Related
I've been seeing way too many requests for this with just about every mod possible. Considering the simplicity of this mod, the easiest way to please everyone, is for all of you to know how to accomplish this mod yourself.
BTW, this is for the status bar itself, not pulldown bar or notification background.
What you need:
- Paint.NET software (or any other image editing software that you are already comfortable with, this one seems to be the easiest for setting transparency though.)
- Your framework-res.apk AFTER you have all of your other mods applied to your phone. Otherwise you will have to apply this mod again every time you add or change mods (most likely).
- 7zip
So, you should have your framework-res.apk on your computer and 7zip installed to open the apk. Open up the framework, navigate to /res/drawable-hdpi folder. In that folder, find the file statusbar_background.png. You can either pull that file out to your computer to edit it or open it straight from 7zip (which is the best way to ensure there is no issues when pushing framework back to the phone) but you must have your editing software set as the default to open .png files.
Now once you have that file open in Paint.NET, you will see the image of the status bar as you currently have it. Up on the top toolbar, you should see the option "Layers". Click that then select "Layer properties" at the bottom of the drop-down. At the bottom of the window that pops up, you should see "Opacity" and the number set at 255 with the neighboring slider all the way to the right. I suggest using the slider because as you move it you will see the transparency applied to the bar image, allowing you to slide it around to the desired transparency.
Once you have finished setting your transparency, click the little disk image at the top left to save your changes, close the program out and you should then see a box pop up in 7zip (if you made changes without unpacking the file from 7zip first) asking if you would like to apply changes to file you edited. Say yes, then close 7zip, which may or may not state that changes have been made to the apk and if you'd like to update it, which you would say yes to if it does. If you unpacked the file from 7zip, simply drag and drop the file back into its correct spot, confirm you want to replace the file, then close it up. After all of this is done, just put framework-res.apk back into the framework folder on your phone whatever way you like, turn your phone on and you have a transparent status bar.
As a side note, you can play with Paint.net to see all of the modifications you can make to your status bar like changing colors, texture, and a few other things. One piece of advice is to have a backup framework-res.apk in case you make a mistake or something.
excuse my extreme noobness, but what is the best way to transfer the apk back and forth from the phone to computer? yes I am new to this and yes I am a retard and yes I probably shouldnt even try this..
JoeyBones1 said:
excuse my extreme noobness, but what is the best way to transfer the apk back and forth from the phone to computer? yes I am new to this and yes I am a retard and yes I probably shouldnt even try this..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Easiest way would be to get root explorer so you can navigate to the /system/framework folder and copy the apk from there to your sdcard, where you can just copy it to your computer. the other option would be plugging your phone into your computer, phone should be on, open up command prompt then navigate to your sdk/tools folder (get it if you dont already have it), then type "adb pull /system/framework/framework-res.apk c:\" without the quotes. the file will be in the root of your C directory. To get it back on your phone when finished, for root explorer just reverse the steps, but when moving the apk back to its proper folder, just hit the "Mount R/W" button at the top right of root explorer, copy the file back in and reboot. For alternate method, boot into recovery, mount /system partition, then in prompt after navigating to sdk tools folder type "adb push c:\insertdirectoryto\framework-res.apk /system/framework/" without quotes, then boot up and youre done.
tried this...boot looped...had to restore backup...thanks for the info though...might try again soon
BillytheKid82 said:
tried this...boot looped...had to restore backup...thanks for the info though...might try again soon
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you try editing the file without extracting it or did you extract it and reinsert it?
Or you could edit the .png and use metamorph to push it into the framework-res.apk without moving or unzipping anything. And you could just keep the metamorph theme with that one .png on your sdcard to re-apply it whenever you flash a new rom, without altering any other theme elements you've already applied.
What do I edit to change the pull down notifications?
Sent from my Incredible using XDA App
thx a ton got it
transparent, transferring back to phone now..we will see
edit ..boot loops too..
i used root explorer ..extracted framework-res.apk to my sd card ,,then on my computer i opened paint.net and edited the statusbar_background.png file and then
zipped back up the framework-res and renamed to apk then copied back to my framework folder and it the forced closed and went into boot lopes...
i know im close to getting this right ..what step am i skrewing up?
i edited the file w/out extracting it...using root explorer i copied the framework res to my sdcard...plugged my phone in to comp, opened the framework res w/ 7zip, edited w/ gimp, saved all changes...unmounted phone, used root explorer and copied the new edited framework, then navigated to the original framework res and pasted the new one there to overwrite the original...then it force closed so i tried to paste it again, then the phone rebooted and boot looped? not sure if i did something wrong
Gahh Its Lee said:
What do I edit to change the pull down notifications?
Sent from my Incredible using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That file is a .9.png file. editing these is ridiculously difficult and ill-advised.
chrisloveskaos said:
thx a ton got it
transparent, transferring back to phone now..we will see
edit ..boot loops too..
i used root explorer ..extracted framework-res.apk to my sd card ,,then on my computer i opened paint.net and edited the statusbar_background.png file and then
zipped back up the framework-res and renamed to apk then copied back to my framework folder and it the forced closed and went into boot lopes...
i know im close to getting this right ..what step am i skrewing up?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
BillytheKid82 said:
i edited the file w/out extracting it...using root explorer i copied the framework res to my sdcard...plugged my phone in to comp, opened the framework res w/ 7zip, edited w/ gimp, saved all changes...unmounted phone, used root explorer and copied the new edited framework, then navigated to the original framework res and pasted the new one there to overwrite the original...then it force closed so i tried to paste it again, then the phone rebooted and boot looped? not sure if i did something wrong
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I JUST remembered that I think you need to be running a deodexed rom to allow modifications. I've always used deodexed roms and forgot that it might be a requirement for things like this. Do either of you know if what youre running is deodexed or not?
mixedlemon said:
Or you could edit the .png and use metamorph to push it into the framework-res.apk without moving or unzipping anything. And you could just keep the metamorph theme with that one .png on your sdcard to re-apply it whenever you flash a new rom, without altering any other theme elements you've already applied.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
metamorph is definitely more useful. I just have never created anything to run with it so I don't know the process of doing so.
im running skyraider vanilla, i tried to look on the thread to see if it is deodexed and i couldn't find if it is or not...may not be...thanks for your help
mb02 said:
I JUST remembered that I think you need to be running a deodexed rom to allow modifications. I've always used deodexed roms and forgot that it might be a requirement for things like this. Do either of you know if what youre running is deodexed or not?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
running new skyraider 3.3 and im sure it is
Yea it seems they are both deodexed, and btw I didn't know skyraider 3.3 was so awesome I'm tempted to switch over to it. But yea, I'm not sure why your phones aren't allowing the modifications to the framework. I might as well load SR 3.3 and see for myself what's up. I'll get on that later tonight when I have time and let you guys know if i figure anything out.
Use this with metamorph. It will work on any rom (tested on skyraider 3.3) except those that still use the "drawable-hdpi-v4" folder in the framework-res.apk. If your rom uses that folder, simply rename the folder it puts on your sdcard in /sdcard/AndroidThemes/HalfTransparentBar/
If you'd rather have a different transparency just replace the .png in the folder with yours.
In fact, if you want to edit ANY graphic on your rom, just put the .png in the /sdcard/AndroidThemes/xxxxxx/framework-res/res/drawable-hdpi/ folder with the same file name as the one you want to replace. And of course, do a nandroid backup just in case.
EDIT: As Berzerker7 pointed out, this file probably wont make anything transparent unless you have a modified services.jar. oops.
mixedlemon said:
Use this with metamorph. It will work on any rom (tested on skyraider 3.3) except those that still use the "drawable-hdpi-v4" folder in the framework-res.apk. If your rom uses that folder, simply rename the folder it puts on your sdcard in /sdcard/AndroidThemes/HalfTransparentBar/
If you'd rather have a different transparency just replace the .png in the folder with yours.
In fact, if you want to edit ANY graphic on your rom, just put the .png in the /sdcard/AndroidThemes/xxxxxx/framework-res/res/drawable-hdpi/ folder with the same file name as the one you want to replace.
edit: and of course, do a nandroid backup just in case.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well then that simplifies a lot of things lol. Thanks for putting that up for us, makes everything even easier.
Simply swapping a file won't work. It's the same reason simply swapping a transparent image for the notification pull-down doesn't work. Opacity is controlled on another level by services.jar. You need to modify the values there, as well as swapping out for a transparent image.
Btw, this didn't work for me on SkyRaider 3.3. (Metamorph or swapping the file).
It makes the background black but not transparent on virtuous 3.0.1
mixedlemon said:
Use this with metamorph. It will work on any rom (tested on skyraider 3.3) except those that still use the "drawable-hdpi-v4" folder in the framework-res.apk. If your rom uses that folder, simply rename the folder it puts on your sdcard in /sdcard/AndroidThemes/HalfTransparentBar/
If you'd rather have a different transparency just replace the .png in the folder with yours.
In fact, if you want to edit ANY graphic on your rom, just put the .png in the /sdcard/AndroidThemes/xxxxxx/framework-res/res/drawable-hdpi/ folder with the same file name as the one you want to replace.
edit: and of course, do a nandroid backup just in case.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Berzerker7 said:
Simply swapping a file won't work. It's the same reason simply swapping a transparent image for the notification pull-down doesn't work. Opacity is controlled on another level by services.jar. You need to modify the values there, as well as swapping out for a transparent image.
Btw, this didn't work for me on SkyRaider 3.3. (Metamorph or swapping the file).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, I must have already installed a theme that modified it, then.
WOOOT!
SO can't wait to try this!
Wow... epic fail on my part... edited the image, repackaged, compared to original, file sizes/compression were similar enough, so I copied it onto my SD card and went in to Root Explorer... Mistake number 1)forgot to do a nandroid OR a titanium, Mistake number 2)Renamed the framework-res.apk to framework-res.bak BEFORE I copied the new file to the /system/framework. As soon as I did that, everything went haywire so I did a battery pull and went to do it the ADB way from recovery. Thought I did that right, so I rebooted into a bootloop... Finally gave up so I decided to do mistake number 3)full nandroid restore of a backup that was admittedly a few days old (See mistake 1 lol) after which I had rearranged a few things and added more apps etc... Now on to the important stuff...
MAKE SURE YOU DO STEP 1 BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANY OF THIS AND IF YOU RUN INTO PROBLEMS, DO STEP 2 SO YOU DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE I DID!
Step 1)For the love of all that's holy, do a Nandroid and Titanium backup first!
Step 2)In Clockwork Mod Recovery, do NOT do a full restore, instead go to advanced restore and simply restore the system (the part that you were messing around with to do this mod lol I realized this gem just as I clicked "Yes" in CWM, I still have the palm print on my forehead... haha
Hopefully you folks will have better luck than I did, but if not, hopefully I can save you some of the headache I went thru...
But I don't exactly know how to get there.
I'm runing Wolfbreak's CM ROM V055, afraid to go to V06 because it might break my kernel install(still getting info on just what to do)
What I'm wanting is:
The status/pulldown bars(all icons except Wifi, and I want to keep Cyanogen 6's default slidey bar[the thing that ends up at the bottom]), and the animations from the theme used in SEMPITERNAL's Eternity 2 Build 0003a ROM. That will have to be ported to FroYo, I'm afraid(unless my theory at the bottom of this post will work).
I want the menu from LUCID-X10 by SicNside, with the black BG and white elements, but the png forthat i guess I'll have to negative a white hdpi one.
That's about it, the rest i want from arc theme which is default on my current ROM, including tickboxes, those arrows inside circles, the menu icons, etc.
My theory to sort of make this is to get the two involved APK's(default in CM and default in Eternity) onto my computer, and make them ZIP's. Then i can extract the drawable-hdpi folders from each and paste what I want from Eternity into Arc. Then I can replace the drawable-hdpi folder in the Arc framework file, and zip it at store.
That's where I stop knowing what I'm doing. Searching has not found me a guide on just how to make a framework-res.apk, nor even really making a theme altogether. All i can find is about xml files, resources, never anything about actually making the apk correctly.
Help, please?
I am stuck at the same point as you, I have no idea where to go from here :S
Anyone? I'm sure the two of us aren't the only ones...
Here's a zip of what I want. All I did was:
Took the framework-res.apk from the ETERNITY Rom and from the CM ROM, and pasted the png's i wanted from Eternity into drawable-hdpi-v4 in CM framework. Now, can someone make this work, please?
Its quite easy.
Just select the images you want to change.
Then open the framework-res.apk of your ROM with winrar or 7zip your choice.
Without extracting the files drag and drop the files to the winrar window in the right place. If you want to change images in drawable-hdpi migrate to res/drawable-hdpi and drag and drop images there.
Now close the archive and type this:
Code:
adb push <path to modified framework> /sdcard/framework-res.apk
adb shell mount -o remount,rw -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock2 /system
adb shell dd if=/sdcard/framework-res.apk of=/system/framework/framework-res.apk
Make sure you take a backup with xrecovery before doing this. If you do something wrong you may end up in a bootloop. In that case just restore from backup and try again!
realunited123 said:
Its quite easy.
Just select the images you want to change.
Then open the framework-res.apk of your ROM with winrar or 7zip your choice.
Without extracting the files drag and drop the files to the winrar window in the right place. If you want to change images in drawable-hdpi migrate to res/drawable-hdpi and drag and drop images there.
Now close the archive and type this:
Code:
adb push <path to modified framework> /sdcard/framework-res.apk
adb shell mount -o remount,rw -t yaffs2 /dev/block/mtdblock2 /system
adb shell dd if=/sdcard/framework-res.apk of=/system/framework/framework-res.apk
Make sure you take a backup with xrecovery before doing this. If you do something wrong you may end up in a bootloop. In that case just restore from backup and try again!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Grr, sorry but right now all my failure is just making that less clear. Type that where? Drag the files to the winrar/7zip window? Isn't that where i dont want them?
Ive followed all the different sets of instructions including yours on this forum as closely as i can make sense of them and always end up with a stream of FC's and reboot loops.
EDIT: does it only work on the stock kernel? I'm running Trip's kernel. I just pulled the framework apk then pushed that same apk back and it's still doing it.
EDIT 2: ok no stock kernel and its still doing it WHY THE HELL IS IT DOING THIS?!?!? I FLASHED THE SAME DAMN STOCK FRAMEWORK!
ok if i got the modded framework apk to my sdcard and used root explorer to paste it in, should that work? This laptop might be what's causing it
I have posted few tips here n there when ever people ask about it.
Check this for overall requirements
For your requirement, skip the optimization part out and just do image swap.
Like realunited123 said, dont extract, just open from 7zip, I use Win RAR and drag and drop the new image to the correct folder.
You need to remember few things here, check images name matches against old to new. Other important thing is resolution. you might get in to trouble if you take mpdi and put it to hdpi.
after updating the framwork I made a small template for you guys to play with.
Download attaches zip file open and go to
Framewrok-SJ.zip\system\framework folder and drag and drop the modified framework-res.apk
Dont try to install the attached file. its only a template for you guys to start working on....
After drag and drop you will see zip file size increased.
Simply copy to SD card and install via Xrecovery
You can try any framework to install like this without adb stuff
Remember to make a backup... because you will definitely screwup... we all have...... LOL
Realorasz said:
ok if i got the modded framework apk to my sdcard and used root explorer to paste it in, should that work? This laptop might be what's causing it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well my friend if you have already did this. it will be your first screwup
Dont use root explorer or titanium for this work. Read this post I mention yesterday.......
Shiwantha said:
I have posted few tips here n there when ever people ask about it.
Check this for overall requirements
For your requirement, skip the optimization part out and just do image swap.
Like realunited123 said, dont extract, just open from 7zip, I use Win RAR and drag and drop the new image to the correct folder.
You need to remember few things here, check images name matches against old to new. Other impotent thing is resolution. you might get in to trouble if you take mpdi and put it to hdpi.
after updating the framwork I made a small template for you guys to play with.
Download attaches zip file open and go to
Framewrok-SJ.zip\system\framework folder and drag and drop the modified framework-res.apk
Dont try to install the attached file. its only a template for you guys to start working on....
After drag and drop you will see zip file size increased.
Simply copy to SD card and install via Xrecovery
You can try any framework to install like this without adb stuff
Remember to make a backup... because you will definitely screwup... we all have...... LOL
Well my friend if you have already did this. it will be your first screwup
Dont use root explorer or titanium for this work. Read this post I mention yesterday.......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well i did try swapping mine with the framework apk in the froshed zip. I'll try it with yours though.
Shiwantha said:
I have posted few tips here n there when ever people ask about it.
Check this for overall requirements
For your requirement, skip the optimization part out and just do image swap.
Like realunited123 said, dont extract, just open from 7zip, I use Win RAR and drag and drop the new image to the correct folder.
You need to remember few things here, check images name matches against old to new. Other impotent thing is resolution. you might get in to trouble if you take mpdi and put it to hdpi.
after updating the framwork I made a small template for you guys to play with.
Download attaches zip file open and go to
Framewrok-SJ.zip\system\framework folder and drag and drop the modified framework-res.apk
Dont try to install the attached file. its only a template for you guys to start working on....
After drag and drop you will see zip file size increased.
Simply copy to SD card and install via Xrecovery
You can try any framework to install like this without adb stuff
Remember to make a backup... because you will definitely screwup... we all have...... LOL
Well my friend if you have already did this. it will be your first screwup
Dont use root explorer or titanium for this work. Read this post I mention yesterday.......
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is it just me is are you a savior!! Thanks, it's working now!!!!
Hey, by the way, can you teach me how i can make an xrec zip of a dialer mod I made? I want to post it on the CM 6 thread so people can like actualy install it but the only way i currently have for that is adb(which works on apps, but not themes...)
And one more thing, Is any sort of file transfer possible with ADB, or will i have to stick with WiFi File Explorer?
Realorasz said:
Is it just me is are you a savior!! Thanks, it's working now!!!!
Hey, by the way, can you teach me how i can make an xrec zip of a dialer mod I made? I want to post it on the CM 6 thread so people can like actualy install it but the only way i currently have for that is adb(which works on apps, but not themes...)
And one more thing, Is any sort of file transfer possible with ADB, or will i have to stick with WiFi File Explorer?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats good news.. one less problem to deal with....
create a folder call app on your pc and drag it to system folder in the zip file.
So you should have framework and app folders inside of it.
then copy Phone.apk & Contacts.apk and try to install via xrecovery.
there is a chance you might not be able to install as my initial signing of Zip file dosent included app folder and so MANIFEST.MF & CERT.SF dont have reference. on the other hand during installation Xrecovery dont check
key signature.
I didnt test this way so try, no harm will come to your phone.
Dont know about wifi explorer much. Im testing with adb generally. only final version im publishing in xrec.
Can you teach me how to make that meta inf stuff?
Sent from my X10a using XDA Premium App
Realorasz said:
Can you teach me how to make that meta inf stuff?
Sent from my X10a using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You cannot, after putting stuff, need to sign by app sign tool or there are alternative called APK manager... search its on XDA i think........
I'm not getting it. The update script ange all that forxrecovery...?
Sent from my X10a using XDA Premium App
Realorasz said:
Can you teach me how to make that meta inf stuff?
Sent from my X10a using XDA Premium App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In META-INF create \com\google\android folders for update-script file.
Make update-script a text file containing the following
Code:
show_progress 0.1 0
copy_dir PACKAGE:system SYSTEM:
show_progress 0.1 10
Be sure to add an extra blank line after "show_progress 0.1 10"
Compress META-INF and system folders to a zip, then move to your sd and sign with signAPKtic which is a free app in the market. Use "test keys" to sign. (signAPKtic is easiest to me,or you can use 1 of the methods Shiwantha suggested to sign)
I would also suggest zipaligning your apks before adding them to optimize your phone's performance when accessing them. Search zipalign on XDA and you'll find what you need...
*Edit- Also, X10 Mod Tool is great for pushing/pulling apks via adb without all the typing. I use it a LOT when testing different pieces of themes.
AyDee said:
In META-INF create \com\google\android folders for update-script file.
Make update-script a text file containing the following
Code:
show_progress 0.1 0
copy_dir PACKAGE:system SYSTEM:
show_progress 0.1 10
Be sure to add an extra blank line after "show_progress 0.1 10"
Compress META-INF and system folders to a zip, then move to your sd and sign with signAPKtic which is a free app in the market. Use "test keys" to sign. (signAPKtic is easiest to me,or you can use 1 of the methods Shiwantha suggested to sign)
I would also suggest zipaligning your apks before adding them to optimize your phone's performance when accessing them. Search zipalign on XDA and you'll find what you need...
*Edit- Also, X10 Mod Tool is great for pushing/pulling apks via adb without all the typing. I use it a LOT when testing different pieces of themes.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think adb mask controller can do it in the zipalign tab> zipalign /system/app button.
And what format does the text file need to be in?
Signapktic is either telling me the zip doesnt exist or gives me an unzp error... and I supposed to me signing the apk's or the zip?
EDIT: I think I got it. Zip signer instead of signapktic. Let's see what my phone does.
Ok it looks like it worked.
Make sure there are no spaces in the zip's name. Looks like you got it!
Sent from my X10a using XDA App
AyDee said:
Make sure there are no spaces in the zip's name. Looks like you got it!
Sent from my X10a using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So does that mean it worked for you?
EDIT: Oh, I'm stupid, I didn't even post it. Can you test it please?
It looks like it's signed already. Are you asking me to test the app or signature?
Sent from my X10a using XDA App
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...
Hello so what I've got is this. I've modified some of the system .apks and the framework on my current rom well an update has rolled out and i was wondering how do i take those modded apps with me I've used zipthemer and cwm but i get a bootloop using zipthemer i had wrote my xml to install the entire .apk is this wrong any help would be greatly appreciated thanks
Use Super Manager to make a backup of all your .APK's on the device it will be under the .APK section in Super Manager around tab 4 or 5 i believe! Mount your SD card in your PC after the backup and push the backup .APK's to a new folder on your PC and do a fresh clean flash of the new ROM then push the .APK's back onto the device after you reboot! If this is not exactly what you are looking for feel free to elaborate a bit more im pretty sure i understand the concept you are going for!
That's pretty much what I'm aiming at only im talking about modified /system apks I usually wind up pulling the apps and framework and replacing the image files inside the new ones with the ones ive edited using 7.zip and pushing them back to /system/app or framework with adb but man that takes forever lol I guess what ive done here is created a system wide theme including system apps and framework but i dont know how to write the xml to push the images into the framework and apks through a cwm flashable
I guess im kinda looking for building a flashable theme something i can just flash after installing the rom update but I''m not really sure if what I've done is or could be considered a theme i guess it would be seeing as how it changes the look of the apps and framework its seems like I'm themeing the hard way
(btw typing while i think sorry if it doesn't make sense)
edit - but it seems like ive tried pushing the actual "old" apk from an older version to a new version of the same rom and it force closes
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AHH yea now i fully understand what you are getting at... props br0... i for one have never used ABD to push system modified values back to the droid but i completely get what your doing. I assume the "old.apk" force closes because your modified values collide with the default values resulting in a source error, are you using some sort of hex editor to modify anything? or just extracting .png's and swapping? if swapping .png's only you should be able to extract swap and rebuild with success but im sure there will be bugs as this is open source of sorts! I'll take a look around and see if i can find anything structured towards this because i gotta tell you man that is something i have thought about taking on myself for a little bit now just haven't gotten around to it. Sounds easy enough to do what you are going for as does most things... until you put it into practice lol i'll have a look around br0
No I'm not using an editor just 7zip to open the apk and pulling pngs from old and placing them in the "new" apk and pushing it back to the system folder if you can download something like this from the market surely I can build one I think I'm just missing something
That would be awesome man any help further into this would be greatly appreciated and Ill do the same and post here
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Nevaloud said:
No I'm not using an editor just pulling pngs from old and placing them in the "new" apk and pushing it back to the system folder
That would be awesome man any help further into this would be greatly appreciated and Ill do the same and post here
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Download a apk editor just Google how to edit apk and you should find a nice set of script put together as a cmd promt.There extract the apk both old and new then replace the PNG files.After that repackage them using the script and also sign them as a system apk (there is a script for this too).After that just copy it to the folder you took it from or via ADB.I edited mine SystemUI.apk like this and now my status bar is exactly like the one in ICS
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This sounds like what I do with with 7zip i keep the drawable files ive edited on my cpu after a rom update i pull the new apk and open with seven zip and just drag and drop what I've edited to the open res
push back reboot success
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Nevaloud said:
This sounds like what I do with with 7zip i keep the drawable files ive edited on my cpu after a rom update i pull the new apk and open with seven zip and just drag and drop what I've edited to the open res
push back reboot success
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Yeah but i think you need to sign them too in order for them not to FC and yeah rebooting after you pushet them is a must
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O no no they don't force close doing this at all
they only force close when I tried pushing an "old" apk to the "new" rom
If you pull the new ones and change with 7zip and push back they're money
I really just want to build a flashable theme zip so I don't have to pull all kinds of stuff after an update
Just a simple flash maybe even something i could deploy onto another inc2 but I'm really not sure if that's possible because of the amount of changes done to multiple apks and framework
If you guys would like to see screen shots ill post some just for fun I've done alot of work
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http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1111476
you can have a look at this
Thank you for the link but I'm not using apktool to decompile apps I'm just editing .Png images and putting what I pull from the phone back on the phone like a theme would but I'm not just editing the framework-Res I've "themed" 6 or 7 system apks aswell but I have done zero XML editing to anything
From my Inc2 Nevaloud V2.6
So i've done a thorough Google search and discovered that im not the only one who hates the smug little Samsung man that appears over all your contacts that don't have pictures, or pops up as caller ID.
I did find a post that was relevant to the old S4 which I think sent me down the right path, but i have limited knowledge in compiling and installing systems apps via adb or however.
I believe I have done the leg work, so if someone has a moment to assist in making a flashable zip or providing clear instructions to install a modified systemUI.apk, it would be greatly appreciated.
The offending picture png is located in the above mentioned SystemUI.apk. According to the post i was reading re the S4 there used to be 2 seperate system apps (Call and MMS) that contained the image, but from what i've read and been able to find in relation to the S6 is only the SystemUI.apk
I copied it out, unzipped it, and then replaced it with a random but more suitable picture. I made sure that the picture was exactly the same dimensions. Does it being a greater size cause an issue?
I then compressed it again using 7zip, set the file permission back to rw-r--r-- and.... thats as far as i got.
Im not sure how to test whether what i did is correct, or to install it via recovery as a flashable or push it through adb (i don't know the linux commands). In frustration i did try just renaming the original apk using Root Explorer, but of course immediately got a SystemUI has stopped unexpectedly (im almost positive the smug little man was laughing at me by this point) and forced reboot. Oddly upon reboot my phone functioned as per normal, with the smug little guy still mocking me, even though the SystemUI.apk had been renamed!? That stumped me. I could only think that its somehow referencing the information from somewhere else???? I dunno.
Can someone have a look at the attached and let me know if it should work and how i can try install it?
For your reference the only matching png i could find is located: SystemUI.apk\res\drawable-xxxhdpi-v4\contacts_default_caller_id_list.png
Im sure this is a MOD that the countless other smug man haters out there would appreciate as well
download the modified apk but cant install it
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ruud said:
download the modified apk but cant install it
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No, I believe there's either more to it than just swapping the png out, or the apk needs to be installed via adb seeing it's the stock rom's Ui, but I appreciate your efforts.
The app needs to be signed anyway if you unzip it and zip it again. This can be made with Android Signer or a similar app.
But...for what you want there's no need to uncompress the apk and recompress it afterwards. This procedure is needed if you want to extract or edit certain files (usually .xml files) but not for replacing a resource as a png or image.
First you should have an identically named file and the png should have same resolution (also there are certain specific png's that should be modified only by someone who knows how...so called .9 png's). Considering it's a normal one and it has same resolution (it can be sometimes of different res but phone will resize it and not always the result is what you want), just open the apk with WinRAR for ex (this is what I use) and delete tha original png then add to the archive, in the same place your png.
Should work well, no need for extracting and compressing the files again and so on and I don't advice to do that if you don't know how to sign or deal with apk's
Please note that there could be several folders were the image can be, if the image is a resource that is resolution dependant. So you might find it in hdpi, xhdpi, mdpi, xxhdpi...and similar folders. In this case you should change at least the image in the folder for your specific resolution. But I guess this is not the case since SystemUI is speciffic to a ROM and phone model and should have resources only for it's resolution setup at build time
Good luck
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Hi, thanks for your response. I actually used 7zip to swap the png without extracting it, but my problem is how to replace a system apk from recovery? I have no knowledge of how to do this or make a flashable zip. Thanks in advance
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Just use the same way, replace with 7zip. You only need a template flashable .zip. Ask Google for it.
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You can replace the file using the included file manager in TWRP (if you use this recovery). You just have to mount /system before that in order to access the file. You should find SystemUI.apk in /system/app. Alternatively, you could replace the file even with your phone started and with Android booted. Using a root file explorer like ES File Explorer, navigate to /system/app and replace SystemUI.apk there. Then reboot phone for changes to take effect. I strongly recommend to make a safe copy of the file before overwritting it
Second method is easier than the recovery one. You can also use a flashable zip, you can make one yourself by using a flashable zip 'template', that is an empty zip made for flashing in which you just put the files you need to be copied along with their complete path. A quick search will give you several such zip files,I'm on mobile right now and I can't make the flashable zip for you
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Rapier said:
You can replace the file using the included file manager in TWRP (if you use this recovery). You just have to mount /system before that in order to access the file. You should find SystemUI.apk in /system/app. Alternatively, you could replace the file even with your phone started and with Android booted. Using a root file explorer like ES File Explorer, navigate to /system/app and replace SystemUI.apk there. Then reboot phone for changes to take effect. I strongly recommend to make a safe copy of the file before overwritting it
Second method is easier than the recovery one. You can also use a flashable zip, you can make one yourself by using a flashable zip 'template', that is an empty zip made for flashing in which you just put the files you need to be copied along with their complete path. A quick search will give you several such zip files,I'm on mobile right now and I can't make the flashable zip for you
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Thanks for the info Rapier. I tried using root explorer to swap it, but as soon as I renamed the original systemui.apk I got a force close error (because the system was obviously running systemui.apk) and I was forced to do a reset to clear the error off the screen.
After rebooting, the apk had be renamed but the system was still chugging along regardless of the fact that this systemui.apk effectively wasn't even there anymore. It was showing as systemui.bak, what I renamed it to. I tried going ahead and putting the modified apk in the directory anyway, rebooted, and nothing. No change to the png whatsoever, even though the png I used was showing in the correct spot and all.
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lonelydra said:
Just use the same way, replace with 7zip. You only need a template flashable .zip. Ask Google for it.
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Thanks for the tip, I didn't know there were just templates available. I'll give it a shot, but by the way it's behaving when I've just replaced the file using a root explorer, I think there's more to it eg. The apk I modified isn't functional or something
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If you still see the image after replacing the file, it could be that it is not stored only in systemui. It could be in the dialer/phone apk as well or in the framework-res.apk. I saw the little figure you wanna change in several places across the ROM, including in the S-Health app...it is used I think everywhere where there is no picture set for an avatar. It can be that the one you found is for something else
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Rapier said:
If you still see the image after replacing the file, it could be that it is not stored only in systemui. It could be in the dialer/phone apk as well or in the framework-res.apk. I saw the little figure you wanna change in several places across the ROM, including in the S-Health app...it is used I think everywhere where there is no picture set for an avatar. It can be that the one you found is for something else
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Damn, but you're probably right. If I decide to pursue this annoying smug little man, am I at least doing it right?
I mean in theory; replacing the png with another of the same dimensions (does size matter?) and as long as I've swapped it out of the apk rather than extracting and compressing again, set the permissions the same and replacing any apk I come across with the new image, it should work yes?
Someone suggested using an overlay function? Would that be easier?
I couldn't find the phone apk for the S6, do you know where I should be looking?
Thanks for all your advice with this!
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Yes, you're right, if you replace the correct png you should get rid of it.
I was involved in several projects in the past, theming as well as building or porting ROMs so I can help with what I know.
You asked about resolution and yes it does matter. In apk's you might find the png stored in folders dependant on display res and named accordingly: LDPI, MDPI, HDPI, XHDPI, XXHDPI and so on. You MUST change the png in the correct folder or else you won't see any change. If for ex you change the png in MDPI folder and our phone is XXXHDPI...you won't see a change. Also the dimension of the png's differs with each res so it is not ok to just put the same resolution file in all folders. There are several guidelines to be followed when dealing with such images and when replacing resources. I think our phone is XXXHDPI or XXHDPI...not really sure cause I never checked but you can find this info easily. After you find out which it is the right res, replace only the png's in that coresponding folder and leave the others alone.
You might want start looking for that image in the phone/people apk and in the framework-res.apk. Be VERY careful what you do with the framework as it's a main component of the ROM...mess with it and you'll have to reflash the ROM
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