Database Info

[PROJ] Get AOSP Dialer/Contacts easy install

This is just a thread to get this started, I know a lot of people hate the sense dialer and want to change. I also know that AOSP dialer/contacts has been put into custom roms. What we need to do is make something where people can put the AOSP dialer/contacts into stock without too much trouble.

I don't have any help to include but I'd be interested in this as well. I love the AOSP style contacts/phone app.

Can you not simply do an adb install mms.apk and install an AOSP MMS handler? Both should use implicit intents, so when "launching" a messaging application, Android should ask you how to handle the action--and theoretically let you choose "MMS" every time.
Have you given that a shot?
EDIT: I can't test as I'm running an early build of Froyo.
EDIT 2: Attached Mms.apk from Eclair. Try placing it in C:\Mms.apk and do the following from the terminal:
adb install C:\mms.apk

with the hero all i did was push them to the system app folder and reset default.

Shidell said:
Can you not simply do an adb install mms.apk and install an AOSP MMS handler? Both should use implicit intents, so when "launching" a messaging application, Android should ask you how to handle the action--and theoretically let you choose "MMS" every time.
Have you given that a shot?
EDIT: I can't test as I'm running an early build of Froyo.
EDIT 2: Attached Mms.apk from Eclair. Try placing it in C:\Mms.apk and do the following from the terminal:
adb install C:\mms.apk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
adb install Mms.apk
1067 KB/s (263733 bytes in 0.241s)
pkg: /data/local/tmp/Mms.apk
Failure [INSTALL_PARSE_FAILED_NO_CERTIFICATES]
Also, that's for MMS, we're wanting dialer/contacts

mrono said:
adb install Mms.apk
1067 KB/s (263733 bytes in 0.241s)
pkg: /data/local/tmp/Mms.apk
Failure [INSTALL_PARSE_FAILED_NO_CERTIFICATES]
Also, that's for MMS, we're wanting dialer/contacts
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
In Settings -> Application Settings, do you have "Allow Unknown Sources" checked? Here's a package with Contacts & Phone, you can try both.

I flashed the modded Mms.apk from nexus apps section and it worked fine until I realized it has a lot of mms issues on the EVO
Sent from my PC36100 using XDA App

Shidell said:
In Settings -> Application Settings, do you have "Allow Unknown Sources" checked? Here's a package with Contacts & Phone, you can try both.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do, giving that zip a try right now
-edit- I tried rocking a contacts and phone from somewhere else(i think a nexus one aosp build) awhile back and it just went to hell.
also
Code:
C:\Users\Mrono\My Documents\downloads\Eclair Apps>adb remount
remount succeeded
C:\Users\Mrono\My Documents\downloads\Eclair Apps>adb install phone.apk
887 KB/s (582849 bytes in 0.641s)
pkg: /data/local/tmp/phone.apk
Failure [INSTALL_FAILED_ALREADY_EXISTS]
C:\Users\Mrono\My Documents\downloads\Eclair Apps>adb uninstall phone.apk
Failure

Damn, that's frustrating. Looks like the system is securing certain applications.
I definitely understand your frustrations; I migrated to a early build of Froyo immediately because I vastly prefer Stock AOSP over Sense UI.
On that note, I'm a bit surprised we have yet to prepare an Eclair AOSP build for the EVO. Perhaps one of us should undertake that project, so we can have a clean, Sense-free build for others to use?

Shidell said:
Damn, that's frustrating. Looks like the system is securing certain applications.
I definitely understand your frustrations; I migrated to a early build of Froyo immediately because I vastly prefer Stock AOSP over Sense UI.
On that note, I'm a bit surprised we have yet to prepare an Eclair AOSP build for the EVO. Perhaps one of us should undertake that project, so we can have a clean, Sense-free build for others to use?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
From what i've gathered it's possible to build an aosp eclair, but pointless as HTC STILL hasn't released the source code so it would be like the current froyo builds, broken camera and other things. So why bother build something that's as broken as froyo when froyo is better.

True enough. HTC customized enough of their Eclair build to make the EVO functional that it probably would be an exercise in futility as compared to Froyo.
I suppose my recommendation becomes to try some Froyo (Avalaunch?) and be patient on the kernel.

Just want to store the apk here is well. I'll pay to get this done.

Shidell said:
In Settings -> Application Settings, do you have "Allow Unknown Sources" checked? Here's a package with Contacts & Phone, you can try both.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
did anyone get this working
i pushed the apps to /system/app in adb and rebooted started up and told me com.htc.dialerstorage has stoped working
and i had no reception with no contacts app and no phone app at all
so had to push the ones that i had before back on to it
(did and adb pull before pushed them over)

no luck... I cant even get android to acknowledge the apk. I can see it in the directory after an adb push but it's like nothing is installed in terms of OS recognition.

Any update on this? This is the only reason i use cyanogen instead of sense

These should work...Put them in /system/app and change the permissions to match the other apps in /system/app
command for correct permissions: chmod 644 /system/app/{name of app}.apk

snandlal said:
These should work...Put them in /system/app and change the permissions to match the other apps in /system/app
command for correct permissions: chmod 644 /system/app/{name of app}.apk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Has anybody successfully installed the AOSP dialer/phone using this method? Every time I mess with these apks I get serious phone problems and have to restore a Nandroid. Just wanted to see if this in fact works before I try again.

Like what kind o f problems?...using root explorer, when i first put those 3 apks in the /system/apps folder i got force closes...rebooted...changed permissions and rebooted again...i have both htc's phone and aosp's phone on my phone...using fusion's rom

snandlal said:
These should work...Put them in /system/app and change the permissions to match the other apps in /system/app
command for correct permissions: chmod 644 /system/app/{name of app}.apk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can anyone confirm? I'd love to get rid of Sprints crap

Will flash from cyanogen to Fresh 3.1.0.2 and let you know if this works

[Q] what is the process for upgrade pre-installed app?

Hi,
In my understand, the pre-installed apps are placed on path /system/app, and the /system partition should be read-only partition without rooted, right?
So how the pre-installed apps can be upgraded?
For example, the pre-installed Google Maps app can be updated from Android Market. How it can replace the old Google Maps app with a new one on /system/app? What is the process?
Can someone help me to understand it?

They're installed normally to /data/app, then system uses them instead of files from /system/app. You could have checked this out by yourself.

what is the details about Google maps upgrade?
Hi, Brut
Thank you.
But could you please explain more details? I'm using Motorola ME600, no built-in Google Maps and Android Market. I can't check it by myself.
If the updated apps are installed in /data/app, how can they do that? I mean they should not be installed successfully if the updated apps used the same package name as the olds. It should fail due to the old one still exist. And how about the signature of updated app? Should it same as the old one?
Even the update apps can be installed, how does the system use them to replace the built-ins? I think we should find 2 icons in the Lanucher if they have same main entry. But in fact, there is only one icon. Why?
PS: Sorry, I have no way to find the details by myself. Please give me a hand. Thanks in advance.

I think Android OS treats system apps differently. It knows these apps can't be overwritten directly, so it uses above technique for updating them. It permits to have these apps installed twice and then it ignores system ones. Of course both files have to be signed by the same key.
If you have root, then you could check this by yourself without Market or Maps.
Remount /system .
If you have 0 free space on this partition, then remove something to have at least 100KB.
Create empty app, build it and sign.
"adb push YourApp.apk /system/app/" - Android OS should detect this and install your app. You could see this in the logcat.
"adb install -r YourApp.apk" - Android will install it to /data and use it instead of version installed to /system .
Maybe Android not always prefers /data app, but one with greater versionCode. I don't know, didn't test this.

Thanks, Brut
I followed your suggestion and tried. Yes, system replace the /system one with /data one.
Thank you help me to know this behavior of Android system.

[HOW TO] Clean up system/app

On the german "android-hilfe"-forum the users managed to delete the default apps from the system/app folder. I'm going to translate it to english and post it here. Original thread: android-hilfe.de
All changes are done at own risk. I'm not responsible for a bricked phone. If you don't know what you do, stop reading here.
First of all you need to root your mobile: [HOW TO] Root Motorola Defy.
If you rooted with z4root: you need the androidSDK to go on with the next steps. So have a look at the link above and get the tools and information need to go ahead.
After that you need to:
1. type in the command line on your PC
Code:
adb shell
2. now you need to get super user rights:
Code:
su
3. you need to remount the system partition
Code:
mount -o rw,remount -t ext3 /dev/block/mmcblk1p21 /system
4. change to the /system/app directory and you can now rename/delete all files in there
I hope you make a copy of this folder, so you can always revert back to factory default. A hardreset doesn't restaure the deletet apps, so be carefull. Also you need to check on your own IF you can really delete a app or not. I don't know what features you use.
Successfull deletet apps:
- amazon
- adservice
- arcphotoworkshop
- arcvideoeditorlite
- bluremail
- blursnmessagingengine
- blurupdater
- cardock
- contactsunconnected
- es musica
- fota
- friendfeed
- hilfe center
- hiphop official
- kpt (kodak perfect touch)
- homesyncwizard
- livewallpapers
- livewallpaperspicker
- magicsmokewallpaper
- messageswidget
- newswidget
- protips (tips für den startbildschirm)
- quickcontactwidget
- quickoffice
- revolvertv
- socialmessaging
- sprachwahl
- statuswidget
- stk (sim-tool-kit)
- toggle widgets
- truecountry
- ttsservice
- visualizationwallpapers
- universalinbox
- weatherwidget
- workcontacts
Taken from android-hilfe.de
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Stand by for more information

It will be great!

is it posible to replace any of the "blured" apps?
Code:
BlurAlarmClock - AlarmClock (whats special with blured AlarmClock?)
BlurCalendar - Calendar
BlurContacts - Contacts (I only want google contacts and groups)
BlurEmail - Email (what's the difference between default?)
BlurHome - I Assume this is MotoBlur launcher (Wild Guess; it's really bad idea to remove this)
BlurPhone - Dialer?
is it posible to stop services from starting?
I have this services started, I have removed ALL widgets on ALL motoblur-homescreens and rebooted my phone and using ZeamLauncher. Still I have a few services started that I don't like to have started.
FeedReciverService - Social networking (com.motorola.blur.friendfeed)
WeatherService - Weather (com.motorola.blur.home.other)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Considering the name of the services I don't use them. I have no Social Networking stuff on my phone and no weather widget.
When and where do services start? if apps can start services when needed (I assume they can) is it posible to track down which services an app starts?

Ok, a couple of noob-ish questions here...
Sqoerk said:
First of all you need to root your mobile: [HOW TO] Root Motorola Defy
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've done this, though not through the method listed in the thread that's linked-to.
I used z4root, which was significantly simpler but I'm wondering if it's left me poorer equipped to do what comes next.
Sqoerk said:
1. type in the command line
Code:
adb shell
2. now you need to get super user rights:
Code:
su
3. you need to remount the system partition
Code:
mount -o rw,remount -t ext3 /dev/block/mmcblk1p21 /system
4. change to the /system/app directory and you can now rename/delete all files in there
I hope you make a copy of this folder, so you can always revert back to factory default. A hardreset doesn't restaure the deletet apps, so be carefull. Also you need to check on your own IF you can really delete a app or not. I don't know what features you use.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, so now we seem to have jumped forward a bit.
I assume by command line we're doing this on a PC, right?
If so, is there a particular mode I should select when connecting the handset?
And one last one - you list 'adservice' as something that's safe to remove, does what I suspect and kill off adverts on the handset?

Step666 said:
Ok, so now we seem to have jumped forward a bit.
I assume by command line we're doing this on a PC, right?
If so, is there a particular mode I should select when connecting the handset?
And one last one - you list 'adservice' as something that's safe to remove, does what I suspect and kill off adverts on the handset?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you used the rooting method I've linked to, there wouldn't be a jump
Anyway you are right, its the command line from the PC. But you need the androiSDK for this commands. The adb.exe can be found in the tools subfolder. Go to the rooting method I've linked to and just get the infos missing here.
I don'T think that adservice will kill ALL your ad's on your phone. Those are included IN the games or apps. Have a look at adfree on the marked. This will work on your rooted phone.
Thanks for your respond...I've changed the first post a little bit.

deleted most of the stuff above...
CMP_AmazonFR_InternalFM_1.0.179.apk
what is exactly are?...
- bluremail
- blursnmessagingengine
- blurupdater
not sure.. i'd like to have blur email ... afterwards.. .so.. is it the app..?

crazyVII said:
deleted most of the stuff above...
CMP_AmazonFR_InternalFM_1.0.179.apk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's the (awesome!) music player app

Deleting Blur
If you delete all the blur stuff, believe me I want to, how do you setup and get emails?

nickzee said:
If you delete all the blur stuff, believe me I want to, how do you setup and get emails?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I havn't deblured my phone, but I've added the 2.1 Mail.apk ...
The motorola mail app just synced my exchange once each time I've configured it. If you're interested in the apk....pm me or quicksearch at google

4. change to the /system/app directory and you can now rename/delete all files in there
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So when I try to access the /system/app directory I get a "permission denied" message. I am rooted. Any advice?

blur... now you see it now you don't. ... goodbye

Homesicktexan said:
So when I try to access the /system/app directory I get a "permission denied" message. I am rooted. Any advice?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
U did the remount? If not, follow all steps again. If you tried to access /system/app directly from you phone with a filemanager: it won't work until you use rootexplorer (payware).

You can use Titanium backup too (free)
Amazing how responsive the phone becomes after removing some of the bloat.

Interesting Topic, is this about deblurring or are there any more Motoblur Tasks running in the Background after the process?
I really want to get rid of Motoblur, (in my opinion it is just useless Crap running in the Background and collecting data) but I would still like to have my Android Updates. Is there any way to do this?

For you guys who have been de-bluring your phones which apps have you removed? It would be interesting to know which apps that are safe to remove and which that are not or have dependencies to other blur-apps. Thanks in advance!

Probably there's only a try and error you can do. I'e posted a list of apk's which are save to remove without going into bootloops. But there's no garuntee that this meets ALL your whishes of services to remove or to stay.
I think that you can give jboogie a try. Also you can try to make a nandroid backup befor starting to remove things. A titanium backup won't help, as it won't backup your system APKs. Don't rely on this.
If you miss a APK (cause you deleted it to fast) feel free to ask, I copied mine all to my SD Card.

Titanium backup will back up the data (edit: not apps) to your SD card and won't restore them to the system/app folder. (so be warned)
Personally I went for:
ESMusica (Didn't notice any difference)
HipHopOfficial (Didn't notice any difference)
TrueCountry (Didn't nitice any difference)
Social Networking 2.1 update 1 (big speed boost)
Social Status 2.1 update 1 (big speed boost)
Social Messaging service update 1 (big speed boost)
Social Messaging update 1 (big speed boost)
AmazonMP3 (nice speed boost)
News 2.1 update 1 (nice speed boost)
Weather 2.1 update 1 (nice speed boost)
CarDock 1.0 (Didn't notice any difference)
Sticky note 2.1 update 1 (Didn't notice much difference)
Browser Message 2.0.2 (Didn't notice much difference)
Connected Music player (nice speed boost) - Spotify + powerAMP user
At this stage the phone was running lag free, so I don't bother with anything else. (esp with custom ROMS on the horizon back then )

Sounds very interesting.
Would be really great if someone could put together a real Noob Tutorial.
I am not familiar with ADB

Here's what I renamed. I just changed the .apk file extension to .fix (just something easy to remember if I want to do a search and change them back)
AdService
ArcPhotoworkshop
ArcVideoEditorLite
blur-services
BlurDemo
BlurEmail
BlurEmailEngine
BlurSNMessagingEngine
ClockWidget
FriendFeed
NewsWidget
SocialMessaging
SocialShare
StatusWidget
VisualVoicemail
WeatherWidget
I have not experienced any problems yet. If I do I'll post what I find.

can i get some help here? how exactly do you change to /system/app? is it as simple as typing "/system/app"? and then what happens does ADB list all the files in there or is there another command you ahve to use?

[MOD!] GMail Application (GB + HC + ICS!) [EXTERNAL APP ACCESS ENABLED!]

UPDATE 3
--------------
Added modified GMail v3.2.1 for HC and GMail v4.0.3 for ICS based ROMs. Make sure you download the right one for your OS (GB, HC, or ICS).
--------------
Hey guys, for those of you who didn't know, the Gmail application now RESTRICTS access to your emails by third party apps. This basically means that any app that needs access to your email database (for example, Pure Messenger Widget) will be LOCKED OUT and therefore Gmail will be disabled in said application.
So I went ahead and modified the latest Gmail apk to ALLOW EXTERNAL ACCESS to re-enable support for apps that require it. Hope this helps anyone who needed it.
Install Instructions (YOU MUST BE ROOTED!)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
0) DOWNLOAD CORRECT VERSION FOR YOUR OS AND RENAME TO Gmail.apk
1) Open Root Explorer (or any other root file manager you like)
2) NAVIGATE to /data/app
3) DELETE com.google.android.gm-1.apk (it might say com.google.android.gm-2.apk for some people or it may not exist at all)
4) NAVIGATE to /system/app
5) Mount Read/Write
6) DELETE Gmail.apk
7) COPY new modified Gmail.apk into /system/app
8) CHANGE permissions to Owner = read/write, Group = read, Others = read.
---(The following may not be necessary but its HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!)---
9) REBOOT into Recovery
10) Wipe Cache/Dalvik-Cache/Fix Permisions
------------------------------------------------------------------------
11) REBOOT!
NOTE: Some apps may require you to uninstall and reinstall the program before it is able to see the change in Gmail (for example, Pure Messenger Widget)
DON'T FORGET TO HIT THE THANKS BUTTON!

APK Re-added.
I was having issues with regards to getting the app to show up after reboot but realized it wasn't actually a problem with the modification, but it was a problem with the permissions.

lol guess i was the only one who needed this... ah well, if anyone needs it its here, hopefully people know how to use the search

lol...dont worry dude.. keep up the great work..!!

Thanks for this! Google are a bunch of tight ass losers for restricting access to Gmail...
Oz

BULL3TPR00F said:
lol guess i was the only one who needed this... ah well, if anyone needs it its here, hopefully people know how to use the search
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for this, I've been looking for a way to make LED Flow change the LED color for emails from different contacts!

No problem everyone, I will keep this thread updated with newer modified versions as Google releases them.

What do you mean when you say "mount read/write" in step 5?

Nevermind, I figured it out. Explorer didnt allow me to mount r/w or change permissions so I installed Root Explorer and worked it out.....much better file system explorer btw. Thanks for the tutorial.
via x10i WB GB v4.0 edition

Uploaded hacked version of the newest Gmail application (v2.3.5.2).

Now we can have gmail timescape for the latest app

Yeah sorry i took so long to upload the new version, my phone has been disconnected for a few months now so i dont use it too much lol.

BULL3TPR00F said:
Yeah sorry i took so long to upload the new version, my phone has been disconnected for a few months now so i dont use it too much lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It doesn't seem to work with Launcher Pro's Gmail widget :/

Thanks for this. Just put it on my SGS, now SlideScreen works again, fully .

make sure keep this updated LOL
Slidescreen is back in businesssssss!
Subscribed

It works, thanks.

Working, nice job man, thanks!

Cant get this to work with slidescreen, but it works with launcherPro :s

THanks for this, it's exactly what I've been looking for however I seem to get stuck doing the steps involving pasting into system/data basically nothing ever pastes there despite me setting the read write permissions as suggested. Guy who got slidescreen working using this how exactly did you go about it? exactly as described?

Thanks so much for this fantastic hack!
Mind letting us know exactly what you did?
I ask because I'm using I'm already using a modded themed apk, and obviously I can't use both at the same time.

[PATCH] CWM Facebook Chat Enable

UPDATE
After doing some more fiddling around I found that you only need to issue a single command in order to disable the forced/optional install messenger page.
Code:
chattr +i /data/data/com.facebook.katana/databases/qe_db
This will prevent the app from opening the database for read/write operations, thus will disable all experiments(including the forced messenger experiment). In order to reverse this and to restore full functionality:
Code:
chattr -i /data/data/com.facebook.katana/databases/qe_db
I also updated the patch accordingly, so you can either flash the zip or install terminal/start adb and issue the command.
This little patch will do three things:
- disable the optional install messenger page;​ - disable the forced install messenger page;​- remove the "click here to install messenger" banner from chat section;​
Installation: download and flash.
Requirements: root, busybox
Status:
Working with latest Facebook Android Alpha v30.0.0.0.14
Why?
Well, as many of you were/still are I was annoyed also when Facebook decided to force me to use their Messenger. I have tested many combinations and I found this patch to be the least intrusive.
Enjoy.

Nice work, even though I deleted Facebook "About A Week Ago".

Just to let you know, the hack worked on my rooted GSIII with 4.4.2. However, it did kill a few options I like, such as viewing web pages within the app and comments to comments. I know my way around Android pretty well, except for terminal commands. Any chance you can throw together a flashable zip to reverse the previous one? I tried to make one but came up with zilch. Thanks!

I added an uninstaller that you can flash and it will reverse the changes.
Fightingirish1 said:
Just to let you know, the hack worked on my rooted GSIII with 4.4.2. However, it did kill a few options I like, such as viewing web pages within the app and comments to comments. I know my way around Android pretty well, except for terminal commands. Any chance you can throw together a flashable zip to reverse the previous one? I tried to make one but came up with zilch. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Ahh perfect. Much thanks! I had a modded small Messenger app that worked, but recent Facebook app updates pretty much killed it. Guess I'll have to just put up with the official messenger for now. At least I've got the space and RAM for it.

Thank you very much for this work, you are the boss......

works fine on i9300
THX

Thank you! Works fine! But there is still a banner at the bottom saying "Check out the New Messenger" on the latest PlayStore version :angel:
And no user has an image? Is this related to this?#
Hmm big issue. You change the file attribute with the chattr command, everything okay BUT it seems to me that nandroid backups have problems with that :/
You could try to make a Xposed module out of this :good:

The Check out the New Messenger banner may show up from time to time. No user has an image is not related to this, all works fine except experiments. When doing nandroid/titanium/etc backups there should be no problem because theoretically the software will just need read permissions, and when restoring them only this file will be read-only, anyway if one wants to do backups, uninstall facebook, reverse the modification can easily use the chattr command again or flash the uninstall zip from CWM. I will look into the xposed module but I don't have a lot of experience in developing such a module, also that would be an extra dependency, my goal was to minimize the mods needed.
fiz:ik said:
Thank you! Works fine! But there is still a banner at the bottom saying "Check out the New Messenger" on the latest PlayStore version :angel:
And no user has an image? Is this related to this?#
Hmm big issue. You change the file attribute with the chattr command, everything okay BUT it seems to me that nandroid backups have problems with that :/
You could try to make a Xposed module out of this :good:
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

thx works great with facebook v30.x and twrp 2.8.1.0
Gesendet von meinem GT-I8190

works fine on 31.x
thanks!

This patch isn't working anymore. Any chance of an updated patch?
Sent from my LG-D851

Works great with 32.0.0.15.15!
Hi everyone, the patch works till verson 36.x
is there some new patch for newer versions?
thanks and great job!

The hack worked on Android 6.0.1 with old fb version up to v36.
However, it did kill a few greate options such as:
- viewing web pages within the app,
- and Reply to comments