Database Info

LNK files useless?

hi,
please advise if i am wrong with my thoughts.
i think it is useless and a waste of performance to use LNK files (at least the ms ones).
lets have a look at the calendar.lnk:
if you want to launch the calendar app, you are launching first the calendar.lnk. the lnk file points to a registry setting (mscalendar). so the launcher (or systemhandler or whatever) needs to lookup there to findout what the programm-name and the required parameters are (in this case "poutlook.exe calendar". now after a while of doing nothing effectively the system finally begins to execute poutlook.exe calendar...
so whats the point of using lnk files?
i see so many launchers, programms even tweak utilities which make use of lnk files.
e.g. if you change one of your softkeys with a tweak utility to "phone", it does the same useless thing: it points to a link file instead directly to cprog.exe.
hopefully i am totally wrong but then please give me some advise.
thx

lnk is shortcut files
same as in windows
in windows if you want to start your program from the desktop
and dont want to copy the tons of files the exe file needs to start
to the desktop too you have a shortcut to the exe file

Some more on the subject:
The use of lnk files does not slow down the loading, in fact it can make it much more officiant.
Take Skype for example: it has a large executable (several MB). If you were to place that exe under "programs" to launch it it will take the system several seconds (quite noticeable period of time) just to find the icon inside the exe so even if you were just scrolling through your programs the device would appear to hang while the icon was loading.
A solution to that (which now became official part of the program installation) was to keep the icon in smaller exe (a resource dll or just plain ico file can also be used) and the lnk will "state" that the icon is not in the main exe.
Another use of the lnk files is the one you mentioned your self:
poutlook.exe calendar
Without lnk files you would be forced to type any parameters manually every time just like in the good old dos days.
By the way, the process you described, lnk-registry-exe does not take that long on current devices.
Just try launching a given exe directly and check if you notice any difference in lag.
If anything, it is the certificate check combined with relatively slow read speeds of flash memory that make WM 5 and 6 devices look sluggish.

levenum,
thanks a lot for your time and explanation.
sure, i was aware that lnk files help you to launch more easily programs with longer command strings when you use the default launcher.
but how about a different launcher (e.g. rltoday), where you setup once your config within that launcher. would you really point to the calendar.lnk file (which points to registry, which points to an exe file) instead of typing "poutlook.exe -calendar" directly into the launching path within rltoday?
anyway, if you say that there is no time lag, the discussion is more or less of "academical nature".
thanks
oliver

I am not familiar with rltoday, but it all comes down to how the programmer implemented the launcher.
There are two different commands, CreateProcess designed specifically to launch executable files and for that purpose only.
SellExecuteEx that acts exactly like a click in file explorer. The writer of the launcher has the option of which to use and I suspect they often use the second command.
The reason is simple: they want to give the user as much options as possible. If you want to bother and look up the exe and its command line, good for you, go for it. But what if you are a regular user who just wants to get that stupid icon on his today screen?
He wouldn't know or care about lnk->registry->exe. He just knows to look under windows\start menu\programs for something familiar.
Also having to interpret input of different types may be extra work so some launcher creators may want to only allow lnk and let the system understand and run their content.
That way they do not need to implement options for different icons, command line parameters and control panel applets.

Tutotrial: How to add Category Folder Quick Links to your Home Tab.

I have been wanting to add folders for some time to my quicklinks. I researched and researched.
I came across this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=576232
However it only dealt with a few categories.
So I have created new .lnk files and asscociated them with .png folder icons and created the necessary registry files.
This will work if you have 9, 12 or 16 Quick Links. For 20 Quick Links I think it will still work but you have to assign the Quick Links yourself.
Just unzip the attached file, read the read me and copy the Programs Folder to your phone and inport the enclosed registry entry too. Reset.

great idea! i wondered why 20 quicklinks are enough for all people here. i just have installed a few apps and games and my quicklink bar is full!
are you going to make the quicklinks for the 20 icon bar?

Great work, thanks.
fruchtfliege said:
great idea! i wondered why 20 quicklinks are enough for all people here. i just have installed a few apps and games and my quicklink bar is full!
are you going to make the quicklinks for the 20 icon bar?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If 25 links is enough for you? See this thread, from the same guy who created the 20 links on Home tab.

thanks, i've already seen the 25 link thread! i think it will be more flexible with folder links to group games etc. but maybe i'm going to use both tweaks:
normal links for most important apps and folder links for games, system information and so on...

tboy2000 said:
I have been wanting to add folders for some time to my quicklinks. I researched and researched.
I came across this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=576232
However it only dealt with a few categories.
So I have created new .lnk files and asscociated them with .png folder icons and created the necessary registry files.
This will work if you have 9, 12 or 16 Quick Links. For 20 Quick Links I think it will still work but you have to assign the Quick Links yourself.
Just unzip the attached file, read the read me and copy the Programs Folder to your phone and inport the enclosed registry entry too. Reset.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bit of a noob question but why can't you just create links to the default folders and then run these. I tried this but it always says fails to open "games application".

tboy2000 said:
I have been wanting to add folders for some time to my quicklinks. I researched and researched.
I came across this thread:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=576232
However it only dealt with a few categories.
So I have created new .lnk files and asscociated them with .png folder icons and created the necessary registry files.
This will work if you have 9, 12 or 16 Quick Links. For 20 Quick Links I think it will still work but you have to assign the Quick Links yourself.
Just unzip the attached file, read the read me and copy the Programs Folder to your phone and inport the enclosed registry entry too. Reset.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just to add to my last, I have an HD with 2.5.1922011 Nrgz ROM but can't seem to import the registry settings. Have used TRE and it states that registry import was successful but to no avail. I have tried hand modifying the entries but still not working. Am I missing something???

Not working
Changed the registry to my portuguese ROM and nothing!

Maybe this only works on WWE roms because of the registry names. If importing the registry does not work for you, try just adding the folders manually to your quick links in the normal way you would add apps. just look fit the folder.link file in the list. let me know.

tboy2000 said:
Maybe this only works on WWE roms because of the registry names. If importing the registry does not work for you, try just adding the folders manually to your quick links in the normal way you would add apps. just look fit the folder.link file in the list. let me know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi, in attach is an export of my regfile.
I have put in "sistema" the system.lnk and system.png and renamed it to Portuguese: sistema.lnk and sistema.png
Even so when i click in the home tab in icon (that shows your png file) it says,
" Its not possible to open the file "sistema". Or is not signed with a certificate or cannot find the components.
Thnaks

toyjeep said:
Hi, in attach is an export of my regfile.
I have put in "sistema" the system.lnk and system.png and renamed it to Portuguese: sistema.lnk and sistema.png
Even so when i click in the home tab in icon (that shows your png file) it says,
" Its not possible to open the file "sistema". Or is not signed with a certificate or cannot find the components.
Thnaks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is exactly what happens to me and my ROM is WWE. I can link the folder but it will not open. Tried manually editing the registry but without success. There must be another step but for the life of me I can't figure it out and it's driving me crazy!! This should be simple but HTC make it extremely difficult.

sandymac said:
This is exactly what happens to me and my ROM is WWE. I can link the folder but it will not open. Tried manually editing the registry but without success. There must be another step but for the life of me I can't figure it out and it's driving me crazy!! This should be simple but HTC make it extremely difficult.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Bump. Has anyone actually succeeded in doing as instructed and managed to create quick links with folders?

16 Shortcuts...for 25!!
Hi,
i am newbie with my HD2. I did the steps for 16 Short cuts, but it didn't worked out as it should because i have 25 Quick links. Now i have nice folder icons in my Quick links but they don't work!!
Could some one help me with a more detailed how to!!!!
Thanks in adv.
foka

another approach
Hi!
I had the very same problem.
The recommendations given here, I use too, but I remembered a small program usually used for maintaining a directory organisation with PortableApps on the PC. It just uses its own name (like 'games.exe') extracts the '.exe' out of it and opens the reaining 'games' as a directory. I found this was a brute, but very useful solution to the problem. So finally I did that app for mobile devices on my own. It is written in C#. Prerequisites are compact framework 3.5.
In my opinion its only drawback is, that it uses the file-explorer as a platform to view the directory. I would like the HTC view with icons more, but I don't know, how to call the required code to do so.
Personally I have installed 4 instances of the program (240kb) on the storage-card and created the links to them in the startmenu-folder. This works fine with directlinks.
Note: Only subfolders in /windows/startmenu/programs are opened! For other needs the source code is easily changeable.
Here comes a short description:
----------------------------------------------------------------
Prerequisites: Microsoft Compact Framework 3.5.
Install and usage description:
MobDir.Cab installs the file MobDir.exe into your 'prorams' directory.
Since MobDir reads in its very own name to function, it is of utmost importance to RENAME MobDir.exe to a directory name, that fits for your environment!
MobDir starts a File-Explorer directly in a directory that resides in your /windows/start menu/programs
directory.
e.g.: There is a dir called 'games' in your 'programs' directory of 'start menu', that contains all the links to your games on the device. Rename MobDir.Exe accordingly into 'games.exe'. If the program is already installed in your 'start menu/programs' directory, there is not much more to do for you. Simply select games.exe in your directlinks. There you have a directory-icon labeled 'games' then which, when clicked, opens the file-explorer in your games directory. If games.exe resides on your starage card, you have to create a games.lnk into the 'start menu/programs' directory first.
Of course, if you have more subdirectories in your 'start menu/programs' folder, which is most likely the case ('apps', 'tools' for instance), just copy the file MobDir.Exe under these names to your device. In this example as apps.exe and tools.exe. The rest is the same as written beforehand.
Sounds more complicated as it is, just try it, it's simple.
Note: The way it works can be followed by watching the source code. It first reads in its own filename (e.g.: 'games.exe'). Then it extracts the '.exe' out of the name (leaving a 'games'). Right after it looks for your current localized '/windows/start menu/programs/' path and adds the string to it, which we extracted beforehand. So we have a path 'windows/start menu/programs/games'. Finally the file-explorer is called with that path as a parameter.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Here is the source-code:
Code:
using System;
namespace MobDir
{
static class Program
{
[MTAThread]
static void Main()
{
string cFileNameSelf="Use this Base-Code as a sample. Written in '2010 bei D.Bos";
try
{
//read out own filename and strip out ".EXE"
cFileNameSelf = AppDomain.CurrentDomain.FriendlyName.ToUpper().Replace(".EXE", "");
//start File-Explorer, given the path to /windows/startmenu/programs/ + <NameSelf>
System.Diagnostics.Process p = System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("fexplore.exe", ReadSpecialFolder("Programs") + "\\" + cFileNameSelf + "\\");
p.WaitForExit();
}
catch (System.Exception e)
{
System.Windows.Forms.MessageBox.Show("Problem with <" + cFileNameSelf + ">!\n" + e.Message);
}
}
public static string ReadSpecialFolder(string cVarName)
{
return Environment.GetFolderPath((Environment.SpecialFolder)Enum.Parse(typeof(Environment.SpecialFolder), cVarName, true));
}
}
}
-----------------------------------------------------------
And finally: The file MobDir.Cab is attached to this posting.
Hopefully you can make some use of it.
Dietmar

Feebe Ringtones Edit problem

Hey guys,
I am in need of your help, obviously .
I have downloaded an app called FeebeRingtones. It works pretty good so far, apart from an annoying point.
You get the option to download some songs from it, which are apparently saved in the /sdcard/FeebeRings/mp3 folder. This annoys me because it essentially makes those downloaded mp3 ringtones playable from my media player.
What i want to do is edit the apk and make it save in /sdcard/media/audio/ringtones folder. I've opened up the apk, and got to a file named file_save.xml. Thing is when i open that file up its content shows up as gibberish. I tried opening it with an xml editor (Open XML Editor 1.6) but still no luck at all.
Can anyone point me at the right direction, as to what program to use and edit it?
I am attaching the file_save.xml in case anyone wants to have a look and help me out.
Thank you very much for your time.

APK Batch Rename Tool (for Windows and Linux)

Hi guys!
This is a quick tool I jotted together for myself in the past couple days and found it very useful. So I decided to clean it up and share it. Hope you will like it! Do comment and ask!
APK Batch Rename Tool
* for Windows and Linux for now.
APK Batch Rename Tool recursively crawls input folder and all of its subfolders looking for Android Package files (.apk's). It reads Label and Version info from apk's found and creates a copy for each apk under the output folder but using the Label and Version info acquired.
For example a com.example.hw.apk will make Hello World! 1.21.apk provided that the label inside the package was set to Hello World! and version is 1.21.
The old and the new apk files are 100% the same in terms of content and are unchanged. Only the new copies are given new filenames. Input files are left completely intact.
Why?
Have you ever wondered what are your 1500+ apk files with wierd names nested to different wierd folders on your harddrive? Have you ever wanted to find an app but you were unable to because it had some undescriptive javaish name that made no sense reflected no version and your apps were swept across a hundred junk folders anyway? Then APK Batch Rename is the tool for you! And me!
APK Batch Rename will set a human readable name for all your Android apps, and drop such a copy into a folder. You will finally be able to browse them, sort them alphabetically and be able to pick from versions available.
How?
1. Copy all your apk files (or folders with apk files in them) into the input folder. You may copy folders of any depth. APK Batch Rename Tool will recurse all subfolders of the input folder anyway.
2. Hit or click ApkBatchRename.bat . (For Linux users it's: apkbatchrename, or on a terminal enter: ./apkbatchrename ) Wait until it finishes the job.
3. Find your freshly named files in the output folder.
Simple as that!
Have fun! & Comment!
phsorx

great work, just like reading mp3 tag then rename to "song - artist.mp3"
thanks!

Cool. I use to do it manually. Time saver app.
Thanks.

This is awesome! Thank you very much, situation you described in first post is just like mine, I find your tool very useful!

Folks,
Let me join you crediting phsorx's job, that app is just great!
Thanks and congrats!

Very cool, Works well. Always wanted to do this but was too lazy to try aapt.
I just checked:
aapt said:
badging Print the label and icon for the app declared in APK.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Code:
> aapt d badging Talk.apk
[B]package: name='com.google.android.talk' [/B]versionCode='130' [B]versionName[/B]='1.3'
sdkVersion:'8'
targetSdkVersion:'8'
uses-permission: **truncated***
application: [B]label='Talk'[/B] icon='res/drawable-hdpi/ic_launcher_google_talk.png'
uses-feature:'android.hardware.touchscreen'
main
other-activities
search
other-receivers
supports-screens: 'small' 'normal' 'large'
locales: '--_--' 'es' 'es_US'
densities: '160' '240'
I'll definitely use your script but with a small change to show the package name as well as its valuable for when you need to uninstall the package.
i.e label_packagename(version).apk -> Talk_com.google.android.talk(1.3).apk
Attached a slightly modified batch file and screenshot
For single file one-off renames (right-click->open with->rename single) you can use the script here.

De jo! Honfitars. Hajra Magyarok!

Customizable naming planned in future version
britoso said:
Very cool, Works well. Always wanted to do this but was too lazy to try appt.
i.e label_packagename(version).apk -> Talk_com.google.android.talk(1.3).apk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Britoso,
Yeah! That's a neat way to do it too!
Eventually I want to make naming and spacing fully customizable! Including what attributes to pick (name, label, versionName) to constitute the filename, and what separators (_,-,(,),space) should go where.
In the howto.txt I have a little road-map for the project. Will add customizable naming too.
Will keep you guys posted.
EOF
phsorx
Ps: Anyone who has another naming suggestion drop a post! I'd be interested.

great job...bravo..
thanks

Very nice tool, thanks for sharing this .
Using it with britoso's edited script.
Edit: I would appreciate it if a log of the conversion would be saved in a \logs\ subfolder, so I can check which files were not converted properly and see if I have to do those manually.

Handy ! Thanks...

deleted

For one-off renames you can use the below batch file.
1) create the below batch file in the same folder as apkrename.bat (its attached too)
Name: rename-single.bat (change this if you want)
content:
Code:
cd "C:\change_me\ApkRename\"
apkrename.bat %1 %~dp1
Change the path(change_me) as needed.
2)Associate it with apks by right clicking on the apk and choosing "choose default program", browse and select the batch file "rename-single.bat".
Uncheck "make this the default operation"
Screenshot and batch file attached. Enjoy.
update:
-12/8 uploaded a new version that fixed a bug involving long path names with spaces.
Also added a check for success and then delete the original apk. (backup your apks just in case).
Remember to set the path to the ApkRename folder in rename_single.bat once before using it.

Really gd job )

APK Batch Rename Tool for Linux is on the way
luvgirl12345 said:
would like a linux version...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi luvgirl12345,
The Linux port is on the way & will be posted here soon!
Actually, the Windows release is running on win32 ports of a few common Linux tools. And that's so, because I am lazy. Having Linux's much better support for shell scripting plus the same tool set always at hand, porting is a breeze.
Ciao,
phsorx

Sounds very useful, thank you!

Looks nice for massive apk renaming.
Found a similar tool called APKInfo some month ago which i am using for single apk files for a while now.
But finally something for batch renaming.
Thanks

your the man!, works like a charm. Thanks!

Any plans for making an Android version of this to run on our devices?

Future plans for an on-phone version of the APK Rename Tool
del4 said:
Any plans for making an Android version of this to run on our devices?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes! Certainly. Its in the plans.
But firstly there are a few things to be fixed on the desktop version first. See road map section of the howto.txt file in the archive. The most burning issue is the so called overwrite issue that I want to be sorted out next. Say you have two copies of the same app (same name, label, versionName) but one of them has a patch against it (because its been modded by a reverser) than one of the copies will overwrite the other (ApkRename 1.10).
Secondly on a mobile device's SD card there is usually less space than on a desktop's hard drive. This implies that APK Renamer will actually have to rename the files in place instead of creating a copy of each in a separate folder. Or at least it will need to figure out the empty space left on the device, and if its not enough to hold the copies, it should offer in-place renaming instead. Not a lot of logic to add but still...
Having all the outstanding questions be figured out on the desktop still, will allow me to implement a more established version for the phone right from start. But hold still its not going to take very long
Bests,
phsorx

Cracked Tap Tap revenge 4 song!!!

Successfully cracked the file Bruno Mars - Somewhere In Brooklyn
Note to users: I am not responsible if you wreck your device. If you do this properly, chances of breaking your device is ZERO!
Credits to: motsach89(he shared his tap tap song)
I have cracked this file to run on any android phone.
Tools needed :
1)Root access on phone
2)Root explorer or (any root level access file explorer)
Download this file: http://www.google.com
Then unzip the file into any location
Copy folder brunomars.ttrTheme into [sdcard/android/data/com.tapulous..../files/Themes]
Copy folder inside tracks into [sdcard/android/data/com.tapulous..../files/Tracks]
Lastly, using root explorer, copy the folder in [data/data/com.tapulous..../files/tracks]
This data/data/com.tapulous folder can only be found if you press the "..." in root explorer all the way untill it disappears.( Also known as the parent folder)
Open tap tap and play the song!
Thks to the person who bought and supplied the song. But without cracking, we cannot use it straightaway...
For generous people, please share your songs for others to use. Send me the data file, theme and track so that i can crack it and upload.

Status:
Done:
Song: Somewhere in Brooklyn by Bruno Mars
In Progress:
Song: Pon de Replay by Rihanna
Currently mising theme files
Song: Nobody by Wonder Girls
Missing xml and info.plist
More to come....

Reserve for later

hello did any1 try it yet? ppl seem to miss this thread...

downloading try asap. XD

cant we use the version of TTR on iphone? they say that we just need to convert a file to xml. (>.<)

nope i think it is unconvertible, the format for the code is different. If you see, iphone has a info.plist but we have xml file, and our info.plist is inside the data/data... at root.
By the way both plist and xml can be renamed in to txt files and edited. I opened the android and the ios ver, i noticed a huge difference in the code. The IOS has a long continuous key while android has many sub keys.

well.. the TTR on android is different from iphone version. the tapping doesnt affect song.
oh yeah. the result.. its working! thanks a lot. hope too see more lists of songs.

actually it is the xml file that contains the taps.
And I would need people to share their songs with me
Enjoy.

Is there any other way without using root?

no warez.
thread closed.