Blackberry Pearl 8100 Keyboard Shortcuts

Basic Shortcuts

The following shortcuts can be used in many applications:

•To move the cursor, roll the trackball.

•To exit a screen or to move to a previous page in a browser, press the Escape key.
•To move upwards in a screen, press 3.
•To move downwards in a screen, press 9.
•To move to the top of a screen, press 1.
•To move to the bottom of a screen, press 7.
•To move to the next item, press 6.
•To move to the previous item, press 4.
•To move to a list item or menu item, type the first letter of the item.
•To select or clear a check box, click the trackball.
•To select adjacent items, hold the Shift key and roll the trackball.
•To delete a selected item, press the Delete key.
•To switch applications, hold the Alt key and press the Escape key. Continue holding
the Alt key and select an application. Release the Alt key.
•To return to the Home screen, press the End key.
•To lock the keyboard, from the Home screen, hold the asterisk ( * ) key.
•To unlock the keyboard, hold the Send key and press the asterisk ( * ) key. Type your
password.
•To switch between the Default and Vibrate notification profiles, from the Home screen,
hold the pound ( # ) key.
•To turn on a theme or notification profile, select a theme or notification profile, then
press the Space key.

Phone Shortcuts

The following shortcuts can be used in the phone application or during a phone call:

•To answer a phone call, press the Send key.

•To place an active phone call on hold and answer a second incoming phone call, press
the Send key.
•To view the contact list, hold the Send key.
•To insert a plus sign ( + ) when typing a phone number, hold 0.
•To add an extension to a phone number, press the X key, then type the extension
number.
•To assign a speed dial number to a key, from the Home screen or in the Phone
application, hold the key you want to assign. Type the phone number.
•To check your voice mail, hold 1.
•To view the last phone number that you dialed, scroll to the top of the Phone screen,
then press the Enter key. Press the Send key to dial the number.

Camera Shortcuts

The following shortcuts can be used in the Camera application:

•To take a picture, press the Right Convenience key.

•To zoom the camera in, press the Volume Up key.
•To zoom the camera out, press the Volume Down key.
Message Shortcuts

The following shortcuts can be used in the Messages application:

•To compose a message from the message list, press the comma ( , ) key.
•To reply to a message, press the exclamation point ( ! ) key.
•To reply to all, press the question mark ( ? ) key.
•To forward a message, press the period ( . ) key.
•To view received messages, hold the Alt key and press 3.
•To view call logs, hold the Alt key and press the period ( . ) key.
•To view voice mail messages, hold the Alt key and press 7.
•To view SMS text messages, hold the Alt key and press the question mark ( ? ) key.
•To view your message list again, press the Escape key.
•To move up a message in the list, press 2.
•To move down a message in the list, press 8.

Typing Shortcuts

The following shortcuts can be used when typing text in an application:

•To type the alternate character on a key, hold the Alt key and press the character key.
•To type an accented or special character, hold the letter key and roll the trackball left or
right. Click a selected character.
•To type a symbol, press the Symbol key. To view more symbols, press the Symbol
key again. Type the letter that appears below the symbol to enter the corresponding
symbol.
•To insert a period, press the Space key twice. The next letter is capitalized.
•To capitalize a letter, hold the letter key until the capitalized letter appears.
•To turn on NUM lock, hold the Shift key and press the Alt key.
•To turn off NUM lock, press the Alt key.
•To insert an at sign ( @ ) or a period ( . ) in an email address field, press the Space
key.
•To type a number in a number field, press a number key. You do not need to press the
Alt key.
•To type a number in a password field, hold the Alt key and press the number key.
•To type a letter in a number field, hold the Alt key and use the multi-tap input method
to enter the letter.
•To switch typing input languages, hold the Alt key and press the Enter key. Select a
language, then release the Alt key. Note: To allow this functionality, on the Language
screen, verify that the Use Input Method Shortcut field is set to Yes.
•To select a line of text, press the Shift key and roll the trackball.
•To select text character by character, hold the Shift key and roll the trackball left or
right.
•To cancel a text selection, press the Escape key.
•To cut selected text, hold the Shift key and press the Delete key.
•To copy selected text, press the Alt key and click the trackball.
•To paste your cut or copied text, press the Shift key and click the trackball.

Search Shortcuts

The following shortcuts can be used when searching in an application:

•To search for a contact in a list of contacts, type the contact name or initials separated
by a space.
•To view the criteria of your last search, in your list of searches, press the Menu key.
Click Last.
Attachment Shortcuts

The following shortcuts can be used when viewing attachments:

•To search for text in an attachment, press Q.

•To switch between the table of contents and the full content of an attachment, press O.
•To change the size of a column in a spreadsheet, press Z.
•To move to a specific cell in a spreadsheet, press A.
•To view the content of a cell in a spreadsheet, press the Space key.
•To view a slide show presentation, press A.
•To stop a slide show presentation, hold the Escape key.
•To switch presentation views, press Z.

Browser Shortcuts

The following shortcuts can be used in the browser applications:

•To insert a period ( . ) in the Go To dialog box, press the Space key.

To insert a forward slash ( / ) in the Go To dialog box, hold the Shift key and press the Space
key.

Optimize your BB! How To Setup for max free memory!

Did you just get a new BB device but are unsure how to best set it up? The setup wizard removes a few
things but not all that should be removed. Many of you have asked me what I do to free up memory on
my devices and prevent loss of emails and call logs, etc. I've decided to list out for you exactly what I do
to my device. You may want to setup your device slightly different but this is a good starting point.

So, this is John Clark's "How To" on setting up your new device for maximum memory. We want to add
the apps we want/use but get rid of anything we don't want. In the following tutorial I will go over what I
do on my devices to maximize memory but get the apps I want when I get a new BB or update the OS on
my existing BB. This post may seem long but the process is actually quite simple once you get through it.
Any of the .alx editing (steps 4 & 5) can be skipped if you just want the device to be setup "out of the
box." If you skip steps 4 & 5 you will have a device loaded with apps as the carrier wanted them to be.
You'll still be able to remove unused languages, sample videos and a few apps that take up space.

Here is what we are going to go over:

1. Install Desktop Manager.

2. Install OS package.
3. Delete vendor.xml.
4. Edit Blackberry.alx & LBS.alx.
5. Remove unwanted .cod's from the java folder and place in "Removed Modules" folder.
6. Connect BB and run DM.
7. Open Application Loader and and finish to add/remove the .cod's added/removed from java folder.

Detailed instructions:

1. Install Desktop Manager to your computer. If you didn't receive a disk with your device or you want
the latest version of this software click
here. This is the program that you will use for adding software, syncing your PIM data, backing up and
restoring data, and if you're on a BES you can use it to connect to your corporate mail profile to start
Enterprise Activations. It's also the software that installs new OS's to your device. (Note: OS's are not
included with Desktop Manager but must be installed separately to the PC, even if an OS is already
installed to your handheld.) During installation be sure to select BES/Redirector for email if you are on a
corporate BES and also the type of email system your company uses i.e. Exchange, Lotus, etc. Desktop
Manager will connect to your work email profile and server if installed properly and you have access to
your company's network (via LAN, VPN, etc.) If you're not on a BES, or if you are on a BES but you don't
want to connect this particular computer to your corporate email system, install using Blackberry Internet
System (BIS) method for email (even if you don't get email on your device.) Install using BIS method if
you are unsure. However, if you're a BES user and you install using BIS method you won't be able to
Enterprise Activate after an OS update. You'll need to contact your IT dept for a password (just adding or
removing applications or themes will not require a new Enterprise Activation.) If you're unsure contact
your IT administrator for help on installing Desktop Manager for use with your company.

2. Install your Blackberry's OS installation package to your PC. Desktop Manager needs this software
installed in order to recognize the software already on your Blackberry. If you install the same OS that's
already on your device then you can make changes to the apps already installed on your BB. Note: If you
install a newer version then Desktop Manager will want to upgrade the OS on your BB. An upgrade takes
roughly an hour so if you have time for that go ahead and install a newer version. You can use newer
versions from any other carrier that releases the OS for your device. For example you can load
Vodafone's 8300 OS to your AT&T 8300. The OS's are made for each individual device not necessarily
anything special for the carrier. It's safe to load another carrier's OS to your device. Don't worry.
However, for the purposes of this thread we are going to optimize the OS that is already on your BB so
be sure you download the version that is already on your BB, if that is all you want to do. If you don't
know what version you have you can look on your BB under Options >About or from the home screen
hold the alt key and type E A C E. The Version number will be in a format like: 4.2.2.170. Once you know
your version number you can go to this site and download the OS for your device. Again, if you have a
GSM device you can download from any GSM carrier. If you have a CDMA device you can download from
any CDMA carrier. The important thing is to download the same version number as is already on your
handheld. Once you download it, double click on it to install it to your PC. This is in addition to installing
Desktop Manager as described in step one. Note: OS's have two version numbers. One is a package
number and the other is an application version. The application version is what is listed in Options
>About. Pay careful attention to make sure you get the right application version.

3. Once Desktop Manager AND your OS are installed to your PC you need to go to the following directory
and delete a file. Go to C:\program files\common files\research in motion\apploader and delete the file
called
"vendor.xml." This file just tells Desktop Manager to only load an OS to the device of the same carrier
that's branded to the device. For example, if I have a TMobile BB and download an OS from Vodafone the
OS won't load to the device unless I delete the vendor.xml file. Nothing is lost by deleting this file it only
serves this one purpose and nothing else. Once that is deleted you can continue on. (Note: This
vendor.xml file gets reinstalled with any OS installation or Desktop Manager installation so you may have
to delete it again at a later date if you install another OS or update Desktop Manager.)

4. Before we plug in the device and remove anything we don't want lets make a few modifications for
themes. You can add all the different vendor's themes to your device if you like, including the TMobile
MyFaves application/theme. However, I don't recommend leaving them all on your device at one time.
There is a method of editing a file called "Blackberry.alx" so that these other themes will be loaded to the
device. Each carrier has their own vendor code. For example TMobile's is 100. AT&T's is 102. These codes
are written into the device and can't be changed. This is how Desktop Manager knows what brand of
device you have and loads the OS appropriately. If we leave everything as is, then AT&T theme will be
loaded to the AT&T devices but not to, say, TMobile's devices. We can edit the Blackberry.alx so that the
desktop Manager will load any or all of the themes. If you have an AT&T device we can edit the LBS.alx
file so that Blackberry Maps will be loaded (AT&T doesn't load BBMaps to their devices. They want you to
purchase a mapping software. However, we can load BBMaps easily to an AT&T device.) Also, if you have
an AT&T device it will have PTT (push to talk) preloaded on it. This is great if you use PTT but if you don't
use it it only takes up valuable memory space. We're going to make some simple edits to remove PTT
and add themes.

To Add All Themes:(we will remove the ones we don't want later.)

Navigate the the following location in windows explorer:

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Research In Motion\Shared\Loader Files
In this folder should be a folder corresponding to the version of software you've installed. For instance
installing Bharti's 4.2.1.91 software for 8700, creates the folder:

\8700-v4.2.1.91_P2.3.0.76

In this folder, open the "BlackBerry.alx" file in your text editor of choice.
_vendorID="xxx"

where xxx is one or many 3 digit values. The best way to accomplish this is to search for the
"_vendorID=" portion using the editor's built in search. For each instance, remove the string including
the quotes and the containing values. The example below shows
the string for vendor ID 102 (AT&T)

<fileset Colour="True" Java="1.0" series="8700" _vendorID="102">

<files>
net_rim_theme_102a_icon_320x240_w.cod
</files>
</fileset>
would become:
<fileset Colour="True" Java="1.0" series="8700">
<files>
net_rim_theme_102a_icon_320x240_w.cod
</files>
</fileset>

Once the vendor ID info is removed the theme listed below will be installed to any 8700. Do this for all
the instances of vendor ID that are there. They're all in one place so once you find them you'll see them
all.
Once you've done this to all of them you will get all the themes on your device. Save the file (as the
same name.) We will talk later about how to remove the ones you don't want and add them back if you
do want them.

To Add BBMaps: (if you want it.)

If you have an AT&T device or a device without BBMaps do the same for the LBS.alx file:

Open the LBS.alx and scroll down until you see a string similar to the following:

<!-- For 8800 series, hide the icon for Cingular (102), Vodafone Germany (124), Vodafone Austria (137)
and all
Orange properties. --><fileset SystemSize="normal" Colour="True" Java="1.0"[/b]
_vendorID="~102|124|137|119|162|142|183|147|217"
series="8800"[/b]>
<files>
net_rim_bb_lbs_ribbon.cod
</files>
</fileset>
<!-- For non-8800 series, show the icon for all carriers except Vodafone Germany (124), Vodafone
Austria (137) and all Orange properties. -->
<fileset SystemSize="normal" Colour="True" Java="1.0"[/b]series="8800"[/b]>
<files>
net_rim_bb_lbs_internal_gps.cod
</files>
</fileset>
<fileset SystemSize="normal" Java="1.0">
<files>
net_rim_bb_lbs_resource_en.cod
</files>
</fileset>

Remove all references to “_vendorID=…..” and device codes. Remove the text in bold as shown above
and leave the > symbol at the end.

The above code would be changed to the following:

<!-- For 8800 series, hide the icon for Cingular (102), Vodafone Germany (124), Vodafone Austria (137)
and all Orange properties. -->
<fileset SystemSize="normal" Colour="True" Java="1.0">
<files>
net_rim_bb_lbs_ribbon.cod
</fileset>
<!-- For non-8800 series, show the icon for all carriers except Vodafone Germany (124), Vodafone
Austria (137) and all Orange properties. -->
<fileset SystemSize="normal" Colour="True" Java="1.0">
<files>
net_rim_bb_lbs_internal_gps.cod
</files>
</fileset>
<fileset SystemSize="normal" Java="1.0">
<files>
net_rim_bb_lbs_resource_en.cod
</files>
</fileset>

Save the file (as the same name) when you are done.

You are now done with editing those darned .alx files.

To Remove the Unwanted Modules (themes, applications, etc.: )

5. Now we want to remove the themes and applications we don't want. Our editing of the Blackberry.alx
will add everything. If you want everything then you can skip this step. However, some of the added
themes are large and the device doesn't perform to well with them all installed. It's easy to run out of
memory and lose emails and call logs when the device runs low on memory. The easiest way to remove
the themes we don't want is to remove them from the jave directory. In the same directory as the .alx
files is a folder named java. In that folder are all the .cod's that get loaded to the device during an OS
installation. All we have to do is remove the unwanted theme .cod's from the java folder and they will not
be installed to the device. We can also remove the PTT .cod files to remove PTT from the AT&T devices.
Another application I like to remove this way is Voice Activated Dialing. If you use VAD then don't remove
the VAD .cod's but if you're like me it isn't worth the memory it takes up. Be aware that if the VAD files
are removed from OS 4.3 devices then the Option >About screen becomes inaccessible. You can get the
same info by typing in alt + EACE from the home screen on your BB.

Create a folder in the java folder called Removed Modules. Then simply move the unwanted theme .cod's
into that folder. You are safe to remove any vendor coded .cod.

Remove any you don't want. I usually get rid of the 102 (AT&T) as it's the largest and I don't like it
anyway. You can always load them all, try them out, and then go back and remove the ones you don't
want. Most of us have a theme or two that are our favorites. Just load your one or two faves and remove
the others. You can come back and add them again later, if you want some variety.

The themes are generally as follows:

Theme .cod's are listed as:

net_rim_theme_100...
net_rim_theme_102a... etc.

The numbers below are the vendor ID's for each carrier and will help you identify which themes are
which.

You can safely delete any of the below vendor-numbered themes. The size listed is an average size for
that carrier's theme. As you can see a couple of them are quite big.

100=Tmobile 240kb
102=AT&T 769kb
104=Sprint 17kb
105=Verizon 572kb
107=Rogers 287kb
109=Bell 194kb
114=TMo UK 243kb
115=TIM 698kb
119=Orange 635kb
120=Vodafone 624kb
129=Telefonica 30kb

TMo MyFaves apps will be automatically loaded. However, you can also safely delete TMo myfaves apps if
you don't use myfaves. We've edited the Blackberry.alx file to add them so if you want the MyFaves,
leave the cod's in the java folder. If not, move the following MyFaves .cod's in your Removed Modules
folder:

net_rim_bb_media_100_five_icon_library.cod
net_rim_tmo_five.cod

Note: I don't recommend removing the bbdimension. and dimension zen themes as some of the above
themes need these in order to run.

Note: Be careful when removing a theme that might be in use. If you remove a theme that is currently in
use your BB will boot up to a black and white screen with basic icons. If this happens, simply navigate to
the swiss army knife icon (options or settings) and then scroll down to themes and select a theme. Your
BB doesn't know what theme to use if you delete the one it's using so it boots with the basic default
theme included with the OS.

To remove PTT from AT&T devices remove the following .cod's:

net_rim_bb_phone_ptt_app.cod
KnJCDE.cod

To Remove Voice Activated Dialing:

net_rim_vad.cod
net_rim_vad_resource.cod
net_rim_vad_resource__en.cod
net_rim_vad_engine_resource__en_US.cod
net_rim_vad_engine_resource__en_GB.cod
net_rim_vad_resource__de.cod
net_rim_vad_engine_resource__de.cod
net_rim_vad_resource__fr.cod
net_rim_vad_engine_resource__fr.cod
net_rim_vad_engine_resource__fr_CA.cod
net_rim_vad_resource__it.cod
net_rim_vad_engine_resource__it.cod
net_rim_vad_resource__es.cod
net_rim_vad_engine_resource__es.cod
net_rim_vad_engine_resource__es_MX.cod
net_rim_vad_resource__pt.cod
net_rim_vad_resource__pt_BR.cod
net_rim_vad_engine_resource__pt_BR.cod
net_rim_vad_resource__hu.cod
net_rim_vad_resource__ca.cod
net_rim_vad_resource__cs.cod
net_rim_vad_resource__nl.cod
net_rim_vad_engine_resource__nl.cod
net_rim_vad_resource__pl.cod
net_rim_vad_engine_resource__pl.cod
net_rim_vad_resource__tr.cod
net_rim_vad_resource__ru.cod
net_rim_vad_engine_resource__ru.cod
net_rim_vad_resource__zh_CN.cod
net_rim_vad_engine_resource__zh_CN.cod
net_rim_vad_engine_resource__zh_HK.cod
net_rim_vad_resource__ar.cod
net_rim_vad_resource__ja.cod
net_rim_vad_resource__he.cod

Note: On Voice Dialing you likely don't need to delete every one of these .cod's. If you are using English
only you can delete the first 4 on this list. If you're using something other than english, delete the first 4
To Remove Preinstalled Wallpapers:

The prenistalled Wallpapers are the second largest .cod installed to the BB's device memory. The first is
the sample video. On some of the Pearls, the preinstalled wallpapers are the largest, even larger than the
sample video. The sample video can be removed using the application loader but the preinstalled
wallpapers can't. We can remove them by removing the associated .cod from the java folder:

On Qwerty devices:
net_rim_bb_media_320x240_b.cod (1.7MB)

On SureType devices (pearl

net_rim_bb_media_240x260_b.cod (3.5MB)

Note: Removing this media.cod will also remove custom folder icons (which I don't use anyway.) You can
still add a folder to your homescreen but your only choice will be the yellow folder icon. (thanks to Iare
Tosevite for bringing this to my attention.)

You can always move the .cod's back to the java folder and re run application loader to add back any of
these themes or files. Likewise you can add all of them, find out which ones you like and then go back
and move the ones you don't like into the removed modules folder and run application loader to remove
them from the device. Pretty simple, really.

6. Once you've removed anything you know you don't want we can now connect the device to the
computer and run application Loader.
If you installed a newer OS than what was on the device then Desktop Manager should prompt you to
upgrade once you plug in the device and start Desktop Manager. If not, run Application Loader and you
should see a list of applications. To maximize space uncheck anything you don't need.

Personally, I uncheck the following:

All foreign languages.

Any preinstalled IM applications (since I use JiveTalk)
Any foreign Characters and Font Support
Blackberry MDS Runtime
Blackberry Sample Video
Brickbreaker
DOD Root Certificates
Help (if you are new to BB you may not want to remove this as it can be "help"ful.

And I make sure the following ARE checked:

Core Applications
Blackberry Attachment Service.
Blackberry Messenger (if you don't have a data plan or you don't use it, this is a good one to uncheck.
You
can always plug in and check it again later if you want it back.)
Any other apps as desired ( tasks, memo pad, Password Keeper, etc.)
Any Third Pary Apps I want to leave installed on the device.

This window is also where you "Add" 3rd party apps. Click on the Add button and browse to where you
stored the .alx and .cod for the 3rd party app you want to install.Note: If you only made changes to the
java folder for themes, etc. you will need to open application loader (it won't prompt you for anything)
and you may not see any changes on the application loader screen with all the checkboxes. However, the
changes will be made when you finish the application loader.

When you are done checking and unchecking boxes click Next.

The next window will tell you what's going to be added and removed from the device. If you're doing an
upgrade there will be many items listed. If you only made some minor changes to themes then you will
see just those listed. Click Finish to add or remove the themes or start the upgrade. If you're upgrading
be sure and make the backup that the loader prompts you to do. Also, if you're upgrading the device will
appear to hang with an hourglass for up to 20 minutes or more twice during
the upgrade. This is normal. When a new OS has been added the first boot takes 10-20 minutes.
Subsequent boots only take a minute or two as normal.

Now your device should be optimized for max memory. I also recommend using a media card (if your
device supports it) for photos and media storage. You don't want those photos taking up space that you
just worked so hard to free up.

Good luck and happy thumbing....

Bonus tip:

Did you have an old 8700g or 8100 Blackberry that had those ringtones and notifiers that you really
liked, but lost them in in an upgrade or new BB? Simply download and install one of those old OS's (any
4.2.0 OS for the Pearl will have it,) then go to the java folder and move the following .cod from that java
folder to your current OS java folder. Once you copy it out of that folder you can go to Control Panel
>Add/Remove Programs and uninstall that OS that you don't need (don't uninstall your current OS,
though.)

net_rim_bb_profiles_tunes_tunebundles_tunes8700g.c od

Once you've moved that into the current OS java folder then go back to your Blackberry.alx file and find
the following:

<fileset Sound="Tunes8700g" Java="1.0">

<files>
net_rim_bb_media_tunebundles_sonicnetworks.cod
</files>
</fileset>

add the following so it looks like this:

<fileset Sound="Tunes8700g" Java="1.0">

<files>
net_rim_bb_media_tunebundles_sonicnetworks.cod
net_rim_bb_profiles_tunes_tunebundles_tunes8700g.c od
</files>
</fileset>

Now plug your device in, run application loader all the way through and you should have those old
ringtones along with your new ones. (there may be a duplicate or two but, hey, you've freed up so much
memory you can afford it, right?)