Database Info

Dev Question

How would one edit any of the .xml files without a schema file for control to un encrypt the .xml file? I have modified the ROM Im using as far as graphics and need to change the title bar or status bar fornt color. When I open the .xml file as I would normally, it is not readable. I am a 20 year web developer but this ROM stuff is all greek to me. If someone could point me in the right and correct way, I would be very thankful.
-Z

[Resolved] Help needed! public.xml drawable symbol declared but not defined...

Hello dear devs
I'm trying for 2 weeks now, without luck, to find a way to decompile, add resources and recompile Erikmm's MIUI v4 :
settings.apk
framework-miui-res.apk
as part of my HebMIUI project.
I downloaded an ICS aimed APKtool and used the original as well.
the original fails to even decompile, the other one fails to recompile, giving public.xml drawable symbol declared but not defined error:
For example for settings.apk I get this
I managed to recompile all the system and framework apps besides settings and framework-miui-res so it's really frustrating to not being able to finish this work.
If someone here has a working environment or some issue pointing I missed, I'd greatly appreciate it if you share it with me.
Thanks.

I fixed the 9.png error at the start of the pastebin, it's not related to this issue. Still getting all those declared but not defined errors.
I get them even if I decompile recompile without changing anything...

I'll try to decompile with dependencies. If that won't work I'll try to remove the declared objects from xml.
sent from me

WARNING: The pastebin link totally had a virus waiting. Sorry itskit2sh.

Not much help at the moment, but apktool is going to receive updates (supposedly)
https://www.xda-developers.com/android/apktool-to-receive-updates-once-again/

For settings try and use the apktool from developer.android. As for how you are recompiling miui uses framework-res and framework-miui-res as dependencies. Lastly the miui_logo thing might be because I added my Darth Vader one for when booting shutting down lol. Ill upload my update today to dropbox and have u try with the newest one
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If helped don't be afraid to hit the thanks button it doesn't bite lol

Thanks for your replies guys, unfortunately no luck yet.
I copied aapt ver 1.4.3 to both old apktool and ics apktool.
still I get "bad magic value" on old apktool decompilation
and like gazilion rows "declared but not defined" for public.xml objects on ics apktool compilation.
Also decompilation with dependencies did not quite work as it did not get my depended apk suggestions (framework-miui-res/framework-res/settings).
are there any alternatives to this method ? thanks.

Resolved (!) using these files of the newest WIP apktool files (ver. 1.4.9)
once again thanks for all your help guys !!!

[TIPS] How To Fix Compiling Problem After Modifiying 9.png

I make this thread just for beginner like me
If you facing a problem compile some .apk after modifying one or more of *.9.png and get so many error log in apktool, so you can't build it properly.
This is based on my own experience, this is usually caused because you edit *.9.png using an image processing program such as Photoshop and you renamed that *.png to *.9.png [ like I did ] and it is a mistake.
Change the image named *.9.png to become *.png only, then apktool will build your .apk without any error logs.
BUT, for notice... only file with extension *.9.png that can work properly
This is a free tool that might can help you make *.9.png in easy way for time saving :good:
Just drag n drop your edited *.png from photoshop into this window's tool.
After finished editing, save it. And build your .apk with no error log :victory:
NOTE : Before installing this tool, you need Java installed on your windows
Thanks to the creator of this tool :highfive:

[Q] Problem Modding APK

Hello guys,
I am modding an apk to bypass an update check.
I have this outdated APK that functions fine since the URL and query and site address remains same but whenever it checks for and update it crashes. The thing is the developer made it topnotch but since then left and his site was recently taken down so check update query crashes it totally. What I need to do is update just the one function where it brings up the GUI after start. Otherwise it keeps saying download update or crashes randomly at time of starting up.
Now I have been browsing for a day or two for all the tutorials and right now I`m hell lot of confused. I have downloaded many tools and dependencies but I dont know how to proceed. I will tell you guys what I have and what I need.
I have de-compiled the APK using "dex2jar", I had a .JAR file which I decomplied using JD-GUI-Windows now after saving source I have .ZIP file in which I made the necessary editing. Next I downlaoded APKTool.JAR and extracted resource files and XML files that can be read in text editor. Along with some .SMALI files.
Now I am not familier with SMALI language at all and editing in it seems rather complicated and on the other side I have the .JAR file that decomlied all the classes just fine.
MY QUESTION IS:
How do I recompile the files I have ? I have the main coding extraced using dex2jar so in java format and JD-Gui to in .ZIP files, and resources/XML files also decoded using APKTools. What do I do next to recompile the APK ?
In short I have plain text based java source code and plain text XML and other resource file. How do I recompile it ?

[TOOL] Smali Reference Swapper

OK, so I'm just gonna throw this one out there as a feeler..
When porting packages from other devices, I've found myself modifying Smali reference IDs for ages. The goal being to get the references in a foreign package to reference the correct resource in e.g. the BASE framework-res.apk.
Finally, I got really fed up, and automated the process. The result is this very alpha SmaliRefSwapper JAR. Instead of spending endless hours of cutting and pasting references until your eyes bleed, this code does most of the process for you in a matter of seconds.
Now I'm trying to figure out if this is something which would be of interest to developers. If not I probably won't put much more work into this. So let me know what you think - yey or nay!
Definitions
BASE framework = framework-res.apk in the ROM you are trying to port the foreign package to.
BASE package = the APK in the ROM you are trying to port the foreign package code to.
PORT framework = framework-res.apk in the ROM you are trying to port the foreign package from.
PORT package = the APK in the ROM you are trying to port the foreign package from.
Preparations
You can place the files wherever you want, but for simplicity, I have provided a folder structure and instructions relative to this.
1. Place the Smali files (package.apk/smali/*) from the PORT package into SmaliRefSwapper/smali
2. Place the XML files (package.apk/res/values/*) from the BASE package into SmaliRefSwapper/xml/base/package_values
3. Place the XML files (framework-res.apk/res/values/*) from the BASE framework into SmaliRefSwapper/xml/base/framework-res_values
4. Place the XML files (package.apk/res/values/*) from the PORT package into SmaliRefSwapper/xml/port/package_values
5. Place the XML files (framework-res.apk/res/values/*) from the PORT framework into SmaliRefSwapper/xml/port/framework-res_values
If there is no XML in the BASE or PORT package, place a dummy public.xml file in these folders.
Usage Instructions
Run the JAR (through terminal to obtain some logs) and select the appropriate folders.
The output will be two folders:
SmaliRefSwapper/smali_new
SmaliRefSwapper/xml_new
smali_new content goes into the PORT package before recompilation. In it, all Smali references have been replaced with the correct reference from the BASE framework/package.
xml_new contains two folders:
SmaliRefSwapper/xml_new/framework-res
SmaliRefSwapper/xml_new/package
framework-res files contain references which should be added to the respective XMLs in the BASE framework before recompilation (e.g. public.xml content should be added to framework-res.apk/res/values/public.xml). In certain cases, for example when drawable references have been added, it is necessary to manually fix the dependencies they may infer (e.g. adding a PNG file from the PORT framework-res/package).
xml_new may also contain a UNHANDLED.xml, which lists references that could not be found in either PORT framework-res or package. In most cases these are hardcoded hexadecimal values, such as colors or numbers.
After recompiling the BASE framework with the new XML, and the PORT package with the new Smali and XML, it should be safe to include the PORT package in the BASE ROM.
Download
SmaliRefSwapper Alpha
Please do not mirror my work!

Reserved in case.