Hello
We're developing a Symbian (S60 3rd) application which is strongly
dependent on our custom server software. The symbian app is nearly useless
without the server because all the data is downloaded in our custom
protocol from the server (you can't even login to the application without
connecting to the server first and downloading user data).
How is such an app to be tested by a test house if they wouldn't have
access to the server software?
Another concern is about some test criteria of Symbian Signed.
For example in this faq:
http://www3.symbian.com/faq.nsf/0/913A4677B10E8C988025707C00227F28?OpenDocument
there are some additional test criteria on chargeable connections like
giving notification to the user.
What if our client specifically does not want such notifications? The
mobile application users who are our client's employees shouldn't be aware
of the connections.
Are such test criteria a 100% requirement or just a guideline? How do test
houses look at applications which are against some Symbian Signed
requirements but are specifically suited to the needs of a certain client?
Regards
Grzegorz Zapert
Hi
1. If you want the application to be symbian signed then you will need to
give the test house access to the server.
2. The test criteria are a hard rule ... for the general case. If you
believe that they are not appropriate in your case then you can raise a
waiver request through the test house (in advance) for an exemption. See the
test criteria document.
Its more than possible that a manufacturer will grant you an exception for a
specific client, but you may need to do some work to lock the application
such that it can only be used by that client. They might require you to also
assert this restriction in some installation text. The requirements for a
waiver to be granted will depend on the manufacturer, so I can't be
cannonical.
Regards
H.
"Grzegorz Zapert" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hello
>
> We're developing a Symbian (S60 3rd) application which is strongly
> dependent on our custom server software. The symbian app is nearly useless
> without the server because all the data is downloaded in our custom
> protocol from the server (you can't even login to the application without
> connecting to the server first and downloading user data).
>
> How is such an app to be tested by a test house if they wouldn't have
> access to the server software?
>
>
> Another concern is about some test criteria of Symbian Signed.
>
> For example in this faq:
>
http://www3.symbian.com/faq.nsf/0/913A4677B10E8C988025707C00227F28?OpenDocument
> there are some additional test criteria on chargeable connections like
> giving notification to the user.
>
> What if our client specifically does not want such notifications? The
> mobile application users who are our client's employees shouldn't be aware
> of the connections.
>
> Are such test criteria a 100% requirement or just a guideline? How do test
> houses look at applications which are against some Symbian Signed
> requirements but are specifically suited to the needs of a certain client?
>
>
> Regards
>
> Grzegorz Zapert
Hi Grzegorz,
in general the test house has to be able to test your application on the
phone. That means that they have to have a connection to the server and
use the program in a usual way. This can be donw by setting up a test
server which does not contain any sensitive data. They don't require
access to the software of the server for doing something like code reviews.
The dialog is only necessary for events which cuase additional costs
like premium SMS. As far as I understood it it is not required for
normal online connections where no additional costs are caused. I wasn't
sure at first, but I've seen a few symbian signed applications which use
online connections but don't display an additional dialog.
Best Regards,
Bernd
Grzegorz Zapert schrieb:
> Hello
>
> We're developing a Symbian (S60 3rd) application which is strongly
> dependent on our custom server software. The symbian app is nearly useless
> without the server because all the data is downloaded in our custom
> protocol from the server (you can't even login to the application without
> connecting to the server first and downloading user data).
>
> How is such an app to be tested by a test house if they wouldn't have
> access to the server software?
>
>
> Another concern is about some test criteria of Symbian Signed.
>
> For example in this faq:
> http://www3.symbian.com/faq.nsf/0/913A4677B10E8C988025707C00227F28?OpenDocument
> there are some additional test criteria on chargeable connections like
> giving notification to the user.
>
> What if our client specifically does not want such notifications? The
> mobile application users who are our client's employees shouldn't be aware
> of the connections.
>
> Are such test criteria a 100% requirement or just a guideline? How do test
> houses look at applications which are against some Symbian Signed
> requirements but are specifically suited to the needs of a certain client?
>
>
> Regards
>
> Grzegorz Zapert
Bernd Wiegmann wrote:
> Hi Grzegorz,
>
> in general the test house has to be able to test your application on the
> phone. That means that they have to have a connection to the server and
> use the program in a usual way. This can be donw by setting up a test
> server which does not contain any sensitive data. They don't require
> access to the software of the server for doing something like code reviews.
>
This is one the areas that Symbian signing becomes very impractical. In
our case, the server is a service, and not something which is sold as
part of application. The testing houses will only sign the sis files
they test. If the URI for the server is embedded, the test house must
test with the production server. This is especially the case if the
application being tested is an upgrade to an existing release (a test
server can not be put in place at the same URI). If, in addition, the
server requires a valid, paid account that is tied to an IMEI number, it
becomes very difficult to offer a working account to the test house.
The signing process fails to take in to account various licensing models
and offering an easy way to offer multiple sis files that only vary by
application configuration values. It seems there was a very narrow
perspective of what an application is when they devised the system.
> The dialog is only necessary for events which cuase additional costs
> like premium SMS. As far as I understood it it is not required for
> normal online connections where no additional costs are caused. I wasn't
> sure at first, but I've seen a few symbian signed applications which use
> online connections but don't display an additional dialog.
>
Several carriers (especially in Europe) charge by the byte. Any data
connection that is made could in theory incur a charge. The signing
requirements require a first time notification that the application
makes a connection. Applications that do not make this notification
likely received an exception.
On Tue, 17 Oct 2006 15:40:35 +0200, Grzegorz Zapert wrote:
> Hello
>
> We're developing a Symbian (S60 3rd) application which is strongly
> dependent on our custom server software. The symbian app is nearly useless
OK, thanks for all your answers. They have put some light on our problem.
Grzegorz
Hi John,
John Smith schrieb:
>
> Bernd Wiegmann wrote:
>[color=green]
>>Hi Grzegorz,
>>
>>in general the test house has to be able to test your application on the
>>phone. That means that they have to have a connection to the server and
>>use the program in a usual way. This can be donw by setting up a test
>>server which does not contain any sensitive data. They don't require
>>access to the software of the server for doing something like code reviews.
>>
>
>
> This is one the areas that Symbian signing becomes very impractical. In
> our case, the server is a service, and not something which is sold as
> part of application. The testing houses will only sign the sis files
> they test. If the URI for the server is embedded, the test house must
> test with the production server. This is especially the case if the
> application being tested is an upgrade to an existing release (a test
> server can not be put in place at the same URI). If, in addition, the
> server requires a valid, paid account that is tied to an IMEI number, it
> becomes very difficult to offer a working account to the test house.[/color]
If the application only makes sense when it uses the server connection,
the test house can hardly sign the application if it cannot use the
server. But I think that is something you have to discuss with the
testing house to find out what exectly tey need for the testing.
> The signing process fails to take in to account various licensing models
> and offering an easy way to offer multiple sis files that only vary by
> application configuration values. It seems there was a very narrow
> perspective of what an application is when they devised the system.
I agree. Most online distrubutors require a dialog where it was
downloaded. This is something which is not easy to do with the Symbian
Signed process.
[color=green]
>>The dialog is only necessary for events which cuase additional costs
>>like premium SMS. As far as I understood it it is not required for
>>normal online connections where no additional costs are caused. I wasn't
>>sure at first, but I've seen a few symbian signed applications which use
>>online connections but don't display an additional dialog.
>>
>
>
> Several carriers (especially in Europe) charge by the byte. Any data
> connection that is made could in theory incur a charge. The signing
> requirements require a first time notification that the application
> makes a connection. Applications that do not make this notification
> likely received an exception.[/color]
As far as I undertood this requirement the dialog is only necessary when
the online connection causes more costs than the normal connection cost.
An example would be premium SMS vs. normal SMS.
Bernd