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question about paid applications

why is it that they are installed onto data/app as a zip file?
this confuses me sooo much how does it work if they are zip and not apk!
humor me with enlightenment pleasee ^_^

apks are zips with a different name. For serious. When I pack up my version of a theme into a file that needs to be called framework-res.apk I simply zip it with no compression and then rename the file.

yes ive actaully done a little theming myself and i understand that, but what i wish to do is uninstall some of my applications and edit them to change the default icons, i have success with the apks of regular apps but i cant do it for the paid ones
it seems that in the data/app file they arent apks at all! they are zip files
and after i have edited them on the computer and re zipped, named, and signed them, i still cant get them to re install,
the purpose of this is to change the default icon and no i do not want to use bettercut because i am using ahome and its not compatible

matthewboii said:
yes ive actaully done a little theming myself and i understand that, but what i wish to do is uninstall some of my applications and edit them to change the default icons, i have success with the apks of regular apps but i cant do it for the paid ones
it seems that in the data/app file they arent apks at all! they are zip files
and after i have edited them on the computer and re zipped, named, and signed them, i still cant get them to re install,
the purpose of this is to change the default icon and no i do not want to use bettercut because i am using ahome and its not compatible
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm that's a good question. I have yet to change default icons, so I'm of no help. Sorry :-/

yeah, well its actually not that hard to do as long as you repack and sign it, that is, only for the apps that are not paid, but the paid apps on the other hand are another story completely
anyone?

I have noticed this as well, it seems that the .zip files in the app directory are protected. You will find the .apk in the app-private directory.
Hope that helps.

BlueBoar said:
I have noticed this as well, it seems that the .zip files in the app directory are protected. You will find the .apk in the app-private directory.
Hope that helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just beat me to it! Yeah, try the APK in app-private.

workd!
thanks guys

Solved - Modifying Rosie.apk

Wasssup fellas! Ok so I'm no themer but I've started to delve into your world a little bit. I'm looking to draw on the experience of any of you that have successfully modified the Rosie. So here's my set up
I've got Apktool set up in Ubuntu before you ask I downloaded 1.3.1 not 1.3.2
I have all the dependencies in place
I've installed the framework (apktool if com.htc.resources.apk)
Rosie.apk decompiles with no errors (apktool d Rosie.apk out)
I've modified /res/value/colors.xml to add transparency to the app drawer? (This may be my issue)
Compiled (cd out/ .......apktool b) compiles with no errors
I've tried this signing Rosie.apk, Not signing it, Copying out the "Res" and "Resource" file and going into the original Rosie.apk with Ark Manager without extracting the archive and dropped in the "Res and "Resource" files.
Same result each time when I push the file via ADB or put it in a flashable zip the phone boots goes through the animation capacitive keys light up then the phone gets stuck on the last frame of the boot animation and just hangs there forever no boot loops just hangs there?
Any help would be more than appreciated, thanks guys!
Lou
gtalk @ RedemptionRom
email: [email protected]

Rosie in my sky raider theme is working great. And I modified the png's inside it. Didn't need to do all of the things you did. I just themed the png's, zipped it up in an update.zip and then flashed it through recovery.
But I did not edit the colors.xml like you did. I left that alone.
[¦] mobile [¦]

Be sure to use the same com.htc.resources.apk and framework-res.apk from the ROM you took Rosie from.

HeyItsLou said:
Wasssup fellas! Ok so I'm no themer but I've started to delve into your world a little bit. I'm looking to draw on the experience of any of you that have successfully modified the Rosie. So here's my set up
I've got Apktool set up in Ubuntu before you ask I downloaded 1.3.1 not 1.3.2
I have all the dependencies in place
I've installed the framework (apktool if com.htc.resources.apk)
Rosie.apk decompiles with no errors (apktool d Rosie.apk out)
I've modified /res/value/colors.xml to add transparency to the app drawer? (This may be my issue)
Compiled (cd out/ .......apktool b) compiles with no errors
I've tried this signing Rosie.apk, Not signing it, Copying out the "Res" and "Resource" file and going into the original Rosie.apk with Ark Manager without extracting the archive and dropped in the "Res and "Resource" files.
Same result each time when I push the file via ADB or put it in a flashable zip the phone boots goes through the animation capacitive keys light up then the phone gets stuck on the last frame of the boot animation and just hangs there forever no boot loops just hangs there?
Any help would be more than appreciated, thanks guys!
Lou
gtalk @ RedemptionRom
email: [email protected]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This means sense failed to load. The phone booted but sense does not work. If you have a back up launcher it would have defaulted to that. Good way to test is to install lp or launcher 2 so next time it will still load in.

synisterwolf said:
This means sense failed to load. The phone booted but sense does not work. If you have a back up launcher it would have defaulted to that. Good way to test is to install lp or launcher 2 so next time it will still load in.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great idea!!! Doing that makes testing much easier fairly obvious don't know how I missed that one.

Berzerker7 said:
Be sure to use the same com.htc.resources.apk and framework-res.apk from the ROM you took Rosie from.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Rosie is part of the theme I'm using which comes with both the Framework-res.apk and com.htc.resources.apk. Am I correct in using this set of framework files or should I be using the Rom's original framework?

What exactly are you trying to modify in rosie? Is it just the app drawer background? I can tell you that rosie has little to do with framework-res. The app drawer background colors are located in launcher.xml and allappsgridview.xml.

deficitism said:
What exactly are you trying to modify in rosie? Is it just the app drawer background? I can tell you that rosie has little to do with framework-res. The app drawer background colors are located in launcher.xml and allappsgridview.xml.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I mentioned the framework because apktool requires you to install it to decompile rosie.apk. I will check those xml's out. The failed boot may be because I edited the /res/values/colors.xml file. I don't have my virtual machine fired up but I did edit one of the all_apps strings in there from #ff000000 to #80000000 on the advice of a themer. This may be what f'd me up.

HeyItsLou said:
I mentioned the framework because apktool requires you to install it to decompile rosie.apk. I will check those xml's out. The failed boot may be because I edited the /res/values/colors.xml file. I don't have my virtual machine fired up but I did edit one of the all_apps strings in there from #ff000000 to #80000000 on the advice of a themer. This may be what f'd me up.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah don't worry about the colors.xml. just those 2 xmls I mentioned.

deficitism said:
Yeah don't worry about the colors.xml. just those 2 xmls I mentioned.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Will do, thanks man.

deficitism said:
Yeah don't worry about the colors.xml. just those 2 xmls I mentioned.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What changes should I make to the XML's for transparency? Also after I compile Rosie what do you recommend for a process in getting the new changes implemented? To clarify, should I rip the resources file and classes.dex out of the new compiled version and replace the ones in the stock Rosie? Ive tried about 20 different methods and I get force closes each time...thanks man!
Sent from my ADR6300 using XDA App

If it compiled correctly you should be able to push the compiled version to /system/app with no trouble. There are 2 possibilities:
1) The apk got signed with whatever tool you are using and system apk's can't be signed this way. I think APKManager signed with the test cert automatically.
2) The changes in the xml's may not be correct for which we need to wait for deficitism to verify what was changed. Typically changing color attribs won't cause an FC though.
One thing you can try is to just extract the res folder, where the changes are, in the new Rosie to your PC and open the original with 7zip and drag that folder to the 7zip window. Then push that.

NilsP said:
If it compiled correctly you should be able to push the compiled version to /system/app with no trouble. There are 2 possibilities:
1) The apk got signed with whatever tool you are using and system apk's can't be signed this way. I think APKManager signed with the test cert automatically.
2) The changes in the xml's may not be correct for which we need to wait for deficitism to verify what was changed. Typically changing color attribs won't cause an FC though.
One thing you can try is to just extract the res folder, where the changes are, in the new Rosie to your PC and open the original with 7zip and drag that folder to the 7zip window. Then push that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks dude, I actually figured it out no more help needed.

HeyItsLou said:
Thanks dude, I actually figured it out no more help needed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Cool, glad you got it working.
So what was the cure?

Anyone managed to change style.xml and recompile/add resources.arsc

Tried everything I can find and no luck with this with Sony framwork-res.apk doing my head in, My new resources.arsc is alwyas about 200kb smaller aswell after recompiling, furthest ive got is bootanimation then restart lol. Anyone had any luck with it? All i need to change is 1 bloody line in style.xml to change bottom popup menu to black, driving me mad lol

go3asy said:
Tried everything I can find and no luck with this with Sony framwork-res.apk doing my head in, My new resources.arsc is alwyas about 200kb smaller aswell after recompiling, furthest ive got is bootanimation then restart lol. Anyone had any luck with it? All i need to change is 1 bloody line in style.xml to change bottom popup menu to black, driving me mad lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you followed this guide to the letter?
I changed the progressbar_horizontal.xml in my framework using this guide and it worked!

yeah , changed that worked fine but the style.xml file isnt viewable unless you decompile the apk then when you recompile the folder value with style.xml is compiled into the above file resources.arsc and not had any luck with it at all lol

Try asking Mr.Rusch or Calum?
Sent from my X10a using XDA App

go3asy said:
yeah , changed that worked fine but the style.xml file isnt viewable unless you decompile the apk then when you recompile the folder value with style.xml is compiled into the above file resources.arsc and not had any luck with it at all lol
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Click to collapse
Hmm style.xml is not viewable but also not any other .xml is viewable or readable if you do not decompile.
So I return to My_Immortal's initial question. Have you followed calum's guide about decomipling/recompiling the resources to the letter? What about the part where you take the .asrc file from the unsigned.apk and you chose to add it to the copmressed .zip file (which is the original signed apk that you have renamed). Have you done that exactly as you should?
_calum_ said:
This will create a new framework-res.apk in a subfolder out.
IMPORTANT: Do not push this apk to your phone unless you want to reflash
Extract the xml files and images from the newly generated apk (you can use the original images, but the xml files must be the newly compiled ones from the new apk). Add these files to the original framework-res.apk that you want to push to your phone (see the previous post).
Extract the resources.arsc from the root of the apk
Rename the original framework-res.apk from your theme to framework-res.zip
Right-click the extracted resources.arsc and choose the 7zip menu item ‘Add to archive’
In the dialog that appears set the achive field at the top to the framework-res.zip from step 7. And set the archive format to zip. Now set the Compression level to store and click OK(if you do not do this your phone will not boot). The settings are in the attached screenshot.
Rename framework-res.zip to framework-res.apk and double check that the compressed size or resources.arsc is the same as the original size (see screenshot)
Done. Push the new framework to your phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Its tge re compiling tgatsvthe problem aleays get sources not founf error in apktool. Read that it might be im not using fresh framework files tgat havent already been fiddlef eith but dont have any originnalsat the moment they all gave battery mod
Sent from my X10i using XDA App

[Q] Editing more than just images in Phone / contacts apks

Howdy all,
I am wanting to kno if there is anything special about editing certain system apps, do they all need to be signed with the same keys. i think i read this somewhere.
cause when i decompile the phone.apk then recompile with no changes / or with changes, signed it with autosigner or APK-Manager, it just FC's on the phone and i cant make sence of the logs...
oh and i tried pushing the file with adb and x10 mod tool, tried in the emulator, still no joys.
been googling for hours... and i feel i am searching for the wrong things...
Thanks in advance
Pvy.

you can use 7zip to browse the apk as an archive and replace png's and .9.png's inside the drawable folders.
you wouldn't have to resign the apk this way, but i would recommend zip-aligning the apk after you replace the png's.
i would also make sure you know how to work with .9.png's before replacing them. not doing .9.png's correctly will break the app.

I have edited the pngs there is no prob there I can put all the images in.
I am editing the xmls and the manifest... I tried drag and drop but it seems to break the apk...
Thanks tho.
Sent from my X10i using XDA App

Go ahead and compile with apk manager, say yes to 'is it a system apk?'.
Then open the new apk with 7zip and pull out the xmls, etc. you changed.
After that open the original apk w/7zip and drag in the compiled xmls along with your images.
That should work.

So I did this,
compiled phone.apk chose system app when it asked.
drag and dropped the 3 pngs I modded, and a few xml files, and the modded androidmanifest.xml to the original
Pushed it to my phone, rebooted...
But it wont install.
It appears the signing breaks.
Pvy
AyDee said:
Go ahead and compile with apk manager, say yes to 'is it a system apk?'.
Then open the new apk with 7zip and pull out the xmls, etc. you changed.
After that open the original apk w/7zip and drag in the compiled xmls along with your images.
That should work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sent from my X10i using XDA App

Changing default image
I wondered if anyone could help me out with this
Many thanks

pvyParts said:
So I did this,
compiled phone.apk chose system app when it asked.
drag and dropped the 3 pngs I modded, and a few xml files, and the modded androidmanifest.xml to the original
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My suggestion is after doing this add the now modded original .apk into a flashable.zip and use xRecovery/FreeXperiaRecovery to install the app.
If you don't know how to make a flashable.zip just use 7zip to replace the phone.apk in a theme update.zip and delete any other folders/.apks that you don't want being reinstalled (framework-res etc.).
Not sure if this will work because I haven't tried this after modding .xml files, but it works after I make any other changes, even changing .9.pngs.
Best of luck, hope this works.

nope that didn't work either... took me a while but once i figured out the update.zip i got it going. and still no joy.
thanks heaps guys for all your help, i think i must have to compile from source or something silly like that...
I'll keep at it and let you all kno how i go...

modifying setting.apk and framework or any apk

HI folks i was just playing with rom tools and stuff i have found we can modify icons and layout stuff which apear on screen very easy way so here what i found just rename any apk to *.zip and open it in 7z zip or winrar and go to res and find drawablemdpi or drawablehdpi whatever in your case open it and you will find all the display icons or separators etc etc so change the icon with the one you want but remember the format,size,name should be same otherwise it will make a mess careful with it and rename it back to *.apk and sign it with any apk signer and simply replace your stock apk with your modified one and you will get the icons you want it works with farmework.apk,settings.apk,mms.apk maybe works with all other apks but did,nt tried it so try and post result

sohailrabani said:
HI folks i was just playing with rom tools and stuff i have found we can modify icons and layout stuff which apear on screen very easy way so here what i found just rename any apk to *.zip and open it in 7z zip or winrar and go to res and find drawablemdpi or drawablehdpi whatever in your case open it and you will find all the display icons or separators etc etc so change the icon with the one you want but remember the format,size,name should be same otherwise it will make a mess careful with it and rename it back to *.apk and sign it with any apk signer and simply replace your stock apk with your modified one and you will get the icons you want it works with farmework.apk,settings.apk,mms.apk maybe works with all other apks but did,nt tried it so try and post result
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i think you should read up on vrtheme
this kind of thing is very old news
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1207017

DSA said:
this kind of thing is very old news
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ancient more like.