So, lately I've been dabbling in making my own themes. Well, I've hit a wall when it comes to text fields. I want to color text fields red like the rest of the highlights in my theme. I start with the basic png and use Gimp to colorize them to red and save again as png over writing the original. After I use MetaMorph to apply the theme the text fields come out like garbage. Btw, I was stumped on GoogleQuickSeachBox and hadn't moved on to other textfields.
Original:
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
Modified:
Example of result (this is actually from MicroMod777's red glass theme but, it's the same result I'm getting):
Why is it resizing all wrong? I've had other areas of trouble doing this exact same thing when all I did was "colorize" them.
you probably need a patch9 png
britoso said:
you probably need a patch9 png
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm, they are all the .9.png files. How do I handle them specially? Is there a certain format I'm supposed to save them as? Thanks for the help.
Actually I think you put me on the right path to figure it out myself. I found the draw9patch program in the SDK tools folder. I'm guessing you just drag and drop in your images and save them from that program. If it's this simple, then I'm happy and it works. If it doesn't work I'll be coming back for more help.
Unfortunately its not that simple.
After selecting the stretchable areas and saving the .9 file, it needs to be 'compiled'. Either add it to a project and build (eclipse), or use a standalone tool to just process the .9 (can't remember the tool name)
If ur on a windows machine and background transparency is not an issue for u then id suggest mspaint, it keeps .9 info intact and doesnt overwrite/delete it when u save the file after editing it.
britoso said:
Unfortunately its not that simple.
After selecting the stretchable areas and saving the .9 file, it needs to be 'compiled'. Either add it to a project and build (eclipse), or use a standalone tool to just process the .9 (can't remember the tool name)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks agian... Sucks to be me I guess. Now I have a lot more to learn. I found this guide though, it seem pretty thorough.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=5206698
Daneshm90 said:
If ur on a windows machine and background transparency is not an issue for u then id suggest mspaint, it keeps .9 info intact and doesnt overwrite/delete it when u save the file after editing it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm running Ubuntu 10.04. Not that I couldn't use paint with Virtualbox though. I'm going to try and figure out the right way to do it though.
Ok, this is driving me nuts. I figured out how to get Eclipse set up and I created a project. Now, according the the instructions I add the .9.png files to the res/drawable-hdpi file. Then I go to my project, right click and select Android tools. Then I'm supposed to export unsigned android package. Well, I get an error saying the apk doesn't exist and it does it even if I'm using a sample that comes with the sdk. What am I not doing?
InsightGoalie said:
Why is it resizing all wrong? I've had other areas of trouble doing this exact same thing when all I did was "colorize" them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Easiest way to get around it is to make the new image in the larger size with the appropriate width (not the squeezed version)
(|) - Original
(||||||||||||||||||) - modded one.
That works
2ndly where do i find that modded keyboard you have on there?
mythamp said:
Easiest way to get around it is to make the new image in the larger size with the appropriate width (not the squeezed version)
(|) - Original
(||||||||||||||||||) - modded one.
That works
2ndly where do i find that modded keyboard you have on there?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I guess I could just expand the image. That seems kind of like cheating though. And now I think I have it figured out. I even got Eclipse to run hello world.
That modded keyboard is actually not modded at all. That keyboard is the stock swype. Its in beta and you might find it somewhere on here if you look. You can send a pm for more details.
InsightGoalie said:
Ok, this is driving me nuts. I figured out how to get Eclipse set up and I created a project. Now, according the the instructions I add the .9.png files to the res/drawable-hdpi file. Then I go to my project, right click and select Android tools. Then I'm supposed to export unsigned android package. Well, I get an error saying the apk doesn't exist and it does it even if I'm using a sample that comes with the sdk. What am I not doing?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does the code build without errors? Check the errors tab.
No .apk means that it could not create it because of an error.
britoso said:
Does the code build without errors? Check the errors tab.
No .apk means that it could not create it because of an error.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, new day, new problems. Well, I found out my problem above was a build path error. That is apparently tricked into solving itself by adding and then removing a library. Now, I added the text fields to the res/drawable-hdpi folder. I have two errors for each one, and an error for the icon.png file it placed in there (it's the hello world test) looking at the error it says:
error: Error: No resource found that matches the given name (at 'icon' with value '@drawable/icon').
No marked region found along edge. - Found along top edge.
No marked region found along edge. - Found along top edge.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, I'm assuming this means I haven't placed a guide in the draw9patch program along the bottom and top of the image to stretch horizontally. So, I go back to to draw9patch, move my text field into it and try to draw a guide on the bottom of the image and this happens:
FML, I can't draw anything along the bottom. I checked, the bottom clearly has room and the top has a few pixels of transparency for room as well. I even renamed it without the .9 before I dropped it into draw9patch. It looks like in the preview area it's stretching just fine vertically though, those guides most be intact and also why I'm not getting an error for them eclipse.
Of course the problem is something as simple as being zoomed in too far. Now I got the draw9patch program running fine. I was even able to compile one without a problem. Ok, now I'm going to retry to make that GoogleQuickSearchBox and see if it all worked out for me.
Were you able to fix that search field in the browser setting? I haven't been able to fix it. If so, what is the name of the .png fixed and how did you do it? Thanks
MicroMod777 said:
Were you able to fix that search field in the browser setting? I haven't been able to fix it. If so, what is the name of the .png fixed and how did you do it? Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I haven't got to that one yet. Your browser searchfield is what got me into this mess . Since, I'm doing it for my personal theme I was copying textfields from your theme when I ran across that issue. I started working on another theme for my fiancee after I figured it all out. I'll let you know if/when I find it.
post the original file and the color you need and I'll take a crack at it. (first with mspaint of course )
I've always been confused by .9s. The rest of theming has become pretty easy, especially with MetaMorph. I don't know if MS Paint would be of use in this case.... looks like you'd want to be able to do to transparency on this image, but if you can make it look good without, then good for you. I'm surprised to hear that Paint keeps the info intact. Who knew Paint was good for anything more than entertaining 5-year-olds?
About that Swype... if someone wants to PM me about the stock-themed, non-expiring version, that would be great. The official beta apk has expired, and I lost the un-official one when I put my sdcard in the wash. Managed to find one that works, but it's an ugly themed one, and I can't find the images from the stock version.
About the theme in general.... sounds like you're going very in-depth with it... I'd like to see more of it! is there a thread for it anywhere, or screenshots?
InsightGoalie said:
I'm running Ubuntu 10.04. Not that I couldn't use paint with Virtualbox though. I'm going to try and figure out the right way to do it though.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the same setup and do all my work with GIMP. However you do need to recompile any 9patch images into a project to get them to work properly. I use eclipse in Ubuntu to accomplish this.
On a related note, I plan to release a big pack of xcf template files from my black matte morph that can be used for theming the entire framework. That will hopefully help more of the Ubuntu users out there. I see a lot of Photoshop files on here but no love for GIMP ever. I'd like to change that.
carnegie0107 said:
I've always been confused by .9s. The rest of theming has become pretty easy, especially with MetaMorph. I don't know if MS Paint would be of use in this case.... looks like you'd want to be able to do to transparency on this image, but if you can make it look good without, then good for you. I'm surprised to hear that Paint keeps the info intact. Who knew Paint was good for anything more than entertaining 5-year-olds?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's pretty easy once you have it figured out. It took me a day of frustration but, I got it working now.
About that Swype... if someone wants to PM me about the stock-themed, non-expiring version, that would be great. The official beta apk has expired, and I lost the un-official one when I put my sdcard in the wash. Managed to find one that works, but it's an ugly themed one, and I can't find the images from the stock version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
PM will be sent when I'm done typing this post.
About the theme in general.... sounds like you're going very in-depth with it... I'd like to see more of it! is there a thread for it anywhere, or screenshots?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, it was just for personal use. I really love the concept of a couple themes out there but liked bits and pieces of them. So, I've taken bits and pieces of different themes and sort of put them together the way I wanted. Because, I sort of kanged it all together I hadn't planned on releasing the theme to everyone as a lot of it isn't my work. I suppose if MicroMod and Manup gave me permission I could. I took a lot of their pieces (status bar, widgets) but, a lot I've made myself (notifications, textfields, check marks).
The thought behind the theme is that I really like when people leave stock icons. When you start to theme icons, then your apps from the market that aren't theme stick out like sore thumbs and I don't like it. However, I like the dark status bar, widgets, etc... Recently I decided red goes best with black and want various check marks, text fields, highlights, etc... to be red. I attached a screenshot of it before I started changing it to red highlights. I also made a pink version for my fiancee because she likes those sorts of things. I kind of want to release that one though because I don't really see too many girly themes out there.
sn0wmis3r said:
I have the same setup and do all my work with GIMP. However you do need to recompile any 9patch images into a project to get them to work properly. I use eclipse in Ubuntu to accomplish this.
On a related note, I plan to release a big pack of xcf template files from my black matte morph that can be used for theming the entire framework. That will hopefully help more of the Ubuntu users out there. I see a lot of Photoshop files on here but no love for GIMP ever. I'd like to change that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have used the Gimp and Eclipse without issue. It's pretty simple (but time consuming) once you figure it out.
xcf templates and Gimp files? You have me lost on that. How could something be done different? I guess I'll have to pay attention.
Related
Hi all. I come from the HTC Droid Eris/Desire forum. I have been working on making the notif bar all stock. I have a ported version of the ROM you guys have, Aloysius. I've replaced all graphics for the white notification bar, and have everything looking stock, except the clear button. I cannot find it anywhere. I have also looked in the .xml files in services.jar but maybe I am missing it?
This is what it looks like so far:
I really wish I could figure out this "Clear" button. Can anyone help or have any information on it? Thanks in advance!
Does no one know? Or just no one speaking up it can't be done? I'm looking for any advice here. Thanks guys.
I haven't looked yet, but it's probably a standard button kinda thing in .9.png format
My guess is that clear button might be in the taskbar cleaner service jar...
funny note: MotoBlur Roms call that particular prgoram MegaMaid...SpaceBalls FTW.
Kcarpenter said:
My guess is that clear button might be in the taskbar cleaner service jar...
funny note: MotoBlur Roms call that particular prgoram MegaMaid...SpaceBalls FTW.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm sorry, where is the taskbar cleaner service jar located? Thanks.
alexhendershott said:
I'm sorry, where is the taskbar cleaner service jar located? Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Font color for the 'clear' button is controlled in the 'status_bar_expanded.xml' file in the '\res\layout\' folder of 'framework-res.apk'.
For example, I just did a quick change from white to red for the font text:
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
I think he wants to change the button color chi.
That's why I said is probably a standard button, like in framework or something. ( just a guess )
Sent from my HERO200 using the XDA mobile application powered by Tapatalk
JsChiSurf said:
Font color for the 'clear' button is controlled in the 'status_bar_expanded.xml' file in the '\res\layout\' folder of 'framework-res.apk'.
For example, I just did a quick change from white to red for the font text:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i think he is trying to change the button itself to white not black
Just confirming, yes, I'm trying to change the actual button color from black to white. Not the text.
alexhendershott said:
Just confirming, yes, I'm trying to change the actual button color from black to white. Not the text.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Damn. Sorry about that. Saw illegible black text, and assumed that's what you wanted fixed. I've never tried to change the button color. I'll look around as well...
It may be a png with status bar in the name
Sent from my HERO200 using the XDA mobile application powered by Tapatalk
Okay, I love a challenge, and this one proved to be a tough cookie! As far as I can tell, the button color has not been changed before, until now .
For all practical purposes, if you investigate the applicable XML code for the status bar expanded view, it should be using the 'btn_default_small_normal.9.png' image in 'framework-res.apk', in the '\res\drawable-mdpi' folder, which is a rectangular white box. However, as you can see, we get a black box, and not the white box that the icon is.
So, clearly, something somewhere else is overriding this XML attribute / setting. The only place this can be is in the smali code, so this is where I went looking. Sure enough, if you dig deep enough, and poke around, following various methods for writing drawables to the screen, I found a reference to an icon in 'com.htc.resources.apk' that HTC is using to override this button set in the XML.
The button(s) in 'com.htc.resources.apk' are called:
common_b_button_rest.9.png
common_b_button_small_rest.9.png
In the '\res\drawable-mdpi' folder. Sure enough, opening up these images you can see they are the black buttons we currently see for the 'clear' button on the notification bar.
So, we can attack this in one of two ways, by either modifying the smali code to point back to the original buttons specified in the XML file OR, change the physical png files referenced above. Both will work the same way in the end.
However, by modifying the smali code, you are ONLY changing the button used for the notification clear button, but, by modifying the physical .png files, you are changing the button globally, which will affect the appearance throughout the OS, when this 'common' button is called / used.
Here is an example of modifying the smali code to point back to the original reference / button in the XML file, again named 'btn_default_small_normal.9.png' image in 'framework-res.apk', in the '\res\drawable-mdpi' folder:
Modify smali to point back to original:
And here is changing the physical png files (common_b_button_rest.9.png &
common_b_button_small_rest.9.png) from black to white in 'com.htc.resources.apk':
'
The second option, modifying the .png files is easier to do, but again, changes this look globally, which may NOT be what you want.
If going the smali route, change:
const v15, 0x2020041
to:
const v15, 0x010800d3
In StatusBarService.smali file and recompile.
Hope this helps.
Edit: Also, attached are the modified .9 png files. I simply inverted the color from the original, re-ran them through drawpatch, and compiled in Eclipse, if you want to use them.
JsChiSurf said:
Okay, I love a challenge, and this one proved to be a tough cookie! As far as I can tell, the button color has not been changed before, until now .
For all practical purposes, if you investigate the applicable XML code for the status bar expanded view, it should be using the 'btn_default_small_normal.9.png' image in 'framework-res.apk', in the '\res\drawable-mdpi' folder, which is a rectangular white box. However, as you can see, we get a black box, and not the white box that the icon is.
So, clearly, something somewhere else is overriding this XML attribute / setting. The only place this can be is in the smali code, so this is where I went looking. Sure enough, if you dig deep enough, and poke around, following various methods for writing drawables to the screen, I found a reference to an icon in 'com.htc.resources.apk' that HTC is using to override this button set in the XML.
The button(s) in 'com.htc.resources.apk' are called:
common_b_button_rest.9.png
common_b_button_small_rest.9.png
In the '\rest\drawable-mdpi' folder. Sure enough, opening up these images you can see they are the black buttons we currently see for the 'clear' button on the notification bar.
So, we can attack this in one of two ways, by either modifying the smali code to point back to the original buttons specified in the XML file OR, change the physical png files referenced above. Both will work, however, you will have a choice to make, as, based on other attributes in the XML, the sizes that get displayed vary a little.
Also, by modifying the smali code, you are ONLY changing the button used for the notification clear button, but, by modifying the physical .png files, you are changing the button globally, which will affect the appearance throughout the OS, when this 'common' button is called / used.
Here is an example of modifying the smali code to point back to the original reference / button in the XML file, again named 'btn_default_small_normal.9.png' image in 'framework-res.apk', in the '\res\drawable-mdpi' folder:
Modify smali to point back to original:
And here is changing the physical png files (common_b_button_rest.9.png &
common_b_button_small_rest.9.png) from black to white in 'com.htc.resources.apk':
'
The second option, modifying the .png files probably looks a little better and is easier to do, but again, changes this look globally, which may NOT be what you want.
If going the smali route, change:
const v15, 0x2020041
to:
const v15, 0x010800ce
In StatusBarService.smali file and recompile.
Hope this helps.
Edit: Also, attached are the modified .9 png files. I simply inverted the color from the original, re-ran them through drawpatch, and compiled in Eclipse, if you want to use them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
WOW! You are my new favorite person on XDA. Thanks so much for the help with this! I'll try both methods here in a bit and see what I can come up with.
I feel like I owe ya. Got a paypal for a little something?
alexhendershott said:
WOW! You are my new favorite person on XDA. Thanks so much for the help with this! I'll try both methods here in a bit and see what I can come up with.
I feel like I owe ya. Got a paypal for a little something?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Only donation required is a "shout out" when you publish your final mod .
JsChiSurf said:
Only donation required is a "shout out" when you publish your final mod .
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Absolutely! I'll send you a PM with a link when I do.
Hmm, talk about weird. When I push the new graphic files you made, my accounts all no longer sync and get deleted.
The button DOES work, but I can no longer sign in to anything.
Hmm...
Certainly possible that the upload / download through XDA may have corrupted the images, but I'm not sure how / why it would have anything to do with syncing, unless it's just breaking things all together.
I'd try just converting your existing images directly from your source/side instead.
Also, just to check, here are the images linked from my domain for download, rather than through XDA.
common_b_button_rest.9.png
common_b_button_small_rest.9.png
Yeah, I created my own to try and same thing happens. Very strange... I'm going to attempt your other method in a second but I am clueless as to what is going on with the replaced images.
alexhendershott said:
Yeah, I created my own to try and same thing happens. Very strange... I'm going to attempt your other method in a second but I am clueless as to what is going on with the replaced images.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Also, are you unable to add your accounts back for syncing after the change?
No, I go to add the Google account back and it doesn't add. :/
Ok, this is a how to customize your own themes for dummies/n00bs. This is for all the people that might love a certain them, but may want a particular image for something that’s only in another theme. This is what I was doing for all my stuff. Since there are so many new people brought to the dark side because of the X I think this was in order.
*******must have ROOT, must have a TERMINAL EMULATOR app*****
Im sure there are more how-to’s like this out there but currently there isn’t one in the X section.
First thing you will need is the program 7-zip. Quick google search will get it for you.
Second thing you need to do is to know where what image you want to change is stored on the phone. Most themes change usually 2 files. Settings.apk, Framework.apk, other changes will be app specific. Say a gloss black music widget will be part of the Music.apk file.
Mjones made a complete system dump of /system/app from the droid X Get it, it will come in handy
http://www.droidxforums.com/forum/d...hose-who-deleted-apps-without-backing-up.html
Download it and make a copy of it, put one in a safe place, and never edit one of the files.
Now lets do one simple one Music.apk
Find it in the second system dump file, and with 7zip installed, right click music.apk and hover the mouse over 7zip, in the new option window choose extract to music.apk. You now have a folder of everything in the apk. 99% of the time the images you will be editing will be in the res folder, and one of the sub folders with hdpi in the name. In the case open drawable-hdpi-finger. Here you will see lots of images.
Next thing you need to know is what images you want to change, Now if you have photoshop skillz you can have a field day here But for the unlucky few like me, you will have to find the image you want elsewhere.
Lets use my music.apk http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=7529911#post7529911 download my music.apk . Follow the same steps to open it and browse to the same location. Right now I suggest having both the stock apk and the one your kanging images from open, each one taking up half the screen. Helps keep things neat and tidy. Lets say for now you have my folder on the right and the stock music.apk on the left, and your in the right folder.
Lets say all you want is a glossy black app widget. Widget images typically start with appwidget****. You can see this in the 4th image over. Compare the 2 and verify the one you want. !!!! make sure that the name matches exactly as well as the pixels!!! That is very important when pulling images from themes for other devices, actually even same devices may have different names down the line when we have custom roms.
*** for only doing very few images, <10, I will typically copy the these images to a separate folder. So right now make a folder called temp on your desktop. Were only going to copy the ‘appwidget_bg.9’ file. Copy this folder to your temp folder you just made. Close the other 2 music windows and just keep you temp window open. Now find your intact music.apk, NOT YOUR MAIN BACK UP BUT YOUR COPY!!, right click, choose 7zip, choose open archive. In this window navigate to where the image is that your replacing. In this case, res/drawable-hdpi-finger, you will need both the archive window and your temp folder open and side by side, select all the images in the temp folder you are replacing and drag and drop into the 7zip archive, confirm you want to do this, then close the archive, save if prompted. You now have your own custom apk.
***** when im doing a major over haul or mas up, I will have the main file I want on the left, Say so and so’s metal theme, and the other theme im grabbing better images from on the right, I will drag the images I want from the right and drop them into the one on the left, I will do this for as many images im changing. Again the who time verifying names and sizes. Extra files or incorrect sizes could screw up your phone after install. Once I have my customized metal theme, I keep this on open and open a 7zip archive of the untouched apk to the right. Since I now don’t remember which files were changes I will select all files in the folder of the metal them im changing and drag them to the proper folder of the original metal theme. Now I have the base metal them with images I prefer over the originals.
Now that we have our modified music.apk, throw it on the root of your sd card. At the time I wrote this we are pushing all files to the proper directory. Im sure update.zips will come, but for now I wont worry about it.
!!!!! Important, at no time should you edit the name of the apk, it needs to match the original exactly!!!!
On your phone open Terminal emulator
We need to mount the system so we can write to it,
So type
Su <hit enter>
Gives a # sign
Type
mount -o rw,remount -t ext3 /dev/block/mmcblk1p21 /system <hit enter>
now we need to copy (cp) the source file(/sdcard/Music.apk) to the source destination(/system/app)
cp /sdcard/Music.apk /system/app<hit enter>
Make sure it is spelt right! In this case the M needs to be capitol not m
Also there is a space after cp and a space after the k
No we need to remount the system
mount -o ro,remount -t ext3 /dev/block/mmcblk1p21 /system<hit enter>
notice its now ro not rw
type exit<hit enter>
close out of the app
If you had a music widget on you phone before if might now say cannot load.
Drag it to the trash and reapply
!hurray! you can now mod your own themes.
Start slow, small files here and there.
Don’t ever publish files that have other peoples images without first asking permission to use their image and giving credit.
I hope people add their 2 cents for better guidance to this post.
Special thanks to tparker76
Man I'm not gonna get any sleep tonight...!!! Good Job bad4u6669
I am pretty sure an easier step without using terminal on the phone to mount is to just use root explorer to mount r/w access - works well - I just throw the apk in there from SDcard and overwrite existing and then restart and boom done...
yourfriendwayned said:
I am pretty sure an easier step without using terminal on the phone to mount is to just use root explorer to mount r/w access - works well - I just throw the apk in there from SDcard and overwrite existing and then restart and boom done...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Root explorer works for some apks, but not all, So i used a method that does work for all.
Baby steps grasshopper
Have any of you tried using Stericson's NinjaMorph?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=674604
I would say give ninja morph a try after you are comfortable with the whole process of replacing images.
Ninja morph is basically what i outlined you are just navigating in one window only. Me, I need to have multiple windows. Adhd gets me too side tracked
Im sure some will end up preferring Ninja, hey to each their own. If it works better for that person. Awesome! Thats the thing is there are so many different ways to do this, its easy enough for everyone. Think how many more sweet themes we will have if we get more people involved.
bad4u6669 said:
I would say give ninja morph a try after you are comfortable with the whole process of replacing images.
Ninja morph is basically what i outlined you are just navigating in one window only. Me, I need to have multiple windows. Adhd gets me too side tracked
Im sure some will end up preferring Ninja, hey to each their own. If it works better for that person. Awesome! Thats the thing is there are so many different ways to do this, its easy enough for everyone. Think how many more sweet themes we will have if we get more people involved.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just used NinjaMorph to change out my Notification Bar background and it worked great.
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
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HA, LOVE IT!
your going to get requests for that one!
psst... could i get the pngs you used
Here you go...
Just replace the image in framework-res.apk /res/drawable-hdpi
Man that scared the crap out of me, used ninja to add that image. After it recompiled it and added it, it automatically restarted. I half expected that, kept my fingers crossed through the boot animation, when the animation finished it started over
but the second one finished and phone loaded. man that loop made my heart skip.
What the possibility of using this image in my soon to be posted framework?
bad4u6669 said:
What the possibility of using this image in my soon to be posted framework?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I didn't make this image and take no credit for it. It was made by a forum user at DroidForums and was distributed freely for anyone to use so you should have no problems using it.
I have the image in the following colors if you're interested:
Black
Blue
Green
Pink
Let me know if you're interested in the others and I'll post them.
hacku said:
I didn't make this image and take no credit for it. It was made by a forum user at DroidForums and was distributed freely for anyone to use so you should have no problems using it.
I have the image in the following colors if you're interested:
Black
Blue
Green
Pink
Let me know if you're interested in the others and I'll post them.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
awww, no red?!?
not sure i followed you correctly...
so i used your music.apk widget BG file which by the way was pixels 101x101.
the file i was replacing was pixels 103x103.
i resized the BG from your music to 103x103 and followed instructions, line for line and this is what i get...
Ive included the actual .apk i wanted modified, maybe i did something wrong
bad4u6669 said:
awww, no red?!?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Made a red one for you.
Here's all the colors I have:
hacku said:
Made a red one for you.
Here's all the colors I have:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
YAY! can you send me the link?
NM: found it!
quadjacks said:
not sure i followed you correctly...
so i used your music.apk widget BG file which by the way was pixels 101x101.
the file i was replacing was pixels 103x103.
i resized the BG from your music to 103x103 and followed instructions, line for line and this is what i get...
Ive included the actual .apk i wanted modified, maybe i did something wrong
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Messed around with it a lil last night and a lil today, but it keeps not showing up as installed??? What process did you use to install it?
bad4u6669 said:
YAY! can you send me the link?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=7597467#post7597467
hacku said:
Here you go...
Just replace the image in framework-res.apk /res/drawable-hdpi
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you do that with the method listed above? I tried to tweek the framework-res.apk and it put me in a loop.
Suggestions?
nu2droid said:
Did you do that with the method listed above? I tried to tweek the framework-res.apk and it put me in a loop.
Suggestions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to use this method...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=750555
hacku said:
You need to use this method...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried the NinjaMorph last night on the Launcher2.apk. It worked for some but not others. I havent tried that one yet, I'll give it a try.. Appriciate sir...
Also these methods work for regular ol droid too, right?
Gday can anyone help me with a SMS notification icon on the slider of the lock screen.
I had to a hard reset my phone and cant find the one I had ,or even remember where it was from.
it looked like a little HD2 with a bubble and would pop up on the lock screen when you got a SMS.
any help would be fantastic,I have searched every where for days and can not find it.
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gup_ said:
Gday can anyone help me with a SMS notification icon on the slider of the lock screen.
I had to a hard reset my phone and cant find the one I had ,or even remember where it was from.
it looked like a little HD2 with a bubble and would pop up on the lock screen when you got a SMS.
any help would be fantastic,I have searched every where for days and can not find it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This lockscreen seems to be a CHT lockscreen, as such theE-mail, SMS, missed called are named:
CHT_slider_email.png
CHT_slider_messages.png
CHT_slider_missedcalls.png
I have posted here the original files from CHT Tab Mod
Thanx steve 0007,so do I just need to find the icon I want and rename it to CHT_slider_messages.png,and then stick it a folder somewhere?
thanx for you help mate
sms count
its not the icon I was looking for,but at least now I know how to change them all.
thank you very much for your help steve
one more thing....do you know what the little blue circle is called that has the number of sms's...might try and change that too
Hi
You mean the blue Bubble on your screen?
Try this file: 7fc6de76_manila
I have test it and it worked for me. Here i attached mine.
thanx
Dic3ptor said:
You mean the blue Bubble on your screen?
Try this file: 7fc6de76_manila
I have test it and it worked for me. Here i attached mine.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes thats the "bubble" I want to change...looks like I need to work out how to edit the file now.
photoshop I can do,cfc-gui I need to work out still.
I had a look at your post on using it....still not sure how to edit yet.
thanx again
gup_ said:
yes thats the "bubble" I want to change...looks like I need to work out how to edit the file now.
photoshop I can do,cfc-gui I need to work out still.
I had a look at your post on using it....still not sure how to edit yet.
thanx again
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
true that..there needs to be a good solid tutorial on cfcgui.
there is an quick old one that bignadad posted on ppcgeeks in the tp2 forum that you could look up. I'm not at my desktop at the moment so I apologize not pointing you to the link.
hope you get it worked out.
cheers.
ericv99 said:
true that..there needs to be a good solid tutorial on cfcgui.
there is an quick old one that bignadad posted on ppcgeeks in the tp2 forum that you could look up. I'm not at my desktop at the moment so I apologize not pointing you to the link.
hope you get it worked out.
cheers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well its actually quite easy I will give it a try to explain what you want to do
At first it is important to create 2 folders on your desktop. One should be named "Manila" and the other one "Images" ( its not really neccessary to use these exact names, but in my opinion it lets you keep the oversight )
You want to put the manila files you want to work with into the manila folder.
There are 2 tasks that I use cfcgui for.
1. Extracting Images from manila files.
2. Replacing the existing images inside the manila files with the one I created.
I will start with number 1.
You put the manila file into the "Manila" folder and then start cfcgui. Then you go to file->select folder and choose the "Manila" folder. That defines from where the program will get the manila files.
After you selected the folder your manila file(s) will be displayed on the left side of the screen. If you want to take the image out of a certain manila then just select the manila file in the list and click Save As in the lower right corner. And then select the place where you want to save the png. I wouldnt recommend saving it in the "Images" folder .
Thats all to extracting pics from manilas
Now for 2.
Lets say you have created an image that you want to put inside a manila file. Of course you first have to make sure, that the dimensions of your image are the same as the original .
You have to put this image into the "Images" folder and start cfcgui. You have to select the "Manila" folder again through file->select folder. After that choose the manila file you want the image to be placed in, in the list on the left. Then in the lower right corner click Replace with.. and choose the image file in your "Images" folder.After you pressed ok you are already done Now you can close cfcgui and you have the modified manila file in the "Manila" folder. It still has the old name, but the image will be changed
Thats basically what cfcgui works like.
There is something else, that might be of use though, too.
If you want to have like 5 different images stored into the same manila file, then instead of making the steps in 2. five times you can simply put all the image files into the "Images" folder and your 1 manila file into the "Manila" folder. Then you start cfcgui and select the "Manila" folder again .
Now you wanna click Tools->Import from PNGs. Then you select the "Images" Folder and the program does the rest for you
This will put all the png files you put into the "Images" folder into the manila file. So it basically does all the steps in 2. as often as there are pngs in your "Images" folder.
You will then have 5 manila files in your "Manila" folder. Which each have the name of the png file and no longer of the manila itself. So you just have to rename them to the right manila name and you are done.
Thats basically all I use cfcgui for and all I know about it
Hope that helped some of you
ericv99 said:
true that..there needs to be a good solid tutorial on cfcgui.
there is an quick old one that bignadad posted on ppcgeeks in the tp2 forum that you could look up. I'm not at my desktop at the moment so I apologize not pointing you to the link.
hope you get it worked out.
cheers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Gday mate,I did have a look at that post and have got to the png stage with it in photoshop.
for some reason the cfcgui interface is not showing up on my screen properly?
I cant get to the buttons on the bottom right of the screen.
but I guess it cant be too easy...that would be no fun
Nordpolcamper said:
Well its actually quite easy I will give it a try to explain what you want to do
Hope that helped some of you
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yep,that helped
thanx Nordpolcamper
ok I have made and replaced my "bubble" png in to cfcugi.
now to get it on to my phone do I just "export to device" ?
nope...that didnt change it...maybe export changes as CFC/QTC's?
gup_ said:
yep,that helped
thanx Nordpolcamper
ok I have made and replaced my "bubble" png in to cfcugi.
now to get it on to my phone do I just "export to device" ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mhm I dont try to directly expoort it to my device because I was told, that it is much safer just trnasferring it manually so that not accidently other files are beeing changed. I would recommend you just take the manila file out of the "Manila" folder and put it somewhere you remember on your phone and then use total commander or resco etc to copy it into windows. if you did everything right then you are asked to replace an existing file and you are done
success
it worked!!
I used total commander to replace the file and there it is!!
I know it does not look like much,but now I know how to do it I can make something better.
thank you to everyone for your help
...can you point me in the direction of the top taskbar files?
gup_ said:
it worked!!
I used total commander to replace the file and there it is!!
I know it does not look like much,but now I know how to do it I can make something better.
thank you to everyone for your help
...can you point me in the direction of the top taskbar files?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
doesnt look bad
ähm...well....the taskbar isnt nearly as easy as what we did right here. There is no simple editing of files and you are done. YOu have to put up .dll files and so much other stuff. If you search the forum you will surely find someone who can explain that to you, but I would recommend you first master one craft and then go to the next
But of course, just try and see how far you get
lol...yes i think you might be right there!
im happy with my M6silver i have now,its just the sent,sending sms and mms icons dont work ...but that can wait till tomorrow lol
and thanx for your black sms widget,I like that one
lol..... I just found your blue "honeycomb" sms widget....that one looks better on my blue phone, and already pretty much has the same bubble.
missed call icon
getting there bit by bit.....
now I just need to find the name of the missed call icon on the home screen in minila
thats so awesome thank you.
I was under the impression thats you had to have the device hooked into the desktop. so cfcgui would send the newly created manila file into the windows folder. so now, as long as your aware what manila file is what graphic your good. its finding which is which thats the pain.
ok so I ask you what exactly "mode9" and "qtc" is and what do they do?
one other thing what is all this patching, trim, padding and cfc compress?
anything we should be greatly concerned about?
thanks again for taking the time to explain this.
btw your new clock widget is really nice.
gup_ said:
getting there bit by bit.....
now I just need to find the name of the missed call icon on the home screen in minila
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The name of the file you are searching for is : CHT_slider_missedcalls
It follows the same rules as the messages and mail images. So it should be 128x128
ericv99 said:
thats so awesome thank you.
I was under the impression thats you had to have the device hooked into the desktop. so cfcgui would send the newly created manila file into the windows folder. so now, as long as your aware what manila file is what graphic your good. its finding which is which thats the pain.
ok so I ask you what exactly "mode9" and "qtc" is and what do they do?
one other thing what is all this patching, trim, padding and cfc compress?
anything we should be greatly concerned about?
thanks again for taking the time to explain this.
btw your new clock widget is really nice.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, I thought so too at the beginning, but to me it feels much more easy to do it on the pc alone That also lets you have Backups of your manila files
I dont really know what the patching, trim, padding and cfc compress commands do. But I was told, that for the things we do. And that is extracting and replacing this is not needed. I am doing this now for quite a time and I have never come across an issue with those. So just ignore them
Well there are basically 3 different manila files: Mode9, Lua and QTC.
QTC manila files are the image manila files, that we can use to replace images inside the manila or extract images. They more or less give you the visual layout.
The Mode9 Manila mostly handles Font colors, the arrangement of components, font sizes etc. For my Pulse Clock Widget I of course had to make a mode9 file, too. That defines, where the text appears and what color, size and font are beeing used. But if you want some more detailed insight, then just visit poyensas thread. He is the master of the mode9 files
The Lua manila files are only needed for widgets. They define how the widget should work with the device. For example whether it is resizable, pinnable, where it should get information from and if it has layouts. This one basically is the mechanics of the widget.
So just keep in mind.
Mode9 = Creating visible/invisible Components
Lua = defining the mechanics of the Widget and working with the components from the mode9 file
QTC = the easiest to work with and used to put images into a widget or something similar.
Hope that didnt make it more complicated. And of course my explanation here isnt far as good and accurate then what others can explain to you. But I think it covers the basics
Thanks for your praise I updated the cab, so you should check back
Nordpolcamper said:
The name of the file you are searching for is : CHT_slider_missedcalls
It follows the same rules as the messages and mail images. So it should be 128x128
Yes, I thought so too at the beginning, but to me it feels much more easy to do it on the pc alone That also lets you have Backups of your manila files
I dont really know what the patching, trim, padding and cfc compress commands do. But I was told, that for the things we do. And that is extracting and replacing this is not needed. I am doing this now for quite a time and I have never come across an issue with those. So just ignore them
Well there are basically 3 different manila files: Mode9, Lua and QTC.
QTC manila files are the image manila files, that we can use to replace images inside the manila or extract images. They more or less give you the visual layout.
The Mode9 Manila mostly handles Font colors, the arrangement of components, font sizes etc. For my Pulse Clock Widget I of course had to make a mode9 file, too. That defines, where the text appears and what color, size and font are beeing used. But if you want some more detailed insight, then just visit poyensas thread. He is the master of the mode9 files
The Lua manila files are only needed for widgets. They define how the widget should work with the device. For example whether it is resizable, pinnable, where it should get information from and if it has layouts. This one basically is the mechanics of the widget.
So just keep in mind.
Mode9 = Creating visible/invisible Components
Lua = defining the mechanics of the Widget and working with the components from the mode9 file
QTC = the easiest to work with and used to put images into a widget or something similar.
Hope that didnt make it more complicated. And of course my explanation here isnt far as good and accurate then what others can explain to you. But I think it covers the basics
Thanks for your praise I updated the cab, so you should check back
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ok that makes sense.
now i need to get busy learning photoshop...those damn drop shadows and inner glows kill me.
Nordpolcamper said:
The name of the file you are searching for is : CHT_slider_missedcalls
It follows the same rules as the messages and mail images. So it should be 128x128
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I changed that one,but this one is on the home screen,it was "tabsimgleandnotificationicons" or 7bedfda0_manila.
it also has the calendar icon on it.
I could get to like this editing stuff
I know this is probably petty, but for me it's sort of a big deal.
I like light characters on a black screen, especially at night. There are flashlight apps to turn the screen white because it's bright and at night I would prefer to have a black screen.
Is there a way to change the conversation history to black, and lso for the background behind the balloons in an SMS?
Is there a ROM that has an option for this?
Thanks for the help!
Go sms. Totally customizable. Backgrounds, fonts, font colors, etc
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk
Ends said:
Go sms. Totally customizable. Backgrounds, fonts, font colors, etc
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Handcent will let you do this too.
If you get GoSMS Pro, grab the Theme builder in the market as well. It will allow you to totally create your own theme.
liquidzoo said:
Handcent will let you do this too.
If you get GoSMS Pro, grab the Theme builder in the market as well. It will allow you to totally create your own theme.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I should have included that I've tried all those. Yes, they're good and very customizable. But I've not been able to get them to work seamlessly and to replace the stock messaging. One of those my keyboard does't display properly with and simple other things. Plus I really like how I can go to messages and slide to the right to call. That's the easiest way to call people. That's my favorite feature and no one else has that.
What's so hard about changing the stock messaging to black with white text? lol At one point there was a night mode that made the conversation history black, but not now.
One question... For example a lock screen. There are different ones to install. Is there a different messaging to install to replace stock that someone has added things to? I don't even know if it's possible to replace messaging or not. I don't really want to install another app... I've just not had the best luck with them having the right feel.
Firstly, are you on GB or ICS? And which ROM?
If GB, you could swap out the AT&T mms.apk with the Rogers version, as they use a dark charcoal background behind matte blue and yellow bubbles (was always my favorite). Or you could try the mms.apk that Sean used to include in his GB ROMs. It was basically stock, but came with 5 themes. If you're on NexusMod GB, somewhere in the thread R4INS posted a CM7 mms.apk which has a light and dark theme.
If you're on an AOSP ICS (which I know you're not since you mention swipe to call), you could try the inverted mms.apk, which is black. If you're on stock ICS, the only thing I can think of is to just decompile the apk and use Gimp to change the colors as you'd like them (which goes for any apk really), although I think the important images are *.9.png's which are tricky. Or since you like TouchWiz, see what the T-Mobile mms.apk from their leak looks like? And if it works? As I don't know the answer to either.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2
I'm running ICS that I just flashed. I put in SKYICS also.
Thank you for getting back to me. I'm new to this and starting to figure things out. I opened the mms.apk with WinRar and found most of what I want to change. I've not used Gimp. For colors I usually use Office Picture Manager. I'll have to check out Gimp. I'm starting to understand a little about the xdaAutoTool. I suppose I have to decompile the mms.apk , modify what I want, then recompile it, zip it all back up, then install it through CWM. I can't get the adaAutoTool to run because of the OCX thing and I don't know how to register the files. I wish I knew someone that could decompile the apk, let me change some of the .png files and recompile it for me. I want to change the editor box from this almost black to black beause it looks incredibly grainy at 1% gray or whatever it is. The hard thing for me would be figure out how to change the text color to white if I had to on the conversation list. I think I'll do as you suggested and look for another mms.apk.
You said I like TouchWiz... I'm not exactly sure what that even is. Isn't that something to do with the buttons and how they look at the bottom?
You mentioned the CM7 something. I'm not exactly sure what the CM is. I have CM5 and it said I have a mismatch when I tried to restore my original ROM that I backed up. it was 2.3.6 I think.
Thanks for the help and I'll be back. I'm going to look for another mms.apk...
CodeRedDewd said:
I'm running ICS that I just flashed. I put in SKYICS also.
...
I'm going to look for another mms.apk...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think I may have just come across a solution for you. Did you see this post in the SkyICS thread?? I'd look into that one first before attempting any of the above.
---------- Post added at 05:51 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:43 PM ----------
CodeRedDewd said:
I'm new to this and starting to figure things out. I opened the mms.apk with WinRar and found most of what I want to change. I've not used Gimp. For colors I usually use Office Picture Manager. I'll have to check out Gimp. I'm starting to understand a little about the xdaAutoTool. I suppose I have to decompile the mms.apk , modify what I want, then recompile it, zip it all back up, then install it through CWM. I can't get the adaAutoTool to run because of the OCX thing and I don't know how to register the files. I wish I knew someone that could decompile the apk, let me change some of the .png files and recompile it for me. I want to change the editor box from this almost black to black beause it looks incredibly grainy at 1% gray or whatever it is. The hard thing for me would be figure out how to change the text color to white if I had to on the conversation list. I think I'll do as you suggested and look for another mms.apk.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now I'm no expert on this or anything and haven't done much research on it, so I don't know everything you're talking about. But when I manually swapped out battery icon images from framework-res.apk, I didn't do any unzipping, rezipping, decompiling, recompiling. All I had to do was *open* the archive with 7zip (NOT unzip). Delete the images in there I wanted to replace. Then drag and drop the new images into the archive. As long as they were the same names and I wasn't adding or removing any images, there was no need to change any of the XML files. And it all worked fine.
As I said though, if I recall (as I actually looked into trying to do this myself with the help of another guy -- I wanted to make the AT&T mms.apk look like the Rogers mms.apk) the background image and maybe the bubble images too are 9-patch files, which are the image_name.9.png files. They require a very special process for editing. So that might require a bit more work.
---------- Post added at 05:58 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:51 PM ----------
CodeRedDewd said:
You said I like TouchWiz... I'm not exactly sure what that even is. Isn't that something to do with the buttons and how they look at the bottom?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha something like that. TouchWiz is the graphical overlay (UI skin) Samsung puts on top of "vanilla" Android, or AOSP. Every manufacture does it. Motorola's is called MotoBlur. HTC's is called Sense. And so on. The Nexus line of phones is the only one to get stock, vanilla Android (AOSP). So it's the reason all android phones from the same manufacture look somewhat the same.
TouchWiz does consist of those buttons at the bottom and how they look (I assume you're talking about the docked apps - Phone, Contacts, Email, Apps). But it's also the system apps (Messaging, Email, Phone, Contacts, Settings, etc.) and how they look and act. The swipe right to call / swipe left to message is a feature of TouchWiz, which is why I said you liked TW because you like that feature.
---------- Post added at 06:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:58 PM ----------
CodeRedDewd said:
You mentioned the CM7 something. I'm not exactly sure what the CM is. I have CM5 and it said I have a mismatch when I tried to restore my original ROM that I backed up. it was 2.3.6 I think.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
CM stands for CyanogenMod and consists of a more AOSP feel, unlike Samsung's TouchWiz. So it doesn't have the swipe to call feature; usually just tap the contact picture inside Messaging and it gives you the option to call. CM7 was their Gingerbread build. CM9 is their Ice Cream Sandwich build.
Basically CyanogenMod has created a replacement/aftermarket firmware to replace Google Android (AOSP). It's sort of different than just a custom ROM because a custom ROM is usually just built with one phone in mind (whichever one the developer owns). CM is a firmware built the same way, with the same features, for as many phones as they can support. So your specific phone still needs to be supported and have its own specific build, but once you have it on you phone, it will look and feel just like any HTC, Motorola, etc. that is also running CM.
So it's based off of Google Android (AOSP), it's completely self-contained as its own operating system (somewhat anyway).
We have an unofficial alpha of CM9 in the development section if you want to give it a shot! (Unofficial means it's not being built by or currently supported by the actual CyanogenMod team. Just a private individual is using their source code to make it work with our Skyrocket.) It works rather well and is like 99.5% a daily driver.
Wow, thank you for that information. Some of the fuzzy things are a little clearer now but not much. lol
What you said about replacing a png - I opened the ROM in 7Zip, clicked down to the Mms.apk. I right clicked and copied to desktop. I opened that in 7Zip and dragged and dropped the png into that. I changed the file extinsion to .zip and put in on my phone. When I tried to install it though CWM touch it just aborted.
I'm not 100% sure, but I edited the png in paint. I magnified it 800 times and could see a perfect rectangle inside of this other stuff. I only made the perfect rectangle black and saved. The one I'm doing is textfield_default_dark.9.png. I don't quite think I edited it wrong since it wouldn't even install. My editing wrong would make it FC or not show right?? I don't know how to troubleshoot.
In the meantime I'm going to check out some of your other suggestions. However I would LOVE to be able to fix what I want. Why make a black that's not black and can't be displayed right by the display because the pixels are just barely on?
Suggestions on my proceedure? I read somewhere earlier that there has to be some something done to the png for permission or something strange....
I checked out the dark themed Mms.apk you mentioned at the top. This is what it says.
This is not flashable. what you'll need to do is navigate to system--> app, rename your current mms.apk to something like "mms.apk.old" or "mms.apk.bak". Then paste the attached into the same folder. Reboot your phone and voila.
I lost root access and cannot get it back when I installed SKYICS. I'm running UCLD2. I haven't been able to put together what to do about this. I tried to install my original backup and it said CM5 mismatch or something. I do believe I need root access to navigate to the system folder because I can't find it?
yeah. you need root. you dont really need to "flash" in CWM. Just replace the original in the system. But you do need root. Reboot into recovery and flash superuser
I did that a few times and nothing. I gave up on rooting for a while then now I'm rooted. Titanium, when I opened it, asked for permission. It wouldn't do that yesterday. I'm just going to have to say okay I'm rooted.
I'm trying to find the system directory right now...
CodeRedDewd said:
I'm not 100% sure, but I edited the png in paint. I magnified it 800 times and could see a perfect rectangle inside of this other stuff. I only made the perfect rectangle black and saved. The one I'm doing is textfield_default_dark.9.png. I don't quite think I edited it wrong since it wouldn't even install. My editing wrong would make it FC or not show right?? I don't know how to troubleshoot.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yea so like I said, since it's a 9-patch file (*.9.png), I'm not sure if you can just edit the image and throw it back in there. I'm guessing that Paint only recognizes it as a *.png, and so saves it as such. 9-patch images need to be recompiled, as far as I know. So that might've screwed you up, even if you installed it right.
CodeRedDewd said:
What you said about replacing a png - I opened the ROM in 7Zip, clicked down to the Mms.apk. I right clicked and copied to desktop. I opened that in 7Zip and dragged and dropped the png into that. I changed the file extinsion to .zip and put in on my phone. When I tried to install it though CWM touch it just aborted.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So about installing it. Everything above sounds like the correct process EXCEPT for changing the file extension. A CWM flashable zip isn't just any old zip file. It's has a certain structure to it and includes a script file that tells CWM exactly what to do with the information contained inside the zip. With a system apk, all you need to do is get the file on your phone somehow (microSD, USB cable, Dropbox, etc.), and then copy and paste it into the /system/app directory, afterwards setting its permissions to rw-r--r--. To do this, yes you will need root access. It shouldn't be that hard to just root again if you lost it somehow. Or judging by your last post, you may have successfully rooted again.
CodeRedDewd said:
I checked out the dark themed Mms.apk you mentioned at the top. This is what it says.
This is not flashable. what you'll need to do is navigate to system--> app, rename your current mms.apk to something like "mms.apk.old" or "mms.apk.bak". Then paste the attached into the same folder. Reboot your phone and voila.
I lost root access and cannot get it back when I installed SKYICS. I'm running UCLD2. I haven't been able to put together what to do about this. I tried to install my original backup and it said CM5 mismatch or something. I do believe I need root access to navigate to the system folder because I can't find it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which brings us back to this mms.apk. Definitely give this app another shot using the above method once you obtain root again. You will need an app such as Root Explorer, which can be downloaded from the Market.
As far as restoring your backup, the error you received was an MD5 checksum mismatch error. You can Google what MD5 means, and possible reasons why CWM gave you that error. I think it gives it to you sometimes when you rename a backup file and put a space in the file name.
I'll have to research that MD5 thing...
I got the Mms.apk copied to the right directory and my changes worked. I have to use something other than paint that allows me to keep white as the transparant color. This is pretty awesome... Maybe I'll post my result when I figure out what's going on. I'm thinking the text field is a box within a box. I got a black box with a very dark gray one in the middle... But it's progress! Thanks for your help!
CodeRedDewd said:
I'll have to research that MD5 thing...
I got the Mms.apk copied to the right directory and my changes worked. I have to use something other than paint that allows me to keep white as the transparant color. This is pretty awesome... Maybe I'll post my result when I figure out what's going on. I'm thinking the text field is a box within a box. I got a black box with a very dark gray one in the middle... But it's progress! Thanks for your help!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's awesome man, good job! Wanna post a screenshot for me? A before and after if you have it?
But if you need something better than Paint, I'd look into Gimp. It's what most of the guys on here use. It's basically the Linux version of Photoshop. And being Linux, it's free and open source... and has been ported over to Windows. It works great for quick image editing. Just takes a bit of Googling to learn all the buttons haha.
I'm using Gimp because it keeps the transparant background. I had a big white box around my box from paint.
Update: When I used paint, it seemed things worked correctly besides the white box around the editor. The transparancy was lost. In Gimp, if I change 1 pixel I get a whole distorted image for the editor. In paint, I made the blue line gold and the box black. That looked great. Nothing seems to be working right with Gimp. Wait, in Paint I did notice one thing. The box was a true black, but with a lighter black, wide stripe in the middle from end to end, as if it was another png inserted into it. Hmmm... In Gimp it looks like nothing is getting inserted and the small image is stretching all the way across with the thin blue line getting super fat. I didn't jack the image up. I only changed one pixel to red in the middle of the black. I'm thinking there's more to this. Someone posted something about a decompiled image that had extra dots around the edge and one a one pixel line on two sides or something. I didn't break anything, because I put in an untouched png and it fixed things, so it's just the image.
Any ideas? I'm headed out to watch a movie, but I'm determined.
Look for a brush diameter or feathering option in Gimp and change it to the smallest one you have. I've had to do that in both Photoshop and Gimp before to get the apk changes I've made to look right and not have that outlining that you're referring to.
I understand what you mean, but this is different.The .9.png looks exactly the same when I edit it. I'm just making it darker. The .9.png files are made of 9 sections taht are stretched individually so the image is not distorted. In my case, Gimp is destroying that ability and the image is getting stretched the wrong way when displayed. For example, if you stretch a line along its lengt it still looks like the same line only longer, which is what they do. But if you stretch it across its width, it becomes this fat line, which is what is happening in my case.
I think you're editig just .png and not .9.png files?
CodeRedDewd said:
I understand what you mean, but this is different.The .9.png looks exactly the same when I edit it. I'm just making it darker. The .9.png files are made of 9 sections taht are stretched individually so the image is not distorted. In my case, Gimp is destroying that ability and the image is getting stretched the wrong way when displayed. For example, if you stretch a line along its lengt it still looks like the same line only longer, which is what they do. But if you stretch it across its width, it becomes this fat line, which is what is happening in my case.
I think you're editig just .png and not .9.png files?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you think some information in this tutorial could be of any help? There's also a video tutorial available.
Yes it's possible that would be very helpful. I found either that or another tutorial last night. It was interesting how the .9.png files are sectioned. I conda figured that out on my own, because it would have to be to get bigger and not distort fine lines. I'll have to find that tutorial itself, because that post you linked has no links in it. I went to a 9patch website or something that had all the stuff, but it got too deep pretty quickly. In the short time I studied it, I had no clue how to even begin to install and use the program.
What baffles me is how Paint didn't screw up the .9.png. It worked fine with my edits, only it had no transparency so there was a white border. It was able to scale fine to landscape and portrait. It looked great. I totally though I had it figured out. :/ Have you looked at how to do .9.png files?
CodeRedDewd said:
Yes it's possible that would be very helpful. I found either that or another tutorial last night. It was interesting how the .9.png files are sectioned. I conda figured that out on my own, because it would have to be to get bigger and not distort fine lines. I'll have to find that tutorial itself, because that post you linked has no links in it. I went to a 9patch website or something that had all the stuff, but it got too deep pretty quickly. In the short time I studied it, I had no clue how to even begin to install and use the program.
What baffles me is how Paint didn't screw up the .9.png. It worked fine with my edits, only it had no transparency so there was a white border. It was able to scale fine to landscape and portrait. It looked great. I totally though I had it figured out. :/ Have you looked at how to do .9.png files?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The tutorial is contained in the OP of that post I linked to. It contains links for all the tools you need and a short description of the process to follow. And then I think the video tutorial might just guide you through the OP of that first link.
But yea, that's really interesting how Paint worked so well. Did you happen to take any screenshots of the Paint-edited apk running on your phone?
And no, I actually have never looked into editing .9.png files. Didn't really even know how they worked until you explained them a little bit in one of the above posts.
I attached an image. I'm not sure if it's going to show up in the post as an image; we'll see.
There is a white box around what is suppose to be shown as the editor. In the center of the black box it's not true black as the black surrounding it that I changed in the .9.png. The center must be another image.
I'm thinking I'm just going to make the white black, find the other gray images the buttons are on and make that one black. Who needs transparancy when it's all black, which is what I want anyway. lol
I'm going to look into the 9patch some more... It just seems so complicated with how to install and get working. It would be nice to work with someone who is actively editing .9.png's to get me on track....
Do you have an interest in editing those png's? lol
Hello. I'd like to introduce myself. I am Bubba from the AT&T Note 3, Note, and Infuse forums. I have had several people PM me asking for help or information on starting to theme. So I decided to start a learning thread.
WHAT THIS THREAD IS: A place to gather the basics to get you started if you want to learn. A place to ask questions about theming and theming issues. A place to interact with Recognized and Unrecognized themers as well as people who are at your level or maybe the next level you will reach. A place you can learn from advanced, intermediate, and beginners, and maybe even yourself. A place where any theming question can be asked and hopefully answered. Keep in mind I am no expert. I will do the best I can, and I have enlisted the help of a few of my Teammates to help us out. We are all from Team Alliance.
WHAT THIS THREAD IS NOT: This is not a place to request themes or apps to be themed. This is not a place for flaming or negative opinions of others works.
WHO WILL HELP OUT: Myself,lacoursiere18, daveyannihilation, Tired Storeman, Mikeymopar, Nunhugger, sparky b, and hopefully a few others will be stopping in to help.
WHAT CAN I LEARN TO THEME? We expect to cover TW apps as well as other apps. 4.4 as well as 4.3
WHO THE HECK ARE YOU? A little background on me. I started learning to theme just over 2 years ago. I released my first theme (A theme chooser theme) as a gift for myself and anyone else on my 50th birthday .. (so you are NOT too old to learn) with the help and guidance of a great friend and fellow "The Family" member ppalbicke who is truly the most patient man ever created lol. I am now on the forever locked AT&T Note 3, so no more Theme Chooser. So I am continually learning to theme TW apks and I keep intergrating other apps into the theme I want to keep building.
IS THIS A STRICK ON TOPIC STUFFY THREAD? Hell no.I want this thread to run a like every "favorite" thread I have been involved in. Light humor is not only permitted.. but encouraged. Trust me ... you will need humor as a stress relief for this stress relieving hobby.
So ... if your in ... tell your wives/husbands, boyfriend/girlfriend goodbye .. this will soon become an obsession. You will want to do nothing but make every app you see "purty". Trust me .. my wife hates my phone. "Why can't you just leave it alone dammit".
OKAY BUBBA.. SHADDUP AND GET THIS STARTED: Okay then .. here we go. I have packaged up some basic tools and links you will need to get started. You will find the link in post #2
Some instructions in Post #3
Tool Section
BASIC STARTER TOOLS
In this zip, you will find a few basic tools to get you started. I also have a Read Me in there that has link you will need. Download the zip and watch the video about SDK.
The apktool and the framework installer (thanks @zelendel ) should be placed in c:/users/whatever you named your pc .. and then place shortcuts on the desktop.
I included a link to Gimp because that is what I use. I had one Photoshop lesson from a master (Nunhugger) and have since failed miserably .. plus I am old and set in my ways. Some of the other guys use PS, so I will rely on them for those questions .... yours and maybe mine.
I will add more tools as we need them .. lets just see how this pans out.
ADDED TOOLS:
Theme Flash Zip
Syntax Highlighter
Android Color Converter
.9png Patch Suite
Instructional Videos:
Lesson in notepad++ by lacoursiere18
Bubba's Gimp Help Videos:
Frameworks Installer tool with Apk Decompile and Recompile.
Simple .9png editing
.9png Edit #2 using Gimp
Repair of a .9png using Gimp
Finding hex color with gimp
lacoursiere18 Photoshop Help Videos:
Finding Hex Colors with Photoshop
.9 image editing in Photoshop
Helpful Links
Some good insight into editing styles found by @lacoursiere18
Important Post Inside This Thread:
A Look Inside the Color Folder By @lacoursiere18
A look inside the Values Folder By @lacoursiere18
INSTRUCTIONS:
First you will need to install framework-res, twframework-res, and SystemUI.
You will need the rom you are running or the one you want to theme. Use 7 zip to pull those 3 apks from it. Drag them into Zel's Frameworks Installer tool and click install .. If yoiu are wanting to theme an app from the playstore or some other place .. you will need that apk as well. .. step 1 done
Next lets decompile something
I use a basic apktool that always works for me .. although feel free to use whichever you like. To decompile place the apk into the tool ( just drag that puppy in there).
Commands are as follows:
Click on the command prompt and type apktool d name of apk.apk (inserting the actual name of the apk in place of my wording name of apk) lol.
So lets do frameworks ... drag into tool the framework-res.apk open command prompt and type
apktool d framework-res.apk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
and hit enter. Let it do its job and finish.
It will create a folder named framework-res. This is where you edit. The Note 3 is xxhdpi although I have found some images in xdhpi need to be edited at times.
ANY IMAGE NAMED .9 NEEDS SPECIAL ATTENTION. These .9 images stretch and change size. They are bordered by 'Black Lines of Death" .. okay it ain't that bad, but they can be a *****. For these you must select the area inside the black lines and edit. If you mess with these lines .. they will haunt you. It's good practice to save these for last.
To recompile type
apktool b -d -f framework-res
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It is always best to make one edit then try and build .. just to see. Your edited apk will be inside the framework-res folder in the folder named dist. System apps: Pull the new apk from the dist folder and place it on your desktop then open with 7 zip. Open the original folder and copy the manifest and META folder inside there. Then drop those into the open new apk and your ready.
It is not necessary to sign system apkswith the tool. The sign tool is used for third party apps. To use this tool place the built apk into the unsigned folder and back out .. click sign ... then the signed folder will contain your new edited signed apk which should install for you.
Themed apks to Share
Non Specific apks
Updated Telegram App Jan 2015
Inverted Telegram Messaging By Bubba and Lacoursiere18
Inverted Seed Email By Bubba and Lacoursiere18
Inverted 8sms Text app
Root Browser
4.3 apks
Inverted Splanner By BubbaJoe Signed Install
{
"lightbox_close": "Close",
"lightbox_next": "Next",
"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
"lightbox_download": "Download",
"lightbox_share": "Share",
"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
}
4.4 Apps
Apps Done by Users
Themed Accuweather Stock Background by Note Crazy
ThunderKat Background Accuweather by Note Crazy
SecMms_Batman by kevinoliva1134.4 From the stock NG2 Rom.
Projects:
SPlanner4.3
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Videos~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here is a video of editing a ".9.png" in CS5 (photoshop)
Video on patching .9.png correctly for them to scale properly
Decompile to Modding a xml and drawable, then Recompiling..Tutorial
Reserved..
Reserved..
Awesome Theming Tutorial
i hate posting with meaningless drivel but...bring it on Bubba. you're not a recognized themer for nuthin'
while most users want things handed to them there are a LOT of very talented and imaginative people lurking around that just need guidance. i can't wait to see the stuff that's gonna come out of this thread.
enough chat....back to on-topic. i know how serious you are......heh
edit: not to post twice (not a post whore like some people :silly...this tutorial will work for devices other than the Note3. Images will be in different folders but the structure and ideas and ways to go about it are the same. just sayin'
I have a question. I am looking to remove the icon text and page indicator on my TW launcher. I am on 4.4.2 and have modded the launcher to enable theme support and hide apps in app tray. Once decompiled, would my search begin in res/values?
Attemting to theme is new to me and i have learned a great deal from all of you here.
thank you for this thread and your knowledge.
This Post Is The Opinion Of A Washed Up Rock Star
phillymade said:
I have a question. I am looking to remove the icon text and page indicator on my TW launcher. I am on 4.4.2 and have modded the launcher to enable theme support and hide apps in app tray. Once decompiled, would my search begin in res/values?
Attemting to theme is new to me and i have learned a great deal from all of you here.
thank you for this thread and your knowledge.
This Post Is The Opinion Of A Washed Up Rock Star
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think the easiest way would be to find the text color and make it transparent, the issue is actually finding it, could be in values/colors, values/ styles or even in an xml in drawables...
phillymade said:
I have a question. I am looking to remove the icon text and page indicator on my TW launcher. I am on 4.4.2 and have modded the launcher to enable theme support and hide apps in app tray. Once decompiled, would my search begin in res/values?
Attemting to theme is new to me and i have learned a great deal from all of you here.
thank you for this thread and your knowledge.
This Post Is The Opinion Of A Washed Up Rock Star
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have not touched the TW launcher because I am sold on Nova ..But you want to the app names?
Who's a whore? Bubba? Where's my seed mail?
correct. I prefer a clean look and don't mind using the stock launcher
This Post Is The Opinion Of A Washed Up Rock Star
RErick said:
Who's a whore? Bubba? Where's my seed mail?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's next .. got to conquer SPlanner .. almost there
phillymade said:
correct. I prefer a clean look and don't mind using the stock launcher
This Post Is The Opinion Of A Washed Up Rock Star
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sparx's idea sounds correct. try and search out the color for them and make transparent .. invisible is the next best thing to gone .. lol
Bubbajoe40356 said:
It's next .. got to conquer SPlanner .. almost there
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Done yet?
How about now?
How about now?
Now?
phillymade said:
correct. I prefer a clean look and don't mind using the stock launcher
This Post Is The Opinion Of A Washed Up Rock Star
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would look under res/values/styles.xml.. Look here:
Code:
<style name="HomeIcon" parent="@style/BaseHomeIcon">
<item name="android:textSize">14.0dip</item>
<style name="HotseatIcon" parent="@style/BaseHotseatIcon">
<item name="android:textSize">12.0dip</item>
You can just adjust the textSize to 0.0ddip.. I found this in values-sw359dp, but you may need to look in the other values folders as well. BTW Home is Home (like Home screen) and HotSeat is the dock
RErick said:
Done yet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope
RErick said:
How about now?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope
RErick said:
How about now?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope
RErick said:
Now?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Lemme check
nope
lacoursiere18 said:
I would look under res/values/styles.xml.. Look here:
Code:
<style name="HomeIcon" parent="@style/BaseHomeIcon">
<item name="android:textSize">14.0dip</item>
<style name="HotseatIcon" parent="@style/BaseHotseatIcon">
<item name="android:textSize">12.0dip</item>
You can just adjust the textSize to 0.0ddip.. I found this in values-sw359dp, but you may need to look in the other values folders as well. BTW Home is Home (like Home screen) and HotSeat is the dock
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks for this. found an old guide that did it this way. Think this would be the best solution
This Post Is The Opinion Of A Washed Up Rock Star
Bubbajoe40356 said:
Nope
Nope
Nope
Lemme check
nope
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Subscribed
lacoursiere18 said:
Subscribed
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Glad to have you aboard.