I like Android. I liked some of the custom ROMs even more. Especially in combination with a theme. However, there are always certain things that bother me. That's why I want to make my own ROM. Since I do not have any skill in any program language, I'm not going to build a ROM from scratch. That wouldn't be a good idea anyway . And I don't need to. I'm just going to use a custom ROM as a base. So mainly what I want to do is theme.
This is what I want to achieve:
- I want to theme every single aspect of the OS, or at least as much as possible. I want it to be a whole.
- As I said, I'm not going to build a ROM from scratch. That would be impossible. But my guess is that there are things that are possible to change. For example, I should be able to change the order in which the buttons in the settings menu are shown, right? And the buttons itselves? The text on the buttons? Correct me if I'm wrong, but I imagined it as a big text editor file in which you can just change some text. For example, there would be a big code for each button with lots of numbers and symbols, but between those codes there would be plain english text which I could edit (for example, the Application button at the menu: I could change it to say "Apps" instead of "Applications"), and I could also change the order in which those codes are shown. Anyway, that's the sort of stuff that seems editable to me, and it's also the sort of stuff I want to edit. What doesn't seem editable (or not so 'easy' at least) to me, is the fact that you can't pulldown the notification bar in the lockscreen in CM7. This is just an example, but you get it. I want to change as much as possible about a certain ROM, but only the things that I can easily change, like the order of certain buttons or the text on certain buttons.
I just used those things above as an example. I do want to change the order of the buttons and the text on buttons, but it's not going to be the only thing I want to change. So keep in mind that it is just an example.
These are the tools that I found that may be useful:
- UOT Kitchen
- HTC Android ROM Kitchen (works on NS)
- How-to-theme guide on XDA
- A Metamorph guide on XDA
I don't know if I need UOT kitchen when I'm going to use that big How-to-theme guide. Probably not. HTC Android ROM kitchen looks nice, but I don't know if it can change the order of the buttons and the text on buttons and that sort of stuff.
Things I need help with:
- Is there or is there not a big text editor file in which I could just edit some codes, or isn't it as easy as that? I'm not going to change a whole code. Like I said, I only want to change what's easy to change, like the order of buttons or text on buttons.
- What ROM should I use as a base? CM7 is probably the best, because of course I want a lot of features in my ROM.
- Can I use UOT Kitchen in combination with that guide, or is kitchen completely useless when I use that guide?
- My most important question: What, do you think, is everything I can change with my knowledge? I don't have any programming skill, but I do have time. And besides, I don't even want to edit a lot of stuff in a ROM. Just stuff from the outside. So mainly theming. Not too much feature-like.
Long thread. If anyone can help me get started, that would be great!
Please? Can anyone help?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=886971
Found this above thread also very useful.
To clarify what I want some more:
Besides changing the order of the settings menu and the text on the buttons, I would also like to add some more settings. I would really like to have the voodoo sound settings integrated in the settings menu.
Again, those are just examples, but those are the kind of things I would like to change. So nothing major!
Related
I'm a big fan of the Hero slide-to-unlock function, but the only way it appears to get something like this on non-Hero builds is the Lock 2.00 app, which appears to have lots of problems since Android is not designed to have a user replaceable lock screen.
I would like to dive in to the framework and find where the (non-pattern, just push 'menu') lock screen is and see about replacing it. Things like a battery meter, emails, etc., that appear on Hero wouldn't be included since that requires tying in to all sorts of other things, as well as being a battery drain. In my mind ideally it would work as so:
1. Any key press wakes the screen
2. Slide down to unlock
The Android platform source is pretty intimidating when you don't know where to look though. Any devs want to point me to where in the tree the source for the 'Push Menu to unlock' screen is?
layout xml is in core/res/res/layout/keyguard_screen_lock.xml
some strings in core/res/res/values/strings.xml
That should get you started, I'm not sure where the rest of the code is, but this seems to be all Stericson modified.
[edit: I found the keyguard code for you. Check out various files in: android_frameworks_policies_base/phone/com/android/internal/policy/impl/ ]
Ah, OK, that helps, thanks. This will at least let me fix another pet-peeve: the giant carrier name and small date/time under it. (Because I really need to be reminded I'm on T-Mobile's service every time I unlock the phone. Just in case I miss the branding on the handset or the large text in the notification tray or something.)
pm'd you, in case you didn't notice my edit
Aha, there it is in LockScreen.java. As a test I changed it to allow a simple touch to unlock in addition to pressing the menu key. Now to figure out how to build this thing. (Even better, how to build cyanogens ROM, as I know that one works and works well.)
atomtom said:
Aha, there it is in LockScreen.java. As a test I changed it to allow a simple touch to unlock in addition to pressing the menu key. Now to figure out how to build this thing. (Even better, how to build cyanogens ROM, as I know that one works and works well.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My bet would be to message Stericson or Cyanogen for some help compiling it and implementing it if you need it. To my knowledge, the Cyanogen roms still use some mods that Stericson made to the lockscreen.
If this is the wrong section, let me know please.
I see a lot of themes or people SS's of their home screen and, the Start button at the top, i see a lot of people have custom names there, like in Laskar's theme and etc. i was wondering how it's possible to put a custom name there... Like... Susa instead of Start, or something along those lines
i would also like to see this possible
Well, i still don't know how to do it, but the new co0kies 1.7 has an option for it now, so all's well
Susasama said:
Well, i still don't know how to do it, but the new co0kies 1.7 has an option for it now, so all's well
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought it was only your service provider details that CHT would change, not the txt next to the start button?
I'm still after customizing the start txt if any one can help...
There's two ways that I know of..........
Either look here. Needs a bit of knowledge to do that, tried a few times but couldn't get the dll to re-sign correctly and gave up in the end.
Or.......the cheating option which I use.
Install the "No Start" patch attached (WWE only), no idea who wrote it originally so can't credit them, but it came off here somewhere.
Then in Photoshop add whatever you want to replace it with, this has the advantage that you can use whatever font/image/colour you want rather than just sticking to white text in your system font if you do it the proper way.
To align in Photoshop, take a screenshot to show your start icon with no text, then overlay it with some transparency onto your new wallpaper then you can see perfectly where you need to paste your new text/icon or whatever.
Hope this helps.
sniper-wolf said:
There's two ways that I know of..........
Either look here. Needs a bit of knowledge to do that, tried a few times but couldn't get the dll to re-sign correctly and gave up in the end.
Or.......the cheating option which I use.
Install the "No Start" patch attached (WWE only), no idea who wrote it originally so can't credit them, but it came off here somewhere.
Then in Photoshop add whatever you want to replace it with, this has the advantage that you can use whatever font/image/colour you want rather than just sticking to white text in your system font if you do it the proper way.
To align in Photoshop, take a screenshot to show your start icon with no text, then overlay it with some transparency onto your new wallpaper then you can see perfectly where you need to paste your new text/icon or whatever.
Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! Sneaky, but I like it! Will give it a go!
Must admit, I'm a bit surprised no one has come up with a editor yet
So I'm curious about looks vs. functionality
Each one of my little drawings here satisfy both.
First off, I apologize for being a retard and using cam scanner to make these images sideways (although they were right side up originally).
Seeing as I can't attach images directly from my phone onto this site, I had to email them to myself, download them and then re attach.
Also another retard thing, I made a home button (app) thing on both of them even though there is a physical one on the phone itself.
Have a look
Also clarify with me which is which (theme or ROM).
How hard is it to design/engineer this and actually have everything function properly?
Theme/ROM 1
Them/ROM
it looks like you want to pull the whole status bar to the bottom of your phone. i didnt think you could just move that stuff around. a Dev would would be able to give u a yes or no.
im leaning more towards a theme than a Rom. but you can only theme what the Rom has. and NO rom has that, that i know of. so its like a combination of both.
Those drawings appear to be a significant layout overhaul, a la Sense and Touchwiz
It would either be:
1) a full-blown ROM
2) A replacement for a number of system apps (but could be an add-on), at the very least the launcher and probably the lockscreen
More than just basic theming, that's for sure.
Well it certainly gives the phone a neater, "in my opinion more efficient" functionality.
The one with the radial app dial, that spins, (you guys probably could tell that already) can fit either 7 or 8 apps.
When you press the home button the phone app automatically aligns directly above the said home button (non physical assuming there are 7 apps not 8).
The apps that go on the radial thing-a-ma-jig are your primary apps.
However since that non-physical home button is not needed, then the phone would be in the center or perhaps you'd like the browser.
In any case whichever app you use most extensively (ie #1).
I certainly cannot do any of the ROM creating but I was hoping to spark interest with the ones who are able to do so with ease.
The one with the triangle side bars (next image) these have 1-3 icons on them, when you tap that icon the first time a box will come up over lapping everything else in the background (or with slight opacity) and that gives you more detail rather than just an icon.
I think it would be neat as hell if this was done.
So is it like, theme = aesthetics ; rom = function
In this case I'd like to do both.
Also the capability to assign any app in that 7-8 slot (radial) would also be nice.
Perhaps done through the command prompt.
This is a feature I picked up from a blackberry (ability to assign any icon to a specific design/theme).
Thanks for the interest, I'm going to try and fix the orientation.
Some of what you're looking to do (the home-dial concept) may be doable without any ROM development at all - after all, plenty of launchers are installable as apps and what you're describing there is a launcher concept.
Notification bar moving could be a lot harder though.
FYI I'm a kernel guy not an app developer, so I can't help you much other than say that I'm fairly certain one of the features you want to implement can be done as a launcher app for any ROM.
Alright alright, we're sifting through sonething here.
I have very little knowledge od 'kernel' 'launchable' 'rom' as far as developing them goes. Are there tutorials ? (search bar probably)
Thanks for your contributions
What about color (borders keys etc)
Nice drawings man
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I997 using xda premium
Hey thanks DevilDogAK
It's one thing to draw the idea by hand but to actually create it with code...
That's where the tires hit the road one might say.
I need to do some reading to get an idea of what I have to accomplish.
Thanks for the interest, as always it starts with a dream
I'll let you guys know whats up when I actually get to the point of dev
But team work goes a long way (hint hint hint)
sweet... great concept imo, & hey, cyanogen started with just a concept. wish i knew more to help you out, but we're with you in spirit nice drawings too lol
from Sams inFuse... inFused GB
About the launcher comment, does having two mean more computing power needed to run the first and second launcher or can I just do one primary launcher?
If I can just move things around, what about putting some notification components under the wheel? Components such as the wifi toggle and the data image or perhaps the data and battery.
Anyone smart enough to do that probably isn't dicking around on XDA. You never know though.
Well... I'm here
Haha just kidding, I do wish somebody with some experience knowledge (ie developer of Serendipity etc... ) a man can dream... a man can dream.
Is it possible on android to make your own lockscreen from scratch, or at least a custom combination type thing because I've had an idea for something that would be nicer then a numeric lock but less of a failure then pattern.
* In retrospect I probably should've scrolled down to android section, oh well.
Yes, is possible but you must know programing in java..
Been doing java for a couple years, could you point me to a reference or something that its been done before?
Well, you could go learn Java programming language and go from there, or you can use an app called WidgetLocker. It's free in the Play Store but there is also a paid version available for purchase. With this App you can change the slider on your lock screen and also add widgets like you would on your homescreen. You can also add app shortcuts to it. If you'd like to download more slider options go to this link: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=968613
There are hundreds of options to choose from. Just download it to your computer then drag it into your phones SD card and it should show up in the slider options. I hope this helps you out!
Y'know I know you probably want to get your 10 posts going and all but I see nothing in your reply that has anything to do with the original statement.
Sorry EphemeralMirage if no one has been of great help to you lately, I think he was just trying to help you and he was just trying to be nice. He didn't clearly understand your question, but being a bit nice to others would help in this forum.
You should probably check this guide out, have a look at it and see if it looks like what you need.
http://androidforums.com/sprint-hero-all-things-root/48610-guide-creating-custom-lockscreens.html
Thanks that looks like what I'll reference, as soon as I get the source stuff hammered out and all.
If you are looking to actually create your own way to unlock the screen
that is different than taking a stock method and changing the graphic.
It was something that I was going to look into, but I haven't got that far.
In the Nook, the screen unlockers are implemented in /system/framework/android.policy.jar
There are apparently three of them already:
LockScreen - the standard slide to unlock
LockPinKeyguardView - a four digit pin
LockPatternKeyguardView - apparently a pattern lock
So theoretically just use the source for that, add in yours and see what happens?
Then again that might be easier said then done, into AOKP I go!
AndroidPlus
Check this website to make some basic apps. it is very useful for the beginners.
androidplus.org
Hi all!
Working on my rom (JB XXELLC), and got and idea I just want to have some guidence with. Kinda a new to android (about 1 month), but picked up quite a lot allready, and done some simple smali / xml modding.
So, the idea is, to simply add an option in SecSettings with clockcolor, like the inkeffect setting (easy part).
The line in SystemUI xml files is also under control (like the color is basic xml code, like #blablabla)
Now, the thing I need a little guidence with is. When I have my colorvalue in secsettings, how do I get that value into the clock-color-value in the xml file?
The way I think is that choosen color is stoered in some adress (not known yet), say 0x111111 for now. And in the XML file (or some smali?), insted of a #fffffff color the color will be picked up from 0x1111111 ..
Am I thinking right? I'm not requesting a complete mod, or anything like that, just wanted to hear with you more skilled guys if I'm thinking right. Chose the correct method will cut down my dev time, a lot.. Of course It will be tricky, but that's a bit of the charm.
And sorry for bad english.. working on it :silly:
I realized that you said in your post that you wanted to cut DOWN your dev time, but I'm not going to contribute to that motive at all. Instead, I'm going to give you advice on how to massively increase your "dev time" at the same time as you massively increase your knowledge on how things work. After all, this section isn't about "quick" fixes.
(Knowing the answer is nice. Knowing how to find the answer is much, much better.)
Why not grab cyanogenmod or aokp source, and find examples of what you are trying to do (pull a color from something set in settings) in the actual java source, then compile that firmware, and finally push it back through apktool (or whatever your using to disassemble the apk) and find the corresponding smali?