phonegap build android signing

Question

I have used HTML files to build an application for Android on PhoneGap's website. I want to release it as a free App and signed up with the Play Store and all that. However when I upload it, it says I need to sign my application and such because it is in Debug Mode. I have searched on here and the web for help but I cannot figure out how to sign the App or add Keystore files and such in the PhoneGap Build website.

I checked the documentation for it on there website. I would post the link but I can only post 2 for my reputation. It is quite vague and it says there is more information on the Google Play documentation:

While there was more information it directed me to use something called "Keytool utility" and that seems to be my disconnect. Where would I find this utility so I may use it?

I also checked this question and its answers but it again left me in the dark:

Error signing android app on phonegap build

Here are other questions I have searched in for clues or anything I could use --

I tried this one but I do not know where they are finding this command line. I do not see it on the phonegap build website and they said I didn't have to install anything.

How to generate a signing keystore file for PhoneGap Build within Mac OSX?

Someone suggested to another user on here to follow a tutorial on mobiletutsplus and i am familiar with Eclipse for HTML/CSS but I do not understand their signing section. Am I missing a program here or something?

Answer 1

Download and install the Android SDK, be sure to update it, open a dos command line, and launch the script/exe called keytool which will be located in your Android SDK inside the tools/ folder or the platform-tools/ folder.

When asked how long the certificate should last, select something long like 99 years or 120 years. Be sure to note down all the identifiers you use to generate your key, and be sure to back up your key in a secure location after signing your apk.

If you ever lose that key, there is no way to replace it and you won't be able to update your existing app without losing its current users, its current reviews, its current ratings, and its current ranking it may have garnered over time.

When signing your app, you will be able to do it from the dos command line as well, however, you may prefer to install Eclise and use the IDE itself to help you to import your application, to do the packaging and the signing. Eclipse just uses the same command line tools in the background to package the app and sign it, but it gives you a visual interface to do with, so you may prefer to do it that way. And basically, the way you'd package and sign an Android Cordova/Phone Gap app is exactly the same way you would package and sign a standard Java Android app.

Whoever gave you the idea of viewing a video tutorial, that's probably a good idea. That video is only 3 minutes and 43 seconds long, so it's a good investment of your time. It's not complicated, but there are a bunch of little steps to follow and it's easy to miss one if you're just following what's written on the documentation.