...I'm trying to figure out this theme developing stuff and I have 2 questions(I'm sure I'll have more along the way).
1) What file do you edit to change the clock? I opened someone elses theme, and the "clock_dial" file is not the same as the clock that is actually used in the theme.
2) Can I test out a theme on the SDK emulator? And how?
The clock files are in the /system/app/Launcher.apk
I don't know if you can test in the emulator, I guess you could. I test mine on my phone that way I know for sure how it looks and what it is doing.
Ask questions about themes in the theme sub section.
Thank you
Related
First off, I know there was a thread on this that was located somewhere in the HTC Dream/G1 section, but I can't seem to find that thread ever since the big change xda went through...
Anyways, I've been trying to learn how to theme, I'm a beginner, and I wanna do this for education purposes. Can someone point me in the right direction to began with? (like a guide or what-not)
Currently I have the SDK starter kit from Google/developer.android.com. Are there any other guides, or anyone here willing to teach?
im a beginner too but to make a theme is not so difficult.. you must have only patience and a good know of photoshop (or the gimp if you use linux)..
then, just take an apk only for an example.. mm.. Launcher.apk!! rename it to Launcher.apk.zip and u will see several directory, one of this is res..
extract to desktop and you will see all the launcher images..
the only thing you have to do is replace them with your own images (same dimension and format, png..)
once you done that.. reopen Launcher.apk.zip and replace this your new images with the old one and finally rename again to Launcher.apk
do this with every apks and framework-res.apk too cos here there are a lot of images of android like the battery icon or smileys (the one of the sms's) and much more, also the top bar..)
then, if u use metamorph just follow this guide:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=591329
or if you want use the update.zip you must first read this
how to sign .zip: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=473580
if u use metamorph u must only copy the file u want to replace..
else if u want the update.zip u must copy every file into apks, then sign..
if into the zip file you want to add both app and framework and font too.. you must add a directory called " com ".. u can find this directory in any theme you download, its in the " meta-inf" directory
ok??? its not so difficult trust in me..
i found this link: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=467639 ..
...wrote in this thread: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=468254
maybe it can help you more..
Thank's that's exactly what I'm looking for, I owe you big time
but what about the notification bar?
u can find notification bar into framework-res.apk under the drawable and drawable-land folders..
the name of images are staus_background.png then bottombar.png and maybe another one.. anyway, thanks to cloverdale you must read this:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=606011
and download Black_Lite-v3.0.1 Full Theme.
here u can find the black notification bar (and many other thing..)
its a metamorph theme
I haven't tested it yet but it should work. make a nandroid backup before u apply this changes
alright, thanks for all the help, man
wow, great reply! so much for being a "beginner." i've been rooted and constantly looking around for new ways to mod my g1, and i still had NO clue how to theme or use metamorph. thanks!
dcheng11 said:
wow, great reply! so much for being a "beginner." i've been rooted and constantly looking around for new ways to mod my g1, and i still had NO clue how to theme or use metamorph. thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
im a beginner but i learn quickly.. i was in your same point some weeks ago..
if u want learn something about theming or else just follow the link i wrote before. i used them to improve my knowledge about themes..
if u still have trouble, download:
1. any themes u want
2. a theme that use metamorph (like Black_Lite-v3.0.1 Full Theme for example)
u will see the difference
to use metamorph is simply.. download it from the market and then copy the zip file or directory u want into the AndroidThemes folder on ur sdcard (u will see this folder after u install metamorph)..
next step will be open metamorph and select the one .thm file.. done
the only thing u hav to remember is make a nandroid backup cos if u dont like the new themes u can simply go back (without flash the rom again..)
all u hav to do guys is read more and do more practice
I have seen a few themes incorporating this, so I was just wondering if anyone had it on it's own?
Also: if anyone can tell me how to extract certain aspects of a theme (not within metamorph but outside so I actually save time), that would be awesome.
Here you go. It's a Metamorph theme, as that was the quickest easiest thing to put together. If you want to play with it yourself, take a look at the files in the zip i made for you. They should give you the basic idea. To extract them yourself, just rename the apk file to .zip and extract. Then edit as you like.
However this theme is untested, but should work as intended. It is made for MCR 3.0, but should work with all roms.
Theme file is missing or corrupted.
Anyone else wanna supply a working one?
here you gooooooo
update.zip
clear keyboard background
http://www.4shared.com/file/217207050/5e76db71/justclearkeybg.html
go to toown
oh yea didnt test this either lol
uh i think this will only work for sense but idk
plz do a nandroid as i did this in 2 min and i might have forgotn something or messed something up ahah
well im not sure if there has to be a certain folder that i removed
oh and well yea do a nandroid
Worked perfectly. Thanks
yuur welcome!
I'm trying to theme android.
I know that I can extract the APK's and edit the images, but what do I do after that?
how do I pack them back into APK files?
Learn to use either metamorph or ninjamorph. Their both apps by stereicson that let you change every image from an apk from within the phone.
what I meant was how would I create my own theme.
I'm not trying to apply themes that were already made, I'm trying to create a new theme.
but I've found that ubuntu lets me edit the images without extracting the apk
swee08315 said:
what I meant was how would I create my own theme.
I'm not trying to apply themes that were already made, I'm trying to create a new theme.
but I've found that ubuntu lets me edit the images without extracting the apk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
creating your own theme is very really easy. but it can be very time consuming depending on what you are trying to accomplish and edit.
After you edited your .png file (NOT .9.ping because that requires a much more advance and complicated method) simply sign the apk file, create the update-script to place in the /META-INF/com/google/android directory and then sign the update.zip file. You will need to use the search feature to lookup.
"update-script"
"signing tool"
Good luck
mejorguille said:
Learn to use either metamorph or ninjamorph. Their both apps by stereicson that let you change every image from an apk from within the phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I would suggest the metamorph as well instead of flashing. Flashing seems like it would just take too much time.
Also, Android Commander and Droid Explorer (maybe a few others) offer easy signing tools/transferring the apk without the need of any metamorph or flashing.
Thank you Binary100100
that's exactly what I needed
and also to r3s-rt:
I need to create an update .zip for this task.
swee08315 said:
Thank you Binary100100
that's exactly what I needed
and also to r3s-rt:
I need to create an update .zip for this task.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
For ANY themeing, you don't need an update.zip. I'm just saying look into metamorph a bit; it really is easier than flashing and reflashing if it doesn't come out right. If updates are easier for you, though, go for it. =]
thanks again.
but where exactly would I look to modify the widgets?
specifically the music and clock widgets?
swee08315 said:
thanks again.
but where exactly would I look to modify the widgets?
specifically the music and clock widgets?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Music widget is in Music.apk. Clock widget is in DeskClock.apk.
Though metamorph is convenient, in my opinion it is a better tool to test parts of a theme. Learn how to sign update.zip files (with ubuntu it is as simple as a right click), there will be less errors this way (and you can theme the market,....).
p.s. Do learn metamorph also, it is great.
thanks, but where is the search widget?
and yes, I will learn
swee08315 said:
thanks, but where is the search widget?
and yes, I will learn
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
launcher.apk
creating a black softkey menu pop up with white text.
Hello everyone! I posted something like this and got no real answers. I'm not trying to create a full theme just edit what I already have. I'm trying to change the stock cyanogenmod softkey menu pop up. If gotten my images in place and got the background and icons the way I want them but I don't know which values XML file I need to edit in order to change the text color. Does anyone have any insight on which file I need in order to edit the menus text to white? Already decompiled the framework-res.apk.
Thanks
This is awesome, I'm just trying to get started with customizing android and theming seemed like the logical starting point. Thanks for the input guys/gals.
Im new to the whole idea of having a rooted phone. Just let me say its pretty cool! Ive messed around with some rom cooking but nothing serious. Can anyone point me in the direction of creating a theme for my eris?
Thanks
-paperweight
sure, but ur gonna need the following first:
1. photoshop skills
2. linux
3. patience
4. an idea
one u have all of those, ill show u the thousands of pngs u need to edit
I got the skills to pay the bills... Time is what Im lacking, My family takes up most of my time. Maybe fathers day I can sit down and dink around.
Thanks for your help
-paperweight
SoCalSpecialist said:
sure, but ur gonna need the following first:
1. photoshop skills
2. linux
3. patience
4. an idea
one u have all of those, ill show u the thousands of pngs u need to edit
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yup not to mention hex editing etc...I am working on a theme now and let me tell you after being a 8 year Blackberry user its a whole different thing...dont get me wrong creating and editing svg's and layering theme for blackberry wasnt the easiest thing to learn this is just "different".
So not to be long winded any noobs or anyone for that matter interested in starting a theme there are some fantastic tutorials and loads of helpful fellows over in the heroc forum. Hopefully in the not so distant future we as the Eris community will have our own talented group of themers instead of just porting or simply being able to flash a hero theme. Good Luck and be patient.
sure, but ur gonna need the following first:
1. photoshop skills
2. linux
3. patience
4. an idea
one u have all of those, ill show u the thou
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yup not to mention hex editing etc...I am working on a theme now and let me tell you after being a 8 year Blackberry user its a whole different thing...dont get me wrong creating and editing svg's and layering theme for blackberry wasnt the easiest thing to learn this is just "different".
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So!? Have you thought about cooking up a blackberry-esque or bbstorm-esque theme theme. That, would be such a wonderful idea! :-D (i was a former bb storm user btw)
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what are some of the other files to edit png's in other than framework-res.apk and com.htc.resources.apk? the wifi, gps, etc. on and off widget/icon and the dialer keypad in particular. using the leakbase rom jcase posted if it matters. thanks.
iflip : a blackberry theme already exists via marketplace for GDE
magnum : the way i started was via windows. i was grab each apk .. edit the extension to .zip extract it and dive in the MDPI folder ( thats the folder ur gonna want to get into to edit themes.)
if ur using linux just jump in the apk and check out the icon_launcher's. thats gonna be a great starting point..since at least 22 icons need to be changed for a theme LOL
i kno i kno..its a p.i.a. but u asked ...
SoCalSpecialist said:
magnum : the way i started was via windows. i was grab each apk .. edit the extension to .zip extract it and dive in the MDPI folder ( thats the folder ur gonna want to get into to edit themes.)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, yea i'm on windows, takes a little time going through all the png's lol.
HtcDialer.apk and Phone.apk will contain the png's to change the phone dialer.
I was looking into making a theme or at least just changing some things around in the one ROM I'm running now. The two questions I have is how do I re-zip the ROM and how do I sign it so it will work? I'm running snow leopard on a macbook pro just as an fyi.
I am trying to use a background for a Vanilla lockscreen. I am following this thread http://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=6135628&postcount=2209 I know I need a theme control file for Metamorph to work? I do not know how to get that going and started? I followed the directions from another thread and the video on youtube but I still have no idea. I don't want to create themes, just USE themes and mods.
Any help would be great.