Out in the Trenches
So far, I've covered some things you can do directly at the BES server, but another area that I find interesting and challenging is much more visible to the end user: training and documentation. As the BlackBerry solution has evolved, I've realized that I need to develop new FAQs, tip sheets, and how-to guides. To make these documents more useful and interesting for the user, I think it's important to include diagrams and screenshots. Unfortunately, you don't have a Print Screen button (as you have on your PC) for capturing images of the handheld interface. Or do you?
If you've browsed the BlackBerry Web site, you might have come across the BlackBerry Developer pages (http://www.blackberry.com/devel opers). Contained in this section of the Web site is a cool utility called the BlackBerry Java Development Environment (JDE). The JDE, which you can download, has a BlackBerry simulator, which Figure 1 shows. The simulator is a Java application that runs on your PC in its own window and emulates the functionality of a BlackBerry handheld. The simulator's primary purpose is to assist software developers in producing applications for the BlackBerry.
I don't do much Java development, but I've used the BlackBerry simulator to produce screenshots for my documentation. It's also a nice utility to have if you need to present a Black-Berry training class to a group of users. Because the simulator runs in a window, you can project it in giant size in the training room, thereby eliminating the need for a group of full-grown adults to huddle around one BlackBerry.
Installing the simulator is straightforward. First, you need to download and install the Java 2 runtime environment—Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition (J2SE) 1.4.2—from http://java.sun.com/j2se. Next, download and install the JDE from http://www.blackberry.com/developers/down loads/jde. The JDE comes with a simulator for the BlackBerry 7290. After you install the JDE, if you want to simulate other devices or load skins that look more like the BlackBerry that your organization uses, you can follow the BlackBerry Device Simulators link from the Developers page to load more than 20 other device simulators.
Dig Deeper
My hope is that these tips and tricks will help you become a more productive BlackBerry administrator. BES and the BlackBerry are ever evolving, so your skills and understanding of the solution must also constantly evolve. Pay attention to your system. Dig deeper and understand what BES is doing and how it works, and you'll soon begin coming up with your own tips and tricks.
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