This is a very basic guide to beginning themeing. It is not meant to be all-inclusive, just some simple steps that can be taken to make your own custom theme fairly easily. This guide should allow anyone to be able to grab images they like from any ROM and incorporate them into their own.
I SUGGEST YOU ALWAYS MAKE A BACKUP OF ANY FILE BEFORE YOU THEME IT AND NANDROID FIRST BEFORE FLASHING
Here is a basic overview of changing images in an apk:
1. Get your base file to theme – framework-res.apk, com.htc.resources.apk, phone.apk ect.
2. “Open” apk archive with 7-zip (don’t unzip!) and drag and drop the new images into the appropriate folder.
3. Flash new file.
Now some details:
1. The first step is to obtain the file you are going to theme. The file you are themeing ( i.e. going to flash to your phone) must come from the ROM you are currently running. Always use files from your current ROM as a base, however the images you want to change can come from other ROMs, or you can edit existing ones or make your own from scratch. You can obtain your theme base through an ADB pull of the files from your phone, or simply downloading the ROM zip file and extracting the files you need.
2. Now that you have the file to theme, don’t touch it! OK, more specifically, you won’t unzip or do anything to this file except “open” it with 7-zip (unless this is a market app, but more on that later). You are going to drag and drop the new icons into this file by “opening” it and navigating to the appropriate folder. The images you want to change are stored in the apk under /res/drawable-hdpi. Once you have your new icons from other sources, open your base file and navigate to this folder and drop them in.
3. Now you can flash this new file. I have provided empty zip files that you can place your themed files into and flash in recovery. Place your framework-res.apk and/or com.htc.resources.apk into the /system/framework folder located in the zip file provided. Now highlight the META-INF and system folders and zip them up. You can now place this file on the root of your SD card and flash. System apps can be placed under /system/app in the zip file.
Some more info on common themeable files:
Framework-res.apk – this is the meat and potatoes of a theme. On an AOSP ROM it will contain almost everything you want to theme aside from individual apps themselves. Sense ROMs have another file com.htc.resources.apk, as well as framework-res.apk. Both of these files are located in a ROM under /system/framework.
System apps: These apps come packaged in a ROM under /system/apps. They can be themed in the same manner as a framework apk. Some of these apps include Gmail, browser, camera, ect. Place them in your flashable zip under the folder /system/app.
Market apps: These apps are downloaded from the market and are can be pulled from your phone from /data/app. These files require a bit more to theme. They don’t share the same signature as the system apps and you must resign them using a program such as apkmanger. Place them in your flashable zip under /data/app.
If there are any errors, or if anyone has suggestions please let me know. I may have over looked some details, ect.
Thanks to everyone on XDA who has shared their knowledge and made this a great community!
Thanks that will be helpful
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App
so using this guide we can pull parts and what not from other elements of themes we like and create our own framework to push back? Also, based on what you have, shouldn't it be easy to put this up on bid for hire (?) website to create a program to automate that?
xlGmanlx said:
so using this guide we can pull parts and what not from other elements of themes we like and create our own framework to push back? Also, based on what you have, shouldn't it be easy to put this up on bid for hire (?) website to create a program to automate that?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes the idea of this guide was to help people pick and choose icons they like in other ROMs and add it to their own. I'm not sure what bid for hire is?
its a website where you can load your requirements and folks can bid to do your work
linky
nukedukem said:
Yes the idea of this guide was to help people pick and choose icons they like in other ROMs and add it to their own. I'm not sure what bid for hire is?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
xlGmanlx said:
its a website where you can load your requirements and folks can bid to do your work
linky
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Click to collapse
Interesting. Didn't know anything like this existed.
Sent from my EVO (CM6.1) using XDA App
Thank you, thank you!!!! I've been looking for something like this for a while.
evolishesh said:
Thank you, thank you!!!! I've been looking for something like this for a while.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No prob. Let me know if it works for you.
I couldn't get the auto signing to work, but the manual way of doing it worked.
Hmm, I got a boot loop on first try and doing this. Does that mean something went wrong with the signing, or that what I created for the theme was wrong? I used the empty .zip folder and re-zipped it, so I don't think that is the issue.
JasonK75 said:
Hmm, I got a boot loop on first try and doing this. Does that mean something went wrong with the signing, or that what I created for the theme was wrong? I used the empty .zip folder and re-zipped it, so I don't think that is the issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The signing should be ok. If you are using Amon_ra recovery it wont let you flash an unsigned zip I believe. Are you on sense or AOSP? Are you editing images or just copying from other ROMs?
What you might want to do is just create a simple test file. Change just one image and then flash that. That should let you know that your process is correct.
I using Amon Ra and using AOSP. I was moving some items out of a sense ROM so I guess that is where I might have went wrong. I think I'll take your advice and move just a single image and see how that works for me. Thanks!
I tried again this time I ended up stuck at the EVO white screen. I'm guessing it doesn't like the sense part I'm trying to throw in there. I'll have to try again with a AOSP theme instead.
Sent from my EVO (CM6.1.1) using XDA App
A couple things to look out for when swapping sense/CM icons - some file names are slightly different between sense and AOSP. Rename any sense icons to their AOSP counterparts and vice versa. Also, double check the image size of the icon is the same in both, i.e. 70x70 pixels, ect. and make sure you are not adding images that don't exist normally in the framework. For example there wont be any 4G icons in CM framework.
Also, make sure you aren't unzipping the new framework-res.apk you want to theme and flash, or trying to resign it. Only sign the flashable zip, not the individual files inside. The only thing you want to do with the framework-res.apk you will package and flash is open (not unzip) with 7-zip and navigate to the res/drawable-hdpi folder so you can drag and drop the new icons into it, overwriting the old.
I hope that helps!
How important is it to re-sign? I have modified the Framework and Resources apks with 7zip by switching images out. I have also modified the Rosie.apk. I put everything back where it was supposed to go, backed out of 7-zip and flashed. I have never had an issue with it, nor have I re-signed it. Just wondering.
spence341 said:
How important is it to re-sign? I have modified the Framework and Resources apks with 7zip by switching images out. I have also modified the Rosie.apk. I put everything back where it was supposed to go, backed out of 7-zip and flashed. I have never had an issue with it, nor have I re-signed it. Just wondering.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
AFAIK if you are on clockwork recovery, I don't think it checks for signatures. I think Amon_ra requires a signed file to flash. I think it's just added protection against flashing any old junk. If you can flash in amon_ra without a signature and you don't have problems then I wouldn't worry about it. It's the signature of the framework-res.apk ( or com.htc.resources.apk) that's important. That's why you don't unzip it.
I think that
1.7.0.2 = yes
1.8 = no
nukedukem said:
AFAIK if you are on clockwork recovery, I don't think it checks for signatures. I think Amon_ra requires a signed file to flash. I think it's just added protection against flashing any old junk. If you can flash in amon_ra without a signature and you don't have problems then I wouldn't worry about it. It's the signature of the framework-res.apk ( or com.htc.resources.apk) that's important. That's why you don't unzip it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
nukedukem said:
A couple things to look out for when swapping sense/CM icons - some file names are slightly different between sense and AOSP. Rename any sense icons to their AOSP counterparts and vice versa. Also, double check the image size of the icon is the same in both, i.e. 70x70 pixels, ect. and make sure you are not adding images that don't exist normally in the framework. For example there wont be any 4G icons in CM framework.
Also, make sure you aren't unzipping the new framework-res.apk you want to theme and flash, or trying to resign it. Only sign the flashable zip, not the individual files inside. The only thing you want to do with the framework-res.apk you will package and flash is open (not unzip) with 7-zip and navigate to the res/drawable-hdpi folder so you can drag and drop the new icons into it, overwriting the old.
I hope that helps!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, any advice does help.
I did make sure the the icons I was swapping out were named the same thing in the CM ROM, but I didn't check the size of it at all.
I didn't unzip the famework-res.apk but instead just went into it with 7-Zip and dragged the icons into that. Then I backed out of 7-Zip so that it would save and close everything properly - know that does work because that is how I add the Fold transistions to the ROM - and then I put the famework-res.apk into the folder and zip it up per your instructions above. Then I manually sign it (still haven't been able to get the auto-signing to work) and then flash.
I'll have to try again moving a CM theme to the CM framework-res.apk and see if it is working. What I was attempting to do was take, from the Batman Theme for sense, the drop down notification shade with the Bat Icon and put it into the CM ROM. I don't know if you have time to try it yourself to see if it works, or if you get the same issues that I had.
Either way, thanks for the help! I know I'll get this theming down at some point!
nukedukem said:
No prob. Let me know if it works for you.
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Click to collapse
Hey buddy.
I’m stuck. I had to download and install Eclipse with the sdk plus java. I don’t know where to go from there. Every time I open the rom that I want to theme and get the framework.apk and edit the PNG’s , how do I go about saving them? Do I just used the same name as the old ones or I have to save them with a new name.
Or pm Me.
xlGmanlx said:
I think that
1.7.0.2 = yes
1.8 = no
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So the new amon_ra doesn't require a signed file to flash? I'll make a note off that. Thanks.
JasonK75 said:
Thanks, any advice does help.
I did make sure the the icons I was swapping out were named the same thing in the CM ROM, but I didn't check the size of it at all.
I didn't unzip the famework-res.apk but instead just went into it with 7-Zip and dragged the icons into that. Then I backed out of 7-Zip so that it would save and close everything properly - know that does work because that is how I add the Fold transistions to the ROM - and then I put the famework-res.apk into the folder and zip it up per your instructions above. Then I manually sign it (still haven't been able to get the auto-signing to work) and then flash.
I'll have to try again moving a CM theme to the CM framework-res.apk and see if it is working. What I was attempting to do was take, from the Batman Theme for sense, the drop down notification shade with the Bat Icon and put it into the CM ROM. I don't know if you have time to try it yourself to see if it works, or if you get the same issues that I had.
Either way, thanks for the help! I know I'll get this theming down at some point!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
OK I'll try and do what you are trying to do and see if it works...
evolishesh said:
Hey buddy.
I’m stuck. I had to download and install Eclipse with the sdk plus java. I don’t know where to go from there. Every time I open the rom that I want to theme and get the framework.apk and edit the PNG’s , how do I go about saving them? Do I just used the same name as the old ones or I have to save them with a new name.
Or pm Me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So now you have an unzipped framewor-res.apk with a bunch of images. This framework should be the one that you want to take icons from. If not, start over with the ROM you want to copy images from. You will want to copy the images you want to put into another ROM so that you can dump them into the new framework-res.apk. After you figure out what icons you want to bring to your new framework, get a clean version of framework/com.htc from the ROM you are actually running - i.e. if you are running myn ROM on your phone, download the myn ROM and pull out the framework-res.apk or com.resources.apk that you are going to theme.
Now with this fresh clean framework you will "open" it with 7-zip to navigate to the /res/drawable-hdpi folder so you can now drag and drop the images you want to copy over into it. Then the close the 7zip window and your framework-res.apk is all set to flash. You don't need to rename if the file names are the same, you can just drag and drop and the files will be overwritten in the new framework.
Question anyone using ICS roms. I have a question i used to use Font changer or font installer to change fonts for Gingerbread roms. For some reason this wont change anymore. It seems it is defaulted to roboto ttf files. I tried to change in system file but still no luck. If i change roboto fonts and replace my phone bricks.. Anyone knows how to change the fonts on ics? Thx
wanna now to
Is there anyone?
Have you tried to create a flashable zip for your fonts? Take a look @ /system/fonts/ and change the fonts you wanna change (DroidSans.ttf and DroidSans-Bold.ttf for example)
On your computer or laptop create a folder for /system/fonts/ and put your fonts there, renamed to reflect the fonts you wanna change. Then zip up the system folder along with a compatible META-INF folder with correct updater-script and update-binary and you should be good. Flash your newly created zip in recovery
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk
I do not know how to make a flashable zip file.. But i did play around with my own. I used font installer and did the following. changed the DroidSans.ttf and DroidSans-Bold.ttf. Changing those two didnt help but i checked mark on the Roboto-Regular.ttf and did the change. Yes, that did change my fonts but When i change the Roboto-Bold.ttf. My phone won't start it it will just not boot up. So only checked roboto-regular, DroidSans-bold and DroidSans and it worked. I think something to do with the bold fonts in ICS. Not sure... Wish i could try if i know how to make the flashable zip... Thx Maybe ill do some research and find out..
fergie716 said:
Have you tried to create a flashable zip for your fonts? Take a look @ /system/fonts/ and change the fonts you wanna change (DroidSans.ttf and DroidSans-Bold.ttf for example)
On your computer or laptop create a folder for /system/fonts/ and put your fonts there, renamed to reflect the fonts you wanna change. Then zip up the system folder along with a compatible META-INF folder with correct updater-script and update-binary and you should be good. Flash your newly created zip in recovery
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
try this guys
http://glasskeys.com/2011/09/17/how...ts-on-android-cyanogenmod-phones-and-tablets/
Hi, I'm having trouble making a MIUI theme- it never applies.
What I did, essentially, was download a theme (Vexillum), and then open the icons file with WinRar, change the icons, zip it back up, remove the .rar extension, then zip the whole thing, and change .rar to .mtz
For some reason, my icons wont work.
Please, please, please help.
I'm running MIUI beta Android 4.0.3 on Droid X2
RE: [Q] Theming MIUI
From looking at a guide I found I think you should be renaming a zip and not a rar file. The mtz extension reinforces that thought, I think it's definitely supposed to be a zip and not a rar that gets renamed.
I can't post links, but try this: forums.miui (dot) us/showthread.php?51-GUIDE-How-to-theme-MIUI-the-easy-way!-9-guide-now-up!!!-Questions-Ask!
Let me know if that works out.
tomongous said:
From looking at a guide I found I think you should be renaming a zip and not a rar file. The mtz extension reinforces that thought, I think it's definitely supposed to be a zip and not a rar that gets renamed.
I can't post links, but try this: forums.miui (dot) us/showthread.php?51-GUIDE-How-to-theme-MIUI-the-easy-way!-9-guide-now-up!!!-Questions-Ask!
Let me know if that works out.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That didn't work.
The theme, when applied, just replaced the icons with their stock icons, instead of the ones I had
Hi all,
This is a little CM9 gift for ur GB ROMS!
To have a look! how it looks click here for video!
WATCH VIDEO
DOWNLOAD(bootanim.zip)
Installation instructions:
1.Download the file.
2.Rename it to bootanimation instead of CM9 bootanimation!(change it to sanim.zip if you are not using UC KERNEL!)
3.Copy it to ur device.
4.Using rootexplorer, replace the original bootanimation.zip(located under /system/media) with the downloaded one.
5.Set permissions to rw-r-r.
6.Reboot and enjoy!
RESERVED
10 chars..
Thank you Rohan...
I am in BAM kernel and I guess people using the same would need to rename the file to bootanimation.zip.
Cheers
Yes! Most of the custom kernels use bootanimation.zip instead of sanim.zip
Sent from my GT-I9003 CM9
can it be used on miui? if its possible how can we convert it?
dorukc said:
can it be used on miui? if its possible how can we convert it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes it is possible. To make it a little easier follow this:
Download my MIUI White Loading Bar Bootanimation for MIUI
That is already a .mtz-Theme file and you don't need to do that much to modify it
Download this bootanimation here and make sure its filename is "bootanimation.zip"
Open the .mtz-Theme with any Archive Extractor like 7-zip or WinRAR
There is a Folder with an bootanimation.zip. If I remember right its name was "bootanimation" Replace the file with yours
There also another folder with some preview images, delete the images so that they won't confuse you
The name of the theme is unimportant to you:
Copy the edited .mtz-Theme to /sdcard/MIUI/theme/
Open the theme chooser in your settings.
At the lower screen you can open the theme settings, do that.
Select Bootanimation and select "MIUI White Loading Bar"
If you also want to change the name of the Theme:
At the root of the .mtz-Theme there is a File with the theme description, extract that, cause you will need to edit it.
There are three attributes: the name, author and version of the theme. Edit them as you like. e.g. "Galaxy SII Bootanimation, Samsung, 1.0"
Save and replace the edited file with the on in the .mtz-Theme
Copy the edited .mtz Theme to /sdcard/MIUI/theme/
Open the theme chooser in your settings.
At the lower screen you can open the theme settings, do that.
Select Bootanimation and select the theme with the name you have given it.
Taraen said:
Yes it is possible. To make it a little easier follow this:
Download my MIUI White Loading Bar Bootanimation for MIUI
That is already a .mtz-Theme file and you don't need to do that much to modify it
Download this bootanimation here and make sure its filename is "bootanimation.zip"
Open the .mtz-Theme with any Archive Extractor like 7-zip or WinRAR
There is a Folder with an bootanimation.zip. If I remember right its name was "bootanimation" Replace the file with yours
There also another folder with some preview images, delete the images so that they won't confuse you
The name of the theme is unimportant to you:
Copy the edited .mtz-Theme to /sdcard/MIUI/theme/
Open the theme chooser in your settings.
At the lower screen you can open the theme settings, do that.
Select Bootanimation and select "MIUI White Loading Bar"
If you also want to change the name of the Theme:
At the root of the .mtz-Theme there is a File with the theme description, extract that, cause you will need to edit it.
There are three attributes: the name, author and version of the theme. Edit them as you like. e.g. "Galaxy SII Bootanimation, Samsung, 1.0"
Save and replace the edited file with the on in the .mtz-Theme
Copy the edited .mtz Theme to /sdcard/MIUI/theme/
Open the theme chooser in your settings.
At the lower screen you can open the theme settings, do that.
Select Bootanimation and select the theme with the name you have given it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes i thought that and tried that but it does not work. caps are .jpg formatted but miui needs png as i saw. i tried but it shows only black screen. then i changed them to png but, again its not totally done. it shows images damaged.
dorukc said:
yes i thought that and tried that but it does not work. caps are .jpg formatted but miui needs png as i saw. i tried but it shows only black screen. then i changed them to png but, again its not totally done. it shows images damaged.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well normally MIUI is able to display Bootanimations that are saved as JPEG. I did it with my bootanimation and it worked. Unfortunately I'm currently on CM9 Alpha3 v2, so I am not able to test anything if I would try to build a .mtz Package for you.
Thanks
Thank you! This looks awesome on my phone.
Awesome boot animation! Great work + great share!
Very nice.
Thank you! This looks awesome on my phone.
downloading and testing
Hey, I'd like to know how to change the bootanimation in Kyrillo's ROM as ive already tried BootAni and some other apps and even tried manually changing the Bootanimation in "data" and "system/media"...didnt work.... it'd be great if i could get some help and if possible in a step by step manner...
1. Find a suitable replacement in bootanimation.zip format.
2.check to make sure this isnt an update zip. (do this by exploring the file, it should consist of only files names "part0" and "desc.txt" and maybe "part1")
3.If it is a update zip, unzip it and extract the bootanimationzip inside it.
4. place this onto sd card
5. use root explorer or similar to move the file to system/media, making sure it is named "bootanimation.zip" it should say something like "file exists, replace it?". say yes.
6. now long press the new file and open up permissions in the menu. set these as rw-r--r--
7. reboot phone and enjoy!
bear in mind that kyrillos 10.4 is based on open fimg, so you may have white patched in the boot animation, just like the one preloaded onto it.
In 10.4, Kyrillos has fixed the white patches in SOME bootanimation, like the stock one.
ak700 said:
In 10.4, Kyrillos has fixed the white patches in SOME bootanimation, like the stock one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did ..
On an extra note:
If you want to avoid having white flashes in your bootanimations on any rom with openFIMG you should look for one with less than 75 frames in the part1 folder. Any frames past that turn white...
Tried didnt work!!....
Ava.tar said:
1. Find a suitable replacement in bootanimation.zip format.
2.check to make sure this isnt an update zip. (do this by exploring the file, it should consist of only files names "part0" and "desc.txt" and maybe "part1")
3.If it is a update zip, unzip it and extract the bootanimationzip inside it.
4. place this onto sd card
5. use root explorer or similar to move the file to system/media, making sure it is named "bootanimation.zip" it should say something like "file exists, replace it?". say yes.
6. now long press the new file and open up permissions in the menu. set these as rw-r--r--
7. reboot phone and enjoy!
bear in mind that kyrillos 10.4 is based on open fimg, so you may have white patched in the boot animation, just like the one preloaded onto it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i tried it .... didnt work .... idk why.... just to change the bootanimation i bymistake flashed a motorola Xoom bootanimation please help...plzplzplzplz.... im stuck here with nothing but "A)" out of the whole bootanimation plz help im tired of trying to change my bootanimation!!!!!