Add a mobile application

Add applications to the repository on the server using the Application Center console. These applications can then be installed on mobile devices using the mobile client.

In the Applications view, we can add applications to Application Center. Initially the list of applications is empty and we must upload an application file. Application files are described in this procedure.

To add an application to make it available to be installed on mobile devices:

1. Click...
   Add Application | Upload | application_file

   ...where...

   Android

   The application file extension is apk.

   iOS

   The application file extension is ipa for normal iOS applications.

   The application file extension is zip for instrumented iOS applications for use in IBM MobileFirst Platform Test Workbench.

   BlackBerry OS 6 and OS 7

   The application file extension is zip.

   This archive file must contain a file with extension jad and all related files with extension cod. If we are using the BlackBerry Eclipse IDE for a native application, the files are in the deliverables/Web folder. We can place the entire folder in an archive (.zip) file.

   If we are using the Ripple Environment in combination with IBM MobileFirst Platform Studio for a hybrid application, the files are in the OTAInstall folder. We can place the entire folder in an archive (.zip) file.

   Windows Phone 8

   The application file extension is xap.

   The application enrollment token for the company account must be made available to Windows Phone 8 devices before the application can be installed on the devices.

   Windows 8

   The application is provided as a Windows Store package; the file extension is appx.

   Windows Store appx packages can be dependent on one or more Windows component library app packages, also known as "framework" packages. MobileFirst hybrid applications for Windows 8 depend on the Microsoft.WinJS framework package. When we use Microsoft Visual Studio to generate the application package, the dependencies packages are also generated and packaged as separate .appx files. To successfully install such applications using the mobile client, we must upload onto the Application Center server the application appx package as well as any other dependency package. When we upload a dependency package, it appears as inactive in the Application Center console. This behavior is expected, so the framework package does not appear as an installable application in the client. Later, when a user installs an application, the mobile client checks whether the dependency is already installed on the device. If the dependency package is not installed, the client will automatically retrieve the dependency package from the Application Center server and install it on the device.

2. Click Next to access the properties to complete the definition of the application.

3. Complete the properties to define the application.

4. Click Finish.

   

Parent topic: The Application Center console