nokia’s flash packaging tool to pack it up… only to find it was offline!
Feel like I’d toasted my money, can’t seem to find a solution elsewhere to package flashlite into S60.
So I’ve started looking at WRT. Never read anything about them supporting Flash but if they do I’ll be a happy man.
Seems OVI will accept WRT: http://www.forum.nokia.com/Technology_Topics/Web_Technologies/Web_Runtime/
Wonder if I can submit my flash app in a WRT via OVI.. gonna give it a try.
interested to hear from anyone whos done this or has any more info on it
December 15th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Ciao Simon,
there are 2 tools that you can use to package FL for S60:
SWF2Go and KuneriLite. The other option is to create a launcher app, there is an article on the Forum Nokia WiKi.
WRT on OVI does not allow embedded Flash Lite content
Alessandro