Related
Sorry about the first post. I was wondering where the png files are located in the rom so I can start theming
Sent from my HERO200 using XDA App
If this has been addressed sorry. I searched but didn't find it. If it's been addressed please point me in the right direction. Thanks
Sent from my HERO200 using XDA App
abadasstanker69 said:
If this has been addressed sorry. I searched but didn't find it. If it's been addressed please point me in the right direction. Thanks
Sent from my HERO200 using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ull find all the PNG in the individual apps in the system/app, system/framework, and data/app.
Papa Smurf151 said:
Ull find all the PNG in the individual apps in the system/app, system/framework, and data/app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks bro! All I see is apk files though. Where are the images?? Also, is there anything specific I have to do in order to export/import the files in Photoshop? I read something somewhere about a .9 PNG or something like that....what does this mean? BTW great work on your theme! It looks awesome! I love it!
Ok I'm a douche bad. lol I renamed the apk to .zip and extracted with winrar. Now I'm in to where I want to be! I'm looking for the little android guy when you make a phone call but, I can't seem to find him in the HTCdialer.apk. Am I looking in the wrong place? Thanks again for the help!
They are in the apk's.
http://developer.android.com/index.html
Good luck.
Ok found the little droid man! This is gonna be awesome!! Any more useful places I should mess around in? This is gonna be FUN!!!!!!!
Ok so I have edited some files and rezipped them. Now do I flash the updated files through recovery or do I have to rename it to .apk and stick it in the rom and re-flash?
abadasstanker69 said:
Ok so I have edited some files and rezipped them. Now do I flash the updated files through recovery or do I have to rename it to .apk and stick it in the rom and re-flash?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I may be wrong but I have done the same thing, all I did when I was finished was push them via adb to their respective places and then reboot and it worked fine for me. Nandroid before you push so if it boot loops you can recover. Then the easiest thing at that point would be to save your work in the ROM you modded, push to sd root, wipe and flash it. I am creating a themed version of Darchoid 2.7 but taking my sweet time as I dont have a lot of it to begin with.
For my HTC Keyboard modifications, I just dropped my new images into the APK that was open in 7zip and pushed it to the /system/app/ dir and launched the keyboard, and BAM, my new keyboard.
abadasstanker69 said:
Ok so I have edited some files and rezipped them. Now do I flash the updated files through recovery or do I have to rename it to .apk and stick it in the rom and re-flash?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You have to sign it too. If you want to flash it. If you wanna just push it through adb then then put your edited .apk in AndroidSDK\tools and push it.
Go to command prompt:
Code:
cd C:\android-sdk-windows\tools
adb remount
adb push xxxxx.apk /system/app/
exit
C:\android-sdk-windows\tools is assuming thats where your sdk\tools folder is
xxxxx.apk is the name of the .apk
/system/app/ is assuming that's where you got the .apk from
Thanks for all the help guys. I appreciate it but, I was attempting to make an update.zip so people could then flash them once I complete them. I like to make things idiot proof
So I did some looking and found an autosigner. Problem is, now it wants boot scripts? WTF? I know I could push them through adb and simply tell others to do the same. I was just wondering if there was an easy way of doing this? I'm currently using avabox. Thanks again guys!!
abadasstanker69 said:
Thanks for all the help guys. I appreciate it but, I was attempting to make an update.zip so people could then flash them once I complete them. I like to make things idiot proof
So I did some looking and found an autosigner. Problem is, now it wants boot scripts? WTF? I know I could push them through adb and simply tell others to do the same. I was just wondering if there was an easy way of doing this? I'm currently using avabox. Thanks again guys!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just use a mod or update.zip any will do and add ur files and delete the originals in the zip. Keep the meta file and such. Then u can autosign with avabox. It gets tricky with scripts when making a rom. The update.zip script is very basic
Check This Out
You can just take one from a working zip if you want
Otherwise you will be making a file (i use notepad++) called "update-script" *notice-there is no file extension like .txt or anything*
In general they ususally just have:
Code:
show_progress 0.1 0
copy_dir PACKAGE:system SYSTEM:
show_progress 0.1 10
(but may be different depending on where you want the zip's contents to be put in)
Which will be placed into a folder directory META-INF/com/google/android/update-script
You can also add things such as:
Code:
delete SYSTEM:app/contacts.apk
*or whatever you want deleted*
After you make the update-script, just sign it and flash
See my attachment for a template
[/QUOTE]You can also add things such as:
Code:
delete SYSTEM:app/contacts.apk
*or whatever you want deleted*
After you make the update-script, just sign it and flash
See my attachment for a template[/QUOTE]
What would be the purpose in doing that? Would it actually delete people's contacts if they flashed my theme? That's kinda cool but, I'm not trying to be a **** like that! lol
Also, are you guys referring to an update.zip that's all ready out as in a theme file? Or as in a rom? I understand I can use the work that's all ready there and I actually tried that. I zipped the file back up.Then signed with avabox. Renamed it to .apk. Stuck it back in the rom. Attempted to flash and got the boot script error
abadasstanker69 said:
What would be the purpose in doing that? Would it actually delete people's contacts if they flashed my theme? That's kinda cool but, I'm not trying to be a **** like that! lol
Also, are you guys referring to an update.zip that's all ready out as in a theme file? Or as in a rom? I understand I can use the work that's all ready there and I actually tried that. I zipped the file back up.Then signed with avabox. Renamed it to .apk. Stuck it back in the rom. Attempted to flash and got the boot script error
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
haha i just used contacts.apk as an example, it could be anything you wanted really. But its generally only used for when making an update.zip for boot screens.
And yes, you could take an already existing zip... but i was a little confused as to what you were doing sorry.
Correct me if I'm misunderstanding you again lol, but you're editing images within .apks and want to make a flashable-update.zip once you finish?
Easiest way, as stated before would be to use 7-zip.
Open the .apk Directly with 7-zip (no renaming the .apk to .zip or anything) and drag the replacement images into the .apk - overwriting the older images
Test it by pushing the apk to your phone, if it works without any problems great
If it doesn't then use something like Apk Manager to extract the apk/edit the files/and zip them back up < generally what I do
Put the .apk into the apps folder in my "template update.zip" file
Delete the framework folder and readme.txt file
Sign the .zip
Flash
kyouko said:
haha i just used contacts.apk as an example, it could be anything you wanted really. But its generally only used for when making an update.zip for boot screens.
And yes, you could take an already existing zip... but i was a little confused as to what you were doing sorry.
Correct me if I'm misunderstanding you again lol, but you're editing images within .apks and want to make a flashable-update.zip once you finish?
Easiest way, as stated before would be to use 7-zip.
Open the .apk Directly with 7-zip (no renaming the .apk to .zip or anything) and drag the replacement images into the .apk - overwriting the older images
Test it by pushing the apk to your phone, if it works without any problems great
If it doesn't then use something like Apk Manager to extract the apk/edit the files/and zip them back up < generally what I do
Put the .apk into the apps folder in my "template update.zip" file
Delete the framework folder and readme.txt file
Sign the .zip
Flash
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
LOL I really appreciate the help! You guys kick ass!!!! BUT I tried this method MINUS the renaming part and it didn't work. Sooooo....I'm assuming the renaming caused the issue.
Also, I was using winrar. I read somewhere that 7zip should be used instead of winrar but I just don't think this should matter considering the compression method is no different. Am I wrong? Also, will my theme have to vary from rom to rom? If I create this theme for people will I have to specify what rom I'm on?
Thanks again SOOOOOOOOOO much for the help guys...I know working with noobs can be a headache. I did it in the WinMo world for YEARS till I came to the "Dark Side"
abadasstanker69 said:
LOL I really appreciate the help! You guys kick ass!!!! BUT I tried this method MINUS the renaming part and it didn't work. Sooooo....I'm assuming the renaming caused the issue.
Also, I was using winrar. I read somewhere that 7zip should be used instead of winrar but I just don't think this should matter considering the compression method is no different. Am I wrong? Also, will my theme have to vary from rom to rom? If I create this theme for people will I have to specify what rom I'm on?
Thanks again SOOOOOOOOOO much for the help guys...I know working with noobs can be a headache. I did it in the WinMo world for YEARS till I came to the "Dark Side"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes 7zip works better for theming and roming. I tried winrar and it was a pain in the ass.
Yes u will have to specify which roms it will work on. Files on darchdroid r different than our 2.1 roms and so forth. So they wont work right.
Download avabox and use the signing tool in there to sign ur zips.
Make sure in ur zip if ur editing an app it's in the right place...ie system/app or system/framework or data/app. Then make sure ur Meta file is in there. After that sign it and then u can change the name and flash it
Papa Smurf151 said:
Yes 7zip works better for theming and roming. I tried winrar and it was a pain in the ass.
Yes u will have to specify which roms it will work on. Files on darchdroid r different than our 2.1 roms and so forth. So they wont work right.
Download avabox and use the signing tool in there to sign ur zips.
Make sure in ur zip if ur editing an app it's in the right place...ie system/app or system/framework or data/app. Then make sure ur Meta file is in there. After that sign it and then u can change the name and flash it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm such a freaking noob....what's the meta file for? This seems like alot to do for a theme :/
abadasstanker69 said:
I'm such a freaking noob....what's the meta file for? This seems like alot to do for a theme :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Meta file is for the update script. It has other uses but for ur purpose its for the update script which is the instructions the recovery uses to flash the theme. Like I stated before just use an existing one from a different theme or mod. Creating ur own is possible but not needed. Hit me up on gtalk if u want to ask me questions.
[email protected]
I don't mind teaching if anyone wants to learn
This is a very basic guide to beginning themeing. It is not meant to be all-inclusive, just some simple steps that can be taken to make your own custom theme fairly easily. This guide should allow anyone to be able to grab images they like from any ROM and incorporate them into their own.
I SUGGEST YOU ALWAYS MAKE A BACKUP OF ANY FILE BEFORE YOU THEME IT AND NANDROID FIRST BEFORE FLASHING
Here is a basic overview of changing images in an apk:
1. Get your base file to theme – framework-res.apk, com.htc.resources.apk, phone.apk ect.
2. “Open” apk archive with 7-zip (don’t unzip!) and drag and drop the new images into the appropriate folder.
3. Flash new file.
Now some details:
1. The first step is to obtain the file you are going to theme. The file you are themeing ( i.e. going to flash to your phone) must come from the ROM you are currently running. Always use files from your current ROM as a base, however the images you want to change can come from other ROMs, or you can edit existing ones or make your own from scratch. You can obtain your theme base through an ADB pull of the files from your phone, or simply downloading the ROM zip file and extracting the files you need.
2. Now that you have the file to theme, don’t touch it! OK, more specifically, you won’t unzip or do anything to this file except “open” it with 7-zip (unless this is a market app, but more on that later). You are going to drag and drop the new icons into this file by “opening” it and navigating to the appropriate folder. The images you want to change are stored in the apk under /res/drawable-hdpi. Once you have your new icons from other sources, open your base file and navigate to this folder and drop them in.
3. Now you can flash this new file. I have provided empty zip files that you can place your themed files into and flash in recovery. Place your framework-res.apk and/or com.htc.resources.apk into the /system/framework folder located in the zip file provided. Now highlight the META-INF and system folders and zip them up. You can now place this file on the root of your SD card and flash. System apps can be placed under /system/app in the zip file.
Some more info on common themeable files:
Framework-res.apk – this is the meat and potatoes of a theme. On an AOSP ROM it will contain almost everything you want to theme aside from individual apps themselves. Sense ROMs have another file com.htc.resources.apk, as well as framework-res.apk. Both of these files are located in a ROM under /system/framework.
System apps: These apps come packaged in a ROM under /system/apps. They can be themed in the same manner as a framework apk. Some of these apps include Gmail, browser, camera, ect. Place them in your flashable zip under the folder /system/app.
Market apps: These apps are downloaded from the market and are can be pulled from your phone from /data/app. These files require a bit more to theme. They don’t share the same signature as the system apps and you must resign them using a program such as apkmanger. Place them in your flashable zip under /data/app.
If there are any errors, or if anyone has suggestions please let me know. I may have over looked some details, ect.
Thanks to everyone on XDA who has shared their knowledge and made this a great community!
Thanks that will be helpful
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
so using this guide we can pull parts and what not from other elements of themes we like and create our own framework to push back? Also, based on what you have, shouldn't it be easy to put this up on bid for hire (?) website to create a program to automate that?
xlGmanlx said:
so using this guide we can pull parts and what not from other elements of themes we like and create our own framework to push back? Also, based on what you have, shouldn't it be easy to put this up on bid for hire (?) website to create a program to automate that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes the idea of this guide was to help people pick and choose icons they like in other ROMs and add it to their own. I'm not sure what bid for hire is?
its a website where you can load your requirements and folks can bid to do your work
linky
nukedukem said:
Yes the idea of this guide was to help people pick and choose icons they like in other ROMs and add it to their own. I'm not sure what bid for hire is?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
xlGmanlx said:
its a website where you can load your requirements and folks can bid to do your work
linky
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting. Didn't know anything like this existed.
Sent from my EVO (CM6.1) using XDA App
Thank you, thank you!!!! I've been looking for something like this for a while.
evolishesh said:
Thank you, thank you!!!! I've been looking for something like this for a while.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No prob. Let me know if it works for you.
I couldn't get the auto signing to work, but the manual way of doing it worked.
Hmm, I got a boot loop on first try and doing this. Does that mean something went wrong with the signing, or that what I created for the theme was wrong? I used the empty .zip folder and re-zipped it, so I don't think that is the issue.
JasonK75 said:
Hmm, I got a boot loop on first try and doing this. Does that mean something went wrong with the signing, or that what I created for the theme was wrong? I used the empty .zip folder and re-zipped it, so I don't think that is the issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The signing should be ok. If you are using Amon_ra recovery it wont let you flash an unsigned zip I believe. Are you on sense or AOSP? Are you editing images or just copying from other ROMs?
What you might want to do is just create a simple test file. Change just one image and then flash that. That should let you know that your process is correct.
I using Amon Ra and using AOSP. I was moving some items out of a sense ROM so I guess that is where I might have went wrong. I think I'll take your advice and move just a single image and see how that works for me. Thanks!
I tried again this time I ended up stuck at the EVO white screen. I'm guessing it doesn't like the sense part I'm trying to throw in there. I'll have to try again with a AOSP theme instead.
Sent from my EVO (CM6.1.1) using XDA App
A couple things to look out for when swapping sense/CM icons - some file names are slightly different between sense and AOSP. Rename any sense icons to their AOSP counterparts and vice versa. Also, double check the image size of the icon is the same in both, i.e. 70x70 pixels, ect. and make sure you are not adding images that don't exist normally in the framework. For example there wont be any 4G icons in CM framework.
Also, make sure you aren't unzipping the new framework-res.apk you want to theme and flash, or trying to resign it. Only sign the flashable zip, not the individual files inside. The only thing you want to do with the framework-res.apk you will package and flash is open (not unzip) with 7-zip and navigate to the res/drawable-hdpi folder so you can drag and drop the new icons into it, overwriting the old.
I hope that helps!
How important is it to re-sign? I have modified the Framework and Resources apks with 7zip by switching images out. I have also modified the Rosie.apk. I put everything back where it was supposed to go, backed out of 7-zip and flashed. I have never had an issue with it, nor have I re-signed it. Just wondering.
spence341 said:
How important is it to re-sign? I have modified the Framework and Resources apks with 7zip by switching images out. I have also modified the Rosie.apk. I put everything back where it was supposed to go, backed out of 7-zip and flashed. I have never had an issue with it, nor have I re-signed it. Just wondering.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AFAIK if you are on clockwork recovery, I don't think it checks for signatures. I think Amon_ra requires a signed file to flash. I think it's just added protection against flashing any old junk. If you can flash in amon_ra without a signature and you don't have problems then I wouldn't worry about it. It's the signature of the framework-res.apk ( or com.htc.resources.apk) that's important. That's why you don't unzip it.
I think that
1.7.0.2 = yes
1.8 = no
nukedukem said:
AFAIK if you are on clockwork recovery, I don't think it checks for signatures. I think Amon_ra requires a signed file to flash. I think it's just added protection against flashing any old junk. If you can flash in amon_ra without a signature and you don't have problems then I wouldn't worry about it. It's the signature of the framework-res.apk ( or com.htc.resources.apk) that's important. That's why you don't unzip it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nukedukem said:
A couple things to look out for when swapping sense/CM icons - some file names are slightly different between sense and AOSP. Rename any sense icons to their AOSP counterparts and vice versa. Also, double check the image size of the icon is the same in both, i.e. 70x70 pixels, ect. and make sure you are not adding images that don't exist normally in the framework. For example there wont be any 4G icons in CM framework.
Also, make sure you aren't unzipping the new framework-res.apk you want to theme and flash, or trying to resign it. Only sign the flashable zip, not the individual files inside. The only thing you want to do with the framework-res.apk you will package and flash is open (not unzip) with 7-zip and navigate to the res/drawable-hdpi folder so you can drag and drop the new icons into it, overwriting the old.
I hope that helps!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, any advice does help.
I did make sure the the icons I was swapping out were named the same thing in the CM ROM, but I didn't check the size of it at all.
I didn't unzip the famework-res.apk but instead just went into it with 7-Zip and dragged the icons into that. Then I backed out of 7-Zip so that it would save and close everything properly - know that does work because that is how I add the Fold transistions to the ROM - and then I put the famework-res.apk into the folder and zip it up per your instructions above. Then I manually sign it (still haven't been able to get the auto-signing to work) and then flash.
I'll have to try again moving a CM theme to the CM framework-res.apk and see if it is working. What I was attempting to do was take, from the Batman Theme for sense, the drop down notification shade with the Bat Icon and put it into the CM ROM. I don't know if you have time to try it yourself to see if it works, or if you get the same issues that I had.
Either way, thanks for the help! I know I'll get this theming down at some point!
nukedukem said:
No prob. Let me know if it works for you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey buddy.
I’m stuck. I had to download and install Eclipse with the sdk plus java. I don’t know where to go from there. Every time I open the rom that I want to theme and get the framework.apk and edit the PNG’s , how do I go about saving them? Do I just used the same name as the old ones or I have to save them with a new name.
Or pm Me.
xlGmanlx said:
I think that
1.7.0.2 = yes
1.8 = no
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So the new amon_ra doesn't require a signed file to flash? I'll make a note off that. Thanks.
JasonK75 said:
Thanks, any advice does help.
I did make sure the the icons I was swapping out were named the same thing in the CM ROM, but I didn't check the size of it at all.
I didn't unzip the famework-res.apk but instead just went into it with 7-Zip and dragged the icons into that. Then I backed out of 7-Zip so that it would save and close everything properly - know that does work because that is how I add the Fold transistions to the ROM - and then I put the famework-res.apk into the folder and zip it up per your instructions above. Then I manually sign it (still haven't been able to get the auto-signing to work) and then flash.
I'll have to try again moving a CM theme to the CM framework-res.apk and see if it is working. What I was attempting to do was take, from the Batman Theme for sense, the drop down notification shade with the Bat Icon and put it into the CM ROM. I don't know if you have time to try it yourself to see if it works, or if you get the same issues that I had.
Either way, thanks for the help! I know I'll get this theming down at some point!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK I'll try and do what you are trying to do and see if it works...
evolishesh said:
Hey buddy.
I’m stuck. I had to download and install Eclipse with the sdk plus java. I don’t know where to go from there. Every time I open the rom that I want to theme and get the framework.apk and edit the PNG’s , how do I go about saving them? Do I just used the same name as the old ones or I have to save them with a new name.
Or pm Me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So now you have an unzipped framewor-res.apk with a bunch of images. This framework should be the one that you want to take icons from. If not, start over with the ROM you want to copy images from. You will want to copy the images you want to put into another ROM so that you can dump them into the new framework-res.apk. After you figure out what icons you want to bring to your new framework, get a clean version of framework/com.htc from the ROM you are actually running - i.e. if you are running myn ROM on your phone, download the myn ROM and pull out the framework-res.apk or com.resources.apk that you are going to theme.
Now with this fresh clean framework you will "open" it with 7-zip to navigate to the /res/drawable-hdpi folder so you can now drag and drop the images you want to copy over into it. Then the close the 7zip window and your framework-res.apk is all set to flash. You don't need to rename if the file names are the same, you can just drag and drop and the files will be overwritten in the new framework.
Well I've started theming myself since I wanted a Windows Phone 7 Theme and learning as I go along but I've come across a few hurdles.
1. How do I push framework-res.apk without losing configurations like my email/gmail set up or wallpaper being back to default?
2. Where do I find the icons for the top right voice search and search buttons? I've found a couple that look identical within the files but when I change them nothing happens.
3. Any good guides or tools on how to make a flashable zip? I used to just use a script to make an updater script but it doesn't work anymore since they changed it to edify. I'm a lowly designer and can't figure out how to make a working updater script.
Thanks in advance.
Bump to the top.
and another bump ):
hope this helps...
seshmaru said:
Well I've started theming myself since I wanted a Windows Phone 7 Theme and learning as I go along but I've come across a few hurdles.
1. How do I push framework-res.apk without losing configurations like my email/gmail set up or wallpaper being back to default?
2. Where do I find the icons for the top right voice search and search buttons? I've found a couple that look identical within the files but when I change them nothing happens.
3. Any good guides or tools on how to make a flashable zip? I used to just use a script to make an updater script but it doesn't work anymore since they changed it to edify. I'm a lowly designer and can't figure out how to make a working updater script.
Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. grab an old zip for a system/framework file
toss the previous file(s)
toss in your new edited framework res
resign using this and this
flash via recovery
2. let you know when i get a chance to look.
3. grab apk manager.
MagnusRagnarok said:
1. grab an old zip for a system/framework file
toss the previous file(s)
toss in your new edited framework res
resign using this and this
flash via recovery
2. let you know when i get a chance to look.
3. grab apk manager.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1 is as simple as that? Sweet.
Also I have apk manager and Update zip packer but they use the old updater script ): But if I can simply use other peoples update script and replace their files with mine then that shouldn't be a problem, thanks for the help.
I've looked around for some good tutorials on decompiling APKs using APKTool but haven't been able to get a few questions answered. Hoping someone can guide me with this process a bit since I'm really new at it.
A few things first: I am running CM 7.1 on a Droid Incredible (orig) and I'm also on Windows, not Linux. I'm looking to make some changes to the code of an APK and have APKtool downloaded. Questions I have so far are:
1) Do I need to use the CM 7.1 framework-res.apk file for any decompiling / /recompiling work on this 3rd party APK? Or can I do all the work without it? No one seems to have a clear answer on that and I'm not sure exactly what the framework-res.apk is for exactly.
2) After I decompile an APK and make code changes to a SMALI file, is there anything I need to do special before running the compile command?
3) After I have a newly compiled APK, what do I need to do to make this work on my phone? If I do nothing, the overall file size of the compiled APK seems much smaller than the original one that I decompiled so it seems like something is wrong. Plus it won't install. I saw one video where the newly compiled APK is renamed to .ZIP and the contents are put into the ORIGINAL APK (also renamed to .zip), overwriting all the original contents. Is this required?
4) I've also read that APKs need to be signed to install on Android. Is this correct? I found "SignApk" online which seems like it just asks you to rename your APK to app.apk and it does the signing by running a .BAT file. Is that all I have to do before installing the APK on my phone?
Would really appreciate any help on this. Or if there's a great tutorial out there on doing this, I'd be happy to read through.
Thanks for any help in advance!
I want to know these too! Hope someone helps
Hey guys! Someone recently posted that they wanted to start to making their own themes and I posted a very long reply and figured, might as well post a "somewhat easy to understand" tutorial here for everyone.
So you want to make your own themes?
First off, it is important to know that if you plan on porting any themes over and releasing it to the masses, that you get permission from the theme owner first!!
DISCLAIMER: I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE IF YOUR PHONE EXPLODES OR MELT! lol
NOTE: IF YOU'RE A NOOB (you know if you are) DO NOT MESS WITH ANY IMAGE THAT ENDS IN ".9" UNTIL YOU READ UP ON THEM.......A LOT! IF YOU'RE JUST REPLACING AN IMAGE, THEN READ ON.
A good write up on .9 (9 patch) images can be found here:
http://developer.android.com/guide/developing/tools/draw9patch.html
What you will need:
Apkmanager: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=695701
7zip: http://www.7-zip.org/download.html
An empty flashable zip: http://www.multiupload.com/DBEMBUOCND
Lot's of time on your hands!
GETTING STARTED:
Apkmanager is going to be your "all-in-one" tool for making a theme in Windows.
(I'll go into all the options of apkmanager a little later)
The process you need to follow is actually kind of simple. It's just very time consuming.
First you will need to make the images that you want (unless you are porting a theme).
Now what you need to do is one way or another, get the framework-res.apk and the SystemUI.apk from your phone, if you want to theme the launcher then you need to get the TouchWiz30Launcher.apk as well. (If you don't want to mess with using adb, use Root Explorer, just copy the apk then paste on your sdcard, then copy and paste from your sdcard onto your pc.)
Extract apkmanager to somewhere easy like the desktop and you should end up with a folder named "apkmanager" or whatever.
Inside that folder, you should have the following folders:
Other
place-apk-here-for-modding
place-apk-here-for-signing
place-apk-here-to-batch-optimize
place-ogg-here
projects
Then the following files:
log
Script
DO NOT MODIFY THE NAMES OF ANY OF THESE FILES OR FOLDERS OR NOTHING WILL WORK!
Take the 3 files that you got from your phone and place them in the "place apk here for modding" folder.
Double click to open the "Script" file
Press "22" and hit enter to set your current job
Select either 1,2 or 3 for whichever apk you want to start on first
Select "9" to decompile
Once decompile is done, go inside the "projects" folder and now you have a folder inside there with whatever the name is of the apk you just decompiled.
Inside that folder are the images and XML files you need to replace (you might not have to edit any of the XML files, that's a little more advanced unless you already know how to.)
Most of the images you will need to edit will be in the following folders of each apk:
res>drawable
res>drawable-hdpi
You can look around in there and see what all needs to be done. I will get into themeing the contacts and phone and all that a little later.
Once you get everything done and you're ready to test it out, you need to go back to that "Script" file in apkmanager and open it back up. Now you're going to do pretty much the same stuff you did when you were decompiling the apk, in order to compile the apk.
In the Script for apkmanager, you're going to press "22" and hit enter, then select which file you want to compile first by either pressing 1,2 or 3.
Select the file and hit enter, then press "11" and press enter to compile the apk. As long as you didn't mess anything up during the process of changing stuff, you shouldn't receive any errors. If you do, you need to figure out what it was you messed up on and fix it.
Go through and compile the apks that you edited. Once that is done, you will go to your "place apk here for modding" folder again and you will notice that you have 3 new files in there:
unsignedframework-res.apk
unsignedSystemUI.apk
unsignedTouchWiz30Launcher.apk
Remember that empty flashable zip you downloaded earlier? Now you need it.
Right click on the flashable zip and mouse over "7zip" and click on "Open Archive"
Take the unsignedSystemUI.apk and the unsignedTouchWiz30Launcher.apk and place them in the "app" folder. Now rename those to their original names:
SystemUI.apk
TouchWiz30Launcher.apk
Now take that unsignedframework-res.apk and place it in the "framework" folder of the flashable zip. Rename that one to "framework-res.apk."
Now you can close out of the flashable zip file and place it on your sdcard.
Reboot into recovery, wipe cache partition, wipe dalvik, now go to "mounts and storage" and mount /system.
Now go back and flash the zip file you just put on your sdcard.
Since you wiped your cache and your dalvik, the reboot will take a little while. You should now be good to go!
NOTE: Since I did not create apkmanager, I will not be able to answer many questions about it but feel free to ask. If I don't have an answer for you, Just go back to the post above where you downloaded it, and post your question there.
As stated earlier in my post, I will get more in depth about all this stuff as soon as I have a little more time to post everything.
Please enjoy and happy themeing!!!!!!
Thank you for this spc.
wampuscat said:
Thank you for this spc.
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Not a problem! I'm going to add more stuff as soon as I get more time. Also, if there are any other themers that want to contribute like ForeverSupra or Endless or Stranula. Please send me a PM and I'll add your stuff to the OP as well!
spc_hicks09 said:
Not a problem! I'm going to add more stuff as soon as I get more time. Also, if there are any other themers that want to contribute like ForeverSupra or Endless or Stranula. Please send me a PM and I'll add your stuff to the OP as well!
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Ima be all over this. 12 hr nightshift coupled with a mild case of OCD=awesome sauce ....you da man
In ApkManager you don't need to decompile the apk's. You just need to extract them because all you're doing is messing with the images.
wyllic said:
In ApkManager you don't need to decompile the apk's. You just need to extract them because all you're doing is messing with the images.
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True but might as well get people used to it.
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Spc. There is an ultimate draw 9 patch out that makes editing the .9's so much easier once you have patched them. You may want to add that to the op, Stoney from BadSeed showed it to me and its so easy now, no need for eclipse.
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thanks for this man i have been wanting to get intto developing but i figure i would stick with something a bit more simplier... plus once i learn i can develop a theme for my wifes epic not many options for g.b. overthere glad this got stickied or at least it seems that way.... hit the thanks button on my o.p in general thanks...
Wow is it seriously that easy???? Well I guess I'm starting to theme then. I'm going to start asap. I can't thank you enough btw this is really a good thing here.
Cool! I didn't even know about that. Is there any way you could possibly find a link so I can add it?
cbrown245 said:
Spc. There is an ultimate draw 9 patch out that makes editing the .9's so much easier once you have patched them. You may want to add that to the op, Stoney from BadSeed showed it to me and its so easy now, no need for eclipse.
Sent from my SCH-I510 using xda premium
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Going to look for it now!
bfitzpatrickd2d said:
thanks for this man i have been wanting to get intto developing but i figure i would stick with something a bit more simplier... plus once i learn i can develop a theme for my wifes epic not many options for g.b. overthere glad this got stickied or at least it seems that way.... hit the thanks button on my o.p in general thanks...
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Just so everyone knows, here soon I'm also going to be posting a tutorial on how to center the clock and move around your icons and stuff in the statusbar!
I had all the knowledge in the OP and decided I was going to start theming. Then I saw the literally hundreds of PNG's i would have to edit and decided it isn't for me lol. I get bored too easily to spend that much time in photoshop/gimp haha.
That said, I really appreciate what themers do.
skydeaner said:
I had all the knowledge in the OP and decided I was going to start theming. Then I saw the literally hundreds of PNG's i would have to edit and decided it isn't for me lol. I get bored too easily to spend that much time in photoshop/gimp haha.
That said, I really appreciate what themers do.
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same here, wish I had the time lol and that's why I try and do what I can i.e. donating, testing, helping out here...
doesn't mean I don't know my way around in the internals of roms/themes though haha
sent from my Acer Iconia A500 tablet via XDA app
spc_hicks09 said:
Cool! I didn't even know about that. Is there any way you could possibly find a link so I can add it?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=19215317&postcount=595
Here is the link to the op Papa Smurf151 so all thanks to him.
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cbrown245 said:
spc_hicks09 said:
Cool! I didn't even know about that. Is there any way you could possibly find a link so I can add it?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=19215317&postcount=595
Here is the link to the op Papa Smurf151 so all thanks to him.
Sent from my SCH-I510 using xda premium
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Click to collapse
Thanks man!
P.S.
I got a really good theme coming up very soon that will flash over Stock EP4D....stay tuned kids!!!
Once I get the main stuff done (framework, systemUI, settings.apk) I will release it then will add more stuff as I go.
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spc_hicks09 said:
cbrown245 said:
Thanks man!
P.S.
I got a really good theme coming up very soon that will flash over Stock EP4D....stay tuned kids!!!
Once I get the main stuff done (framework, systemUI, settings.apk) I will release it then will add more stuff as I go.
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Click to collapse
Lol so do I. I have been testing on my phone for about 2 weeks just adding as I go along.
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I might give it a shot but yeah just for the battery there is like, umm never mind alot of files. I sure I will have alot of questions and ask people to use stuff of course with credit due to them.
blueis300 said:
I might give it a shot but yeah just for the battery there is like, umm never mind alot of files. I sure I will have alot of questions and ask people to use stuff of course with credit due to them.
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Just now kind of finished one for EP4D, getting ready to post it soon.
When flashing with the zip you provide it says place your txt here. How do you find where to place my txt? I would like to add my txt.
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cbrown245 said:
When flashing with the zip you provide it says place your txt here. How do you find where to place my txt? I would like to add my txt.
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It's the "updater-script"
To get to the updater script, of the zip file. Open the zip file with 7zip and go to:
META-INF>com>google>android
Open the updater script with Notepad++ or whatever text editor you use. Only the edit the text that says "place your text here" or you can mess up the entire zip file and it won't flash.
spc_hicks09 said:
It's the "updater-script"
To get to the updater script, of the zip file. Open the zip file with 7zip and go to:
META-INF>com>google>android
Open the updater script with Notepad++ or whatever text editor you use. Only the edit the text that says "place your text here" or you can mess up the entire zip file and it won't flash.
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Click to collapse
Once I open it with ++ it will not slow to edit anything. ???
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