Best practice: Controlling resource size
Controlling resource size is important when you create content for BlackBerry® devices. Keep the size of your theme file as small as possible to minimize the effects on the performance of the device.
To create images that are optimized for use on BlackBerry devices, consider the following guidelines:
- Create images as .png files: Images on the BlackBerry device must be in .png format. During the export process, the BlackBerry® Theme Builder converts all images that are not already .png files into 32-bit dithered .png files; this conversion process, however, can add to the size of the resulting file. For best results, create images as 32-bit dithered .png files, so that the BlackBerry Theme Builder does not need to convert them.
- Create images that are the optimal size: Where necessary, the BlackBerry Theme Builder
scales an image that is too large or too small, and then anti-aliases the resulting image to attain the best possible appearance; however, anti-aliasing an image significantly increases its file size.
For best results, when you create images for BlackBerry themes, design the image at the required height and width, whenever possible. The following table lists the optimal height and width for the theme-related images of the BlackBerry UI:
| Inspector |
Component element |
Standard size (in pixels) |
|---|
| BlackBerry® Pearl™ 8100 Series |
BlackBerry® Curve™ 8300 Series, BlackBerry® 8700 Series, BlackBerry® 8800 Series |
|---|
| Banner |
background image |
260 x 65 |
320 x 50 |
| new item indicator image |
14 x 14 |
14 x 14
|
| focus icon image |
48 x 36 |
48 x 36
|
| battery meter image |
variable (multistate image) |
variable (multistate image) |
| signal meter image |
variable (multistate image) |
variable (multistate image) |
| Home screen (Icon theme) |
background, overlay mask images |
240 x 260 |
320 x 240 |
| icons, focus icon images |
60 x 55 |
53 x 48 |
| new item indicator image |
48 x 36 |
48 x 36
|
| Home screen (Zen theme) |
background, overlay mask images |
240 x 260 |
320 x 240 |
| tab, tab focus images |
56 x 38 |
56 x 38 |
| new item indicator image, application menu image, application icon images |
48 x 36 |
48 x 36 |
| Home screen (Today theme) |
background, overlay mask images |
240 x 260 |
320 x 240 |
| caret image |
240 x 28 |
320 x 28 |
| new item indicator image |
48 x 36 |
48 x 36 |
| application menu image |
32 x 24 |
32 x 24 |
| application icon images |
48 x 36 |
48 x 36 |
| Controls |
dialog box icons |
39 x 41 |
39 x 41 |
| dialog box background, dialog box buttons (all states), menu background, title bar background |
variable (pattern tile image) |
variable (pattern tile image) |
| Message list |
background |
variable (pattern tile image) |
variable (pattern tile image) |
| Phone |
phone receiver images |
variable (multistate image) |
variable (multistate image)
|
| volume control images |
variable (multistate image) |
variable (multistate image) |
| incoming call background |
variable (pattern tile image) |
variable (pattern tile image) |
| Lock screen |
background |
240 x 260 |
320 x 240 |
| Global images |
transmission arrows |
26 x 15 to 50 x 30 |
26 x 15 o 50 x 30
|
| alt |
23 x 17
to 50 x 24
|
23 x 17 to 50 x 24 |
| num lock, caps lock |
32 x 20
to 50 x 24
|
32 x 20 to 50 x 24
|
| multi-tap |
40 x 25
to 50 x 24
|
40 x 25 to 50 x 24
|
| navigation arrows |
16 x 9 to 28 x 18
|
16 x 9 to 28 x 18 |
| hourglass cursor |
32 x 32 to 50 x 50
|
36 x 36 to 50 x 50 |
| Inspector |
Component element |
Standard size (in pixels) |
|---|
| BlackBerry®
Pearl™ 8220 smartphone |
BlackBerry® Bold™ 9000 smartphone |
|---|
| Banner |
background image |
240 x 55 |
480 x 48 |
| new item indicator image |
16 x 16 |
21 x 21
|
| focus icon image |
46 x 46 |
60 x 60 |
| battery meter image |
variable (multistate image) |
variable (multistate image) |
| signal meter image |
variable (multistate image) |
variable (multistate image) |
| Home screen (Zen theme) |
background, overlay mask images |
240 x 320 |
480 x 320 |
| tab, tab focus images |
46 x 46 |
80 x 80 |
| new item indicator image
|
49 x 49 |
80 x 80
|
| application menu image, application icon images |
46 x 46
|
80 x 80
|
| Controls |
dialog box icons |
40 x 40 |
60 x 60 |
| dialog box background, dialog box buttons (all states), menu background, title bar background |
variable (pattern tile image) |
variable (pattern tile image) |
| Message list |
background |
variable (pattern tile image) |
variable (pattern tile image) |
| Phone |
phone receiver images |
variable (multistate image)
|
variable (multistate image)
|
| volume control images |
variable (multistate image) |
variable (multistate image) |
| incoming call background |
variable (pattern tile image) |
variable (pattern tile image) |
| Lock screen |
background |
240 x 320 |
480 x 320 |
| Global images |
transmission arrows |
22 x 22 to 50 x 30 |
22 x 22 to 50 x 30 |
| alt, num lock, caps lock |
30 x 30
|
30 x 30 to 50 x 50
|
| multi-tap |
30 x 30
|
32 x 30 to 50 x 50
|
| navigation arrows |
16 x 11 to 28 x 18 |
16 x 11 to 28 x 18 |
| hourglass cursor |
28 x 28 to 50 x 50 |
28 x 28 to 50 x 50 |
| Inspector |
Component element |
Standard size (in pixels) |
|---|
| BlackBerry® Curve™ 8900 smartphone, BlackBerry® Tour™ Series, BlackBerry® Bold™ 9700
|
BlackBerry® Storm™ 9500 smartphone |
|---|
| Banner |
background image |
480 x 48 |
360 x 48 |
| new item indicator image |
21 x 21
|
21 x 21
|
| focus icon image |
60 x 60
|
48 x 48 |
| battery meter image |
variable (multistate image) |
variable (multistate image) |
| signal meter image |
variable (multistate image) |
variable (multistate image) |
| Home screen (Zen theme) |
background, overlay mask images |
480 x 360 |
360 x 480 |
| tab, tab focus images |
80 x 80 |
90 x 96 |
| new item indicator image
|
80 x 80
|
73 x 73
|
| application menu image, application icon images |
80 x 80
|
73 x 73
|
| Controls |
dialog box icons |
60 x 60
|
60 x 60 |
| dialog box background, dialog box buttons (all states), menu background, title bar background |
variable (pattern tile image) |
variable (pattern tile image) |
| Message list |
background |
variable (pattern tile image) |
variable (pattern tile image) |
| Phone |
phone receiver images |
variable (multistate image)
|
variable (multistate image)
|
| volume control images |
variable (multistate image) |
variable (multistate image) |
| incoming call background |
variable (pattern tile image) |
variable (pattern tile image) |
| Lock screen |
background |
480 x 360
|
360 x 480 |
| Global images |
transmission arrows |
22 x 22 to 50 x 30 |
22 x 22 to 50 x 30
|
| alt, num lock, caps lock |
30 x 30
to 50x 50 |
30 x 30 to 50x 50
|
| multi-tap |
32 x 30
to 50x 50
|
32 x 30 to 50x 50
|
| navigation arrows |
15 x 11 to 28 x 18 |
15 x 11 to 28 x 18
|
| hourglass cursor |
28 x 28 to 50 x 50 |
28 x 28 to 50 x 50
|
| Inspector |
Component element |
Standard size (in pixels) |
|---|
| BlackBerry® Curve™ 8350i |
|---|
| Banner |
background image |
320 x 36 |
| focus icon image
|
36
x 36
|
| battery meter image
|
variable (multistate image)
|
| alarm icon
|
9 x 8
|
| new item indicator image
|
14 x 14
|
| signal meter image
|
variable (multistate image)
|
| wi-fi signal meter
|
variable (multistate image)
|
| unread icons |
variable (multistate image)
|
| Home screen (Zen theme) |
background, overlay mask images |
320 x 240 |
| tab, tab focus images |
52 x 52 |
| new item indicator image
|
52 x 52
|
| underlay image |
52 x 52 |
| move icon |
52 x 52 |
| Controls |
dialog box icons |
40 x 40 |
| dialog box background, dialog box buttons (all states), menu background, title bar background |
variable (pattern tile image) |
| Message list |
background |
variable (pattern tile image) |
| icons |
variable (multistate image)
|
| web icons |
variable (multistate image)
|
| Phone |
phone receiver images |
variable (multistate image) |
| volume control images |
variable (multistate image) |
| incoming call background |
320 x 240 |
| active call background |
320 x 240 |
| Lock screen |
background |
320 x 240
|
| lock icon |
52 x 52 |
| Global images |
transmission arrows |
22 x 22 to 50 x 30 |
| alt, num lock, caps lock, multi-tap |
21 x 20
to 30 x 29 |
| navigation arrows
|
10 x 7 to 28 x 18 |
| hourglass cursor |
19 x 19 to 50 x 50 |
The BlackBerry device
scales pattern tile images to the size of the control in the BlackBerry device interface.
Index
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