Mobile Python: Rapid Prototyping of Applications on the Mobile Platform

A.4. SIS Package Signing

The only way to install native code to a normal device that uses Platform Security is through the Symbian OS software installer, from a signed SIS package. Before Platform Security, signing was optional but from Symbian OS 9.1 and the 3rd Edition of the S60 platform, it is mandatory if your program requires capabilities.

There are many different ways to obtain a signature for a SIS file and the way to use it depends mainly on the following factors:

• How and to whom you intend to distribute the SIS file? Is the number of target devices 1, 10, 100 or 100 000? How technically skillful are the intended users?

• What capabilities are needed for the code in that SIS file?

• Is the code intended for temporary or permanent use?

For a PyS60 programmer, the most interesting ways to obtain a signature are self-signing, signing with a devcert and going through the Symbian Signed process.

For the two former methods, you sign the SIS package yourself using a key and a certificate. In self-signing, you generate the key and certificate yourself and in signing with a devcert you obtain the certificate and key files by request from a network service hosted by Symbian.

The Symbian Signed process is different, in that the signing is not done by you. Instead, you submit your program for testing to a testing house, which sends you back a signed SIS package, provided your program passes the tests. See www.symbiansigned.com for more information.

A.4.1. Creating a Key and a Self-Signed ...