[Preroll]

Thanks to the forum, we know how to backup 3rd party apps using DM and fooling the Device Switch Wizard into creating this task for us.

However, I was wondering if there was a way to create a .alx for a specific application. A good example could be the need to roll back to a previous version of something that was only available OTA. Say for example, you have Google Maps v.2.3.2 and now they've released v.3.x.x and it doesn't quite work out, how would one go back without having to restore ALL the apps you backed up using the DM Device Switch Wizard method?

It seems there should be away around this but I haven't seen much about performing such a task.

Just curious.

[devnull]

Take a look at "Blackberry Swiss Army Knife" created by Rimgeeks.

http://rimgeeks.com/index.php

[Preroll]

OK...I read and watched the Youtube video on this. Being a newbie at this, would I need to create a JAD file from all the COD files (modules) used for a specific app which would then be my backup file for that app? (If that makes sense.)

[devnull]

Bear in mind I haven't used this yet to do a restore and I am in no way affiliated with Rimgeeks. But what I think happens is, when you use this backup utility, it

1.) creates a "backup" folder on your hard drive
2.) pulls all the 3rd party app .cod files from your BB to that backup folder.
3.) creates a single .alx file to provide DM when you wanna restore. Which would restore all the 3rd party apps.

Like I said, I haven't used this yet so UAYOR. I am just going off what was read in the Rimgeeks forums. RIMGeeks.com • View forum - BBSAK Help

My suggestion is, read their forum for proper usage.

[Preroll]

Yep...that's similar to what DM does with the Device Switch Wizard scheme. Backup EVERY app to a .alx file. I want to create (or backup) a .alx file for ONE SPECIFIC app ONLY. That's what I have trouble finding out.

[devnull]

Wish I had read your first post a little better. I wouldn't have led you down the BBSAK path. Very sorry about that. Let us know what you find. I'm sure others would love to know the answer.

[jbeek]

Just a wild a$$ guess here... since the .alx file produced by the DM Device Switch Wizard is just a simple text file in an XML-like markup, could you not simply edit out all the entries pertaining to the components you *don't* want to restore, and then just restore this rump file?

As I said, I'm just guessing and I haven't tried this out, but I'd be curious to find out if it works if someone is willing to try it.

[devnull]

good point jbeek. I just found a thread from a different forum which indicates what you are suggesting.

Back-up a single app

[Preroll]

Originally Posted by jbeek

Just a wild a$$ guess here... since the .alx file produced by the DM Device Switch Wizard is just a simple text file in an XML-like markup, could you not simply edit out all the entries pertaining to the components you *don't* want to restore, and then just restore this rump file?

As I said, I'm just guessing and I haven't tried this out, but I'd be curious to find out if it works if someone is willing to try it.

Just tried it. Success! It was a pain in the a$$ though. Especially if you want to do this to multiple apps but will be worth it when it's time to restore.

I did a full 3rd party apps backup with the DM Device Switch Wizard method and then copied ONLY the files for the app I needed plus the pin.alx file into another folder. I renamed the .alx file to the name of the app I want to backup and used Wordpad to edit it. I deleted all unused app id's and left:

<loader version="1.0"><application id="(name of app with vendor, files, etc)></loader>

Deleted application from device. Rebooted device. Application was gone. Ran DM, and browsed to the folder where the new .alx file was and it added that app back into the list and clicked next to restore. Voila!

Hopefully, some developer will have the time to write a simple utility to do all this but it definitely works. Great for saving all those OTA downloads that you want to roll back to!

[jbeek]

Originally Posted by devnull

good point jbeek. I just found a thread from a different forum which indicates what you are suggesting.

Back-up a single app

Cool...good to know I wasn't leading somebody up the path to totally wiping out his BB

[jbeek]

Originally Posted by Preroll

Just tried it. Success! It was a pain in the a$$ though. Especially if you want to do this to multiple apps but will be worth it when it's time to restore.

Thanks for trying it out and letting us know the results!

[Bellbus]

Sorry wrong place

[fonejunkie]

Originally Posted by Preroll

Thanks to the forum, we know how to backup 3rd party apps using DM and fooling the Device Switch Wizard into creating this task for us.

However, I was wondering if there was a way to create a .alx for a specific application. A good example could be the need to roll back to a previous version of something that was only available OTA. Say for example, you have Google Maps v.2.3.2 and now they've released v.3.x.x and it doesn't quite work out, how would one go back without having to restore ALL the apps you backed up using the DM Device Switch Wizard method?

It seems there should be away around this but I haven't seen much about performing such a task.

Just curious.

There are a couple of quick and dirty ways to do this.

1. Copy and modify the <PIN>.alx file that gets put in the same folder as the .cod files to remove all but a single app.
   
2. Copy the <PIN>.alx file and the .cod files for the app(s) that you want to reinstall to a different folder. Then it's just a matter of pointing your desktop manager software to the NEW location that only contains the <PIN>.alx file and the .cod file(s) that you want/need to reinstall. The installer can't install .cod files that aren't there. (I have done this several times when I was in a hurry.)

Keep it simple.

[fonejunkie]

Originally Posted by Preroll

OK...I read and watched the Youtube video on this. Being a newbie at this, would I need to create a JAD file from all the COD files (modules) used for a specific app which would then be my backup file for that app? (If that makes sense.)

There is an app called Create-A-JAD that will allow you to drag the .cod files into it and then create either a .jad or .alx file for installing.

Create-A-JAD &ndash; Free App to Easily Create BlackBerry OTA Installer JAD for COD Files | BerryReview.com »

[Preroll]

Originally Posted by fonejunkie

There is an app called Create-A-JAD that will allow you to drag the .cod files into it and then create either a .jad or .alx file for installing.

Create-A-JAD &ndash; Free App to Easily Create BlackBerry OTA Installer JAD for COD Files | BerryReview.com »

This seems like a neat utility although the files that were previously downloaded OTA do not contain the original .cod files. So I can't see this working in that regard. I was looking to backup INSTALLED apps that were on the unit already. So when you do the Device Switch Wizard method with DM, you get the pin.alx plus all the associated INSTALLED apps. The method I did above worked for backing up the INSTALLED stuff but this utility requires the .cod's which (to the best of my knowledge) are needed prior to app installation.

[Preroll]

Originally Posted by Preroll

Just tried it. Success! It was a pain in the a$$ though. Especially if you want to do this to multiple apps but will be worth it when it's time to restore.

I did a full 3rd party apps backup with the DM Device Switch Wizard method and then copied ONLY the files for the app I needed plus the pin.alx file into another folder. I renamed the .alx file to the name of the app I want to backup and used Wordpad to edit it. I deleted all unused app id's and left:

<loader version="1.0"><application id="(name of app with vendor, files, etc)></loader>

Deleted application from device. Rebooted device. Application was gone. Ran DM, and browsed to the folder where the new .alx file was and it added that app back into the list and clicked next to restore. Voila!

Hopefully, some developer will have the time to write a simple utility to do all this but it definitely works. Great for saving all those OTA downloads that you want to roll back to!

Actually rolled back my Google Maps from v.3.2.1 to v.2.3.2 because I found it a bit sluggish. I forgot to point out that the .alx file should end with files, fileset, application, and then loader.


<loader version="1.0"><application id="(name of app with vendor, version, description, language, etc)>module</files></fileset></application></loader>