Database Info

question about paid applications

why is it that they are installed onto data/app as a zip file?
this confuses me sooo much how does it work if they are zip and not apk!
humor me with enlightenment pleasee ^_^

apks are zips with a different name. For serious. When I pack up my version of a theme into a file that needs to be called framework-res.apk I simply zip it with no compression and then rename the file.

yes ive actaully done a little theming myself and i understand that, but what i wish to do is uninstall some of my applications and edit them to change the default icons, i have success with the apks of regular apps but i cant do it for the paid ones
it seems that in the data/app file they arent apks at all! they are zip files
and after i have edited them on the computer and re zipped, named, and signed them, i still cant get them to re install,
the purpose of this is to change the default icon and no i do not want to use bettercut because i am using ahome and its not compatible

matthewboii said:
yes ive actaully done a little theming myself and i understand that, but what i wish to do is uninstall some of my applications and edit them to change the default icons, i have success with the apks of regular apps but i cant do it for the paid ones
it seems that in the data/app file they arent apks at all! they are zip files
and after i have edited them on the computer and re zipped, named, and signed them, i still cant get them to re install,
the purpose of this is to change the default icon and no i do not want to use bettercut because i am using ahome and its not compatible
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hmm that's a good question. I have yet to change default icons, so I'm of no help. Sorry :-/

yeah, well its actually not that hard to do as long as you repack and sign it, that is, only for the apps that are not paid, but the paid apps on the other hand are another story completely
anyone?

I have noticed this as well, it seems that the .zip files in the app directory are protected. You will find the .apk in the app-private directory.
Hope that helps.

BlueBoar said:
I have noticed this as well, it seems that the .zip files in the app directory are protected. You will find the .apk in the app-private directory.
Hope that helps.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just beat me to it! Yeah, try the APK in app-private.

workd!
thanks guys

Sons of Anarchy boot w/ sound (Links Up)

Here is the boot animation and also the theme to the show.
Push the bootanimation.zip to system/media. Rename the existing file to bootanimation.zipold.
If you want the sound push the wav file to ect and rename existing file to PowerOn.wavold. I have only tried replacing existing files not sure if will work if you have no boot sound.
*DISCLAIMER* I am no way responsible for what you do to your device
Thanks to TXLunchbox for the bootanimation
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/64304416/bootanimation.zip
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/64304416/PowerOn.wav

Sorry for the delay on the links. Can't get the files loaded as attachments but the dropbox links are up and working!
Again use at your own risk and so far have only tested on ROM that had existing startup sound.

Glad to see you got it up nd running
Sent from my Maybach s 4g

ShadyAce80 said:
Here is the boot animation and also the theme to the show.
Push the bootanimation.zip to system/media. Rename the existing file to bootanimation.zipold.
If you want the sound push the wav file to ect and rename existing file to PowerOn.wavold. I have only tried replacing existing files not sure if will work if you have no boot sound.
*DISCLAIMER* I am no way responsible for what you do to your device
Thanks to TXLunchbox for the bootanimation
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/64304416/bootanimation.zip
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/64304416/PowerOn.wav
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good work man!
Tip: renaming the files to bootanimation.zipold should be bootanimation.zip.old, same with the poweron.wav file. Or you could rename it to .bak, that is how some of the various apps do it so the filesystem thinks it is a backup file. I think sdmaid will remove .old files when using it that is why I suggest using the .bak extension.

eollie said:
Good work man!
Tip: renaming the files to bootanimation.zipold should be bootanimation.zip.old, same with the poweron.wav file. Or you could rename it to .bak, that is how some of the various apps do it so the filesystem thinks it is a backup file. I think sdmaid will remove .old files when using it that is why I suggest using the .bak extension.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the tip. Now to just learn how to create a complete theme that can be flashed.

ShadyAce80 said:
Thanks for the tip. Now to just learn how to create a complete theme that can be flashed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ill help you what are u stuck on
Sent From a Galaxy S with 4G

DnickDominic said:
Ill help you what are u stuck on
Sent From a Galaxy S with 4G
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks. Right now I'm starting out at android.com figuring out the emulator and what not. Also looking for threads to show me how to take the boot animation and package it up for flash.

ShadyAce80 said:
thanks. Right now I'm starting out at android.com figuring out the emulator and what not. Also looking for threads to show me how to take the boot animation and package it up for flash.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Couple of things...
First, while I do appreciate the thanks, I was under the assumption you were going to add this to a full ROM you were working on and not just post it in another forum. If that was the case you could have just linked to my post that I did for this. The reason I never posted it in any other phone forums is that the resolution is set specifically for the Galaxy S Vibrant, therefore may have not looked as good on other devices.
Second, for the sound to work, it all depends on your kernel. I never did one for mine cause the majority of people that use the device I designed the bootanimation.zip for had VooDoo kernels and those do not support boot sound.
Third, if you're wanting to make it flashable you're going to have to learn the code for the recovery system you are using for the phone. I used to have a flashable version of mine, but when codes changed for CWM Recovery, I just figured it was easier to tell people where to push the file to.
Again, I do appreciate the thanks, but next time be a little clearer on what you're doing with someone else's work before posting it as your own.
Thank you

TXLunchbox said:
Couple of things...
First, while I do appreciate the thanks, I was under the assumption you were going to add this to a full ROM you were working on and not just post it in another forum.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you goto android.com its the home page to andorid....
http://www.android.com/

Boot animtion unsuccessful.
ShadyAce80 said:
Here is the boot animation and also the theme to the show.
Push the bootanimation.zip to system/media. Rename the existing file to bootanimation.zipold.
If you want the sound push the wav file to ect and rename existing file to PowerOn.wavold. I have only tried replacing existing files not sure if will work if you have no boot sound.
*DISCLAIMER* I am no way responsible for what you do to your device
Thanks to TXLunchbox for the bootanimation
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/64304416/bootanimation.zip
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/64304416/PowerOn.wav
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried to push both files like you described even renaming to bootanimation.zip.old. rebooted but no animation. Im on valhalla black final + black booster.

GO launcher wallpaper extraction

I really love this wallpaper that comes as a default on go launcher now, but even after about an hour of research I can't find the actual wallpaper to download anywhere on the Internet. Now I know it can be extracted from the apk of the theme but I don't have the resources to do it. I was wondering if anybody had the picture or wanted to take on the challenge of extracting it.

Helmetheadog said:
I really love this wallpaper that comes as a default on go launcher now, but even after about an hour of research I can't find the actual wallpaper to download anywhere on the Internet. Now I know it can be extracted from the apk of the theme but I don't have the resources to do it. I was wondering if anybody had the picture or wanted to take on the challenge of extracting it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you can get me the APK, I can give it a go. No promises though xD

Is this what you're looking for?

jayyskittles said:
If you can get me the APK, I can give it a go. No promises though xD
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here's the link to the actual apk
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gau.go.launcherex.theme.defaultthemethree[/url]

Helmetheadog said:
Here's the link to the actual apk
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gau.go.launcherex.theme.defaultthemethree[/url]
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Was that the right picture?

jayyskittles said:
Is this what you're looking for?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, that's the picture but I couldn't find it in any higher resolution than that

jayyskittles said:
Was that the right picture?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here's an extraction process I found. But I'm not able to do it
1. First navigate to the /data/app folder on your SD card.
2. Locate the particular theme that you want to get the wallpaper from.
3. Select the theme. On my setup, package installer pops up a window and asks what to do..install,view or cancel. Click view
4. Select the res folder
5. select the drawable-hdpi folder
6. Find the default_wallpaper.png
7. Long press on it and the option to extract comes up. Select extract and the file is moved to the extracted folder on my SD card.
8. From there set wallpaper with your app of choice.
9. If you plan on extracting more than one file. You have to rename the files in your extracted folder or else they will over write one another.

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[SOLVED] bootanimation replacement results in a blank boot screen, fix?

Update: I found the bootanimation.zip file, and replaced it with a custom animation file. However, that resulted in a blank screen with the Android logo, not the new boot animation.
Then, I tried changing the "desc" text file, the number of frames in the new animation, and the file names to match the old boot animation file, but nothing's working. (Now its just a blank screen on boot, the Android logo is now gone.)
Does anyone have a solution to this?
_________________________________
(Please bear with the long post.)
I'm using the Honor 6x (BLN-L24) running Android 7.0.
So, I'm trying to replace the default bootanimation.zip file with a custom one so that I can have a custom animation on boot.
The problem is, I can't locate where the original bootanimation file is located.
I tried looking where the posts I read about told me to look: "/system/media" but it wasn't there. The only files present in that folder were audio files.
Obviously, moving the custom bootanimation.zip file there (in "/system/media") didn't work.
Then, I tried moving the custom animation file into "/data/local" but that didn't work either.
Finally, I just searched the entire system using root explorer and the only file I found was a "bootanimation" file in "/system/bin" that didn't have any label after it, (ie, ".zip, .png, etc.)
Replacing that file with the custom zip file caused my device to not have a boot animation at all, just a blank screen. It probably wasn't the right file. (I "replaced" that file by renaming it to "bootanimation.bak")
Btw, when I tried opening that file, all I got were a bunch of scrambled symbols and letters.
Does anyone have a solution on how I could possibly change my boot animation/ find the original boot animation file? I think I'm missing something here.
(My phone is rooted.)

It's inside /cust folder.
Sent from my Honor 8 using XDA Labs

adriansticoid said:
It's inside /cust folder.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It wasn't there either for some reason
Update: I found it in the cust_spec and the product/etc/media folder. Now it's just a matter of getting it to work. (Right now, only the text "Android" shows up on a black screen.)

snowdragyn said:
It wasn't there either for some reason
Update: I found it in the cust_spec and the product/etc/media folder. Now it's just a matter of getting it to work. (Right now, only the text "Android" shows up on a black screen.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sory man. I already forgot the location. I got the bootanimation to change before in my Honor 8 in EMUI 5. @gopinaidu77 do you remember?

adriansticoid said:
Sory man. I already forgot the location. I got the bootanimation to change before in my Honor 8 in EMUI 5. @gopinaidu77 do you remember?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't remember anymore.

snowdragyn said:
It wasn't there either for some reason
Update: I found it in the cust_spec and the product/etc/media folder. Now it's just a matter of getting it to work. (Right now, only the text "Android" shows up on a black screen.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I guess it's due to incorrect permissions. You can change the permissions for the zip by long pressing and selecting permissions. Sorry i don't really remember the correct permissions but you can look it up on Google. If that doesn't work either you can use jrummy's bootanimation app from the playstore.

Anas Rahman said:
I guess it's due to incorrect permissions. You can change the permissions for the zip by long pressing and selecting permissions. Sorry i don't really remember the correct permissions but you can look it up on Google. If that doesn't work either you can use jrummy's bootanimation app from the playstore.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It's r-w-rr.

gopinaidu77 said:
It's r-w-rr.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nevermind, I think I found the error: apparently, I had to delete the folder called "part 1" to get it to work.
Thank you everyone for your time!

snowdragyn said:
Nevermind, I think I found the error: apparently, I had to delete the folder called "part 1" to get it to work.
Thank you everyone for your time!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Enjoy.

gopinaidu77 said:
Enjoy.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I will, thx for your help

snowdragyn said:
I will, thx for your help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You are welcome.

snowdragyn said:
Update: I found the bootanimation.zip file, and replaced it with a custom animation file. However, that resulted in a blank screen with the Android logo, not the new boot animation.
Then, I tried changing the "desc" text file, the number of frames in the new animation, and the file names to match the old boot animation file, but nothing's working. (Now its just a blank screen on boot, the Android logo is now gone.)
Does anyone have a solution to this?
_________________________________
(Please bear with the long post.)
I'm using the Honor 6x (BLN-L24) running Android 7.0.
So, I'm trying to replace the default bootanimation.zip file with a custom one so that I can have a custom animation on boot.
The problem is, I can't locate where the original bootanimation file is located.
I tried looking where the posts I read about told me to look: "/system/media" but it wasn't there. The only files present in that folder were audio files.
Obviously, moving the custom bootanimation.zip file there (in "/system/media") didn't work.
Then, I tried moving the custom animation file into "/data/local" but that didn't work either.
Finally, I just searched the entire system using root explorer and the only file I found was a "bootanimation" file in "/system/bin" that didn't have any label after it, (ie, ".zip, .png, etc.)
Replacing that file with the custom zip file caused my device to not have a boot animation at all, just a blank screen. It probably wasn't the right file. (I "replaced" that file by renaming it to "bootanimation.bak")
Btw, when I tried opening that file, all I got were a bunch of scrambled symbols and letters.
Does anyone have a solution on how I could possibly change my boot animation/ find the original boot animation file? I think I'm missing something here.
(My phone is rooted.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
do u happen to still have the stock bootanimation file? I accidentally deleted it trying to change it... now I'd just be happy to have the original. I've tried the ones for other Huawei versions to no avail.

jflow36 said:
do u happen to still have the stock bootanimation file? I accidentally deleted it trying to change it... now I'd just be happy to have the original. I've tried the ones for other Huawei versions to no avail.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, I still have it! Hope this is the file you're looking for.
(Just remember to change the name of the file in order for it to work)

snowdragyn said:
Yep, I still have it! Hope this is the file you're looking for.
(Just remember to change the name of the file in order for it to work)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
thanks!

jflow36 said:
thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
you're welcome!

I'm not able to paste the custom boot animation in the folder. It says not enough storage! Root browser by jrummy pastes it halfway till 11MB and rest is not pasted there! And if i try to open that zip file, it just doesn't open up!
One more thing, if a boot animation is around 5 to 6 mb in size, it works without any problem!
Plz help me! I want to use watch dogs boot animation but its bigger in size!

Neeleshjindal said:
I'm not able to paste the custom boot animation in the folder. It says not enough storage! Root browser by jrummy pastes it halfway till 11MB and rest is not pasted there! And if i try to open that zip file, it just doesn't open up!
One more thing, if a boot animation is around 5 to 6 mb in size, it works without any problem!
Plz help me! I want to use watch dogs boot animation but its bigger in size!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there enough space in you root directory?
---------- Post added at 02:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:36 PM ----------
Neeleshjindal said:
I'm not able to paste the custom boot animation in the folder. It says not enough storage! Root browser by jrummy pastes it halfway till 11MB and rest is not pasted there! And if i try to open that zip file, it just doesn't open up!
One more thing, if a boot animation is around 5 to 6 mb in size, it works without any problem!
Plz help me! I want to use watch dogs boot animation but its bigger in size!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Is there enough space in you root directory?

Anas Rahman said:
Is there enough space in you root directory?
---------- Post added at 02:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:36 PM ----------
Is there enough space in you root directory?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's strange!
I recently rooted my device, and haven't done much! Just installed Dolby Atmos port.. but still it says 0.2GB free out of 2.8GB!
But still the boot animation is just 30MB! And free space is around 200MB available...
I'm sorry man, I'm new for rooting stuff, so kindly plz help me! Thanks

Neeleshjindal said:
That's strange!
I recently rooted my device, and haven't done much! Just installed Dolby Atmos port.. but still it says 0.2GB free out of 2.8GB!
But still the boot animation is just 30MB! And free space is around 200MB available...
I'm sorry man, I'm new for rooting stuff, so kindly plz help me! Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Idk what's exactly causing the error but try other root explorers like mixplorer
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1523691

[solved] new boot animation fix
If you encounter the error of having a blank bootscreen and Android logo then you must verify the file that you put in /system/media.
The file should contain different folder starting from part0,part,...
The boot animation file should also contain desc.txt file that contains proper display configuration of your device hardware and name of all part folders followed by c and 2 digit 0s and 1s
After all,
One and last thing every part folder should contain many jpg images of same name followed by sequential numbers.
At last change file permission to rw- r-- r-- using any kind of root explorer.
Permission should look like this
https://ibb.co/nj7gkFB
I use es file explorer

How do i re-sign an app that i modified using Android Studio or others. Please help!!

I found out how to do so and I'll be answering myself once more :
In order to add only the files you want to replace in a zip (or apk) sub-directory and choose what compression method used with 7-zip, we simply do as we do with flashable zips:
- you create a folder named "res" on your desktop;
- you crete a folder named "raw" on your desktop;
- you drag the folder "raw" into the "res" folder
- you choose the sound files [of your choice] [in wav format] and rename them to match which ever one(s) you want to replace in the apk and add them in that "raw" folder;
- you right-click on the "res" folder on your desktop and select: 7-zip/"Add to Archive..."
- you select you new Swiftkey apk (rename it first);
- you make sure that "Store" is selected in the "compression level" field;
[see pic - I've changed spacebar and normal key sound in that example]
- Re-sign the apk
cqfd
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi.
I am totally new to this site and app developing in general. I used the above method (ty AL) to modify the Swiftkey Keyboard app and now just need to re-sign the apk and install it on my device ( ZTE Blade Z Max) I googled how to and found Android Studio, i just am having trouble using it I guess. Im just starting to learn how to modify/develop android apps.
If anyone knows how or can offer up another method for re-signing please help! Much appreciated and tyvm.
Amante

Amante10101 said:
Hi.
I am totally new to this site and app developing in general. I used the above method (ty AL) to modify the Swiftkey Keyboard app and now just need to re-sign the apk and install it on my device ( ZTE Blade Z Max) I googled how to and found Android Studio, i just am having trouble using it I guess. Im just starting to learn how to modify/develop android apps.
If anyone knows how or can offer up another method for re-signing please help! Much appreciated and tyvm.
Amante
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try the file explorer MiXplorer found here on xda. It has an apk signing add on feature. It is the my favorite and 1 of the best file managers available. Easily the best for free.

Thebear j koss said:
Try the file explorer MiXplorer found here on xda. It has an apk signing add on feature. It is the my favorite and 1 of the best file managers available. Easily the best for free.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Tyvm ill try it out.

Thebear j koss said:
Try the file explorer MiXplorer found here on xda. It has an apk signing add on feature. It is the my favorite and 1 of the best file managers available. Easily the best for free.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So I installed MiXplorer (totally awesome app btw) and MiX signer but how exactly do you use it to sign, doesnt seem very straight forward and cant find a how to on google.
Amante

Amante10101 said:
So I installed MiXplorer (totally awesome app btw) and MiX signer but how exactly do you use it to sign, doesnt seem very straight forward and cant find a how to on google.
Amante
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You need to install the Signer add on. Settings--->add one. After that, long press your apk you want to sign hit settings button, then scroll to sign. Choose with automatic i believe. Refer to the MiX FAQ thread. Link located in OP of MiX thread.

Thebear j koss said:
You need to install the Signer add on. Settings--->add one. After that, long press your apk you want to sign hit settings button, then scroll to sign. Choose with automatic i believe. Refer to the MiX FAQ thread. Link located in OP of MiX thread.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Im a retard lol, never occured that i could scroll the elipsis menu. Thanks a ton bro.

Amante10101 said:
Hi.
I am totally new to this site and app developing in general. I used the above method (ty AL) to modify the Swiftkey Keyboard app and now just need to re-sign the apk and install it on my device ( ZTE Blade Z Max) I googled how to and found Android Studio, i just am having trouble using it I guess. Im just starting to learn how to modify/develop android apps.
If anyone knows how or can offer up another method for re-signing please help! Much appreciated and tyvm.
Amante
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Signing worked! fantastic.
Decided I wanted to change more of the sounds in swiftkey to have a couple more themes with the original one i modified so I went through the 7zip process described in an earlier thread, except this time when i did it it didnt replace the mp3 sound files in the apk with the waves I wanted to substitute. This time it just added the .wav(s) to the apk while leaving the .mp3(s) there along with them. seems wierd. I changed the names of the .wav(s) to the same as the ones i wanted to replace, right clicked folder and hit add to archive. Selected drop down menu and selected apk and made sure store was the option selected and zip was the method selected. No go. Any suggestions?

Amante10101 said:
Signing worked! fantastic.
Decided I wanted to change more of the sounds in swiftkey to have a couple more themes with the original one i modified so I went through the 7zip process described in an earlier thread, except this time when i did it it didnt replace the mp3 sound files in the apk with the waves I wanted to substitute. This time it just added the .wav(s) to the apk while leaving the .mp3(s) there along with them. seems wierd. I changed the names of the .wav(s) to the same as the ones i wanted to replace, right clicked folder and hit add to archive. Selected drop down menu and selected apk and made sure store was the option selected and zip was the method selected. No go. Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nvm I got it, some of the sound files for sound themes in apk are .wav some are .mp3. Just made them mp3 and it worked
someone must have got lazy/didnt need to organize w/e when creating the app. lol.
My first app project complete. yeah!