Database Info

replacing framework-res.apk?

(basically im tryna put villians themed framework-res into sanpeis latest rom)
ok i found this ROM with a modded taskbar thing... the battery icon, 3g icon, etc were different.
i took the framework-res.apk from that rom and replaced it with the one already in my phone but now my phone wont pass the second flashscreen even if i leave it for half an hour.
wtf i checked the permissions of the new framework-res and made it to match the rest of the files in the system/framework folder but nothing changed
is it just not compatible?

if you change it it has to be from same style rom, if it's a legend rom you need one from legend rom, you cannot mix that easy hero and legend framework files

If the only thing you wish to change is those icons, then take both apk files apart with some compression tool(I know 7zip works), find the files that you wanna take from villains that are in res folder and copy them to res folder from sanpeis rom(ofc you need to put them in right folders, but when you open up res folder you'll know what to do. After you replaced those files, take all the files that were from start in sanpeis framework and the edited res folder and create a .zip file. Rename the file to framework-res.apk(no, the name shouldn't be xxxx.apk.zip, but you need to change the extension from zip to apk) and push it like you would normally do. Also you should probably want to know that the more compression, the more likely that the apk will fail So your best bet is to go with store. Good luck
Sent from my HTCMagic using the XDA mobile application powered by Tapatalk

You will have to sign your framework-res.apk using testsign.jar if you have made any changes to it.

Why would he need to do that if he's just going to push it?

klothius said:
Why would he need to do that if he's just going to push it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yea i just want to push it from one legend-based rom to another.. it doesnt work but im going to try to tear them open and see what i can do from there..
Thanks
EDIT: NICEEE i got it working.. and i just replaced a few things from one framework-res to the other.. thanks again, i didnt know it could be opened with 7-zip hahah

No prob, glad to see it's working for ya. Enjoy it

png
i edited 166 icons in framework-res.apk
adb pushed it, worked flawlessly.
even on XDAndroid on htc diamond 2

st0kes said:
You will have to sign your framework-res.apk using testsign.jar if you have made any changes to it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Incorrect. /system/app/*.apk's donot require to be re-signed upong modifying them because the core doesnt no check its certs/hash for consistency. So just pull/modify/push. Use apk manager in my signature if ur new to this

##HELP## Renames adwtheme.apk to .zip to add my own images - wont insall???

Ok, so i renamed a default adw theme apk to .zip to unpack and add the images I want and change the orange glows etc after renaming back to apk cant install on phone 'problem parsing package' assuming this is because i unpacked it and re zipped / renamed to apk.
Is there another way of doing this?? Originally made the theme using template and eclipse / sdk with the adw theme template release package but when i install my app [which was packed unsigned as ive no idea how to go through this keymaker stuff] it cannot be installed on x10 [for 2.2] and you cant use the theme template in eclipse with 1.6 minimum it doesn't work and noticed on github site I got the template from [AnderWeb original] that it needs to be based on 2.2 but will work on 1.6 etc [it doesn't].. this was in the comments when ppl were getting errors in the manifest file, was becuase they set it for 1.6
So anyway aside from confusion I only need to change the png images surely theirs a simple way to unpack / explore and change the APK ??? Spent far too long getting nowhere now and killing chrome with over 50 web tabs and searches open lol

open the apk with 7-zip, and just drag the images straight into the archive - no need to unpack at all!

I'm using a modded theme, but have apks open with Winrar by default so don't need to rename them. When you open the apk leave it open whilst you work on it then once you've added your files just close and install it.

... And don't forget to sign it . Thats the reason you are getting this error.

realunited123 said:
... And don't forget to sign it . Thats the reason you are getting this error.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
this after changing the archive with winrar or whatever?
How do you go through siging the app dont have a clue

go3asy said:
this after changing the archive with winrar or whatever?
How do you go through siging the app dont have a clue
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you only have to sign it if your extracting it - keeping it open in winrar or 7zip your not doing that, so i tdoesnt need resigning

Ok messed up a little didnt create a new apk to work on now its buggerd does anyone have a x10 compatable apk of the basic theme? lol

pleeeease

go3asy said:
pleeeease
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Might be as well re-downloading it to your phone and pulling it, I cant seem to find the default one on my phone but can see the one I modded.

What you using to pull it, as they are hidden in drawer the file manager i use to back up also doesnt see adw or its themes lol. I d/l the one i had from god knows what side cant find it now. Just goin g to mod a stock adw laucnher v1.1 apk see if that works also because the new version i had messed up alot of themes and not many are updated for it yet.

ahh cant find an apk of donut 1.6 version of adw v1.1

go3asy said:
What you using to pull it, as they are hidden in drawer the file manager
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I used ADB and pulled from data/app.

go3asy said:
ahh cant find an apk of donut 1.6 version of adw v1.1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Not sure what version this is, but I do know it's an older one...

thanks.. now saying this application cannot be installed on this phone lol happy days! used winrar and zzip to open and add new images, very annoying now lol.
Uploaded the APK below
'ADW.Launcher could not be installed on this phone'
Would this be because its replacing a newer version? although it gets passed the promp telling me it will replace another app on the phone

Ok annoyd now uninstalled current adw and tried still wont install lol now im stuck with stock hope it keeps saved settings lol
how are you editing the archive im copy/pasting im my drawable-hdpi etc folders in which is replacing the old ones within the archive

When you modify the apk, theres something about the certificates that prevent you from installing a modified version. if u learn how to sign it ul b fine.. btw if there's a stock version u after let me know.. iv got quite a few of them! lol
Sent from my rooted 026 X10i using swype via Xda

Comparing files from the older apk and the one you posted, some of the file dimensions are different as in your images are bigger, and some of yours don't look right either, what are the little dashes dotted around some of them...

open it in photoshop its fine. Thats PNG transparency doesnt show in image viewer

Mobzter said:
When you modify the apk, theres something about the certificates that prevent you from installing a modified version. if u learn how to sign it ul b fine.. btw if there's a stock version u after let me know.. iv got quite a few of them! lol
Sent from my rooted 026 X10i using swype via Xda
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Any guides on signing?

go3asy said:
open it in photoshop its fine. Thats PNG transparency doesnt show in image viewer
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But it doesn't show on the original files, and shows for me in PS and Photo Viewer...

[Q] Editing more than just images in Phone / contacts apks

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...

How to customise APK's Images [EASY]

First off you need a deodoxed custom rom , next copy the desired APK's from your System/App folder or from the zip you flashed or from wherever.
Download and Install WinRAR or 7Zip and drag the APK onto the shortcut on your desktop. It should open it up , next extract the LDPI and the HDPI folder/s onto your desktop.
Edit your pics with any program e.g. Paint.net . Then replace the modified folder with the old one.
Next download SignAPKTics from APKTops and install that. Drag the modded APK to your SD card.
Click START , choose the APK , click next , choose Test Sign and click sign! Wait 1.5 mins! And ot should be done. Now just (with root browser) replace the old one with the modded one.
And re-boot! Enjoy...

hah great tip for us
thanks

Has the OP tested this trick?

Thanks a lot!!!!!!!!!!!! :^)
Sent from my GT-S5360 using xda premium

bumslayer said:
Has the OP tested this trick?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Click START , choose the APK , click next , choose Test Sign and click sign! Wait 1.5 mins! And ot should be done. Now just (with root browser) replace the old one with the modded one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure if he has tried it with system app. replacing a file like systemUI.apk or framework-res.apk will make our device continously give FC message. we should use zip file to push the apk to /system/app. system app is also should not signed. I always using this trick without signing stuff and it works. we just need to make sure that we're replace the ordinary file (not the .9 one) and put a picture with same resolution with the original one.

Exactly my thoughts. Resigning systems apps is a big NO. I already did it twice (SystemUI.apk) and I ended up with no statusbar. Good thing I had a backup.

bumslayer said:
Exactly my thoughts. Resigning systems apps is a big NO. I already did it twice (SystemUI.apk) and I ended up with no statusbar. Good thing I had a backup.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
afaik, it's all or nothing. if you resign one system apk, you have to do for all system apk with the same key.

irfanbagus said:
afaik, it's all or nothing. if you resign one system apk, you have to do for all system apk with the same key.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AND permissions.. make sure the permissions are same as original BEFORE putting it in the appropriate folder..

noobwithgalaxyy said:
AND permissions.. make sure the permissions are same as original BEFORE putting it in the appropriate folder..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thats the reason I prefer flashing instead of manually replacing the files cuz then you dont need to set the permissions. Its good for lazy people like me

I have tried it and it works. I did it because when I didn't it said "status bar force close".
Sent from my GT-S5360 using XDA

I.AM.H3RO said:
I have tried it and it works. I did it because when I didn't it said "status bar force close".
Sent from my GT-S5360 using XDA
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol?
show us screen shots
when making a guide always post screenshots dude,
not just post words,
make it clarified and very detailed so that people reading this will not get lost,
also don't post for the sake of just putting it there,
you have a good title
but when people read this its not "easy"
try to put yourself in other people's shoes,
even i can't comprehend the output you put on this
no offence but make this better and stop posting threads that are useless

The easiest and foolproof method is to use Ninjamorph or metamorph app from market.I've modified tones of .pngs with them.
First open the apk with the app
Exit the app
Go to myfiles/Androidthemes/workspace/name-of-apk/res/
Then go to drawable ldpi
Take a look at all of the .png files
Find which .png you want to replace.
You should make your own pic with photoshop or anything to replace it with exact resolution and name
Store it in the sd-card
Open the app again
Go to Existing project/name-of-apk/res/drawable ldpi
Click on the .png you want to replace
App will ask you to replace it with some other .png
Navigate to the modified pic
It'll replace the .png
Then go back to homepage of app
Then click finish project
Tap on the apk name
App will ask you whether you want to replace the original apk
Do as you want
Reboot phone
Make a nandroid backup before everything. cheers
sent while doin' some burnouts

b16h22 said:
The easiest and foolproof method is to use Ninjamorph or metamorph app from market.I've modified tones of .pngs with them.
First open the apk with the app
Exit the app
Go to myfiles/Androidthemes/workspace/name-of-apk/res/
Then go to drawable ldpi
Take a look at all of the .png files
Find which .png you want to replace.
You should make your own pic with photoshop or anything to replace it with exact resolution and name
Store it in the sd-card
Open the app again
Go to Existing project/name-of-apk/res/drawable ldpi
Click on the .png you want to replace
App will ask you to replace it with some other .png
Navigate to the modified pic
It'll replace the .png
Then go back to homepage of app
Then click finish project
Tap on the apk name
App will ask you whether you want to replace the original apk
Do as you want
Reboot phone
Make a nandroid backup before everything. cheers
sent while doin' some burnouts
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yea metamorph/ninjamorph is great but i'd prefer to do it in PC and just push it via adb cuz i use photoshop and i find it a hassle to use my phone to edit apk's

It's for those guys who dont know how to decompile/compile apk files with their pc.But I agree with you, pc is the best way to go.
sent while doin' some burnouts

I.AM.H3RO said:
First off you need a deodoxed custom rom , next copy the desired APK's from your System/App folder or from the zip you flashed or from wherever.
Download and Install WinRAR or 7Zip and drag the APK onto the shortcut on your desktop. It should open it up , next extract the LDPI and the HDPI folder/s onto your desktop.
Edit your pics with any program e.g. Paint.net . Then replace the modified folder with the old one.
Next download SignAPKTics from APKTops and install that. Drag the modded APK to your SD card.
Click START , choose the APK , click next , choose Test Sign and click sign! Wait 1.5 mins! And ot should be done. Now just (with root browser) replace the old one with the modded one.
And re-boot! Enjoy...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
May be you should try it out first.Replacing system apps with root explorer is a very dangerous business.I'm familiar with that.My phone started to do endless boot loops which even a nandroid restore failed to fix and ended up in flashing a new stock rom.
sent while doin' some burnouts

b16h22 said:
May be you should try it out first.Replacing system apps with root explorer is a very dangerous business.I'm familiar with that.My phone started to do endless boot loops which even a nandroid restore failed to fix and ended up in flashing a new stock rom.
sent while doin' some burnouts
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
agree
pushing it using adb is a more safer way, because if something goes wrong with forcing it to system then you can just repush the original system apk

you was replacing a running apk. there's no doubt it will give you FC message (lol). try your method to replace framework-res.apk or any system app/framework. b16h22 is right. your method is dangerous.

I modify my systemui.apk but signapktic give
Doesn't exist
132 installed package
Error ...

I'm just trying to help people , if you don't like it then good for you. I'd love to add screenies but laptop is broken. If you could provide them then brilliant.
Sent from my GT-S5360 using XDA

Use test sign and if that doesn't work are install signapktic
Sent from my GT-S5360 using XDA

REQUEST - Help with destroying the smug default contact picture!

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
Sent from my SM-G925F using XDA-Developers mobile app

ruud said:
download the modified apk but cant install it
Sent from my SM-G925F using XDA-Developers mobile app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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
Sent from nowhere over the air...

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
Sent from my SM-G925I using XDA-Developers mobile app

Just use the same way, replace with 7zip. You only need a template flashable .zip. Ask Google for it.
Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

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
Sent from nowhere over the air...

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
Sent from nowhere over the air...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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.
Sent from my SGP611 using XDA-Developers mobile app

lonelydra said:
Just use the same way, replace with 7zip. You only need a template flashable .zip. Ask Google for it.
Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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
Sent from my SGP611 using XDA-Developers mobile app

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
Sent from nowhere over the air...

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
Sent from nowhere over the air...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
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!
Sent from my SGP611 using XDA-Developers mobile app

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
Sent from nowhere over the air...