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[Q] How do I know if I'm running a deodexed ROM?

I have a rooted Dinc which I flashed with a basic, leaked 2.2 Sense ROM - I think. (I can't remember for sure, but I think I followed the instructions in this post).
Problem is, there are sooo many cool mods/hacks/themes out here, I'm not able to flash any to my phone!
For example, I'm unable to apply the hide loc mod, but I was able to change my battery icon. Why is that??

go to menu>>>settings>>>about phone scroll down to mod version and that should tell you what rom you are running. as for different mods they are for different roms.. i have found that i like sensless or vanilla roms more than sense but each dev. and themer has different mods. its up to you to decide what you like more. just start flashing and you will soon see the difference in each developer. (and thanks for all the hard work that they put into it) happy flashing.

or you can just go into the /system/app folder in root explorer and if there are no .odex files, then you are deodexed

[Q] ROMKitchen.org Tutorial

I'm a pretty big noob when it comes to custom roms (done plenty of tweaks and hacks to the stock ones though). Anyhow, everyone's trying to convince to me to ditch stock altogether and a few have recommended that I try ROMKitchen.org.
Would anyone be so kind as to post a tutorial on what the best choices would be for a captivate in the US ? I'm sure the other noobs here will appreciated it too.
Specifically, I need help with choosing the:
Base ROM (what are the differences or advantages to one over the other)
CSC (I believe JH7 is the US country code, right?)
Kernel (same question as the Base ROM)
Modem (is there a specific one if I'm on AT&T or if that doesn't matter then what are the differences between them)
Apps (which version do I choose for the Swype Keyboard)
And if there's anything else from the other categories that you guys think I should include, I'll gladly take your suggestions. Thanks a lot!

All of the default settings in the kitchen are fine to use, for the theme though you should stick with the stock js5 theme, i ran into a boot loop bug a while ago not sure if it was fixed with non-stock themes.

@peachpuff
Thanks. Regarding swype, the default choice is to NOT install it. Do you have any idea which version I'm supposed to choose: JPA, JPO, JPU, or JPY? I try researching these things as much as possible before I post but I'm not finding a clear answer.
Couldn't I just save a copy the swype apk from my current installation and install it on the new rom? If so, do I need to copy over the corresponding odex file too or will that get created during the installation?

Add htc_ime back into stripped down ICS roms

hey, just testing out a few of the stripped down ICS 4.0.3 roms. theyre really great, but the devs always take out the htc_ime. i really like to have that cause of the language selection.
i know i saw somewhere a .zip to flash it back in, but i cant find it now that i need it! anyone know where it is??
thanks!

I heard that HTC_IME is not compatible with ICS...

It is compatible - im using it with no problems. Even HTC trace works fine.
What you need to do (sorry i cant make a flashable zip)
download the zip from HERE
Extract the zip file
Push the HTC_IME.apk (from app folder) to /system/app (I use ES file explorer) and change permissions to RW-R-R
Then push the libs (from lib folder) to /system/lib and change permission to RW-R-R - there should be 5 in total.
Then reboot. I also wiped cache & Dalvik cache just to be sure.
NOTE: if you are using virtuous inquision the lib files are already present. This is the rom im using and since it is based from the HTC leak, the dev has not removed the libs. So all you need is the HTC_IME.apk into /system/app and then you should be able to select the HTC touch input in the keyboard list.
I hope this helps

Doesn't work. Even after copying all the files to their proper folders, ensuring permissions are correct, and wiping cache and dalvik... It still force closes as soon as Touch Input is selected. Just tried it on CM7.
I'm going to try to investigate this problem and see what I can come up with. I know everybody used to say that Clicker.apk was needed. But if you look at most of the ROMs out there, you'll see that they somehow use the HTC_IME keyboard without having Clicker.apk. So what's missing?
Edit: I feel like I'm going to give myself a headache trying to figure this out. The logcat for the FC said (amongst other things) that there is a ClassNotFoundException for KeyboardSettings. There's also a lot of ActivityThread errors which don't really mean much to me. A Google search revealed that it may be related to the AndroidManifest.xml in the APK file, but unfortunately it's not a standard XML file (try opening it to see what I mean). Not to mention, the APK is obviously fine, because I pulled it right from the ROM.
So basically, we need to somehow figure out what other files are needed by HTC_IME.apk, besides the libraries mentioned already in this thread. I assume that it worked for beady_uk because the ROM he was using already had the rest of the required files without him knowing. I'm going to continue looking to see if I can find more information, but I would definitely appreciate if anybody has any technical input into this situation. I can provide logcat information if needed.

Gamesoul Master said:
Doesn't work. Even after copying all the files to their proper folders, ensuring permissions are correct, and wiping cache and dalvik... It still force closes as soon as Touch Input is selected. Just tried it on CM7.
I'm going to try to investigate this problem and see what I can come up with. I know everybody used to say that Clicker.apk was needed. But if you look at most of the ROMs out there, you'll see that they somehow use the HTC_IME keyboard without having Clicker.apk. So what's missing?
Edit: I feel like I'm going to give myself a headache trying to figure this out. The logcat for the FC said (amongst other things) that there is a ClassNotFoundException for KeyboardSettings. There's also a lot of ActivityThread errors which don't really mean much to me. A Google search revealed that it may be related to the AndroidManifest.xml in the APK file, but unfortunately it's not a standard XML file (try opening it to see what I mean). Not to mention, the APK is obviously fine, because I pulled it right from the ROM.
So basically, we need to somehow figure out what other files are needed by HTC_IME.apk, besides the libraries mentioned already in this thread. I assume that it worked for beady_uk because the ROM he was using already had the rest of the required files without him knowing. I'm going to continue looking to see if I can find more information, but I would definitely appreciate if anybody has any technical input into this situation. I can provide logcat information if needed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I believe that you have mis-read the 1st post.
The OP asked how to re-add the HTC_IME to a stripped down rom that the dev had removed.
This is what i have done and it worked - possibly because the roms are sense-based framework.
You have tried to install this on CM7 with is CM based framework so i think you will need more 'files' but that is beyond my knowledge.
Sorry i cant help further

You are correct. I was in a deep search for anything revolving around installing it, so I missed that part. I saw your post (which is the only place I've seen anybody mention installing those lib files), and I guess that caused further oversight on my part.
I do imagine this may not work on all the stripped down ROMs though, if any of the cooks stripped their ROMs like I stripped my old Win98 PC that had a 1GB hard drive in it... that is to say, remove every possible file that wouldn't cause stability issues

[Q] How to add menu options UPDATED with new ?

I've been trying to figure out how to get NFC working on the stock ROM for a while now. In no way am I a DEV or experienced with Android coding, but I have learned a few things along the way. I know basic NFC functions are available in certain ROMS, but this is about getting it working on the stock ROM. I am also aware that Google Wallet will not work on these phones without a secure elemint (sp?). But with all of the interest in NFC (even though its uses are limited), I would think alot of people would like to have the option to enable it on the stock ROM.
Here is a few things a have discovered:
These phones already have the Nfc.apk and Nfc.Odex files included. They are very similar to the files on the Korean version of this phone that has working NFC.
The framework-res.apk xml already includes code for NFC operations. I have read where people have said that extra framework is needed, but from what I see (again limited knowledge) it already exists.
I also found (I can't remember where) more code for NFC that includes connection instructions and what it is supposed to do when a NFC signal is detected.
So I am thinking, maybe the only thing we need at this point is to have the option for NFC along with the toggle added to the "Wireless and Network" menu on the phone. Maybe it already exists and just needs to be activated.
Oddly enough, it seems very little information exists about trying to activate NFC on the SkyRocket I727 stock ROM. Alot of the information a got was from the regular Galaxy SII forum and it is obvious that phone isn't coded exactly as ours.
So, can any one tell me in which part of the coding is the "Menu options" enabled for the "Wireless and Network" settings? Maybe I am wrong about all of this, but if anyone knows anything more about it (not just guessing but actually knows something), please post it here so we can get the NFC function working on the stock ROM.
On a seperate note, the same place I found the coding about the NFC operations (like I said, I can't remember where it was but I will try to find it again) I also found additional mentioning of an"FM radio chip"???

OOOOKKKKKKK...can someone atleast point me in the right direction to find this out on my own?

You can edit setting.apk and enable nfc. Or just dload a rom that lets u use nfc.
scott14719 said:
I've been trying to figure out how to get NFC working on the stock ROM for a while now. In no way am I a DEV or experienced with Android coding, but I have learned a few things along the way. I know basic NFC functions are available in certain ROMS, but this is about getting it working on the stock ROM. I am also aware that Google Wallet will not work on these phones without a secure elemint (sp?). But with all of the interest in NFC (even though its uses are limited), I would think alot of people would like to have the option to enable it on the stock ROM.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

appdroid said:
You can edit setting.apk and enable nfc. Or just dload a rom that lets u use nfc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the response, but what do I edit in settings.apk? I have read this more than a couple of times, but no one seems to be able to say what edits to make to the settings.apk. As far as the others ROMS go, I realize NFC works in other ROMS, but I'm trying to find an option to enable it in the Stock ROM. Any info you can provide would be great. Thanks.
Edit...I took a look at the setting.apk XML from a T-mobile phone that has NFC enabled and it seems to be the same as the settings.apk XML from the Skyrocket. This is the confusing part. Everyone seems to think the settings.apk app needs editing, but it is the same as ones in the versions of our phones that have working NFC. As a matter of fact, the NFC.apk apps are the same as well. This is why I am thinking it only needs the option added to the "Wireless an Netwok" menu in order for it to work (which is my original question on how to do so). Things just aren't adding up here?

OK, so I've been looking around some more and I found something interesting.
The T-Mobile (T989) version of the Skyrocket has an extra file located in the settings.apk that the I727 AT&T Skyrocket doesn't appear to have in it's settings.apk.
This file is named "smali". Most of the rest of the settings.apk on both phones appear to be very similar. There are about 9 extra lines of code in the "manifest.xml" in the I727 but they do not appear to be related to Nfc operations at all.
This "smali" file in the settings.apk on the T-mobile phone contains a folder called "com" and the "com" folder contains three more folders called "android", "broadcom", and "samsung". The "broadcom" and "samsung" folders appear to contain information (code) about bluetooth operations. The 'android" folder is the interesting one. It contains a "settings" folder that has many other folders in it. Again, most interesting is a file called "Nfc". It contains 5 smali files that all contain code about Nfc functions. I think this may be the actual file(s) that AT&T had Samsung leave off of this phone (I727) so Nfc is not enabled.
So finally, my new question(s) is..........
Can anyone confirm that the exclusion of the "smali" file in the settings.apk on the Skyrocket is the reason we can not use Nfc?
-and-
Would it be safe or even possible to insert the "smali" file contained in the T-mobile settings.apk into the settings.apk of the AT&T Skyrocket phone and see if it would properly activate Nfc on the AT&T Skyrocket? If so, could this be done on the "stock" AT&T 2.3.6 ROM without being DeOdexed?
I realize this is a lot to ask, but this is the only way we can get NFC working on the stock ROM like it should be in the first place. Maybe one of the Devs that works with the skyrocket can help to answer some of these questions. Thanks to anyone that can help.

This doesn't help u in your finally quest of enabling nfc, but the reason u see the smali folder in the decompiled system.apk for the T-Mobile apk is most likely because it is deodexed, and the apk that u are looking at from your skyrocket is not deodex. If u use apktool or something similar to apktool and decompile a non deodexed apk u will not see any smali file. The smali folder is basically the Java code that is in the system.odex file (layman's terms)
This is why most..or most ever apk edit is don't on an odex apk. Because without it being doedex u would have to edit both the apk and the odex file

To add
If can get your hands on a stock doedex sky rocket rom that's what u would want to use to compair the two with
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk

runandhide05 said:
To add
If can get your hands on a stock doedex sky rocket rom that's what u would want to use to compair the two with
Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have compared the Stock SkyRocket ROM to both T-Mobiles ROM and the Superstock ROM. The SuperStock ROM is a DeOdexed AT&T version of what I have. The Stock ROM (on my phone) and the SuperStock ROM (DeOdexed) seem to be the same. I have not searched and compared every single file and line of code but the settings.apk and framework.apk and framework-res.apk files seem to be the same? The "smali"file folders that were located on the T-mobile ROM are not on the DeOdexed Stock ROM (atleast not that I have found. Unfortunately I have seem to come to the end of my abilities to do anything else. I just don't have the knowledge to go any further. Hopefully one of the DEVs around here could help out if they get the time. I know the effort would be appriciated, but it is up to them.. Most of them seem to be keeping pretty busy with updating their ROMS.
**edit** Ok, I spoke too soon. I found the "smali" files in the DeOdexed Superstock ROM. They are in the ".jar" files. The framework.jar file has the folder that has info about NFC in it. I just have no idea what to do with it from this point. I still think that everything that is needed for NFC to work is already in the Stock ROM, it just needs menu options to get to it.

What do I need to learn.!

Hi folks.
I'm new here.
It's my first post so please forgive me if there's something wrong.
Basically I want to know is, what type of knowledge do i need (programming language and other things) to work on root of android like build.prop and making custom roms and working on the custom recovery etc.
What do I need to learn to understand those things and work on them.
Thanks.

Kaksrocks said:
Hi folks.
I'm new here.
It's my first post so please forgive me if there's something wrong.
Basically I want to know is, what type of knowledge do i need (programming language and other things) to work on root of android like build.prop and making custom roms and working on the custom recovery etc.
What do I need to learn to understand those things and work on them.
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your question is not specific and I not sure exactly what information you requesting. For instance,
1 "root of android" ? Are you trying to root you're phone?
2. "build.prop"? Adding or modifying that can be done with an android app provided your device is already rooted. Ising ADB and fastboot may also be a possible.
3. " making custom roms" ? Does that mean installing or actually building a custom rom? Actually building a custom rom that is best left for advanced level developers. If, you mean installing a custun rom then generally speaking that is usually done in custom recovery by flashing a .zip file. Its very specific for each phone and carrier.
4. "working on custom recovery"? Depends on which custom recovery you have installed and what options are available. A YouTube search can provide some general information.
I am assuming you are interested in rooting you phone and unfair with all is necessary in order to do so. I suggest, searching for your specific model and carrier hear on XDA. For instence, I have a note 4, I search, "XDA Sprint Note 4".

Mr. JAVI said:
Your question is not specific and I not sure exactly what information you requesting. For instance,
1 "root of android" ? Are you trying to root you're phone?
2. "build.prop"? Adding or modifying that can be done with an android app provided your device is already rooted. Ising ADB and fastboot may also be a possible.
3. " making custom roms" ? Does that mean installing or actually building a custom rom? Actually building a custom rom that is best left for advanced level developers. If, you mean installing a custun rom then generally speaking that is usually done in custom recovery by flashing a .zip file. Its very specific for each phone and carrier.
4. "working on custom recovery"? Depends on which custom recovery you have installed and what options are available. A YouTube search can provide some general information.
I am assuming you are interested in rooting you phone and unfair with all is necessary in order to do so. I suggest, searching for your specific model and carrier hear on XDA. For instence, I have a note 4, I search, "XDA Sprint Note 4".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well. First of all thanks for the reply.
I do have the knowledge on how to root the device and i have my device rooted.
I know how can i modify the build.prop file.
But i want to know how the tweaks are actually made to put them in build.prop file to get it into work. How that tweak is made.
How to know what actually should i edit and etc.
And for custom roms. I do actually want to know about how to actually make a custom rom. Even though if its a high level thing. I still want to know. So that i can start learning and get in that field.
I want to know how custom recovery is made. For ex how twrp was made. And i want to learn its functionality.
Thanks again for the reply.

Kaksrocks said:
Well. First of all thanks for the reply.
I do have the knowledge on how to root the device and i have my device rooted.
I know how can i modify the build.prop file.
But i want to know how the tweaks are actually made to put them in build.prop file to get it into work. How that tweak is made.
How to know what actually should i edit and etc.
And for custom roms. I do actually want to know about how to actually make a custom rom. Even though if its a high level thing. I still want to know. So that i can start learning and get in that field.
I want to know how custom recovery is made. For ex how twrp was made. And i want to learn its functionality.
Thanks again for the reply.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I
You welcome and I also Thank you for responding.
In regards to modification of build.props, I advise beginning with custom recovery and making a full back- up (all partitions). I have soft bricked my phone more that once by modifying build.pros and simply did a full wipe and restored my backup and up and running. Kernel Aduitor is an app that provides a Build prop Editor but there are stand alone app that are also available.
If your custom recovery is TWRP then Tipatch is an app that is worth looking into. Its available here on XDA or can be downloaded via Google Play Store.
Odex Roms vs Deodex Roms and what that means. I suggest Deodex if your plan on modifying and/or porting.
Also good to know the differences between kerels permissive vs enforcing.
Apps= ApkTool X, Apk Editor v1.3,(this is a lower version that offers a rebuild function while the updated version available from Google Play dose not) Md5 , and ZArchiver.
As far as how to make custom roms? Thats above my skill level. However, If you download a custom rom make a copy and rename it, then use a root file manager to extract it or ZArciver app and look threw the files of the rom. May help prove helpful in learning basic structure.
Keep in mind I am not a developer. Modified, porting, flashing, treaking I do often. For instance, Im tunning and od Note 4 on marshmallow 6.0.1 and have official Google Play Dark Theme.
If you have any questions

https://forum.xda-developers.com/android/themes/official-google-play-store-dark-theme-t3977061

Mr. JAVI said:
I
You welcome and I also Thank you for responding.
In regards to modification of build.props, I advise beginning with custom recovery and making a full back- up (all partitions). I have soft bricked my phone more that once by modifying build.pros and simply did a full wipe and restored my backup and up and running. Kernel Aduitor is an app that provides a Build prop Editor but there are stand alone app that are also available.
If your custom recovery is TWRP then Tipatch is an app that is worth looking into. Its available here on XDA or can be downloaded via Google Play Store.
Odex Roms vs Deodex Roms and what that means. I suggest Deodex if your plan on modifying and/or porting.
Also good to know the differences between kerels permissive vs enforcing.
Apps= ApkTool X, Apk Editor v1.3,(this is a lower version that offers a rebuild function while the updated version available from Google Play dose not) Md5 , and ZArchiver.
As far as how to make custom roms? Thats above my skill level. However, If you download a custom rom make a copy and rename it, then use a root file manager to extract it or ZArciver app and look threw the files of the rom. May help prove helpful in learning basic structure.
Keep in mind I am not a developer. Modified, porting, flashing, treaking I do often. For instance, Im tunning and od Note 4 on marshmallow 6.0.1 and have official Google Play Dark Theme.
If you have any questions
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Great. Thanks for the information you provided.
You were pretty helpful.
So again thanks.