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How to install 'non-apk' apps in adroid!?

Hi,
I often dowload apps that come in a zip, and once unzipped are not in apk format.
For example, after being unzipped will usually include the following:
android manifest.xml
classes.dex
resources.arsc
a 'Meta-INF' folder
a 'res' folder
and a 'lib' folder
Was wondering how to get these packages installed. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Those are usually things you have to flash through recovery (install zip option), or install through MetaMorph if they're themes.

Hi,
just saw, you were faster.
have the same problem, in my case a *. sis file.
I don´t really know what to do with those files.
Regards
NetJay

Was a game I downloaded if that helps any1 understand.

dancforfreedom said:
Hi,
I often dowload apps that come in a zip, and once unzipped are not in apk format.
For example, after being unzipped will usually include the following:
android manifest.xml
classes.dex
resources.arsc
a 'Meta-INF' folder
a 'res' folder
and a 'lib' folder
Was wondering how to get these packages installed. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This folders are the typical folders found in an apk file. Actually, all you have to do in this case is to just rename the .zip file to .apk without unzipping it and it should work. I do that when my apk files that I downloaded comes out as .zip. It works for me all the time.
Sent from my HTC Original Desire using Tapatalk

Thanks a lot, worked a treat!

itachi1706 said:
This folders are the typical folders found in an apk file. Actually, all you have to do in this case is to just rename the .zip file to .apk without unzipping it and it should work. I do that when my apk files that I downloaded comes out as .zip. It works for me all the time.
Sent from my HTC Original Desire using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
thats all? Omg can´t belive it, will try.
Thanks so lot !
Regards
NetJay

dancforfreedom said:
Was a game I downloaded if that helps any1 understand.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Downloaded from where? Any official channels would supply an .apk surely?

dancforfreedom said:
Hi,
I often dowload apps that come in a zip, and once unzipped are not in apk format.
For example, after being unzipped will usually include the following:
android manifest.xml
classes.dex
resources.arsc
a 'Meta-INF' folder
a 'res' folder
and a 'lib' folder
Was wondering how to get these packages installed. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
try to rename the files to *.apk and install.

DirkGently1 said:
Downloaded from where? Any official channels would supply an .apk surely?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While they commonly will give you an .apk file, sometimes especially if you download it from your android device directly, it downloads as a .zip file. In that case you will have to rename it.

[Q] Downloaded APK files saved as .zip?

Just recently, on two different PCs, whenever I downlaod an APK from XDA-Developers, they are saved as .zip files (saved as "app.zip" instead of "app.apk"). Downloading from other sites works fine.
Is it something with the forums? or with my PCs?

Can the file be unzipped?
Sent from my HTC_A510c using XDA App

Android311 said:
Can the file be unzipped?
Sent from my HTC_A510c using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, the file can be unzipped & the contents are what would usually be in an apk file.
I just rename it to "app.apk" & it will work. Its just that it did not happen before, and now, on two PCs whenever I download an APK, I have to rename it first.

Apk in .zip
All APK's are just zip files in a format that Android understands and can un-zip almost like and be installed like a program. So, i think, you need to just change the .zip extension to .apk

The main question was that, previuosly downlaoded APK's from XDA were fine, now, they are saved as .zip. why?

omar302 said:
The main question was that, previuosly downlaoded APK's from XDA were fine, now, they are saved as .zip. why?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Probably because its not illegal I guess... if you were to upload a paid app as an APK u could get in trouble whereas if its in a .zip file then its not considered an illegal file... if you get me... another possibility is that it just takes up less space hope this helps
Sent from my Nexus One using XDA

[Q] help with some games apk ??

hi guys
i have a question here
i know it may be a noob question
sometimes when i download a game from any site the apk comes in the form of folders and files not single file (.apk file )
i want to know how to deal with that strange apk???
is there anyway to convert or compress the folders and file into one .apk file ???

43 views no answer ?!!!!!

try zipping it up and renaming the .zip to .apk

mktns said:
hi guys
i have a question here
i know it may be a noob question
sometimes when i download a game from any site the apk comes in the form of folders and files not single file (.apk file )
i want to know how to deal with that strange apk???
is there anyway to convert or compress the folders and file into one .apk file ???
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You mean except the apk file you have a folder and inside some files?
If that's the case than those files are game data that is usually modified to work with that apk..
So you install apk(game) and then copy the folder either to Android/data, to root of your internal sd card or in some other folder.The folder depends on the game developer and most of them put the game data folder to Android/data.
If you get the .apk+.obb files than you install apk and copy the obb files to your Android/obb folder..
You'll figure it out..
Sent from my LG-P920 using xda app-developers app

no not the sd data
i mean i download apk file in the form of .zip file and when i extract it i found many files and folders not .apk file
thnx anyway for your answer but the soultion was simple
i had to rename the .zip to .apk and then install it as usual

mktns said:
no not the sd data
i mean i download apk file in the form of .zip file and when i extract it i found many files and folders not .apk file
thnx anyway for your answer but the soultion was simple
i had to rename the .zip to .apk and then install it as usual
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
apk files are actually zips, you can open and change them with winrar, winzip or 7zip...
that's why renaming worked.

Question about flashing

I was curious if there is a way to extract a zip file instead of using CWM to flash it, for instance let's say I have a different keyboard that can be flashed through CWM but I don't want to flash it I'd rather just extract files and put them somewhere using root explorer, can this be done? And if so could someone tell me how to do it and where to put the files? Thank you
Sent from my LG-E980 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

MrKite4 said:
I was curious if there is a way to extract a zip file instead of using CWM to flash it, for instance let's say I have a different keyboard that can be flashed through CWM but I don't want to flash it I'd rather just extract files and put them somewhere using root explorer, can this be done? And if so could someone tell me how to do it and where to put the files? Thank you
Sent from my LG-E980 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you unzip the file to flash, you will notice a file hierarchy in the zip. Follow that hierarchy to the file(s) you want and then use a root explorer to paste the file(s) in the same location. Then reboot and if you pasted everything correctly, it should make that change.

cmendonc2 said:
If you unzip the file to flash, you will notice a file hierarchy in the zip. Follow that hierarchy to the file(s) you want and then use a root explorer to paste the file(s) in the same location. Then reboot and if you pasted everything correctly, it should make that change.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Okay, so what I have are 2 folders in the unzipped file in root explorer, one is labeled META-INF and the other is System. In the system there is an app and a lib folder, the app folder contains apps and the lib contains files with the extension .so, so I'm assuming paste the app files in the system/app folder and the .so files in the system/lib folder, correct? Now the META-INF folder contains files a com folder and three files, CERT.RSA, CERT.SF, and MANIFEST.MF. the com folder turns into a Google folder, then an Android folder which contains 2 files, update-binary and update-script. I pretty much have no idea what to do with everything in the META-INF folder. Could you possibly help with that I'd greatly appreciate it.
Sent from my LG-E980 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

MrKite4 said:
Okay, so what I have are 2 folders in the unzipped file in root explorer, one is labeled META-INF and the other is System. In the system there is an app and a lib folder, the app folder contains apps and the lib contains files with the extension .so, so I'm assuming paste the app files in the system/app folder and the .so files in the system/lib folder, correct? Now the META-INF folder contains files a com folder and three files, CERT.RSA, CERT.SF, and MANIFEST.MF. the com folder turns into a Google folder, then an Android folder which contains 2 files, update-binary and update-script. I pretty much have no idea what to do with everything in the META-INF folder. Could you possibly help with that I'd greatly appreciate it.
Sent from my LG-E980 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ignore the META-INF folder, that is used for the actual flashing procedure. Most apps can be installed without the certificate and manifest.
The app files would go in
Code:
/system/app
The library files (.so) would go in
Code:
/system/lib

cmendonc2 said:
Ignore the META-INF folder, that is used for the actual flashing procedure. Most apps can be installed without the certificate and manifest.
The app files would go in
Code:
/system/app
The library files (.so) would go in
Code:
/system/lib
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome, it worked! Thank you so much
Sent from my LG-E980 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app

[Q] how to fix parsing error when trying to install modified app ?

here's what I did.
I don't have a computer. I changed apk to zip and unzipped it. Then I used Axel xml/editor viewer to change things. Then saved it and compressed file to zip then changed to apk. I tried using Zip Signer from app store. I still get the same parsing error when I click app to install.
What do I do to fix it ? apk editor pro works and installs the modded app but won't load the modded app to change things again so I don't want to use that.

Anyone have an answer ?

Try this process, instead. It works famously for me.
First, copy the .apk to a safe place just in case!
1. Extract your .apk to a folder.
2. Edit what you want.
3. Open up your original .apk in an archive manager (7zip, WinRAR).
4. Navigate to the directory where your edited files will go while in the archive manager.
5. Drag-and-drop your edited files into the archiver window which has the .apk open. Click "OK" if it asks if you're sure.
6. Close that window, ADB push it to /[wherever], and install.
Done! :good:

thenookieforlife3 said:
Try this process, instead. It works famously for me.
First, copy the .apk to a safe place just in case!
1. Extract your .apk to a folder.
2. Edit what you want.
3. Open up your original .apk in an archive manager (7zip, WinRAR).
4. Navigate to the directory where your edited files will go while in the archive manager.
5. Drag-and-drop your edited files into the archiver window which has the .apk open. Click "OK" if it asks if you're sure.
6. Close that window, ADB push it to /[wherever], and install.
Done! :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I said I don't have a computer. I can't do that.
I read the problem is the apk is lot aligned. Can I run commands in a Terminal Emulator on my phone ?
1. Compress back to zip. 2 sign zip. 3 change to apk. 4 zipalign apk.
How do I zipalign ? I tried spme things I read for commands but don't know if I'm doing it right.

ryan012 said:
I said I don't have a computer. I can't do that.
I read the problem is the apk is lot aligned. Can I run commands in a Terminal Emulator on my phone ?
1. Compress back to zip. 2 sign zip. 3 change to apk. 4 zipalign apk.
How do I zipalign ? I tried spme things I read for commands but don't know if I'm doing it right.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oops. Missed that part.
I have no experience with the commands you are referring to, therefore I cannot help you.
Sorry.

thenookieforlife3 said:
Oops. Missed that part.
I have no experience with the commands you are referring to, therefore I cannot help you.
Sorry.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's like this, http://stackoverflow.com/questions/...apk-with-7zip-cause-error-during-installation
I don't know how to do the commands or which ones. I tried the ones shown but didn't do anything. I don't know if I did it right.

Stealthy App
Hi there i want to modify an app( Want add stealth Option in menu) please tell my how i can modify app with some easy editor softwares not complicated. Share some links.
Thanks in advance. hoping you will help me!

Scarface47 said:
Hi there i want to modify an app( Want add stealth Option in menu) please tell my how i can modify app with some easy editor softwares not complicated. Share some links.
Thanks in advance. hoping you will help me!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For reading all the xml files I use Axel (XML Editor / Viewer)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...aystore&pcampaignid=APPU_pzkdVL_aBcmONsKggsgE
You have to click open as on xml and choose axel then click Save As... save it somewhere with the same name as the file name as it is.
then copy the saved file into the folder of where you got it from and overwrite it. Make sure name is same. Now open the saved xml again in Axel ans now you can modify it, then click Save before exiting it.
For changing other things like button images I haven't done that.
I changed what app says inside and what some buttons says. The Strings.XML file is where buttons are or some other things
there's one called APK Editor Pro but it only lets you change app one time. It won't load modified one.
Here, https://play.google.com/store/apps/...aystore&pcampaignid=APPU_pzkdVL_aBcmONsKggsgE

is anyone able to tell me how to fix it ? How to get the apk aligned not using a computer ?