[Q] Removing files from & repackaging ROMs - Xoom Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

The current CM10 + gapps experience on Xoom is plagued by the size of the CM10 ROM -- there isn't enough space left after flashing the CM10 zip to fully flash the gapps zip. This results in gtalk FCing while trying to video chat and some other issues. I've been following a discussion about this on the development forum.
Here's someone mentioning that he 'removed' some files form the CM10 ROM zip file to reduce it's size: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=34462283#post34462283
Could someone guide me how to do this?
Is it simply unzipping the file, deleting certain files and re-zipping?
or is there more ? (like signing the file)
To remove apps from the ROM, should the .apk file simply be removed or do apps also have associated files that need to be removed as well?
In the same discussion some people talk about moving certain files from the system partition to the data partition? How could this symlinks information be stored in the ROM zip file? or are they talking about creating the symlinks after flashing the zip?
Thanks.

Related

[Q] How to add custom APK files to a zip ROM?

Hi all,
I'm trying to add APK files to custom rom (my last try was Pyramid3D v7.3.0 ROM).
In each ROM file (ZIP file), I noticed APK files were installed in two folders:
data\app: which, as far as I understand, contains applications which can be unistalled after flashing
system\app: for applications which cannot be deleted after flashing (except using ADB commands or tools such as Titanium Backup)
I tried both to add my apk files to each of those folders using WinRAR without unzipping the ROM (simply using Drag N Drop). Then flashed (with signature verification disable), but among all APK files I put, only one is successfully installed (french apk file called "Page Jaune").
Of course, I can install remaining APK files after flashing but I really don't understand why some are installed and some not...
Any idea?
Try this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1198035
lol google search sent me to this page, thanks for the link it's exactly what I was looking for

[Q] Help with AOSP building....(Again)

Hey guys. So like my other post, I just started building AOSP. The first time I ran make with otapackage, it made a zip file, that I'm assuming was flashable. I also downloaded a SlimRom zip to compare them. I noticed that in the SlimROM Zip, it has a system folder, not .img files. This allows for greater control of what is on the ROM I think, such as editing build.prop. How do I implement this into my flashable zip? So essentialy, I would like my flashable zip to have a /system folder, not system.img , patch, dat , etc. Thanks!
You have a current thread on this.... No need for another. That just creates confusion and clutter. ?
Darth is right, please continue posting in your previous thread.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/google-nexus-5/help/started-building-aosp-little-help-t2931346
Thread closed.

[Resolved] Help Creating a Flashable Zip for AOSP MMS (5.0)

Before the eye rolling starts, please note i've Googled and searched for a solution on XDA extensively, with very little help concerning creating a flashable Zip file for Lollipop. Most of the guides and results dealt with KK and lower...
I'm attempting to create a flashable zip for the modified version of the Lollipop AOSP MMS app (located here: https://www.androidfilehost.com/?fid=95832962473398790). I've done this in the past with Jellybean and KitKat, but this time the app, for whatever reason just simply won't flash. No errors come up in recovery, but upon reboot, the app won't be installed.
I've concluded that the reason the app won't flash is the way I have my flashable zip structured.... Or the Updater Script is written wrong.. I've had this problem in the past and rectified it by placing the corresponding META-INF file into the apk itself before placing it in a flashable zip, but this hasn't fixed the issue this time around. The apk in the link above installs itself into the following directory when installed using a file explorer:
Code:
/data/app/com.android.mms-1
If I place the modified apk into the same exact directory in a flashable zip (along with the META-INF folder). An example of what I've done can be downloaded Here, for those interested in dissecting the zip. The only difference is the apk loaded in that zip is the original apk that I know works, not my modified one, as it isn't complete yet.
For reference, I took a look at the CM12 Gallery flashable zip which installs itself in this directory:
Code:
/system/app/Gallery2
Please note that the apk decompiles and recompiles with no issue, so unless APKtool (newest version) screws something up without throwing an error, I doubt that's the issue.
Really need some guidance on this one. I'm excited to see what I can do with this MMS app as I have done in the past with the KK AOSP MMS application. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Resolution:
I've constructed a perfectly functioning flashable zip (not the ones above) after a few more trial runs. The problem actually seems to be with Apktool not compiling or decompiling the apks correctly. Basically the problem is APKtool.

[Q] How to create a Google Apps flashable zip from the stock ROM ?

From CM Gapps page it says
It is possible to perform a "backup" of the Google Apps on your device and then "restore" them, but this does take additional steps which are not covered here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'd like to know how can I do this.
I've searched all across the forum but had no luck. It looks like some kind of trade secret.
I know that it's not just a matter of pulling the apk files. Because I can see that the zip has .apk, .jars, .so, configuration and certificate files.
I'm guessing this is done by extracting the files from a system.img.
But how is this done?
Is there some script available to build a gapps zip from a system.img file?
Another thing is that my OnePlus phone doesn't has an official LP update yet (although CM12 and their gapps work fine) so I suspect this would have to be done using the stock ROM of another device, maybe a Nexus. Is this correct?
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks

How to debloat a stock rom zip file before flashing?

I have a stock rom zip file ready to be flashed into micromax c2apls but I want to remove the preinstalled apps before flashing, is there some easy way to do it like deleting some folders or something afer extracting the zip and compressing the zip please let me know.
The Stock ROM Zip-file contains an installer script that controls the installation: simply removing APKs from the ZIP-file may lead into unpredictable results.

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